L I F E S T Y L E // My mind in overdrive

I signed into blogger this afternoon and as usual worked my way through the list of new blog updates, until I fell upon this one by my friend Amy!
I couldn't agree more with everything she talks about here; about her decisions and realisations during her year after graduation, about who she is and who she wants to become. Although we're currently doing very different things (she's currently acing her MA in fashion journalism) I can relate to a lot of what she talks about, and in fact I've been thinking about how much my year of post-graduation has affected me too.
I feel a lot of mixed emotions about my university studies. A few months after graduating I looked back with fond memories and the realisation of how easy it all was in hind sight. As I look back now- over ten months later- I'm not sure I can say the same. I loved designing and having the time to get to grips with my creativity, to push myself and see what I could achieve, however at the end of the day I feel a little cheated. In some ways I feel as though we were encouraged to do well not for ourselves, but the for the reputation of the university and the course. But maybe that's just me...

I also felt our future careers were considered very black and white. We were all there designing, so obviously we're all going to go into design and that's what we'd do for the rest of our lives... 
Only once do I recall a tutor mentioning a certain skill I have that wasn't designing. A comment that has played on my mind ever since and a skill I will continue to pursue. Any other time I brought up different career paths they'd be gently dismissed with a flick of the hand and the attention would fall upon someone who did want to design. Surely further education exists for you to develop your skills and realise what you want to do? Not for you to be pigeonholed onto one set career path and dismissed for wanting to branch out. 

What I really want to talk about though is how much more I've learnt working in the industry than sat in a sewing room crying over a load of silk... and yes,I really did weep over a pile of silk. Sad I know.
The past ten months have taught me that whilst a degree may get you that step closer to your dream job, it's not the most important thing in the world. Of course I wouldn't be doing what I am now without it, but I'm sorry to say, it's certainly not going to magic anyone into Karl Lagerfeld. 
I've been introduced to and discovered roles in the fashion industry that I didn't even know existed before now! And like Amy, I can finally say that I know who I am, what I'm good at, and what I want to do.
Of course it'll take a long time to get there, but the journey is the best part! I'm so excited to see what the future will bring, and I'm even more determined to make sure it's turns out exactly how I want it to. So here's to us all being even more ambitious, determined and incredible!
And I'll leave you with this quote that pretty much sums it all up (I forget where it's from as I wrote it down a long time ago, but it's been stuck to my mirror ever since)!

"Make a career plan, but grow at your own pace and expand your mind (not in Ibiza). Don't waste time with men who don't appreciate you. Get out there, embrace the life you have and work on the woman you deserve to become".

Lots of love,
Hannah

p.s The flowers really serve no relevance here, but I bought them this morning and they're so pretty I had to share!
p.p.s How do you all feel about your time at university? If you also studied fashion, how well would you say it set you up for life after graduation?