The stress of impending deadlines, personal
Let’s say you’re like the many students
troubles, and the realisation of an ever-
who are too busy to even think about life after
increasing student debt may distract you from
your degree. Once you graduate, you’ll likely
the fact that (most of) you will eventually
divide your time paying the rent by working
be leaving the classroom and transition into
a part-time job at Coles, honing your craft (if
the workplace—becoming a fully functional
you’re a creative), and applying for jobs related
member of society. For those who went from
to your field. But, let’s be real here, the local
high school, to a full-time study, this also
job market isn’t the greatest right now, and
signifies a transition from student, to grown
unless you’re a complete savant in your field,
adult with responsibility. While you’ve been
your chances are pretty slim—especially when
studying, perhaps you’ve created a plan for
you have to contend with those with the same
yourself and planted the seeds through temp
degree as you. In short, the number of people
work, placement, or simply utilising UniSA’s
per opportunity is significantly skewed against
career resources. But, whether you get a job
your favour. All of a sudden, it doesn’t become
straight out of uni, or bum around for the next
about what you’ve learnt through your degree,
twenty years, there is still one commonality,
but instead how you’ve applied those skills in a
and that is the real world is a terrifying place.
way that is better than the thousands of other
This does not refer to the very real horrors of
candidates. However, this is probably something
war, famine, genocide, discrimination, failing
you’ve heard a million times before by younger
democracy, nuclear weapons, gun violence,
graduates, or boomer family members who’ve
extremism, racial divide, murder, sexual
never had to live through it, but seem to have
assault, and environmental destruction—but
the wisdom and foresight to know.
rather, the existential Lovecraftian horror of being an ex-student.
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