The Beginning of the End...

Over the past few weeks, a growing sense of dread and excitement has been building in the Kingston University Campus.

In the canteen over chips, across desks in the library, third years are fearfully whispering the G word...

Graduation.

Will I pass? Will I pass with a first? Will I pass with something slightly less than I wanted and still be OK with it? What if I fail? If I do pass, how soon do I need to think about getting a job? How long can I stay at my parents' house before they start dropping 'subtle hints' about moving out? Should I just suck it up and do an MA?

Yes, it's a pretty stressful time. And it does tend to bring out the best and worst in all of us. But maybe it's worth taking a step back for a second, and looking at your life. The next few months are going to be stressful as hell, yes. But they're a tiny blip in the grand scheme of your exciting new life!

I'm going to be leaving university with a degree in Creative Writing and English Literature. From the world's perspective, that means I'm pretty limited career-wise. But who cares what the world thinks? At first I was worried. People would ask me 'what do you want to do after university?' and my answer was usually vague and along the lines of 

'Anything that involves writing'. 

Which was true enough. But every time I said it, I felt more dissatisfied. What do I really want? 

Well, I want to write novels, but that's difficult and not exactly the easiest way to make money. I started to think it was a stupid, unrealistic idea. But the thing is, have someone pretty big on my side. And I know you're probably already thinking 'Oh great it's getting preachy', but how could I believe in God and not talk about Him? He inspires me. He drives me to work harder, to dream bigger, to actually imagine that I could achieve things that other people might call impossible. Without Him, I probably will be working a boring desk job in the corner office, wishing I was somewhere else. So I started praying - yes, praying - that God would give me something to do after graduation.

Something that would inspire me, that would give me the chance to grow, but more than that, something that wouldn't be just about ME. I've spent four years of my life thinking about my degree, my grades, my money, my relationships. It's time to change the focus.

And that brings me to the

In a few months' time, I will be going to work with Stella's Voice!

It's so exciting I want to squeal like an actual girl, which is unusual for me. I will be there for one year, working pretty much wherever they need me. And having been there already, I know it's exactly where I'm meant to be. I can't think of anything else I'd rather spend my time on, or any other people I'd rather serve.

To avoid making this too long, stay tuned for the next post where I'll tell you all about Stella's Voice and the life-changing work they're doing. And of course, how you can help :)