"We're in the middle"

Kaine, 26, Creative Photographer & Visual Artist

By Tolu Oshodi

What is your biggest struggle as a millennial?

The biggest struggle is probably knowing where to go [in life], in terms of using the skills that you’re given throughout your education etc. We’re in this weird sort of limbo, whereas the older generation – they do things a certain way, but now there’s a new way to do them and the younger generation know how to. Since we’re in the middle, it’s like we don’t really know how to do any of those things. So I’m just out here. You just feel like you’re out here by yourself, especially when you’re a creative, no one really wants to help you because it’s so competitive. So even if you’re good, you tend to get put down. I guess being a millennial really has an effect on your endeavours; it just leaves you in limbo.

Do you think a degree is worth much in today’s job market?

I don’t think it’s worth anything. Honestly. I think it’s a waste of time. Obviously it depends on what field you go into, for example medicine or anything technical like that, but for everything else I think it’s the biggest waste of time. It angers me. I’m 26 now and I’ve only been out of university for a year. I’m so angry at having spent that much time in university. Man, I wasted six years…it was the worst. I’ve worked out that on average to rent a studio is £400 and that’s for a whole room. They don’t teach you anything at uni, at all. At least, when you study fashion they don’t teach you anything. So if you rented out a studio and just learnt by yourself, it would work out cheaper by like, thousands. University is just about contacts, so why are you paying 9 grand? When I was at LCF I literally saw my teacher once a week for 5 minutes… that’s what I paid 9 grand for. I did want to do my Masters but after my last year at LCF I thought it was just a waste of time. Nobody actually asks to see your degree either. I studied Computer Science & Games for a bit but I didn’t finish. I didn’t get a degree for it but it’s on my CV. I don’t say “I got a degree” but it’s just there. Every single person thinks I have that degree. Do you know how many people I know don’t have a degree but for a job it says they need one, so they just put it on their CV then like two months later they’re like “yeah, I don’t have a degree in that BTW” and the employer’s like “yeahhh that’s fine mate.”

"Being a millennial really has an effect on your endeavours; it just leaves you in limbo"

So what’s the point then?

My aunt works for a University and this is how I knew how to treat university when I went to LCF because she told me “Kaine, don’t ever get it twisted, University is a business. It’s not there to help you, it’s a business. So you need to remember that when you’re studying”. It’s just the worst, but I think it’s just society in general that does it; everyone’s out to get something… 

What was your worst job experience?

Retail. That is modern day slavery and I don’t think I’m exaggerating at all. I don’t understand how companies think they own you. And they break laws and stuff. At Urban, we weren’t allowed water on the shop floor. For about a week the air con was broken and the fitting rooms were so hot you could literally feel the heat. Like fire…it was that kind of heat. Every second you’re there you’re being made to work even when there is literally nothing to do, and the worst thing is that the managers treat you like you’re a child. I’m not gonna lie, my managers were cool with me because I let them know that I was not a child. 

Stability or Defiance?

Defiance… I’ve just been raised like that and obviously because I don’t consider myself to have had an “English” upbringing either. When my parents grew up, it was still really racist here, so I’ve got that in me. So that’s why I would always choose defiance, I’m always for the people, which is actually quite a common Millennial attitude apparently. There’s power in numbers but I feel like Western society is a bit too self-centred to that. I do feel that we’re the woke generation or, the most woke generation. I wouldn’t say we’re fully there because a lot of us are quite self-centred and narcissistic from what I see.

What would your perfect scenario be?

Career-wise, I want to be a film director, I want to write movies and direct them, I just want to be involved in everything to do with film. That’s originally why I studied to make clothes, so I could actually make clothes for movies. But then everyone just put it onto me that “Oh! You want to be a fashion designer!” and I was like yeah yeah, but literally it’s the fifth element. I wanted to learn how to make clothes for the clothes, I don’t want to stay in London, Paris just calls me. Everyone says not to go there because it’s racist and expensive but I dunno, it just calls to me. But I don’t see myself living somewhere for too long. I feel like I’ll just hop from country to country. I’m just staying here until I get money to leave. 

What has been your biggest life lesson?

You have to learn when to cut ties.