Edit: This is no longer a bit of a headache… well, only in the “I really hope I can squeeze everything in” way. I accepted – I’d be crazy not to. If I have to miss things then that’s tough, but not the end of the world… and I may not have to anyway.
This is big. In a this-is-big-I’m-blogging-this sort of way. This is big along the lines of me dreaming about getting emails saying a record company wants to sign me, although perhaps not quite as big as becoming a multi-millionaire superstar.
It’s also a bit of a problem.
Remember way back in December when I got a much-sought-after place for work experience at this huge company’s IT department? Remember back in February when I started the week’s work experience, and I was complaining about my computer not working? And the overload of Chemistry?
Now is when I find that the rest of the week was in a blog that never got published – it got better, I got to take a look at some coding with my supervisor, computer was sorted out, met some cool people etc… One of the best things about the rest of the week was the fact that my supervisor said that he would be happy to recommend me for a Nuffield Bursary place there, although he couldn’t promise anything (for those too lazy to click the link, if you apply for a Nuffield Science Bursary, the Nuffield organisation sends you to a company to do work experience with them for the summer, and pays you a little for each week, should you be good enough to get accepted).
I was fairly “meh” about the whole thing. I’d heard of it through school, but never one to do what they tell me I should, I didn’t know much about the whole thing. The idea of giving up my whole summer holiday to work didn’t seem too appealing at the time, and I didn’t believe that he’d singled me out to be recommended as the other two I was working with were told the next day, and besides, I hadn’t done that much. I had a form somewhere that my Physics teacher had handed me should I be interested, but I wasn’t really sure what to do.
You can see where this is going right? I applied, extremely last minute – that week was not a good week with the concert, my grade 6 and everything – and I wasn’t even sure if they’d got the form before the deadline, due to my skipping a Physics class that week and not handing it in. Thank goodness my Physics teacher had already emailed somebody to tell them I was applying. That was that, anyway, and I didn’t expect to hear back from them until June.
This afternoon, my mum got a phone call from the company where I worked, to ask me to check my emails. I got the place. They want me to come back, because of, and I quote, “the positive impression” that I gave. Whoops, missed a “very” in there. Very positive.
For goodness sake? I did, what, a seating plan for the first two days? Why on earth do they want me working there again? Not that I’m complaining. This is a huge opportunity – something they didn’t fail to mention either: “your school would probably let you take the last week of term off for such an offer”.
Slight issue: they want me for 5 or 6 weeks in July and August – exact dates to some extent up to me. I could manage 5 weeks in August running into the first few days of September without missing school, but I don’t know if that’s allowed. Why I don’t want to do it any earlier? The week before is my summer camp. Experience of a lifetime. Awesome friends. Totally don’t want to miss it.
Ideally, I would be allowed to take those 5 weeks – but what if I’m not? What if they want 6 weeks anyway? It has to be continuous. My mum’s fussing over holiday work, Oxbridge applications and rest, but the only real wrench would be having to cancel Colwyn Bay.
Oh, and I have to let her know by Thursday whether I want the place or not. So much for June.
Cons
- My summer holiday is eaten up.
- COLWYN BAYYYY.
- It could, potentially, be stuff I’m not interested in.
- I’ll have possible extra work for Oxbridge applications.
- COLWYN BAY. I’m sorry, but this is a big deal if I have to miss it.
- No lie ins. No relaxation. No “no work”. This is the last holiday I have not having to revise over until next summer.
- Driving lessons will significantly diminish. I can probably kiss passing my test this year goodbye.
Pros
- Bursaries are much sought-after things. An honour to get, so I am informed.
- Really good HUGE for Uni applications, especially Oxbridge.
- Good for school, too. They’d love it if I did this, albeit very surprised, I don’t doubt.
- £80 a week. Awesome.
- They want me back. That’s gotta be good news for prospective employers.
- Work experience. People skills. Business management. Whoop.
- I liked everyone working there.
- I get to spend my summer on a computer without my mum nagging me.
Okay, so I know the cons are much weaker than the pros. I feel like David Tennant accepting DW, I know I’m going to say yes, because it would be ridiculous to say no, I’m just… doubtful at the moment.
Told you it was big.
Tags: David Tennant, Doctor Who, hard work, summer, university, work, work experience
You forgot one pro. It could turn into a permanent job once you are through with school. There is a reason they are asking you back. Talk to them, they may be willing to work with you on the weeks.
Ahhh.. love the DW reference. ^^
I second Hev, it could be a great opportunity. Lot’s of good pro’s there. I don’t know what this Colwyn Bay thingie is. But is it a fixed date? Just make that part of your acceptance. If they’re coming to you, it means they’re willing to compromise i bet. ^^
Colwyn Bay is my summer camp, which is booked, but I’m able to get out of it. Good point, I hope they will compromise
Do what you think is best for you. Which is crap advice tbh, but if I were you, I’d go for it. It could turn out to be something you really love, and something that you’re really good at. And £80 a week?!? Yes, I’d go for that. =]
Could you reschedule your summer camp? Have you been before? Could you go again? Think of this bursary as once in a lifetime, because it may well be.
David Tennant. <3
THAT IS SO AWESOME! What a fabulous opportunity. And you know, sometimes you just need to make sacrifices for opportunities. For example, you talk about pushing your job another week into the semester, but did you consider perhaps missing the last week of camp?
[...] to work, and I’m sure it will be wonderful. Ten days of that, I come home and the very next day I start work for five weeks (as you have seen, I can fit work around Colwyn Bay), until the end of my holidays, [...]