Nicole Angela

As my university and Facebook friends know by now, last Monday I graduated from university. Therefore I feel the need to take this opportunity to provide a brief run-through about what I learnt during my time at university. Keep in mind, I completed a Media and Communication degree so obviously this is very discipline specific however I am going to make this as generalised as I can.

Firstly, high school teachers make university sound much scarier than it actually is. The lecturers are 9 times out of 10 very lovely and helpful people and if you’re not fond of your lecturer then the other students will help out. You are all in the same boat after all and it’s not like they hate the discipline either, they’ve chosen to be there, just like you.

In saying this, because the tutors don’t force you to study it means you have to do it in your own time, which means finding the motivation. There is a lot of responsibility and self-determination involved, in other words, get off your butt and start adulting. Yeah, it took me a while too.

Next is a piece of advice I wish someone had drilled into me in my first year. Join clubs and uni groups and anything that lets you network and gain experience because your graduating self will thank you.

In line with this, uni friends are always great things to hold onto. You never know when you’ll need last minute advice on an assignment or what you’ll learn from them. I’ve seen some of the people I’ve met in my degree doing some amazing things, and they’ve only just graduated as well.

Now, in reference to internships, please I beg of you! If you’re in a degree where you have access to internships. Get that started! Like yesterday! Well maybe you should leave it until about second year but my point is that internships are amazing things and will help you out so much at the beginning of your career. They say you need a job to get experience but need experience to get a job, well this is your compromise.

I was stupid and left my internships until my last semester which meant that I was not only on my last round of classes but also had to balance two internships and a part time job as well. Not. Fun. So, I urge you to get in early and work out what you like and where you want to go through various internships. This will really help you establish a career path.

Lastly, be committed and love your craft, and not just because uni is too expensive to not enjoy but because this is when you work out what you really want to do. In high school I thought I wanted to go and edit videos for a living and while I still enjoy that I ended up dropping my film major by the end of first year. Now I’ve graduated with a Bachelor of Media and Communication minoring in Public Relations and I love it.

Apply for jobs left, right and centre and don’t be too disgruntled when some don’t reply, it takes time, patience and determination to make them see you. Also be ambitious and passionate about what you do, go hard at university. Learn all that you can while you’re there, the theory and the practical, all of it.

Now I am not a gold star uni student and I don’t claim to know the secrets to surviving university however I do know the advice I would give myself I could meet freshman me.

I hope the graduates have job interviews falling at their feet, the current uni students getting what they can out of their degree and those who aren’t at university, well I hope you’re succeeding at whatever it is you’re doing.

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If you have any questions about university or anything I’ve spoken about, feel free to message me via the 'Contact Us' box. 

I watched a video recently that motivated me to share my opinion about technology and whether it’s the downfall or upsurge within our generation. Personally, I think it’s a little of both.

On one hand look at all the grief it’s caused us. Selfie obsessions involving finding the perfect filter and angle for your aesthetic and fabricated Insta-celebs showing off a perfect life that they are merely playing a part for, these are some of many complications. But that’s not even getting into how certain devices are built and the pollution due to unwanted mobile phones and laptops. There are a lot of problems that have developed due to our obsession with technology, there’s no doubt about that.

But if we are talking purely about what it can and has done for us, then I’m going pro-technology (however keep in mind I live in a first world country, so my opinions are my own from my experiences).

In terms of how it has benefited me in my life, I can safely say I wouldn’t be doing what I am today without technology. Hell, my entire university degree was practically built on our use of technology.

Every generation has new developments that send people into a moral panic and are thus overwhelmed with the desire to ‘protect the children!’ Think of how video killed the radio star and how DVD’s slowly ate away at the shelf life of our beloved VHS tapes. But right now I’m writing this blog, reviewing events/ venues online and am doing what I enjoy while being given the opportunity to show that to my friends and family around Queensland thanks to the internet. This blog literally would not be possible without technology. Goodbye internet, goodbye laptop.

Not only this, but think about it medically, these developments in technology are not just inclusive of our Instagram feeds and music playlists. I for one, constantly have my phone on me in case my blood sugar levels drop and I need help, it not only provides a sense of protection but also the ability to call for any required help. Additionally, as spoken about in my last post, I have an insulin pump. This in itself is an advancement in technology and one that is actually keeping me alive and I’m not alone in my dependence on this type of technology.

So yes, there are problems regarding our obsession with technology and who knows, one day The Matrix might come true, but being able to make friends and connect with people whether they be right beside you or half way across the world really doesn’t seem so bad. Places like Youtube, Tumblr and similar sites have communities of people who thrive on the ability to connect with people similar to them and express themselves in a way they feel comfortable.

Before you start hating on technology remember that it’s okay to be scared of change, and new technological developments are an unknown that could thrive or fall and have various repercussions. But when push comes to shove this has happened for centuries and will continue to happen for centuries more and so the best we can do for now is find a balance between our dependence on technology and our desire for what we consider the simpler days.

I know, I know it’s been ages since I actually wrote a blog post however I was bombarded with university work these past weeks because (fingers crossed) I graduate at the end of this semester! But that’s a story for another time, because I wanted to talk about something a little more serious and a lot more medical today.

This post is going to be incredibly ironic. Take in the fact that I am currently watching Interstellar with my roommate while simultaneously stressing about how much assessment I have due this month and you’ll understand why me talking about time management is pure irony.

You know that one hobby you just can’t get away from. You’ll go away from it for a while but eventually, without fail, you’ll come running back to that hobby and question why you ever left. This is me with the arts. Drama, music, film, fashion, whatever. If it’s in the arts, there’s a 99% chance I’ll be in love with it.