Wit & Wisdom THE EPIGRAFT

First impressions

I was fairly nervous beforehand but when I met her, I could tell that she was a really nice person so that helped a lot

Any highlights?

We went to my friend's jazz gig after the date and I think we both had a good time, it also made me seem more interesting than I actually am.

Describe your date in three words

Really good vibes

Awkward moment

Turned up late and thought she wasn’t coming but it turned out she was just even more late than I was committed flat-cest

Any red flags?

Second date?

Would love to meet again as friends

Graduate Corner

Having graduated last year in Film and English from UoB, JakeThompson analyses the transition from student to salarié

A new blind dates series exclusive to Epigram

Location: The Highbury Vaults

Second date?

Dan: As friends

Ria: As friends

Be our next blind date... Send a description of yourself to editor.epigram@gmail.com

Ria...

First impressions?

Seemed like a lovely guy who o ered to get the first round in which is always a good sign

Any highlights?

He took me to a very cool concert with his friend’s band which I was not expecting but ended up having a great night!

Describe your date in three words

Fun, unexpected, entertaining Awkward moment

None! We got on really well; it felt like I'd known him for ages

Any red flags?

He prefers gin and lemonade to gin and tonic

Second date?

Absoltely would meet again as friends but not as a date date secure as many high-profile speakers as possible, many of whom studied at or live in Bristol, to share their professional journey, the importance of diverse voices in the media, and the challenges they have faced in their influential roles. In support of the theme of International Women’s Day (March 8th), embracing equity, we aim to spotlight the significance of inclusion for careers in media and form a stronger sense of network for the event attendees. We are therefore delighted to announce that multiple experienced women will be attending to share their advice and expertise, including Alice Bhandhukravi (BBC London), Mel Rodrigues (Gritty Talent), Nicki Shields (BBC/CNN/ITV), as well as Nikki Waldron (BBC). Covering all career areas from broadcasting to digital and production, we invite you to come along and be inspired by the impact these women and also to pose questions to them yourself. The University has kindly assisted us in utilising their extensive alumni volunteer network. We will continue this work and also o er unique resources, which will be available for a small fee, consisting of our event programme, website (designed by one of the Croft’s Co-Editors in Chief, Emily Fromant), and advice for how to break into this arguably daunting and historically exclusionary industry. These events will encourage more students, especially our female-presenting and non-binary peers, to pursue a career in media. Recordings of all talks will be available on the event website for all attendees to revisit, as well as shared across Epigram and the Croft’s website, our newspaper, and our social media accounts. Follow our brilliant social media accounts and check in to our website to see how to order your tickets, take part as a volunteer, or simply to learn more about the exciting talks to come.

When I was a student, I’d rather think about anything other than graduating. I found the notion of finishing university to be worrying; the gentle structure of lectures and seminars was to be violently usurped by the intense rigour of the 9-to-5. Whilst I can’t speak for everyone, I’m sure a similarly vague feeling of uncertainty arises for those thinking beyond graduation.

Now having a full-time job whilst still living with four other full-time students, I live a dual existence consisting of two very opposing lifestyles. Fully occupying the transition from student to adult, let me tell you what to expect from graduating. Acceptance was the first necessary step. I had to acknowledge simply that my time as a student had ended. I’d advise those imminently graduating to try not to beat a dead horse by continuing the “student lifestyle” post-university. This might appear to be grim reading, and whilst you might no longer be able to go out until 4 am on a Wednesday, the feeling of going out guilt-free, done with work for the week, and with no pending assessment looming over you is a liberating experience I never truly felt as a student. Getting a job might seem like the most daunting prospect of post-university life. I would advise maintaining an emotional distance from what can feel like a dispiriting job-hunting marketplace. But, more importantly, re- member that your first post-university job isn’t permanent. The first job might not be perfect, but you can still learn a lot from it and decide what is best for you from there. Preparation is also clearly important for moving on after university. This doesn’t mean catapulting job applications in every direction and visiting career days, but more of a preparation on a mental level. Life will be di erent; you might feel slightly separate from friends who are still students and you probably won’t feel quite at home at the typical student haunts. But this is okay, there are more people, places, and things to discover. The Berkeley was always too loud, anyway. But more importantly than all - be excited. Whilst being a student is fun, life after graduation does reveal the limitations of many of its experiences. Life after university might seem scary, but this is simply because it is unknown. And although it is tempting to cling onto studenthood, being galvanised by an uncertain