The Twenty-Something Series: On adulting and my new job

When I started The Twenty-Something Series back in April, I kicked things off by talking about how I’d resigned from my job, and I’d have a new job in September.

Well, here’s a little background on the new job: it’s with one of the big energy companies in the UK, and the role will be on their IT Graduate Scheme. It’s placement-based, so I’ll be moving around every few months and I’ll be undertaking different projects in different areas of the company – which is hella exciting.

I was already really excited about the job because it’s in an area I really, genuinely want to work in. (Unlike finance, and my old job.) But at the end of June, they put on a two-day induction event for the new graduates across all the schemes: it was brilliant to meet the other new grads, and some of the people I’ll be working with.

I also - most importantly - got to find out my first placement.

I don’t know if it’s, uh, sensible, for me to talk about exactly what my first placement will be doing, but it’s so cool and I’m thrilled with it. Now here’s the bit I’m going to share…

I’m moving to Durham.

DURHAM.

Of all the offices the company has, I’m starting out in the Durham office. Which is about as far away from my home and family in South Wales as I could get.

Now, I don’t mind this so much. When I went to university I was excited to be independent, and since moving back home, I’ve missed that. And wherever my placement was, I’d had to move away from home. Plus, the property is so cheap in Durham I actually can’t get over it. So you know, that’s a huge bonus. I'm actually up in Durham this week looking for somewhere to live.

For those of you not-so-familiar with UK geography, it’s the best part of six hours to drive up to Durham from South Wales. The easier option is to fly, actually.

Honestly, I spent pretty much the entire weekend after finding out I’d be in Durham looking for places to rent and making a Pinterest board to keep tabs on all the things I might need from Ikea. That totally counts as adulting, right?

Speaking of adulting, there’s all the other things to consider that I haven’t had to worry about so much at home: electric bills and a TV license and grocery shopping… And I know it’s not glamorous or fun and it’s probably going to prove stressful, but I’m still excited.

I’m also very aware that I’m a hoarder and that doing the whole ‘capsule wardrobe’ thing to move myself up north for six months in the winter (#honoraryStark?) is quite probably going to be my biggest challenge.

I tried to clear out some of my room last week. I managed a shelf in a cupboard and two drawers, but I still own more notebooks than I could possibly ever use.

Back to the job itself: the graduate scheme lasts two years, and I’m hopeful that I’ll like my time with the company enough to want to stay on. That's certainly what I'm planning to do. Maybe in Durham, maybe not. 

By comparison – when I started my job in audit last September, I was looking at it as ‘Okay, get through the next three years, then you can do something else, or work for another company, or whatever.’ This time, there’s none of that ‘grit-my-teeth-and-bear-it’.

While I’m here, here’s a little update on how the whole freelance gig is going. I’m working with a company handling their social media at the moment and I’m really enjoying it. I worked on one big project with them that was successful and now I’m doing some more work during the summer. 

I’m also working on a writing project. I finished a book about two weeks ago and sent it to my agent and I've started a new book since. So… there’s progress, and that’s good. There could be more progress on the writing front, but some progress is better than none.

And I guess that's it from me for now. Wish me luck on the flat hunting!