Was going to post this as a reply (it's not a revenge story) but figured it wouldn't get read.
My experience of leaving uni and starting in the 'real world' was not much fun. Although for me, graduating felt like going to my own funeral, only nobody else was crying. I didn't want to leave and the 'picking up the pieces' in the closing weeks of term was painful. I went into my finals half thinking about failing for the sake of repeating the year, but had probably a sufficient safety margin that if I tried that I would just pass shitely.

After that I was at home unemployed, applying for jobs and hearing nothing back, trying Monster, Jobserve etc. All the same bullshit. I'm not much good at interviews. Dole for a few months- I was not going to work in a coffee shop or fast food joint with a 2:1 from Durham, even in the unlikely event they would employ me.

I found a software testing job in London advertised on the Jobcentre machines. Sent them my CV, got an interview, passed their test with flying colours (it involved looking at code, I can be naturally quite pedantic such details due to Aspergers), second interview was a formality because the HR lady was away for the first one. This job was a 2 hour commute each way. I hated the job due to the commute, often being the only one in my office, almost total lack of real training or any other attention, not having a fucking clue how the boss wanted stuff done, being deliberately allowed to make 'mistakes' and then criticised about them rather than being taught in the first place, inability of the boss to grasp that you can't plan a sick day in advance, etc. Boss was a cnut anyway, he even thought he was being supportive and doing me a favour, while most days on the coach home I would curl up and cry a bit. Two points that stick in my mind are openly being described as useless while within earshot, and being told that I don't know how to draw a graph and I should be questioning even whether my maths teacher was right in how he taught me. (I got 98% at GCSE.)

No revenge story. I suddenly left that job (just didn't go in the next day because I couldn't face it). Was on happy pills at the time, they didn't work, leaving the job did a bit. More unemployment with the odd application and the even odder reply.

Now working as an ICT technician at my old school. Manager and deputy manager are nice people, as are most of the other people I come into contact with (many of them used to teach me). Ten minutes up the hill from where I live. Things seem OK in my head, and the recent massive network disaster appears to be mostly fixed. Still missing uni friends massively and bricking it every time I think about the future/'real world' though, I somehow just don't feel ready and never have.

Apologies for length (although your mum didn't seem to mind) and emoness.
( idonthaveafunnynickname Drink-Aware? Sure. I'm aware I want another drink., Thu 22 May 2008, 21:37, 3 replies)

Real world?
Don't worry about the 'real world', it doesn;t exist, life's what you make it ;)
(Dr Skagra glorious glargzhem, Fri 23 May 2008, 1:18, closed)

Must be the hormones
For some reason reading this one made me tear up a little. Have a click.
(Aruu does not put all her trust in root vegetables., Fri 23 May 2008, 15:22, closed)

Real World
Dammit to Hell. Why did the qotw have to about jobs? I've just graduated and am having a horrid time finding a job. Everywhere wants someone with experience. You get experience from a job, which you need experience to get in the first place. I am starting to panic now. I am questioning my worth and whether I know as much as I think I do. What if I am in over my head with no idea what to do? I am horrible at interviews and I have to drive down to Alabama for one on Wednesday. *twitch*
(evil_penguin_17 Robots of Doom... Attack!, Fri 23 May 2008, 21:35, closed)