I have always had a bit of an obsession with magazines. A copy of 'Glamour' in my handbag ready to read on the bus home genuinely makes my day and, sad as it may sound, it can sometimes take a well written article to make you realise you're not alone when it comes to a particular view point. That said, I never hesitate to say when the magazine industry gets a little, well, ridiculous. I've also read other people's criticisms of my favourite titles and, despite initially feeling defensive, I've often came to realise that they have a point.
Today an unfamiliar publication caught my eye as I scanned the shelf of the newsagents for my latest fix. The magazine in question was called 'Body' and, judging by the advert I have since seen, appears to be dedicated to helping females keep tabs on their figure. Brilliant. Just what we need. Come on guys, we have a gazillion books/magazines/websites telling us how to lose weight- how can you still be trying to milk this? I appreciate that it's not always as simple as eating less/exercising more and I love reading about diet fads as much as the next person however even I am beginning to reach saturation point when it comes to calorie talk. More importantly, doesn't anyone else feel a little uncomfortable with the launch of yet another magazine guiding us towards a body which is probably unattainable for the majority of the female population?
I guess I should give them some credit for promoting a 'curvier' role model with a headline of "You don't have to starve to look like this! Kim Kardashian's shape-up rules" however I highly doubt I will look like the magazine's cover star simply by mirroring her eating habits. Which brings me onto another thing which infuriates me. Why give us unrealistic expectations? We're always told that looking like a celebrity is a full time job and often dependent on good genes yet the same magazine will still dedicate an entire eating plan to looking like our airbrushed idols.
Another headline also made me roll my eyes- "Is your salad cheating on you?" Um yes, it's pretending to be a full meal when we all know it's barely a snack- lying scumbag! As you can see, I struggle to take such articles seriously.
As the title of this post suggests, I have not even picked up a copy of 'Body' magazine and so am more than happy to admit I'm wrong if I do actually read through it and am pleasantly surprised. I also appreciate that this time last month I was blogging about my quest for the perfect bikini body. Considering this magazine may well have helped me to achieve just that, I guess I'm being quite the hypocrite here. It's not that I don't care about my weight, it's just that I'm currently relishing the extra layers of clothing which allow me to eat all the chocolate I want (thank God for winter!). I'm certain there will come a time when I am back on the bandwagon and clinging to any piece of literature that promises weight loss however, until then, I think I'll stick to reading articles which don't leave me questioning my salad's fidelity.
Monday, 16 January 2012
Wednesday, 7 December 2011
Procrastination
There are a million things I should be doing right now however, being the procrastinator that I am, I've decided to do a quick post before actually being productive.
I'm going to Australia ridiculously soon and so most of my head space is currently taken up with the question of what to wear in the scorching heat. Summer shopping in the run up to Christmas is probably the stupidest thing I have ever attempted to do (wardrobe-wise anyway). For a nation that goes out on the town wearing so little the current offering on the high street is surprisingly cosy. I just want a vaguely summery dress (ie. no long sleeves or lace) and a pair of shorts that leave something to the imagination, both of which seem largely unavailable in the middle of winter. I have ranted about this for weeks (largely to my family and over twitter) and so I think I may have to finally admit defeat and just hit the shops as soon as I arrive in Melbourne (at least no one at home will own the same outfit as me...).
There's also the usual fear of forgetting something (yes I know Australia also has shops but there's nothing worse than realising you've left your straightners on your bed just as your plane takes off). Similarly, I envision my last afternoon at work being spent ensuring I haven't left any important tasks unfinished before buggering off for a month.
Realistically I can't imagine any of these things actually stressing me out once I am lying on a beach halfway across the world however, being the worrier I am, I have a knack of focussing my energy on any possible negatives. Forget the prospect of a month of travelling, what on earth am I going to wear?!
I've also succumbed to the chocolate yet again (I think it was custard creams last week) which is more than a little silly considering the size of my recently purchased bikini. I blame this on living at home. If my parents did not insist on buying chocolate biscuits then I wouldn't end up eating quite so many. Although I also wouldn't have healthy home cooked meals and so I guess my living arrangements can't really be held accountable for any weight gain. Damn.
I think I'm going to call it a night now. I'm not feeling brilliant and so hopefully sleep is the answer. On a more positive note, tomorrow has good cupcake potential thanks to the presence of the farmer's market outside work. Some may see this as healthy eating sabotage however I'm just grateful that the guy on the cake stand still doesn't recognise me despite probably being one of his best customers.
I'm going to Australia ridiculously soon and so most of my head space is currently taken up with the question of what to wear in the scorching heat. Summer shopping in the run up to Christmas is probably the stupidest thing I have ever attempted to do (wardrobe-wise anyway). For a nation that goes out on the town wearing so little the current offering on the high street is surprisingly cosy. I just want a vaguely summery dress (ie. no long sleeves or lace) and a pair of shorts that leave something to the imagination, both of which seem largely unavailable in the middle of winter. I have ranted about this for weeks (largely to my family and over twitter) and so I think I may have to finally admit defeat and just hit the shops as soon as I arrive in Melbourne (at least no one at home will own the same outfit as me...).
There's also the usual fear of forgetting something (yes I know Australia also has shops but there's nothing worse than realising you've left your straightners on your bed just as your plane takes off). Similarly, I envision my last afternoon at work being spent ensuring I haven't left any important tasks unfinished before buggering off for a month.
Realistically I can't imagine any of these things actually stressing me out once I am lying on a beach halfway across the world however, being the worrier I am, I have a knack of focussing my energy on any possible negatives. Forget the prospect of a month of travelling, what on earth am I going to wear?!
I've also succumbed to the chocolate yet again (I think it was custard creams last week) which is more than a little silly considering the size of my recently purchased bikini. I blame this on living at home. If my parents did not insist on buying chocolate biscuits then I wouldn't end up eating quite so many. Although I also wouldn't have healthy home cooked meals and so I guess my living arrangements can't really be held accountable for any weight gain. Damn.
I think I'm going to call it a night now. I'm not feeling brilliant and so hopefully sleep is the answer. On a more positive note, tomorrow has good cupcake potential thanks to the presence of the farmer's market outside work. Some may see this as healthy eating sabotage however I'm just grateful that the guy on the cake stand still doesn't recognise me despite probably being one of his best customers.
Monday, 5 December 2011
Successful Blogging
I wish blogging came naturally to me. I would love to be one of those people who can just throw a few random thoughts together and have a readable post. In the same way fashion bloggers make their outfit of the day look like something they just threw on, a good blog has a certain element of effortlessness to it.
Over the last few years blogging has seen a surge in popularity. Everyone's in on it. Forget your brief affair with live journal or your stint on teen open diary (yes, I am guilty of both), blogging is the grown up way to express yourself. For rants you want to spare your friends from or anecdotes that would make your boss blush, welcome to the blogosphere: a place where you're pretty much free to say whatever you like (not least because, in my case anyway, no one is actually listening).
Blogging can introduce you to a haven of like minded people, especially if you have a particularly unusual hobby (or if your friends just don't understand why you insist on photographing everything you eat). Those who are good enough may even be able to make a bit of money through advertising and sponsorship (and possibly nab tickets to London Fashion Week if they're very lucky).
When I look at the kinds of blogs I most enjoy, it's not necessarily those which talk about exciting events or debate-worthy topics. Often I am attracted to the ones that cover the day to day workings of the blogger's life. I like to read about their outfits and what they had for tea last night. I like to see people's week in pictures, even when they include snaps of left over takeaway and their pet cat. I'm not alone in relishing the mundane details of someone else's day. When one of my friends first introduced me to the world of blogging, she told me how she loved those that let you peer inside the life of the writer and recommended a host of blogs which allowed me to do just that. Fast forward a year and I have accumulated an awful lot of knowledge about other people's eating habits, relationships and other such trivia.
Regardless of the writer's style, the general consenus is that it takes time (lots and lots of time) to become 'established' in the blogosphere. One of my favourite bloggers, Muireann Carey-Campbell, never hides the fact that it took a hell of a lot of hard work to gain her impressive following and the author of daisybutter even has a page of tips for those wanting to take a leaf out of her, beautifully constructed, blog.
Despite success often seeming like a near impossible quest, I love that it's a challenge open to anyone. Those who post daily outfit photos aren't necessarily six foot stick insects and the blogger I follow who posts her own mega-healthy recipes and workouts probably wasn't born with an appetite for superfoods and a love of the gym. Blogging allows you to reinvent yourself in front of people who don't know your flaws and the internet breaks down a lot of barriers leaving us free to showcase whatever we want (and to hide the not-so-good bits if we choose).
I may be rambling away to nobody for the next few years however at least I can take comfort in the fact that the bloggers I avidly follow probably weren't so different when they first started out. Plus there's thousands more like me who are just happy to blog for the sake of blogging.
Over the last few years blogging has seen a surge in popularity. Everyone's in on it. Forget your brief affair with live journal or your stint on teen open diary (yes, I am guilty of both), blogging is the grown up way to express yourself. For rants you want to spare your friends from or anecdotes that would make your boss blush, welcome to the blogosphere: a place where you're pretty much free to say whatever you like (not least because, in my case anyway, no one is actually listening).
Blogging can introduce you to a haven of like minded people, especially if you have a particularly unusual hobby (or if your friends just don't understand why you insist on photographing everything you eat). Those who are good enough may even be able to make a bit of money through advertising and sponsorship (and possibly nab tickets to London Fashion Week if they're very lucky).
When I look at the kinds of blogs I most enjoy, it's not necessarily those which talk about exciting events or debate-worthy topics. Often I am attracted to the ones that cover the day to day workings of the blogger's life. I like to read about their outfits and what they had for tea last night. I like to see people's week in pictures, even when they include snaps of left over takeaway and their pet cat. I'm not alone in relishing the mundane details of someone else's day. When one of my friends first introduced me to the world of blogging, she told me how she loved those that let you peer inside the life of the writer and recommended a host of blogs which allowed me to do just that. Fast forward a year and I have accumulated an awful lot of knowledge about other people's eating habits, relationships and other such trivia.
Regardless of the writer's style, the general consenus is that it takes time (lots and lots of time) to become 'established' in the blogosphere. One of my favourite bloggers, Muireann Carey-Campbell, never hides the fact that it took a hell of a lot of hard work to gain her impressive following and the author of daisybutter even has a page of tips for those wanting to take a leaf out of her, beautifully constructed, blog.
Despite success often seeming like a near impossible quest, I love that it's a challenge open to anyone. Those who post daily outfit photos aren't necessarily six foot stick insects and the blogger I follow who posts her own mega-healthy recipes and workouts probably wasn't born with an appetite for superfoods and a love of the gym. Blogging allows you to reinvent yourself in front of people who don't know your flaws and the internet breaks down a lot of barriers leaving us free to showcase whatever we want (and to hide the not-so-good bits if we choose).
I may be rambling away to nobody for the next few years however at least I can take comfort in the fact that the bloggers I avidly follow probably weren't so different when they first started out. Plus there's thousands more like me who are just happy to blog for the sake of blogging.
Friday, 25 November 2011
Missing that Friday feeling
One of the major advantages of having a job (aside from the regular income and sense of fulfilment etc) are the weekends. We all know how it was during the school holidays or University exam periods- days would merge and you would no longer feel that sense of excitement as Friday approached.
Being in full time employment my week is fairly structured. I am now part of the masses that curse Mondays and live for the weekend. For some reason, however, I don't really have that 'Friday feeling' today. I think this is down to my growing to-do list (which I'm still yet to write) and the number of things I need to fit in before I go to Australia in a couple of weeks.
It's surprisingly difficult to relax when you feel that any free time should be spent shopping for summer clothes, exercising or looking into surfing lessons/boat trips (apparently it's cheaper to book that kind of thing over here as opposed to waiting until you're in Oz). I appreciate that these activities don't look like such hardships however bear in mind the following details:
calorie fest treat.
I'm now off to watch 'Bridesmaids' (or at least the first half hour before I fall asleep- this is one rock 'n' roll Friday night). This film made me so ridiculously happy the first time I saw it that I can only hope it will have a similar effect the second time around.
Have a fabulous weekend everyone!
PS. Whilst we're on the subject of weekends, whyyy does everyone feel the need to update their Facebook status with a declaration of "It's Friday"? I'm pretty sure the majority of the online world know the days of the week and so this kind of status really serves no purpose apart from showcasing the user's predictability and lack of imagination (however this does not apply to similar tweets as Twitter was designed for self indulgent statuses that are of no interest to anyone else).
PPS. I'm aware that, as it's approaching midnight, this blog will lose relevance pretty soon.
Being in full time employment my week is fairly structured. I am now part of the masses that curse Mondays and live for the weekend. For some reason, however, I don't really have that 'Friday feeling' today. I think this is down to my growing to-do list (which I'm still yet to write) and the number of things I need to fit in before I go to Australia in a couple of weeks.
It's surprisingly difficult to relax when you feel that any free time should be spent shopping for summer clothes, exercising or looking into surfing lessons/boat trips (apparently it's cheaper to book that kind of thing over here as opposed to waiting until you're in Oz). I appreciate that these activities don't look like such hardships however bear in mind the following details:
- I hate shopping under pressure. Casually browsing Top Shop on a Sunday morning is one thing, battling it out for the last pair of shorts in my size is quite another.
- Exercising under pressure is equally as unpleasant. There's nothing like a good run to clear your head (and make you feel a little smug if you manage to go before midday) however when you're being forced outside as a result of beach body panic (see previous post) any element of enjoyment has already been taken away.
- I am very indecisive and so booking trips/other fun stuff in a country I've never visited before is a minefield! Fingers crossed someone from STA travel can give me a schedule to follow so that I can rest assured I won't miss any 'essential' activity off my itinerary...
I'm now off to watch 'Bridesmaids' (or at least the first half hour before I fall asleep- this is one rock 'n' roll Friday night). This film made me so ridiculously happy the first time I saw it that I can only hope it will have a similar effect the second time around.
Have a fabulous weekend everyone!
PS. Whilst we're on the subject of weekends, whyyy does everyone feel the need to update their Facebook status with a declaration of "It's Friday"? I'm pretty sure the majority of the online world know the days of the week and so this kind of status really serves no purpose apart from showcasing the user's predictability and lack of imagination (however this does not apply to similar tweets as Twitter was designed for self indulgent statuses that are of no interest to anyone else).
PPS. I'm aware that, as it's approaching midnight, this blog will lose relevance pretty soon.
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
My Beach Body Vent
For the last few weeks I've been ranting to anyone who will listen about my fear of donning a bikini this Christmas. Just to clarify, this isn't some kind of odd festive tradition I have, I'm off to Australia with my family for a month and the ridiculously high temperatures mean that covering up just won't be an option.
Contrary to previous blog posts, I am not particularly unhappy with my size, I adore food and, until recently, I consumed on average 2 chocolate bars a day (probably shouldn't admit that...). However, like the majority of women (and a good deal of men), the build up to beach time has finally gotton to me and I've attempted to embark on a vaguely healthy eating plan in order to tackle the problem areas that will otherwise leave me hiding behind my towel on Bondi beach.
Thing is, it's pretty difficult to follow any kind of diet around the lead up to Christmas. Firstly, it's a pretty solitary activity. I mean who the hell restricts their calorific intake at the time of year when food and drink is plentiful and over indulging is often encouraged? Secondly, temptation is EVERYWHERE. I only have to walk down my road to be confronted by adverts for Christmas themed hot chocolate (yeah thanks Costa) and the cold, dark nights call for carb-heavy feasts as opposed to salads.
Anyway, back to my original point. Bikini body panic. Yes, once a year women are encouraged to diet their way to an acceptable pool-side figure, despite many being perfectly happy with their bodies throughout the rest of the year.
Now I'm all for getting in shape and making the most of what I've got however (and I know this phrase can be over-used when promoting a healthy body image) we are not meant to look like models. If we were, God would have created calorie-free ice cream and burritos which contained a magical fat burning ingrediant. As this is not the case, I can confidently say that I'm probably meant to have areas of my body which are slightly (okay very) wobbly and thighs that touch (unless I stand with my legs wide apart but that will just look odd in the holiday snaps).
I would also like to point out that wearing a bikini is not, for the majority of us, a natural state of affairs. When else do we strip down to garments the size of (if not smaller than) our underwear and carry on with our day to day business like nothing's up? Caitlin Moran makes the point that women shouldn't waste time worrying about their less than perfect physiques as we are quite simply not required to look amazing without clothes. I completely agree with this whilst I'm sat in shivering in the UK, however when we venture to warmer climates the rules seem to change.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say that we should all swap our bikinis for wetsuits, I'm merely pointing out the reason why so many women feel sheer terror at the prospect of a holiday in the sun. It's not always down to a lack of self confidence (in the right outfit we can all look fabulous), issues with food or plain narcissim; it's often just our reaction to wearing next to nothing for extended periods of time. It is an odd feeling when we spend the majority of the year layering up and being able to distract ourselves from the snugness of our clothes by our clever useage of accessories.
I've realised I always end my blog posts with some kind of 'moral', a bit J.D. from Scrubs style (kind of trying to phase that out...), however I'm not really sure where I'm actually going with this one. I'm still going to cram in as much exercise as possible before I jet off and I'll still look longingly at the hot chocolate adverts until I'm back on UK soil, safe in the knowledge that any extra pounds can stay hidden under an oversized jumper. So in that sense, I'm kind of contradicting what I've just written. I have, however, just consumed the best part of a 100g green and blacks chocolate bar so I suppose I'm letting the idea of perfection go...
The main aim of this post was to have a bit of a vent about the idea that we should suddenly shed the weight we've accumulated over the year and be beach ready in a matter of weeks. This is also an apology for boring my friends senseless with my recent calorie talk. Forgive me, I'm simply doing what society seems to expect of any woman on the run up to her holiday.
And on that note, I'm off to bulk buy bikins from ASOS in the hope that at least one will fit!
Contrary to previous blog posts, I am not particularly unhappy with my size, I adore food and, until recently, I consumed on average 2 chocolate bars a day (probably shouldn't admit that...). However, like the majority of women (and a good deal of men), the build up to beach time has finally gotton to me and I've attempted to embark on a vaguely healthy eating plan in order to tackle the problem areas that will otherwise leave me hiding behind my towel on Bondi beach.
Thing is, it's pretty difficult to follow any kind of diet around the lead up to Christmas. Firstly, it's a pretty solitary activity. I mean who the hell restricts their calorific intake at the time of year when food and drink is plentiful and over indulging is often encouraged? Secondly, temptation is EVERYWHERE. I only have to walk down my road to be confronted by adverts for Christmas themed hot chocolate (yeah thanks Costa) and the cold, dark nights call for carb-heavy feasts as opposed to salads.
Anyway, back to my original point. Bikini body panic. Yes, once a year women are encouraged to diet their way to an acceptable pool-side figure, despite many being perfectly happy with their bodies throughout the rest of the year.
Now I'm all for getting in shape and making the most of what I've got however (and I know this phrase can be over-used when promoting a healthy body image) we are not meant to look like models. If we were, God would have created calorie-free ice cream and burritos which contained a magical fat burning ingrediant. As this is not the case, I can confidently say that I'm probably meant to have areas of my body which are slightly (okay very) wobbly and thighs that touch (unless I stand with my legs wide apart but that will just look odd in the holiday snaps).
I would also like to point out that wearing a bikini is not, for the majority of us, a natural state of affairs. When else do we strip down to garments the size of (if not smaller than) our underwear and carry on with our day to day business like nothing's up? Caitlin Moran makes the point that women shouldn't waste time worrying about their less than perfect physiques as we are quite simply not required to look amazing without clothes. I completely agree with this whilst I'm sat in shivering in the UK, however when we venture to warmer climates the rules seem to change.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say that we should all swap our bikinis for wetsuits, I'm merely pointing out the reason why so many women feel sheer terror at the prospect of a holiday in the sun. It's not always down to a lack of self confidence (in the right outfit we can all look fabulous), issues with food or plain narcissim; it's often just our reaction to wearing next to nothing for extended periods of time. It is an odd feeling when we spend the majority of the year layering up and being able to distract ourselves from the snugness of our clothes by our clever useage of accessories.
I've realised I always end my blog posts with some kind of 'moral', a bit J.D. from Scrubs style (kind of trying to phase that out...), however I'm not really sure where I'm actually going with this one. I'm still going to cram in as much exercise as possible before I jet off and I'll still look longingly at the hot chocolate adverts until I'm back on UK soil, safe in the knowledge that any extra pounds can stay hidden under an oversized jumper. So in that sense, I'm kind of contradicting what I've just written. I have, however, just consumed the best part of a 100g green and blacks chocolate bar so I suppose I'm letting the idea of perfection go...
The main aim of this post was to have a bit of a vent about the idea that we should suddenly shed the weight we've accumulated over the year and be beach ready in a matter of weeks. This is also an apology for boring my friends senseless with my recent calorie talk. Forgive me, I'm simply doing what society seems to expect of any woman on the run up to her holiday.
And on that note, I'm off to bulk buy bikins from ASOS in the hope that at least one will fit!
Thursday, 11 August 2011
Saying 'I do' has gotten pretty pricey...
I am so easily influenced. On the bus this morning I was reading Caitlin Moran's 'How To Be a Woman' (an AMAZING book which I will definitely be posting a review on soon!) and really got onboard her views on how weddings are a surefire way to overspend on a day which can only disappoint (okay, I'm paraphrasing slightly here).
A mere hours later I interviewed a lovely wedding photographer for the PR firm I'm doing work experience at, completely jumped ship and decided I could not wait to walk down the aisle! I still think weddings can be a horrendous waste of money (why anyone would choose to spend so much money on a cake that's not even chocolate is beyond me) however when you're directed to websites like this it's hard not to want in on the action. Plus, when you can have a first dance that's as cool as this couple's was, it almost seems worth all the effort.
A mere hours later I interviewed a lovely wedding photographer for the PR firm I'm doing work experience at, completely jumped ship and decided I could not wait to walk down the aisle! I still think weddings can be a horrendous waste of money (why anyone would choose to spend so much money on a cake that's not even chocolate is beyond me) however when you're directed to websites like this it's hard not to want in on the action. Plus, when you can have a first dance that's as cool as this couple's was, it almost seems worth all the effort.
Monday, 8 August 2011
When I grow up I want to be...
Today I started a week's work experience at a local PR firm. Today I was also mistaken for a school leaver by one of the firm's employees. Under normal circumstances this would baffle (and amuse) me however, on this occasion, I must admit the guy had a fair point. What is a 23 year old doing using up her annual leave on something that even 16 year olds try to avoid as soon as they realise they can find work that actually pays?
For so many industries these days (namely PR and journalism) it's a given that you must be prepared to do work experience/intern/make countless cups of tea just to get a foot in the door, and even then you're not looking at making your fortune (how journalists for the glossies have such fabulous wardrobes is beyond me). Work experience seems to be a rite of passage for anyone who covets Jo Elvin's job and spends too much time dreaming of the day they could call Glamour magazine 'work'. Apart from the minor dilemma of whether or not I can afford to work for free for extended periods of time, I have no problem with this. If I want a job that badly then I'll do whatever it takes to get it (within reason...). My issue is, I'm still not sure what that dream job is. Sure I think it lies somewhere in the world of magazines/PR/writing, but that's a pretty big area to tackle and I'm fairly certain my lack of direction won't be doing me any favours when I'm competing against thousands of others who are ten times more focussed than I am. And so that is why, at the age of 23, I've found myself taking yet more annual leave in order to try a job which is completely unrelated to the one I am currently paid to do.
Whilst I may be years older than the school girl I was mistaken for today, I still feel just as confused when it comes to my career prospects. Don't get me wrong, I love where I am right now, I just find it difficult to visualise where exactly I want to be in a couple of years time. I am therefore turning to work experience in the hope that it will offer me a little insight as well as telling me how I can become half writer/half PR guru for a national glossy whilst advising students on the side. I'm joking (ish).
People say you can change career at any age and magazines are full of tales of how people nabbed their dream jobs in an unconventional manner. Inspirational as this may be, I can't help but look around and see that the people who are doing these amazingly cool jobs (which feel light years away from where I am right now) are actually quite close to my age. Apparently this is when I should be on the appropriate career path and quietly working my way to the top. When did everyone suddenly get so serious? What happened to having our twenties to figure out who we are, see the world, make mistakes, rock up to work hung over etc (or did everyone else do that during their gap yah)? I guess I shouldn't complain when there are so many graduates struggling to find paid employment, let alone a job they actually like. I'm lucky enough to have both, yet I still compare myself to the twenty year olds that seem to have an awful lot more figured out than me.
Anyway, career dilemmas aside, I'm off to watch Harry Potter. There's nothing like watching the work of Voldemort and co to put things into perspective! Harry didn't have time to ponder his life plan when he was busy trying to save the wizarding world (you know you've hit a new low when the one thing you're grateful for is the lack of dark magic in your life).
For so many industries these days (namely PR and journalism) it's a given that you must be prepared to do work experience/intern/make countless cups of tea just to get a foot in the door, and even then you're not looking at making your fortune (how journalists for the glossies have such fabulous wardrobes is beyond me). Work experience seems to be a rite of passage for anyone who covets Jo Elvin's job and spends too much time dreaming of the day they could call Glamour magazine 'work'. Apart from the minor dilemma of whether or not I can afford to work for free for extended periods of time, I have no problem with this. If I want a job that badly then I'll do whatever it takes to get it (within reason...). My issue is, I'm still not sure what that dream job is. Sure I think it lies somewhere in the world of magazines/PR/writing, but that's a pretty big area to tackle and I'm fairly certain my lack of direction won't be doing me any favours when I'm competing against thousands of others who are ten times more focussed than I am. And so that is why, at the age of 23, I've found myself taking yet more annual leave in order to try a job which is completely unrelated to the one I am currently paid to do.
Whilst I may be years older than the school girl I was mistaken for today, I still feel just as confused when it comes to my career prospects. Don't get me wrong, I love where I am right now, I just find it difficult to visualise where exactly I want to be in a couple of years time. I am therefore turning to work experience in the hope that it will offer me a little insight as well as telling me how I can become half writer/half PR guru for a national glossy whilst advising students on the side. I'm joking (ish).
People say you can change career at any age and magazines are full of tales of how people nabbed their dream jobs in an unconventional manner. Inspirational as this may be, I can't help but look around and see that the people who are doing these amazingly cool jobs (which feel light years away from where I am right now) are actually quite close to my age. Apparently this is when I should be on the appropriate career path and quietly working my way to the top. When did everyone suddenly get so serious? What happened to having our twenties to figure out who we are, see the world, make mistakes, rock up to work hung over etc (or did everyone else do that during their gap yah)? I guess I shouldn't complain when there are so many graduates struggling to find paid employment, let alone a job they actually like. I'm lucky enough to have both, yet I still compare myself to the twenty year olds that seem to have an awful lot more figured out than me.
Anyway, career dilemmas aside, I'm off to watch Harry Potter. There's nothing like watching the work of Voldemort and co to put things into perspective! Harry didn't have time to ponder his life plan when he was busy trying to save the wizarding world (you know you've hit a new low when the one thing you're grateful for is the lack of dark magic in your life).
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