No money, no chance, no hope?

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Well, sort of, for some people. Because this time of year is degree show time, it's time for students to graduate and flock off to the bright lights of the capital city and realise all their dreams and potential. At least it is for a few of them. For the students who have money lying about or family already living in London the next few months are going to be wonderful and care free. They will lead to placements and possibilities and maybe, ultimately, the job that they've always wanted. Yay for them!

But there's a problem with all of that; the people who are left over. In reality the best creative talent isn't always going to have money lying about or family already living in London. They might not even have any friends living in London who would be willing to let them sleep on their floor for a while. At best they'll be able to afford the odd train journey, go and see a few people with their books and then, if they did get offered a placement, sleep on the streets for a couple of weeks in order to try and prove their ability while trying their best to not get stabbed or pissed on or grow a beard that really doesn't suit their facial structure. Not only is this a little impractical but it's also pretty unfair. Just because someone can afford to live somewhere for work doesn't automatically make them worthy of the work they're being offered; it just makes them luckier.

Now this isn't me being bitter, although I am a little bit. This is just the way it is. I would give a kidney to be in a position where I could live in London without the financial problems that worry the rest of society. If I could have afforded to stay there just a few months without any money I'm confident I could have found something to help me pay for the rest, but that opportunity was never available to me and it won't be available to 90% of everyone else who is about to be thrust head first into the harsh reality of postgraduate life. All that talent, all that ability and all that work ethic that you've spent the last however long building up won't really mean all that much if you don't have the funds to make something happen from it.

So what can you do? Is this the end? Should you just give up and take a marketing job at a local telesales firm instead? No. Never do that. But be prepared for the next year or two to be hard, very hard. You won't be able to afford basic food like bread or beans and you'll be living in a flat where the possibility of being murdered is an ever present risk and there's a danger it simply won't ever end up being worth it.

It'll be fun trying though. Sort of. Ish.