Life

My life the past few months has been a really emotional rollercoaster. With heart ache, health and financial problems it really made me sit and think about my life and what I actually want to do with it.

Im 22, single, in a dead end job and still living with my mum. Apart from going to college and attempting university I havnt actually done anything with my life. I have never had a girlie holiday abroad, or in this country for that matter, I have never been abroad full stop, I dont drive, I dont have any career goal, I have absolutly no idea what I want to do with my life.

On the plus side I can say I have a job, so I am more fortunate than the people who have suffered during the credit crunch, I have a roof over my head that is affordable and I do have a loving family. I start my uni course next week so am learning a new skill.

When we reach year 9 at school it is drummed into us that we need to decide what it is we want to do in the future, I had my whole life planned out, the college courses the career goals my life in general, but when I actually sat down and thought about it, what I had planned was the last thing I wanted to do.

Now I am where I am it has made my head reel with the type of things I would like to do and I still cant decide. Does this mean I have no career as there is nothing that grabs my attention enough to think I could do that for the rest of my life, or is it just I havnt found that one thing that will drive me.

Jobs, Uni & Voluntry Work

Well the fun begins as I continue to look for a new job, and to be honest im starting to think its more hassel than its worth.

Since when did applications become so difficult with stupid specifications and really awkward question which makes you doubt your ability to do your job?

I find it hard to sell myself at the best of times, as i dont like to feel like im boasting or made to look like im boasting cocky or even a know it all, I struggle to write personal specs and it can take me a few days to complete ( luckily I work with Connexions so I have a lot of guidance and support), so questions like demonstrate when you have used team work completely blow my head. I have always worked in a team so it comes as second nature but to answer the question the way you think they are looking for does my brain in!

Its not only the application process but the searching for jobs overall, with the current credit crunch jobs are really hard to come by. Now there has been a lot of aggrestion towards young people who are leaving school and ending up on the dole, the reason is simple I struggle to find work and im 21, so how on earth are young people, with little qualifications and work experiance expected to get a job.

While applying for new jobs I have seriously been considering going back to University (2nd time lucky). At first I was intending to do a community regeneration degree, but at fear that something I love will become something I hate, which is what happened previously with childcare, I serisouly had to think about it.

A friend recommended the Open University and OMG my head is spinning, not only is it cheaper, its easier as I wouldnt have to take time off work or do ridiculas hours as I can do it in the comfort of my own home!

I have chosen to do an Introduction to Social Sciences and an Introduction to Councelling, these two courses really caught my eye and open me up to many degrees. I am considering doing a Psycology Degree and also a Social Policy & Criminology Degree. Only hiccup is I will still be battling to get a job in either fields, but I will have the qualification under my belt and both are something im really interested in. So to say im excited is a bit of an understatment.

In the meantime I am dedicating one hour a week to a voluntry organisation and becoming a mentor, I will recieve a days training and continuous support. I had a mentor in the last year of senior school and she totally helped me, so I am looking forward to helping someone in need.

Lets Hear It For The Boys

Im quite annoyed i havnt wrote this blog sooner but due to my life being like a train crash lately its had to be put to one side.

On the 27th June it was Armed Forces Day, unfortunatly I didnt realise this until I went and sought shelter from the rain. I saw the veterans, TA and the Cadets march through the rain and it suddenly made me feel very proud of our armed forces.

People are protesting against our army being at war with Afgan, and yeah I wish they werent out there but no matter how much people protest it isnt going to change the fact that people are out there fighting for our country. Instead we should be supporting them and showing them we are proud of what they are doing.

I have a mate out in Iraq atm and I am petrified that something bad will happen to him, but amongst all of that I am 100% proud of him because it is not the easiest of jobs, but he is out there risking his life.

We do not recognise the bravery of these soliders as often as we should, rather than news reports on stupid conspiracies on MJ’s death, there should be more reports on our soliders, people who are doing much more than making music, something that is so trivial gets more attention than something heroic, and it disgusts me.

Back in the war young people were lying about their age to get into the armed forces because it was considered an honour, now most young people would see it as a huge effort to even consider it.

The Prejudices Of The World

Everyone is different, we already know this, its a fact we learn throughout our life. Whether it be race, hair colour, home life, interests, talents, etc. yet some of these differences are used against us either through ridicule or from being labelled.

Even though we try not to be, we are all prejudiced, even before we speak to the person we have already come up with our own conclusions.
For Example: a young person, around the age of 16, wearing tracksuit bottoms, hoodie, cap and is smoking. automatically you assume they are trouble. I hold my hands up to say that I think the same, and I work with young people. Why do we do this? because through the media this is what is portrayed.

Peoples styles and interests have defined who they are, they are categorised, labelled to how others percieve them. Someone described as the young person above would be categorised as a chav. Someone who likes rock music and doesnt dress in the “normal” attire would be classed as a goth.

Can you really label someone without knowing them??? And is there a category for everyone?

I like modified cars, its one of my passions
I love my trainers
I listen to trance/ happy hardcore
I also listen to cheesy pop & 80s
And Rock
Im almost always in jeans or combats.
Like to wear hoodies.
So what category would you put me into?

Through the labels people carry ridicule and mocking can become a problem, quite simply termed as bullying, prejudice is a form of bullying, maybe not as direct as name calling and other abuse but in a subtle way.

Inspiration

People often say people inspire them or events, but do they really?

To be inspired,  my justification, is to go and do something because that some one/thing has encouraged you to.

For example this blog, I was inspired to do this through a friend who also does a blog, seeing him express his thoughts and justifications made me want to do something similar,  so I did (which is why you are reading this now). With my current professional agenda, doing something I am passionate about, this was inspired by people who are currently in that role, seeing them in full swing made me want to do the same. They inspired me to chase a new profession.

So from these examples you can see that I was truly inspired as I actually did something, but for those who dont are they really inspired or is it just a word?

Proms

Prom season is coming up and im starting to wonder when we suddenly became obsessed with them. Not only are secondary schools having them but they have now extended to Primary Schools.

But in all honesty are they an actual prom (ie what you see in the movies) or just a regular disco thats over exagerated??

I had a prom when I left school, the year before hadnt, the venue was at the Hilton Hotel, 3 course meal and a disco after, that to me is a prom, but going to the school hall is not.

Now my lil sister is leaving primary school and they are having a “prom” (basically an exagerated disco) and I can totally see the point in doing something special as they have basically grown up together from nursery-year 6 its a long time, but to label it as a prom and spend stupid amounts of money?? I personally dont think its worth that.