You might disappoint your immigrant parents, and that’s okay!
British Filmmaker Simisola Akande says she still gets PTSD from when she told her Nigerian immigrant parents about going to film school instead of studying engineering. "The look on my mum's face was pure confusion, mixed with a dash of 'are you serious?” “Her voice...
How to: deal with imposter syndrome as a 20-something
Imposter syndrome is a psychological pattern of feeling self doubt, the sense you don't deserve to be somewhere - despite your own achievements or success. Maybe it's in a new job, with a group of friends who you don't quite fit in with, or maybe it's in your academic...
10 questions with a musician in a band (David Silver from Defects)
It’s not uncommon to grow up with dreams of being on stage in some capacity, but what's the reality like when you actually get there? David Silver is the Bassist for Defects, a metal band with a debut album set to release on 24th May this year. 1. How did you...
10 questions with a full time touring photographer
Do you love the live music scene? Do you love the idea of being a photographer? Have you always wanted to make a living by capturing the golden moments of your favourite events? Messy tracked down and interviewed a touring photographer and asked him our classic 10...
10 questions with an author
We chatted to Petronella McGovern to find out what a career as an author can look like... How did you get into it? I did a Bachelor’s Degree in communication and worked in corporate marketing and business magazines. I always wanted to write novels and undertook short...
Three graduates share the struggle of finding work after graduation
Despite what your LinkedIn might say, you’re not the only one without a clue and without a job. On average, it takes six months for graduates to find a job after university. That’s six months of editing your CV, writing cover letters and waiting for rejection emails. ...
Hear it from a life coach: there’s always a way to happiness
In our twenties, there is a presumption that we should know what we’re doing and what we want to achieve in life. But, this isn’t always the case, and certainly wasn’t for Adela Mei. After making a dramatic, life changing decision, Adela now works as a sustainability...
10 questions with a Nurse
It is no secret that nursing is a demanding career path, so what better way to provide insight into the profession than asking ten questions to a fully qualified nurse. Amber Horne is a band five staff nurse, currently based at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in...
Ladies and gentlemen and the entire class of 2024: don’t let anyone tell you when your life should ‘truly’ start
It’s safe to assume that those of you with access to the internet will have probably seen *that* speech made by a Kansas City Chiefs kicker, who I do not care to name, at a graduation ceremony at Benedictine College in Atchinson, Kansas. We need to talk about what he...
How to ace your next job interview according to a recruitment specialist
Knowing how to impress an interviewer and land that job you’ve been dreaming of is a vital life skill, but one that we are rarely taught how to master. Our twenties are an age where we will no doubt face countless job interviews, but it shouldn’t have to come down to...
10 questions with an aerial instructor and circus performer!
Do you find yourself wanting to run away and join the circus? Do you ever end up having several career crisis' a day, wishing there was some kind of insight into the world of non-traditional, non-office based jobs? Me too. Which is why Messy has chosen to find a bunch...
10 questions with an AIRBNB owner
How did you get into it? Me and my partner left the corporate world in London after 30 years to swim and paint, we bought a house by the sea with planning permission to rebuild a ruined barn on the land so we could get an additional income stream through AIBRNB before...
10 questions with a paralympic gold medalist!
Have you ever wondered what a day would look like as a competitive athlete? Beyond the competitions you see on TV and the endless travelling... what does life look like as a full time competitive athlete? What does it take to become one? How does one even get into it?...
10 questions with a sex educator and podcaster!
Were you aware that one could make a living as a full time sex educator? Tatiana Ashborn is a 21 year old sex educator and podcast host, forefronting the highly followed show ‘Under the Sheets’ with her company, ‘Dirty talk’. Messy sat down with her to ask 10...
10 questions with a primary school teacher
Julia Richards is an Assistant Deputy Head Teacher in a state primary school in Coventry. How did you get into it? I studied languages at university with the aim of joining international banking, and my degree took me all around travelling. After four years...