Is my future completely shafted?
Discussion
I was just pondering this when I was in the careers office today.
I just remember my parents being glad when Major was voted out in '97. Come on PH, I bet some of you were glad to see the back of the hopeless grey dummy back then, and had at least some kind of optimism regarding the new government. My parents said 'this will mean that you'll get a good start in life when you leave university, if you go.'
Well, now I'm less than two terms away from the end of university, under this formerly-optimistic government, and my future is looking seriously shafted:
-Firstly, I'm a white, British, male, heterosexual, able-bodied young man, and therefore deemed of little societal value. By this very fact, I will be placed at the bottom of every priority list that may exist.
-Secondly, the sort of work I'm good at, and therefore the sector I'll be involved in in the future is all private sector, media-based. As a result, I''m not considered an 'essential worker' by the government and therefore it won't really matter to them if I can't get a job/house/loan etc. It also means I'll be taxed more than anyone in this sector.
-I am single, unmarried and childless, which means that the government will deem me to be of no use in terms of apportioning any money they see fit to spend on the 'future'.
-I won't be paid astronomically, but I won't be paid badly (unlike some people I know lined up for careers in economics with £25k starter salaries). £17k starters is as good as it gets for me, but while it's not exactly poverty, it is, however, taxable. Very taxable. And not a penny will be spent on me.
-I like cars. Cars which the government deems 'unnecessary'. As a result, not only will I be taxed heavily once again, the government will try their hardest to make me look like some kind of social outcast.
To add to all of the above, I'm treated, be virtue of sheer statistics, as a paedophile, a thug, a sexual philanderer, a chauvenist, a potential car-based murderer, a planet-killer and a waste of space who can't do DIY and whose stupidity and cowardice can be used to sell sanitary towels.
I have been feeling like sh1t recently, and I've finally put my finger on it - the country doesn't want me any more. I look at the future and all the various manifestos, groups, movements, areas of international debate and so on, and realise that I just don't fit and might as well give up now, as those seven huge essays, four brain-draining exams, Left/liberal-biased seminars and dull theoretical lectures just aren't worth the hassle, even if I've planned doing a degree my whole life and, after nearly two and a half years, it's all nearly over.
Does anyone feel the same or is it just me - do I not have a future or am I part of a 'forgotten' generation that will eventually find a purpose.
Because right now I've alternated between working like a drone bee and idling away time on PH, and I've just been progressively feeling worse.
I just remember my parents being glad when Major was voted out in '97. Come on PH, I bet some of you were glad to see the back of the hopeless grey dummy back then, and had at least some kind of optimism regarding the new government. My parents said 'this will mean that you'll get a good start in life when you leave university, if you go.'
Well, now I'm less than two terms away from the end of university, under this formerly-optimistic government, and my future is looking seriously shafted:
-Firstly, I'm a white, British, male, heterosexual, able-bodied young man, and therefore deemed of little societal value. By this very fact, I will be placed at the bottom of every priority list that may exist.
-Secondly, the sort of work I'm good at, and therefore the sector I'll be involved in in the future is all private sector, media-based. As a result, I''m not considered an 'essential worker' by the government and therefore it won't really matter to them if I can't get a job/house/loan etc. It also means I'll be taxed more than anyone in this sector.
-I am single, unmarried and childless, which means that the government will deem me to be of no use in terms of apportioning any money they see fit to spend on the 'future'.
-I won't be paid astronomically, but I won't be paid badly (unlike some people I know lined up for careers in economics with £25k starter salaries). £17k starters is as good as it gets for me, but while it's not exactly poverty, it is, however, taxable. Very taxable. And not a penny will be spent on me.
-I like cars. Cars which the government deems 'unnecessary'. As a result, not only will I be taxed heavily once again, the government will try their hardest to make me look like some kind of social outcast.
To add to all of the above, I'm treated, be virtue of sheer statistics, as a paedophile, a thug, a sexual philanderer, a chauvenist, a potential car-based murderer, a planet-killer and a waste of space who can't do DIY and whose stupidity and cowardice can be used to sell sanitary towels.
I have been feeling like sh1t recently, and I've finally put my finger on it - the country doesn't want me any more. I look at the future and all the various manifestos, groups, movements, areas of international debate and so on, and realise that I just don't fit and might as well give up now, as those seven huge essays, four brain-draining exams, Left/liberal-biased seminars and dull theoretical lectures just aren't worth the hassle, even if I've planned doing a degree my whole life and, after nearly two and a half years, it's all nearly over.
Does anyone feel the same or is it just me - do I not have a future or am I part of a 'forgotten' generation that will eventually find a purpose.
Because right now I've alternated between working like a drone bee and idling away time on PH, and I've just been progressively feeling worse.
I felt the same when I left university,
life is not easy. I ended up on the YTS FFS with a degree in avenging and stuff.
I was up against the 16 school leavers but I got a job. Then I got another job 6 months later, then another job a year after that etc etc.
Now a few years later (more than I care to mention) I am in a position I thought was inhabited by gods of the proffession when I started out.
Life is not going to be delivered on a silver plate but you have every opportunity if you are willing to go out and prove yourself.
You have to keep on doing it day in and day out. But it will be OK. If you want to work and be a sucess chances are you will be.
life is not easy. I ended up on the YTS FFS with a degree in avenging and stuff.
I was up against the 16 school leavers but I got a job. Then I got another job 6 months later, then another job a year after that etc etc.
Now a few years later (more than I care to mention) I am in a position I thought was inhabited by gods of the proffession when I started out.
Life is not going to be delivered on a silver plate but you have every opportunity if you are willing to go out and prove yourself.
You have to keep on doing it day in and day out. But it will be OK. If you want to work and be a sucess chances are you will be.
Stop reading all of the political rant threads and you'll feel much better. 
Plotloss said:
Welcome to the real world.
We have a support group.
Its called the pub.
People meet there every day.
FFS life is what YOU make it.
If you dont want to make it anything then you will be nothing.
I know what you're saying but right now I don't know what to make of my life, and every time I come up with something, the careers/politics intelligentsia pretty much declare it a dead end. The Little Britain 'careers robot' sketch is brilliantly accurate.
I suppose it's just the 'January blues' and the fact that I'm probably about to put more work in than I ever will again, and not get paid a penny for it. Then again, perhaps it's just jealousy - everyone I know knows exactly where they're going, what they're doing, what kind of lifestyle they want and, more to the point, how they're going to fund it. I on the other hand, get the idea that I've taken a politics degree that's made me more useless and unemployable than I would've been had I not gone to university.
Firstly Sam, get some self esteem and stop thinking life is against you. You have already proven your worth by not just leaving school and poncing. You are working for a degree and believe it or not it will open up a better world than the majority can hope for. I am old enough to be your mother and my daughter is taking her finals as we speak and also suffering some self doubts. Use what you learn, instead of perpetually moaning about the system, we older generation depend on people like you student PH'ers to change it. Talk is cheap, get out there and put action into words.
Or of course you could just go down the pub.
Di
Or of course you could just go down the pub.
Di
People almost always appear to be more in control of their lives than they actually are - its just the way we percieve the world around us.
One thing that will get you through: learn to enjoy hard work. If you do, you can pretty much guarantee you'll be a success at anything you do.
Bored? Do some work. Want something? Work to get it. One things for sure, giving in now will seal your future.
One thing that will get you through: learn to enjoy hard work. If you do, you can pretty much guarantee you'll be a success at anything you do.
Bored? Do some work. Want something? Work to get it. One things for sure, giving in now will seal your future.
Fair enough.
To put a slightly different slant on how you see yourself amongst your peers.
You say everyone else is sorted, have a career path etc.
Do you not think that that is slightly boring? Of course its a good idea to know where you generally want to go in life but if I was about to leave University (ahh the luxury of choice!
) and had a '10 year plan' or some such abhorrent nonsense then I would feel a lot more like chucking it all in than if I held a 'let the chips fall where they may' attitude.
The next 3 or so years ARE the glory years. You can do exactly what you want wherever you want.
Not enthralled by the UK today?
Piss off for a couple of years travelling and you will be back in the UK better equipped to deal with people and situations.
Dont fancy travelling, get a warehouse job or a packing job, whilst the money isnt great and its mind numbing work places like these harbour truly marvellous people that you will be a brighter and richer person for having interacted with.
To prejudge yourself against your peers and against a pre-concieved idea of where you should be is folly at best and lunacy at worst.
I have learnt, especially so in the last week or so, that to try to pre-judge in anyway what will happen in your life, next year, next month or even next week is a futile time wasting exercise as life will throw you a curve ball that you just arent geared up to catch.
Learn how to handle situations on face value at the time they are happening, learn from it and move on; you wont go far wrong at all...
To put a slightly different slant on how you see yourself amongst your peers.
You say everyone else is sorted, have a career path etc.
Do you not think that that is slightly boring? Of course its a good idea to know where you generally want to go in life but if I was about to leave University (ahh the luxury of choice!
) and had a '10 year plan' or some such abhorrent nonsense then I would feel a lot more like chucking it all in than if I held a 'let the chips fall where they may' attitude. The next 3 or so years ARE the glory years. You can do exactly what you want wherever you want.
Not enthralled by the UK today?
Piss off for a couple of years travelling and you will be back in the UK better equipped to deal with people and situations.
Dont fancy travelling, get a warehouse job or a packing job, whilst the money isnt great and its mind numbing work places like these harbour truly marvellous people that you will be a brighter and richer person for having interacted with.
To prejudge yourself against your peers and against a pre-concieved idea of where you should be is folly at best and lunacy at worst.
I have learnt, especially so in the last week or so, that to try to pre-judge in anyway what will happen in your life, next year, next month or even next week is a futile time wasting exercise as life will throw you a curve ball that you just arent geared up to catch.
Learn how to handle situations on face value at the time they are happening, learn from it and move on; you wont go far wrong at all...
Mate
I've learnt a very important lesson in the last 6months... don't worry!
I used to be the same as you. I'm on a top degree at a top uni and i had no clue what the future would hold. I would stress myself out over whether to go into banking or law or the civil service etc etc etc
Now i just relax and enjoy every day as it comes. Sure i plan ahead... but its not my priority. Living each day to the maximum is the priority.
Kevin (456mgt) gave me a stunning motto which i've adopted.
"Each day: Have fun, do good and make money"
Live like that and you'll be fine mate. Chin up... all of us on here are incredibly priviledged. We've all got homes and internet... i've met people who would LOVE to have that but can't for any number of reasons.
Enjoy life
I've learnt a very important lesson in the last 6months... don't worry!
I used to be the same as you. I'm on a top degree at a top uni and i had no clue what the future would hold. I would stress myself out over whether to go into banking or law or the civil service etc etc etc
Now i just relax and enjoy every day as it comes. Sure i plan ahead... but its not my priority. Living each day to the maximum is the priority.
Kevin (456mgt) gave me a stunning motto which i've adopted.
"Each day: Have fun, do good and make money"
Live like that and you'll be fine mate. Chin up... all of us on here are incredibly priviledged. We've all got homes and internet... i've met people who would LOVE to have that but can't for any number of reasons.
Enjoy life
themselves... they were USELESS! Gave me no advice worth listening to and i wasted an hour waiting to see someone. 
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