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Life after uni

No one is completely certain what life after uni will bring. upstart's Liana Neri has compiled a 'to-do' list of things to try before you find your first real job.

Attention class of 2011: graduation is only weeks away!

The days of last minute cramming for exams, Facebook stalking a person you’ve met in lectures, fighting for car parks, cautiously avoiding overconfident birds, and scrambling to find real sources for essays even though you suspect your lecturer will know you used Wikipedia, are just about over. Where has the time gone?

It’s the end of an era and now we’ll be free to do whatever we want…

Maybe I’m getting a little too carried away? Our freedom will only last until we get that dream job and have to start being ‘serious’. Our first ‘real’ job most likely won’t be the dream job (unless your name is Matt Dixon). But it will have potential and may only take two, possibly three years of dedication, hard work, fake smiles and compliments to prove yourself worthy enough to climb the corporate ladder.

Until I decide to apply for that job, there’s a list of things I want to accomplish (not to be mistaken for the numerous list of things every uni student should do before they graduate).  Hopefully my ever-growing bucket list of things I have never gotten around to, inspires you to try something different this summer.

So after the two weeks from hell are over and you feel like you couldn’t possibly visit another club/bar, or drink another beer (for a little while anyway), perhaps you can take refuge in my list.

Liana’s list of things to do post uni, pre ‘real’ job

The usual: for those who want to put their life back in order.

  1. Clean your room
  2. Organise your wardrobe
  3. Wash your car (and keep it clean now that I won’t be making daily trips up and down the Ring Road
  4. Catch up on TV (I’ve missed include Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Entourage, Inbetweeners, Weeds, Bored to Death, The Walking Dead, etc…)
  5. Read
  6. Travel

The unusual: for those who want to do something daring (your messy room can wait).

  1. Become a serial competition enterer
    There’s a hell of a lot out there: trips, cars, homes, cash- all up for grabs if you know have the time to write a quick 25 words or less, take a few snaps, or make a short video. I must admit, Ryan Murphy winning the Gillette sports reporter did inspire me. Take a leaf out of his book and you never know where you may end up. Check out tips on how to win a competition.
  2. Learn a new language
    Something completely random and difficult. Then you have an excuse to travel.
  3. Wedding crash (just like the movie)
    We already have our gorgeous spring racing dresses and suits we will probably only wear once or twice again, so why not get your money’s worth? Dress to impress, suss out your local churches, and get chatting. Nothing like free food, alcohol and being the person you secretly wish you were.
  4. Try something extreme
    Swim with the sharks, skydive, get a tattoo, learn to pole dance (thanks Cat). Go crazy and blame it on only recently graduating.
  5. Sneak backstage at a music festival
    Or for those less daring, just sneak into the festival.
  6. Take part in a serious karaoke battle
    Melbourne has one of the best karaoke scenes. Some take competitions so seriously, alcohol isn’t served during contests out of fear it will ruin performances. Check it out either for a laugh or for a chance to win some cash.
  7. Visit a nursing home
    Yeah, this one’s a little odd I’ll admit. But go in there and really listen to the stories the old folk have to tell. You’d be amazed at who you meet and what you’d learn.
  8. Try on ridiculously expensive clothing (without any intention of buying it)
    Preferably wedding dresses. Must be overly obnoxious and demanding.
  9. Get over an extreme fear
    Take a course on flying, spiders, or heights, and scare the hell out of yourself so you won’t be scared anymore.
  10. Start up a lawn bowls team
    You may laugh, but in year 10 my friend and I gave the olds a run for their money, and coincidently won their money as well. I’ve never had so much fun playing sport.
  11. Go to something ridiculously cultural and act ridiculously cultured
    Attend a convention or an art gallery you know nothing about. Study up on it, or see how well you can manage just on pure instinct. Play the part, put on an accent, buy a monocle if you have to.
  12. Apply to be on a reality TV show
    Big Brother is back. And there’s Master Chef, the Amazing Race, Beauty and the Geek…the list goes on!
  13. Volunteer
    There are heaps of different organisations out there. Whether it be your time or your skills, you can make a difference. Have a look to see what you can be a part of.
  14. Organise a flash mob
    It doesn’t have to be the biggest group of people. Do it with a group of close mates and get really into it- costumes and perfectly choreographed dancing all the way.
  15. Be an extra in a film
    Easy way to make some cash an possibly meet some celebs.
  16. Run a marathon
    Are you tall, tanned, fit and ready for summer yet? Me neither. What better way to get ready but to set a personal goal for yourself and train for a marathon. Check out marathons in Melbourne.

Enjoy, class of 2011. And good luck with whatever the future brings.

Liana Neri is a final-year Bachelor of Journalism student at La Trobe University and is part of upstart’s editorial team. You can follow her on Twitter: @liana_neri

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