Hello everyone, it’s me again. Welcome to another article about placement. I hope you’ve gained some understanding about what placement is from my previous blog. But today we are going to talk about how it felt like to switch from student to profession.

Moving

So a little bit of background story about me. Currently, I work as research assistant for a hospitality consultancy firm in canary wharf, which is also why I moved to London in September. It was probably the most exciting part in terms of the transition phase. Getting out of my comfort zone in the UK (Guildford) and have the chance to explore the capital city of this country, was really fun for me. Besides, there are so many more entertainments and events that was not offered in Guildford. For me it did not take much time to adapt to the busy life pace in London. As I was born and raised in Taipei, moving to London was just like getting back to the lifestyle that I was long missing in Guildford.

Newbie in the workplace and another chapter of my life

I have to admit it took me longer than expect to get used to the transition phase from a student to a 9-6 professional. The first thing that hit me really hard was the difference between university and workplace which was not taught in class. As a university student, we are so used to the flexibility of our timetable that you can decide what time you want to start and how long to spent for each day of your work. But in workplace you are expected to come in at 9am and leave at 6pm, sometimes to stay longer to meet the deadline. The higher level of responsibility and commitment were not something that I expect I need to get used to when I first started the placement.

Another switch that I felt strongly was the change of surroundings. In university you mostly spend time with friends and surrounded by the people around your age. Whereas as a placement student, you usually work with people from different demographic no matter it is age, ethnicity background, or sex. And this shift really helps you to develop the communication skills to different seniority at work and at the same time getting stimulated and inspired by the differnce.

Conclsuion

I hope you don’t felt lonely no matter which life stage you are in right now. Just remember you are already different than those who choose not to do placement. And most importantly, seize this opportunity and enjoy the difference and growth you get to experience in this transition. If you have any difficulty in your placement, you always have your personal tutor that you can reach out to or book an appointment with student peer support. There are plenty of resources from university that will support us through this year. Just remember to keep the communication open and ask for help if needed.

Until next time, I hope you have a wonderful day:).