Thread: Did anyone else find it hard to adjust after uni?

Originally Posted by Amelie Soleil

oh scarlet don't let this get you down please!

i started a degree at oxford, left because i hated hated hated it, joined newcastle uni and got nothing but grief from lecturers because i was an oxbridge failure (their words not mine...far as i'm concerned i got the place on my own merits thanks very much)

in my third year i barely attended because like you I had better things to do like play with fire and juggle stuff. In the final few months I decided I wasn't going to pass with a good grade and just bimbled on until final exams. Two days after my last exam, I moved to Spain for six months to busk having never done it before and had the most amazing time (plus made enough moolah for eye surgery when I got home)

However, when I got back obviously there wasn't much work for a street performer and my hometown had just changed the rules for fire performance i.e. none allowed on the high street...gah

The entire next year was spent in hermitland, depressed that my so-called uni friends had gone on to great things...especially the bloody oxford lot who i had kept in touch with. I was invited to a regatta; went and felt so foolish I left about an hour later.

Anyway, after about a year of working in my parent's bar; I went to a local festival and met up again with some people I had been in youth theatre with. They were really surprised I wasn't doing drama and gave me some names and numbers. I called them, did some little bits of AmDram and some professional work too then eventually I got in contact with The Arts Council about sponsering a project.

They encouraged me to apply for a larger grant to train at professional circus school in bristol which led to where I am today (where ever that is hah!)

Trust me, you can make a career out of anything that you are good at...for goodness sake i met a girl at the weekend who is a highly paid new york performer whose act consists of being able to emit wind from her lady bits!!

Also, as previously mentioned...get in touch with a disability arts forum. They can give you contacts and i'm sure you'd develop leads from there

xx

I love hearing stories like yours.

I'm not down thats why I updated- I'm very jobless but very happy because I have my old theatre crew back and we are boncing ideas about and getting over excited about devising again and hopelessing trying to pike in the ropes without screaming with wimpiness. I woke up a few weeks ago and just thought enough moping, do something.
And I'm loving being the worst at circus it means I get to laugh at myself and I have someone lovely to pick me up because I can't see how far the high bars are to jump up. I got stuck last week and grabbed my trousers while trying to grip the trapeze and got the biggest wedgie as my leggings nearly split.

Originally Posted by The Minister Of Magic.

Here is a wee story of hope for you my dear. Also, all the info the wonderful people have given you from the MoB is fantastic. I want to have a quick chat about a man I know in Wareham.

He was a plumber to trade, he wrote songs that were hits for a certain group in the 70's and 80's, he was and is a published artist, a living Willow Sculpure, has done photography work and has had a book or three published. He also teaches a school for sculpting, music therapy and he is the trustee for a centre for physically disabled artists or those working within the atristic profession, he has a band that he still plays with he is also our Museum Curator..............His name is John Micheal O'Hara and he has been registered blind for the last 20 something years.

When I asked Mike (he prefers Mike to John)what/why he kept going he said. "When I realised my eyesight was going I did wonder what to do coz I need my eyes for everything...........Then I said FUCK IT! And went out and worked my tits of to start again or go forward in what I was trying to acheive" If you met mike he would tell you very simply to NOT let your lack of eyesight bother and or hinder you. One of the great stories he tells is of the new shop that opened up in the town selling paintings and drawings. He approached the shop and was told he was not a very good artist and to go away and keep practicing, and anyway, where was the rest of his work (he had only taken in a couple of paintings), his answer? "Oh, sorry mate, the rest are being displayed in the Edinburgh Royal Academy and some of the others are in a show at the MaCclellan Galleries in Glasgow..........Go stuff it!"

And I say this to you. Just before he died, Winston Churchill was asked to give a speach at a certain University in the UK. The great man shuffled slowely on to the stage, looked at everyone for a moment then said these words that CANNOT be bettered............."Never, Never, NEVER give up!", then he walked of the stage.

Never, never, never give up eh? It is the reason why I am not in my grave from topping myslef, it is the reason why I will NEVER give up trying to achieve till my last, dying breath.

If this post is way too much over the top then I am deeply sorry. I just do not like seeing people down or struggling due to whatever and I always try to give a few words of hope or geeup

Thank you I may print this and staple it to my jobcentre advisors head! And as friendly as she is point out that he found somethign more wholesome and talented then filing and photocopying.