Expectation vs. reality

Breigha and the work thing

Worry

Shock

It has definitely been a culture shock as, up until three weeks ago, my only perceptions of working in an office had come from literally watching ‘The Office’ and, as a young girl, the occasional trip to my parents’ workplace (which largely involved spinning round on office chairs and persuading the janitor to let me take a wee something from the vending machine).

My work experience has been primarily based in the hospitality and customer service industry with a seemingly endless stream of waitressing and bartending jobs. I’ve also volunteered at a local Pictish museum, spent a wonderful summer as a camp counsellor in New Hampshire, worked as a lifeguard at my school’s pool, volunteered as a classroom assistant at my local Gaelic primary school, and, most recently, spent the past year as a freelance dog walker/sitter (which really is the best job in the world).

Breigha Morrison writes about her experiences fitting into the world of work. Is working nine-tofive everything that she thought it would be?

I was worried that everyone would be decades older than me with far more experience and wouldn’t want to engage with me. I was worried that everyone would have children and I wouldn’t be able to relate to them. I was worried that everyone would be very serious and no one would want to have a laugh at work, and most of all, as a notorious people pleaser, I was simply worried that no one would like me.

To my relief, I have been treated as an equal since day one and everyone has been endlessly welcoming, chatty and kind to me, especially my wonderful line manager. Of course, I absolutely feel like an imposter sometimes, not helped by the fact that the pandemic seems to have stolen two years of my life and I still feel about 19. However, I’m extremely lucky to have started at the same time as three other interns who are all recent graduates with limited office experience.

Support

One of the other interns is in the office with me too and you cannot imagine my relief when he revealed that this was his first “proper” nine-to-five job too. We furtively expressed our concerns to each other about whether we were overdressed or underdressed and whether we were allowed to swear or whether we were doing enough work.

We’re still getting to grips with lunchtime etiquette and always guarantee that we’re going to meal prep for the next day but constantly forget and are forced to sample the plethora of good takeaway options on Forrest Road instead.

Having a kindred spirit here with me in the workplace has been paramount for easing my imposter syndrome. I also like to remind myself that I belong here as much as anyone else and that they wouldn’t have hired me if they didn’t believe I could do this job.

Balance

This is my first proper experience of hybrid working and I have chosen to do three days in the office and two days at home. I really enjoy the formality of the office: the chance to dress up a bit nicer, the increased productivity of actually working at a desk with others, the time to properly catch up with my colleagues, the ceremonial closing of the laptop followed by the walk home which definitively signifies the end of the working day.

But equally, I love being able to work from home in my pyjamas and make myself elaborate homemade lunches with my flatmates and keep on top of my chores around the house – it’s all about balance.

Reflection

Most of my friends have been in a similar period of post-graduation limbo so, although I was struggling to find a job I wanted until now, I never really felt left behind: out of my four flatmates, two of them are in postgraduate education, one is currently unemployed, and the other has just had his contract renewed after six months in a kickstart scheme.

It has been hard to stay motivated as a graduate in the pandemic; I felt trapped in my bartender role for months as I just couldn’t seem to get any interviews, and I felt frustrated with myself because this wasn’t where I envisaged I would be after university.

Shannon and a different perspective

Shannon Ell, who created the illustrations, graduated in 2021. Did they find that creativity and career could coexist?

After I graduated with a degree in illustration, it was tiresome and disheartening for a good few months.

It paid off as now I’m in an amazing full time job and have my freelance work on the side, with successes in comics and Miles the cat merchandise.

Breigha Morrison, 2021 Linguistics and English Language

The experience has taught me a number of valuable lessons though, mainly that having a degree won’t automatically lead me to my dream job, and that it’s important to be patient and adaptable because a good role will come along when you least expect it.

I would say the turning point for me was allowing myself time to process and figure out what I want to do, how to pursue it, and to give myself the freedom to take things as they come without stressing about the future.

Season 4, episode 3

The annual Edinburgh Global Student Photography Competition has been celebrating the talents of our University’s global community since it began in 2010. It’s open to all international students, students who have studied or worked abroad, and online learners outside the UK.

Here, we explore a handpicked selection of winning entries taken by our - now - graduates, showcasing the beauty of Edinburgh.