Prologue Update #1

I wrote ‘A Brief Prologue #2’ back at the start of November, and even though it’s only been two months I decided that with the vast expanse of 2011 ahead of us, it was time to write a prologue update.

‘At the end of July and at the end of December each year, I like to look back on the previous 6 months and ask myself whether I’m happy with the decisions I’ve made and the activities I’ve undertaken. Inevitably, two questions follow; what would I like to be doing in 6 months time, and what do I want to have achieved? Whilst I was at university this was a fairly easy process, a simple promise to spend some more time in the library or to try and keep the kitchen a bit tidier usually sufficed. And because university is such a social experience, more often than not I was very satisfied with the various things I had done in the previous six months.

Following graduation 18 months ago this evaluation process has become a little bit more complicated. As we enter 2011, the previous six months are probably the most difficult to evaluate so far. I’ve spent over a third of it having an amazing time in South America, whilst the remaining two thirds have passed in a frustrating yet very necessary period of meetings, work experience, and endless emails, along with a few great weekends away thrown in for good measure.

Overall, I’m very happy with the last 6 months, since returning from South America the focus has been on laying the foundations to pursue a career in the media industry. Hopefully, these foundations are now starting to set and the time has come to realise my ambitions. By the time of my next evaluation in July I’d like to at least know where my future lies, know where I’ll be working and in an ideal world I’ll have bought a second hand Vespa and been skiing again, but that can probably wait for now…

As far as concrete plans for the next 6 months are concerned, I’m starting a short-term, temporary contract at the MediaCityUK studios in Salford later this month. Initially I am on the bottom rung for one project, but considering the studios only open their doors for business in January this is a valuable and very exciting project. I’m not naïve enough to think this is game, set and match, but it is what it is, a fantastic opportunity to hopefully be in the right place at the right time. Here’s to an exciting six months for all Gradults out there…’

I’d like to use this post as an opportunity to thank everyone who has not only read articles on the site, but also to those who have taken the time to get in touch with us to give their feedback or their own stories. I will shortly be putting a ‘Contact us’ section on the site but in the meantime anyone can contact us at gradulthood@googlemail.com.

Further reading: 'A Gradult (not) at work: The media industry.