Archive for the 'Uni/Work' Category
September 15 2008: Sanity Vs. Honours
Filed under Uni/Work with 8 Comments
I’ve been told by my university to apply for fourth year Honours in Communications and Media Studies, because I’m such a 1337 student. The chances of being accepted are apparently relatively high in my case because of the marks I’ve received thus far in my university career. This could solve my “what to do next year” problems, if not for the fact that it would mean that:
- Logically, I’d continue living at home because it’s only ten minutes away from my campus. I’ll go insane if I have to do this for another year…and I’m not even exaggerating when I say that.
- The 18,000 word thesis expected of me is a daunting thought. I’m an excellent bullshitter, but even I can’t bullshit 18,000 words on a specific topic.
- Next year would be eighteenth consecutive year I’ll have spent in formal education. For someone who’s not a fan of formal education institutions (I believe in learning and knowledge accumulation, but not in an official setting where you’re restricted by the ‘learning objectives’ that some random person has decided matters most), it’s a ridiculously long time.
While I’ll definitely be applying (why not try every avenue open to me, especially as I suck at getting an actual job), I’m still in a quandary as to whether I’d accept the offer if I was to receive it. It’s a decision I think, between maintaining my sanity (e.g. moving out of home and starting work) and the possible academic and professional advancement that having an extra Hons. tacked onto the end of my degree can afford me in future.
…and I think I’m future-focused enough to sacrifice my present sanity for the possibility of future benefits. Unless of course, I suddenly come into a lot of money, in which case I’ll just up and leave for Europe for a couple of years, bumming around the Continent.
September 11 2008: Professional, Yet Individual and Creative
Filed under Fashion & Uni/Work with 11 Comments
I had an interview today, for a position at a web solutions firm. As I gave this URl as an example of my work, they’re probably reading this right now, so well, hello! I’m awesome and cool and fun to be with, hire me! Anyway, the actual job requirements of the position hasn’t been officially set in place, but it would encompass everything from SEO, to creating blog content, to client liaison, to online marketing, to anything that involves making money online.
Choosing an outfit to wear to the interview was a bit of a task. I knew instinctively that the firm itself wouldn’t have a strict dress code. A company that specialises in creativity and lateral thinking, one that bases its business around something as free-flowing as the Internet, isn’t exactly going to require its staff members to rock up to work in a tailored suit. With this in mind, I was aiming for professional, yet with quirky touches that would suggest “I’m a creative soul! I’ll fit into your young and hip environment!”.
I paired my new spotty chiffon blouse with a pair of simply black slimline trousers. That would be where dressing myself would end, if I was going for a regular, monotonous, office position. However, as quirky was the order of the day, I added a black elasticised high-waisted belt to cinch in the top (which is very loose and blousey), chucked on my fedora for a “um, wtf Bogart” reaction, threw on a sparkly ring (can’t see it in the grainy photo), and equipped myself with an oversized black leather bag. Corporate…but not. Professional, but creative.
Going back to the interview and the position itself, it’s obviously not something that I’ve spent four years at university training for. As an Arts/Humanities/Language student, I’ve not had the chance to touch upon anything vaguely technical in an official environment. Everything I know about the Internet has been self-taught, which puts me at an immediate disadvantage to all other applicants. And, I suppose when it comes down to it, while I certainly enjoy analysing site statistics and seeing how I can manipulate them by saying certain things, and altering this or that, I’m unsure if it’s something I’d have the passion to do for any long extended period of time. That’s to say - it’s a hobby now, but if I was to turn it into a profession, will I grow to hate it?
I suppose the one thing that would hold me back from accepting this position (if by some miracle, I were to be offered it), would be a fear that: a) I’m not 1337 enough; b) I’ll grow to hate the Internet after working with it every day, and stop personal blogging altogether; c) and well, salary, which wasn’t specified in the advertisement.
I’m not materialistic, but I’m realistic. I know how much money I need to be not despondent (e.g. how much I need to be able to travel at least once a year), and a full-time salary under $40,000AUD a year won’t keep me happy for long, especially as a regular nine-to-five position is so time-restricting. My freedom can be bought, but only for a certain price, and under $40K ain’t it.
September 3 2008: General Veil Of Darkness
Filed under Family & Friends & Life & Men & Uni/Work with 23 Comments
I realise that I’ve been rather circumspect when blogging in the past month or so. Personal entries have been few and far between - rather, I’ve been writing lengthy entries on broader issues, “how to” guides to everything from saving money to eBaying, and basically anything that avoids speaking too much about me and my life has been fair game.
There are two main reasons for this reticence. The first, my current lack of writing at length in English (my university classes this semester are primarily all in the Chinese language, so no essays in English) has meant that I need to get my rambling-at-length fix from somewhere. The second, I’ve not been particularly happy the past couple of weeks. For a while earlier this year, everything was peachy, but recently, things are dark, and I don’t do dark blogging. I find it hard to post rants about how bad everything is going, and how I hate the world, and general misery. That would be expressing feelings that I’m not comfortable sharing. Escaping the realities of unhappiness with impersonal entries about broader issues is a better option.
With this said, I do realise that I need to face and address the situation I’m in, for my own mental wellbeing if nothing else. So here I go, setting it all down in print.