Life after graduation 🎓

Hi friends! I hope you’ve had a great week so far. I just came back from my holiday in Italy, and I’m excited to get back to work again. Fun fact. I’m actually closing up on my first year of working full time this month. It's crazy how fast time flies!

I felt this was a perfect opportunity to write about all the thoughts and feelings I was experiencing last year at this time. Hopefully it can help you out if you’re graduating soon yourself, and feel a bit lost and confused about it all.

Maddie xx

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She’s working on… graduating 👩🏼‍🎓

Graduating from uni is a weird feeling. While attending your final lecture, handing in your final essay and writing your final exam is exciting. It’s strange knowing that the life and routine you knew - the one you’ve been doing for years, is coming to an end. Even scarier is thinking about what life will actually be like once you graduate.

Sometimes we get carried away by what those around us feel or have planned for life after uni. That was at least the case for me. Many of my friends had already secured 2-year graduate schemes or been accepted into new degrees by the time we did our final exams.

Personally, I didn’t feel ready to jump into a full-time corporate job or degree. I needed a year to digest the past 16 years of studying I had just completed. I also didn’t know what field of work I wanted to get into, or what kind of masters I potentially wanted to pursue.

But planning to go into graduate life not knowing how things would play out was scary. Not only because I knew life would look very different to what it did while at uni. But also because, for the first time in my life, I didn’t know what the next step was.  

Reflecting back on my experience of graduating a year ago, I know I was not the only one feeling this way. So many of my friends with jobs and graduate schemes have told me how they also felt confused, worried and anxious about the future.

Knowing that, you realise that there’s no point in comparing yourself to others. Even though many of those around you may seem to have their futures in check, I can assure you most don’t! We’re all just trying to figure it out as we go, and it’s okay to feel a bit anxious about it.

That being said, here are some potential paths to consider after university if you’re as confused as I was last year. And some tips that, hopefully, will help you clarify your ideas.

• Graduate Job 🎓

  If you are clear about the path you want to take - start applying to jobs! Some of my favourite pages for finding and applying to jobs are Linkedin and Indeed.

• Postgraduate studies 📚

  If you’re interested in further studies, make sure you do your research first. Would you like to pursue a course in the field you graduated in to expand your knowledge? Or learn about something that will better equip you for your future career? It’s also important to consider whether you have enough motivation to pursue another degree.

• Gap year ✈️

  Ahh the infamous gap year. A lot of people believe taking “time off” after graduating should be discouraged. But having just completed a gap year myself, I find this to be a misconception. Taking a gap year was a game changer for me. It allowed me to try different things and reflect on what I actually wanted to do with my life.

• Become self-employed👩🏼‍💻

  Do you have a skill that you believe other people would pay you for? Perhaps photography, graphic design, social media management or similar. Open up an account on Fiverr, send out a few cold call emails and try your luck!

Here are my best tips for new graduates

1️⃣  Manage your money wisely. Adopting the 70/20/10 budget can help, especially if it’s your first time earning and delegating your own money. Make sure you start saving for the future. Open a rainy day fund, save for your pension and consider starting to save for your mortgage or investing.

2️⃣  Try a course. If you feel unsure about what you really enjoy doing or want to do in the future, try shorter 1-3 month courses. These are helpful for you to dip your toes into new fields and topics and see if it's something you like.

3️⃣ Don’t stress it.  As I wrote in the beginning of this section, everyone is equally worried and confused about their graduate life. Even those who seem to have it all in check!

My favourite things

Here’s some of my favourite things I’ve recently read, watched and listened to!!

🚰 Product: My larq water bottle. My boyfriend gifted this to me for Valentines day, and I’ve been using it for all travels and trips since. The best part, it cleans itself!

🎙Podcast: Dua Lipa: At Your Service. I’ve been listening to her interviewing people like Pedro Almodovar or Amelia Dimoldenberg from Chicken Shop - it’s really entertaining!

📱App: Google app. I used the camera and translation feature on the Google app almost every day while in Italy. It’s genious to translate simple things like menu’s, signs and more!

📘 Book: Conversations about love. Read this one while in Italy, and thought the stories and chapters were really cute. Also super easy to read - perfect for days at the beach.

How to travel solo this summer ✈️

Hi friends! Summer solstice took place this week, meaning it’s officially summer here in the northern hemisphere. I’m actually travelling this week, and currently enjoying La Dolce Vita in Italy 🇮🇹

Many of you are probably going on your own holidays this summer. Perhaps you're travelling with your family? Perhaps with friends? Some of you may even be going solo! 

I personally did my first solo travel recently, and I could not recommend it enough. I learned so much about myself and got to enjoy destinations in an entirely new way.

I wish I could give you advice if you’re planning or going on travelling solo. But with only one solo trip completed, I have quite a limited experience. So today, I want to introduce you to someone who knows what she’s talking about. 

Isabella Grandic has spent over 5 months in SE Asia, many of them completely solo. I asked her to share her story and some tips for solo travelling in this newsletter, and I hope you enjoy!

Maddie xx

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She’s working on… travelling solo

I (Isabella) have been independently and solo travelling since I was 15. It started with my curiosity for how technologies like AI can influence businesses. I followed that interest by volunteering at conferences, first within Canada, and writing a blog about what I learned along the way.

This inspired a second phase where I was invited to speak and contribute to panel discussions around the world. I travelled to cities like Las Vegas, Copenhagen, Lisbon and Amsterdam. I spent my following summer travelling independently in Serbia and then volunteering with the planning committee at a conference in The Netherlands.

Soon after, I also started to travel for the sake of learning and exploring!

I have done trips like a month-long exploration of California and 3 weeks of backpacking in Utah. I have travelled for 5 months across 7 countries in Southeast Asia. And my most current adventure: a 7-week expedition in rural East Africa.

Travelling solo has been so incredibly fulfilling. Especially with the opportunities to make new friends, be thoughtful about new experiences and to truly follow my interests. I have grown a love and appreciation for this world through my travels. And in the future, I hope to start applying, rather than just exploring, how technology can meaningfully add to the fabric of society. 

Here’s my best tips for solo traveling!

1️⃣ Volunteer unconventionally. Don't just look at "volunteer abroad" websites. Often those are performative and they take fees from you and the company you're trying to support. Instead, reach out to conferences through their website. Find people on LinkedIn. Find organisations you value. Try to send an email to see if there's a place you could add value.

2️⃣ Learn how to pack less! It will help you immensely in moving around, paying less for checked luggage fees and it will give you less things to keep track of so you can stay focused on your experience. 

3️⃣ Stay at hostels. I use hostelworld.com to find them and I try to filter for 9 stars and above. 

ps. my favourite spot in Asia was Yên Bái, Vietnam and I stayed at Lapatan Paradise!

Good luck!
Isabella Grandic  @isabellagrandic

My favourite things

Here’s some of my favourite things I’ve recently read, watched and listened to!

🎧 Music: (It goes like) Nanana. Heard this for the first time on Tiktok and it might be my favourite song of the summer (so far).

📱App: Radical storage. I used this while in Milan to store my luggage for €5 while I explored the city. They also do other cities like New York, London, Barcelona and more.

📧 Email newsletter: Morning brew. My favourite way of keeping up with news when I’m away or extra busy. They send daily emails with roundups of important news and stories.

The annoyances of living abroad 🌍

Hi friends, welcome back! I hope you’ve had an amazing and sun-filled week. We’re currently having a heatwave in London, and the temperature has been reaching 30 degrees almost daily. 

Its definitely been a few sweaty days running around town trying to get items for my new flat. But having lived here for 4 years, I know well that good summer weather is never a guarantee. So 30 degrees and sunny, moving or not, I’ll take it! 

Next week I’m heading off on a girls trip to Italy, meaning the next time you hear from me I’ll be somewhere in Lombardy. I know. I’m excited as well! Feel free to send me a message on Instagram with any recommendations, and arrivederci for now!

Maddie xx

She’s working on… living abroad 🇬🇧

One of the parts I nearly forgot about moving is all the admin work that comes with it.

Every country has its own systems for how things are done. Growing up in Norway, I took all these practices and systems for granted. It was easy to navigate as it was all I had ever known. I also had family and friends who could help. However, I can imagine that any foreigner moving to Norway would be confused.

💡 Did you know Norwegians are assigned a personal number at birth? This is used with a chip sent by your bank for everything from paying taxes, scheduling doctors appointments, and even reading digital post!

The same thing happened to me when I first moved abroad and had to deal with all sorts of admin. From setting up a UK bank account, to proving I was a resident. And having lived here for a few years, I had almost forgotten how confusing and frustrating this admin work can be. 

For instance, there’s no public post register of your address in the UK (or at least to my knowledge). Meaning every time you move, you have to update every company you’ve ever received mail from with your new address. And odds are, you’ll forget some. For every flat I’ve lived in London, I’ve received at least 3 old tenants' mail through my postbox. I even received some Christmas cards!

My most frustrating admin work this week, however, was dealing with my council tax. In London you pay a monthly tax to your local council for their services based on the price of your flat in 1991. I know, I find this last part weird as well. Therefore, every time you move, you have to tell your old and your new council, so you don’t end up paying both of them.

Unfortunately for me, my old council’s website has been glitching for the past months. I have tried every way of logging in and filling out forms. Nothing has worked. So in my last resort, I decided to sit through an hour of static phone music and call my council.   1.5 hours later, I was met with a “I can’t hear you” and immediately hung up on 🫠. 

What should I do now? I’m not sure. I don’t know anyone who’s had anything similar happen before, so I’ll just have to continue searching the web for help.

This experience has taken me right back to the feelings I experienced in my first few months of living alone in the UK. It can be incredibly difficult and frustrating to deal with the administration that comes with living somewhere, when you didn’t grow up with it. 

So if you’re in the same position, here’s some things I’ve found that help:

How to approach admin work while living abroad

1️⃣ Ask a friend or google in advance. This way you’ll know more on what to expect and do during the different processes. You’ll save a lot of time by not having to figure everything out on your own as you go.

2️⃣ Get organised. I keep a list on Notion to remember all the admin work needed for our move. Like all the companies I had to update my address with.

3️⃣ Be patient. Figuring out your admin work, and going through the processes take time. A lot of time. I honestly think moving abroad is as much a lesson of patience as it is a lesson of anything else.

My favourite things

Here’s some of my favourite things I’ve recently read, watched and listened to!!

🎧 Music: Oh, the joy. I’ve been listening to this artist all week while working and even when relaxing.

📱App: TodayTix. A theater ticket app that offers exclusive prices on both same-day tickets and advance performances. Helps you save money (and you know I’m all about finding smart ways to save!)

🎙 Podcast: The Diary Of A CEO: Daniel Amen. This guy is the  psychiatrist and therapist to the world’s superstars! He shares really interesting information about the brain and how it works.

📗Book: Everything I know about Love. One of my favourite books and one I’ll be re-reading over my trip next week.

📺 Series: There’s been so much good stuff released this week. However, we still don’t have any wifi in our flat, so you’ll have to wait until next week for my reccomendations!

Moving is… expensive 💸

Welcome back! I hope you’ve had an amazing week. It’s been sunny every day in London, it’s starting to feel like summer and I’m all for it.

This week my boyfriend and I officially moved into our new flat. We spent the past 4 days packing or unpacking until midnight, and I think we both underestimated how much stuff we actually own.

That being said, it is such a relief to be in the new flat knowing we can stay for at least a few years. I’m so excited to be decorating it over the next weeks, and I will of course be taking you along during the process!

Maddie xx

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She’s working on… rainy day funds 💸

Let’s go back to 2 months ago when I first found out that the lease on my previous flat would not be renewed. I was in shock. Both my boyfriend and I had been under the impression that we could renew it every year. It never crossed our minds that we would have to go through another move so soon. Yet that was the reality of the situation.

No matter where you live, moving is expensive. For the past weeks, the costs have kept adding up. Up front deposits, up front rent, cleaning fees, packing materials - the list goes on. Moving has taken a serious toll on my finances and put me under financial stress because I didn’t see it coming.

So let’s talk about rainy day funds, and why I have committed to saving for one.

A rainy day fund 💸 is an emergency account meant for life’s unexpected events. Or as Haley Sacks put it in the Call Her Daddy podcast, your “whoops money” or “financial safety net”.

This is the money you need to get out of a sitation or deal with surprising situations that put you under financial stress. Like suddenly losing your job, or having to leave your flat before you planned and needing to pay a big deposit.

I also loved what Sacks said about how we can get stuck in unfortunate situations because we don’t have the funds to move forward. The rainy day fund is there to save your a**.

I wish I would have had a rainy day fund to tap into for all of my moving expenses. It certainly would have left me with a lot less financial worry. This is why I have committed to saving up for a rainy day fund - to prepare myself financially for the next unexpected event.

Because as it turns out, they can happen to anyone at any time.

Open a seperate savings account and make it clear to yourself that this account is only for big emergencies.

Set aside money every month. Right after you get your salary, transfer a set amount to your rainy day account. It can be helpful to set up a direct debit so you don’t forget.

3 months of your expenses is the suggested minimum amount of money you should have in the account.

Still not convinced? Here’s some more reasons to start saving

• 1️⃣ Be a better saver

  According to Sacks, a rainy day fund is the first thing you should be saving for. If you haven’t yet started your savings journey, this can help you build up your money-saving mentality.

• 2️⃣ Options & flexibility

  A rainy day fund gives you time to make choices that align with your long-term goals. Like having the option to wait and not rush into the first job you find if you get fired.

• 3️⃣ Financial safety

  As Michael Housel writes in his book, “the most important part of a plan is planning for your plan not going to plan. Save for things you can’t yet possibly predict or comprehend”.

My favourite things

Since this week is all about money, here’s some of my favourite things I’ve recently read, watched and listened to on the topic.

📗 Book: On the money. Easy to read introduction to savings, credit cards, retirement and investing in the UK.

📘Book: The Psychology of Money - Michael Housel. Helped me understand our behaviour with money - and why it matters.

🎙 Podcast: Call Her Daddy - it’s time to manage your finances. Easy to understand guide about how to spend and save.

🎥 YouTube Video: How to invest for beginners. Great introduction to investing, the terminology and how to get started.

📺 Series: How to get rich by Netflix. Entertaining and educational docu-series where finance expert Ramit Sethi helps people make better decisions with their money.