Welcome To The Real World

Whether you're merely there for the half price drinks - or are actually working your ass off, University and TAFE are institutions very similar to high school. Now that year 12 is complete the days of uniform, detentions and 80 cent potato cakes are most certainly over; the freedom is excessive and you don't even have to attend lectures if you can't be fucked...so this is the real world right? Well after experiencing first hand some of the sad realities of the corporate life for the better (or worse) part of this year, I have to say no. But let me add some of the attitudes I have seen from this 'real world' are a hell of a lot more disturbing than 11am starts and 2 dollar pots in tertiary education.

Working fulltime was all very exciting to begin with, I bought some new snappy clothes and shoes (which I must say seriously slaughtered my feet) and I was pretty damn excited- blistered, but excited never the less. There was this lovely feeling of unity as I sat amongst my new stoic, carbon copy friends on the 8.10 train to work every morning. I was suddenly part of a world which had so far seemed quite removed and alien to me and I was accepted and sharing it with them - I was part of it. Now if you'd have asked them whether they felt this same connection they'd probably look up from their skinny latte and New Weekly and go "Wha..?" but admittedly for awhile there was something beautiful and comforting about it. I guess piteously as it was, I felt like a grown up. But as the weeks went on, I started to become quite disturbed by this monotonous, repetitive lifestyle me and my suited-up friends were living. As my bafflement turned to frustration and my troubled opinions were voiced, I was amazed at how many people patted me on my quixotic little head and welcomed me to the working world. A place where the week is wished away by friday countdowns, people live for the weekends and mondays are dreaded like the plague. Is this seriously how people want to live?

Now if any person who does wear a suit, endures 9-5 etc happens to this read this blog, they will most likely laugh at my ignorant idealism and continue procrastinating the day away on someone else's MySpace. But to my own defense (surprise surprise) being able to experience and see this part of life when I am indeed young, idealistic and yeah little bit ignorant; in my opinion has given me much more of an objective view on the inner workings of it all. I have experienced regular Monday morning meetings where upon asked how everything is going, the replies are moans and groans of "shit" "bored" "over it" etc. Well I'm sorry but naïve or not, fuck that for a joke.It seems to me, working life and culture, at least in the corporate Monday to Friday world, is one aspect where a large majority of society feels they can justify their suffering and compromise their passions. There is this disturbing collective notion that life is one big struggle and something we all have to endure rather than enjoy. I do not believe for a minute everything is easy. But I really think hard work does not have to be a 'hardship' if you do what you love and follow what you're passionate about. For some reason this notion of hating your job, accepting second best and not following what gets us really pumped – is all part and parcel of this so called 'real world' and our little burden to bear.

If we feel sick do we not go to the doctors to get some medicine? If we feel cold, do we not put on a jumper? For every problem there is a solution, perhaps not an immediate one, but a solution no less. Maybe you will have to eat Maggi noodles for a month, sell you're Louie vuitton handbags, or admit to yourself that you have just spent 5 years studying for something you now realise you can't stand - but we are never completely trapped. Call me young and idealistic if you will, but is it so ridiculous to think that if we have a blister on our foot it would be wise to just stop wearing the fucking shoe?

So maybe uni kids actually have it right…they're doing (or drinking) what makes them happy and working out what it is they're really passionate about. I did work experience at monash and I now understand why there were so many veteran students who had been there for years, continuing on with honours, masters and whatever else was on offer, refusing to remove their heads from their books and thesis' and stop studying for good.

I don't think it's just about saying good-bye to monday morning sleep-ins and concession benefits. The real thing graduates must leave behind is the safe little bubble where they can do what they like without being frowned upon for not confirming to societies bullshit cultural ideals regarding work. "I'm studying at uni" sounds a shitload better than "I'm inbetween jobs at the moment working out where I want to go from here" Because once you're out of there, once you've graduated from an institution where doing what you love is acceptable and customary, will we really have the balls to stick to our guns? It remains to be seen.

My only hope is that yes, someday everyone will. Maybe there will be some huge revolutionary shift, perhaps starting with my blog (now that's idealism) and the 'I hate my job, but so does everyone else' outlook will be abolished forever. But if not, don't be surprised if soon enough you hear those same familiar words I have heard time and time again this year…'Welcome to the Real World...'


PhD anyone?


*Disclaimer*
The writer acknowledges that wearing a suit and working 9-5 is not always directly proportional to hating your job.


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