SCABs

YOU’RE NOT READY – By @dj_sbex

By Sophie Becker

 

YOU’RE NOT READY

 

A year ago today I volunteered at last year’s portfolio day.  When I spoke to the students there, they all told me it’d be me in their place in no time—that the whole year would vanish in one wink and before I knew it I’d be sitting there with a portfolio of my own, preparing to enter the big old world of actual advertising.

 

For some reason, I didn’t believe them. As I flicked through the pages of incredibly innovative, intelligent and hilarious ideas, I was filled with an intense feeling of dread. I couldn’t ever do this. There was no way.

 

It all seemed so official and impressive and intimidating.

 

Even a month ago, I’d think back to that day and panic at the thought that I’d be in their place soon. I didn’t feel nearly even slightly ready.

 

But yet, they were right. Here I am. Portfolio in hand, partner by my side, placement offer in inbox. 

 

Somehow, though, I still don’t feel ready. I still feel like I’m faking it. In fact, I’ve never once felt like I wasn’t faking it. Not just at SCA, but throughout my whole life. At school, at uni, at my job. I would have this inexplicable dread that one day I’d get “found out”. Found out that I was actually really quite awful at everything and should be excommunicated from society right away. That I’d just got lucky any time I did anything that could be classified as “not a disaster”.

 

I know everyone feels this way pretty much—toddlers doing their best to pretend to be functioning adults. At least at some point I hope.

 

The secret to being ready for SCA is to accept that you’re never ready. You have to embrace your unreadiness and jump headfirst into it anyway because the course is designed to push you outside your comfort zone at every point.

 

If you feel ready or apt or comfortable, you’re doing it wrong. Or Marc is. 

 

In fact, now I think about it, no one’s ever really ready for anything until it happens in actuality. 

 

So if you’re a future student wondering how to prepare, my advice would be this: get used to feeling uncomfortable. Even better, work out how to enjoy being uncomfortable. Accept it, cherish it, use it. 

 

SCA has taught me the value in constantly pushing even when you don’t feel capable or ready. Before this year, faced with the challenge of doing real work for real campaigns on placement, I’d have felt quite terrified. 

 

Now I only feel excitement because I know that not feeling ready means that growth and other great things are to come. The fact I feel like I’ll be faking it the whole time on placement and once I get a job is surely only a good sign. Hopefully it means I’ll never stop trying to prove my worth to myself.

 

So if you’re not feeling ready to start SCA in a couple of months, good. Keep it that way.

 

(Also, sleep, rest and make sure your friends and family know you love them.)

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