Surfing Waves

Haven't said anything in a while, so i'll let you know that i got a 2:1 in my degree, so I was chuffed about that...but then i got a cheque for 100 quid from the uni, with a letter saying it's a prize for getting the highest grade on my course, that was nice....another letter on the same day gave me a summary of all my results...and the average percentage was 66.6%....(mmm guess who sold his soul to finish coursework).

Now I need to get back the the real world and find a job. The problem is balancing what i want to do with the opportunities that come my way. I have been offered a chance to work for a very big company, for good money plus a flat...but it's in dubai, which is not exaclty known for it's great surf, and it's not particularly in the area that i want to work in....so i'm going to keep looking for the moment....i'm just a little concerned that i might kick my self later if i'm too picky that i miss my chances.

Other than that, I just got back from the glastonbury festival yeasterday, and collapsed. Awesome weekend...I know some people are put off by various aspect of it now, but it was my first time there, and i had great fun.... Massive Attack were the highlight for me, it was unreal... but also Alabama 3 are always good, and i heard loads of other music i hadn't before.

well that's it for now, hopefully be employed soon and be able to make a meet in the late summer.

Hey Luke, congratulations!

What was your degree in?

I wouldnt move to Dubai without thinking very carefully about it - the culture is so different, and a lot of brits end up with an 'enclave' mentality, them and us. And you only ever get to meet a small bunch of ex-pats.
My sister lived there for a bit, and it was okay for a while (and she liked having servants...) but I dont think she was very happy there.

Did it rain at Glastonbury?

Good place to go and celebrate, well done.

KS

Hey Luke,

Congratulations on the degree, and try not to worry about the next year. I graduated last year and spent 4 months volunteering and then i had to do what i'd always promised myself i'd never do....i moved back in with the parents and have been working crappy shop jobs whilst trying to sort my life out (learn to drive find a funded phD etc). Its a weird year in limbo and can be very stressful but its all turned out pretty rosy for me so try to relax and enjoy it and dont be afraid to wait a while till the right thing turns up!!

Congrats again on the degree

well done! sounds like things are going good for you! I would love to see massive attack too - didnt catch any of the telly on glasto either.

Let us know how you're getting along with all the options open to you now

Were you the one doing the Chemical or civil engineering? There's always Aberdoom if it's the oil industry you're heading to.

Plenty people mess around travelling or doing other things when they finish Uni, just remember the opportunities to do fun stuff that open up to you when you have some cash are pretty good.

Good snowboarding in Dubai!! If it's an oil company the life in Dubai will be good, I know a number of people there and they have a great social life as these companies treat you well to keep you.

Cheers Guys!

drowningbitbybit wrote:What was your degree in?

Real Pol wrote:Were you the one doing the Chemical or civil engineering?

No, I did Events Management. So it was finance, marketing, contract law, ethical business, public safety type modules.

Libby wrote:Its a weird year in limbo and can be very stressful but its all turned out pretty rosy for me so try to relax and enjoy it and dont be afraid to wait a while till the right thing turns up!!

I'm confident i'll get to do what i want to sooner or later, but in events it's all about gaining experience where you can, so work will probably come through on an 'ad hoc' basis for the next year or so. I don't mind doing crappy jobs in between to get a bit of money in.

Sar wrote: I would love to see massive attack too - didnt catch any of the telly on glasto either.

It was amazing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7luK_mQrOs

drowningbitbybit wrote:Did it rain at Glastonbury?

Yes but only for one day, the saturday and sunday were lush.

Good on ya boyo! Bet its load off. Now its time to pull your finger out and enter the real word

Congrats....

I had a similar story to others here.. got my degree then spent a year in limbo...seems manditory for all creative industries..

but now im a happy photographer working cool hours not earning a bucket load but very happy and able to get out to good surf at a days notice!! hang in there and keep ur eyes on the prize!

Phill

well done with your degree

i too had a year in limbo after i finished mine... did some crappy jobs and travelled around a bit but had the most amazing experiences and made some friends for life along the way.

Just chill, enjoy not having to study hard anymore, don't stress about finding your ideal job straight away... everything (good or bad) is a learning curve and things will work out in the end.

good luck. x

Am I the only one who thinks that the rest of the course can't have been all that good if you topped it with 66%??

Maybe I'm just old school (literally) but you needed better than that to even PASS your O levels back in my day........

Ah well, guess times change.........

Surfing-Innovation wrote:Maybe I'm just old school (literally) but you needed better than that to even PASS your O levels back in my day........

You're my hero

Luke,
Job well done! I'm in the same boat. I've been living and surfing two years in northern California. Surf is not just passion, it is life. I have the opportunity to return to the Continent with position of VP in an engineering firm known world-wide. Even though a position like this is what I've been working for more than 20 years, I'm hesitant because there is no surf in Deutschland. So, we face a similarly tough decision.

I'd encourage you to decide whether you'd l ike to start your career with a good salary that could chart your financial future OR choose what you want (surf) and find your way. Neither is right or wrong. You must follow your heart.

Surfing-Innovation wrote:Am I the only one who thinks that the rest of the course can't have been all that good if you topped it with 66%??

Maybe I'm just old school (literally) but you needed better than that to even PASS your O levels back in my day........

Ah well, guess times change.........

yeah, i know what you mean, but i aint complianing. 66 % is a mean average of all my modules, so although most of my modules were A grade, the B and C grades bring it down a bit. Most others averaged in the 50s, and there were about 18 or 20 of us. I'm more than happy with it.

Hey - despite Sar obviously taking offence (is it my fault that exams WERE actually marked harder when I did them??), you can only pass what's put in front of you.

It's hardly your fault that the education system is tailoring it's pass marks to magically produce more graduates so the political big wigs have something to shout about - but I honestly believe that when pretty much anyone and his dog can get degrees, it not only belittles the actual achievement, it makes it harder to find a suitable job afterwards (as some of you seem to be finding out) - so you're all being conned into thinking that your qualifications mean more than they actually do, all to tick some boxes at the Education Department.....

So - as I say, no offence meant directly at you Luke.......and I hope you get some luck finding the kind of work you're after and don't end up being yet another uni graduate stacking shelves or waiting on tables.......

Heh I think its probably moer a comment on how easy kids have it with education and exams untill they get to university.

lowering standards and being babied through it all then WHAM you get to Uni and its not all handed to you on a plate.


Grats on the 2:1 , lotta hard work to get that , I know I got a 2:2 !! ( tho part time and working made it harder...)

Surfing-Innovation wrote:Hey - despite Sar obviously taking offence (is it my fault that exams WERE actually marked harder when I did them??), you can only pass what's put in front of you.

It's hardly your fault that the education system is tailoring it's pass marks to magically produce more graduates so the political big wigs have something to shout about - but I honestly believe that when pretty much anyone and his dog can get degrees, it not only belittles the actual achievement, it makes it harder to find a suitable job afterwards (as some of you seem to be finding out) - so you're all being conned into thinking that your qualifications mean more than they actually do, all to tick some boxes at the Education Department.....

So - as I say, no offence meant directly at you Luke.......and I hope you get some luck finding the kind of work you're after and don't end up being yet another uni graduate stacking shelves or waiting on tables.......

Pew! Thats a big stance you're taking there! You gonna back that up with some evidence or is that something you didn't need when you did O grade woodwork!?!

When I did all my prof. exams in the early/mid '90's - there was a 40% pass mark - that's to be a qualified accountant.

I could never understand how anybody could be let loose on someone else's finances, with a 40% chance of getting it right! I'd be out of a job in about 5 minutes if what I did wasn't 100% correct 99% of the time.

Maybe someone on here could put my mind at rest, and confirm that the standard to become a doctor or something like that is a bit higher?

Congrats on the degree Luke.

oh pants, sorry I should have kept my sarcasm to myself. Can we please not have the whole educational standards are falling blah blah blah on this thread. It is not the point of it.

Luke- sounds like you may have a year of limbo ahead of you. Thought about just sticking a tent in the car and going for a bit of a road trip or something? May as well use the freedom whilst you have it

Real Pol wrote:

Surfing-Innovation wrote:Hey - despite Sar obviously taking offence (is it my fault that exams WERE actually marked harder when I did them??), you can only pass what's put in front of you.

It's hardly your fault that the education system is tailoring it's pass marks to magically produce more graduates so the political big wigs have something to shout about - but I honestly believe that when pretty much anyone and his dog can get degrees, it not only belittles the actual achievement, it makes it harder to find a suitable job afterwards (as some of you seem to be finding out) - so you're all being conned into thinking that your qualifications mean more than they actually do, all to tick some boxes at the Education Department.....

So - as I say, no offence meant directly at you Luke.......and I hope you get some luck finding the kind of work you're after and don't end up being yet another uni graduate stacking shelves or waiting on tables.......

Pew! Thats a big stance you're taking there! You gonna back that up with some evidence or is that something you didn't need when you did O grade woodwork!?!

How many 'graduates' post on here with their tales of how difficult it is to get a job based around their degree status??

Is it just coincidence that there's now a MASSIVE increase in graduates compared to even 10 years ago, yet some of them struggle like mad to get a role related to their study??

Even DOCTORS are struggling to find work - and whilst I don't doubt that their exams are mega hard, you have to ask why we've suddenly got an excess of these over qualified benefits claimants (through, in most cases, no fault of their own)

What purpose does it serve to have people 'too qualified' to get work, apart from hit a few government targets??

As someone who has to abide by ridiculous targets that bear NO relation to the actual 'quality' of the work I do, I will say that you're being bnaieve in the extreme if you DON'T think you're being manipulated.....

As for figures to back up my point - I'll let the government blind you with stats if that's what you're intrested in. I'll just let you ask yourself how many graduates you know that are working in jobs well below what they thought they would potentially be doing...........