The Real World

Todd: So, Katia, you were talking about how you had an internship and you actually made the transition from university to the working world and internship and now you've actually gone back to the university world. What struck you as the biggest difference having to go to the real world, the working world from university?

Katia: Well the biggest difference and something that I felt right away was the responsibility that you have when you're working for somebody else. When you're a student you're really, you're only responsible for yourself and making the deadlines and doing the work but other than that nobody else is dependent on you and when you are working there are people depending on you so the responsibility part was the biggest difference.

Todd: In terms of having to do work, where there any different skill sets that you found that you really needed in the working world that you didn't get at university?

Katia: I think when you're a student in the university, you see so many theoretical work that you really do not know how that can be used in real life. When you go to work and you start doing things, you get to understand a little bit more why you're doing what you're doing and it's not so much theoretical.

Todd: Was there anything that you thought you maybe lacked that you wish you had prepared yourself more at university, for example computer skills or writing skills or anything like that?

Katia: I think presenting skills. Presenting skills and also technical words that I needed, like I wasn't prepared for that.

Todd:Can you give an example of some technical words?

Katia: For example, well I learned technical words in English for example like jurisdiction but I didn't know how to say it that in Spanish even though that's my native language but it is a technical word so that conversion I wasn't ready for that but eventually it was and everything came out all right.

Todd: Yes, so I guess one big change is in university, you might have mistakes when you write but you maybe don't worry about that so much but in the professional world it has to be perfect, right?

Katia: You really don't want to make mistakes because that can, that will lead to less trust from you so really having mistakes is not, it reflects how much you can do or cannot do.

Todd: Right. And so now you're actually back. You're back in a graduate degree so you've come back to the university. Which world do you prefer?

Katia: I prefer the working world. I like being a student of course and it's quite relaxing and it's very nice because all you do is learn and do work and meet deadlines but I think I preferred the working world when you really have the real responsibility, you really know how things work but of course I'm enjoying my student life as well.

Todd: So for students that are just finishing school or will finish school soon, they often have a lot of anxiety and worry about, you know, how they will make it in the real world and will they survive in the real world. What advice or tips would you give them?

Katia: I don't think they should worry that much and really enjoy the experience of the transition. Nothing bad will happen regardless so there's really no reason, it doesn't help to worry so just really the only suggestion I would give is just try your best and try to find the things that you really want to do.