Tardar Sauce says “yes” for the first time, like, ever.
No, we’re not all doomed because of gay marriage. Contrary to popular belief, the world will be just fine if the United States government lets me marry a lady, which I may or may not do. I’d still really love the option. Options are good.
But no, today I’m going to skip the gay marriage rant as I feel plenty of far more eloquent souls are making the case for that right now. In short, I support. You should too. (Yeah, some random blogger girl just told you what to do. Your defensive walls must be shuddering right now.)
Today, I want to talk about life after college. Specifically, the panic I see manifesting not only in myself but in every single graduating senior that I have come into contact within the last month. Mostly, this panic revolves around finding a halfway decent income. We’re not even hoping for a good income anymore–just decent. Like, enough to, you know, eat, stay warm, and not live in a cardboard box. Oh, and afford cheap booze (it helps with the staying warm part). However, although we’re all looking, are options are looking pretty bleak. As a psychology major, I knew from the start that I wasn’t going to be able to do much within the mental health field without possessing at least a master’s degree, but I didn’t think 75% of my qualifying options would call for “a high school diploma or equivalency” and offer no more than a maximum $11/hr pay rate (and those are the few that actually want you to have a bachelor’s). Some of the jobs I’ve applied for are Behavioral Staff Support, Mental Health Worker, Community Based MH/MR Program Worker, and Children’s Program Worker. Only two of those require a bachelor’s degree, and only one pays more than $10/hr. All are considered part-time and none offer benefits of any kind except paid time off. I’ve gone to my campus’s career center, and they’ve offered me nothing save for what I’ve already been doing-looking online for job postings and calling various agencies to see if they have any openings. It definitely is starting to feel like I need to “know someone” in order to find a job. Problem is…I don’t. Even if I get one of these jobs, I’ll most likely have to supplement it with another part-time job cleaning hotel rooms or working as an aide a a daycare center. I’ll be damned if I ever go back into food service.
Now, I definitely plan on getting my master’s degree within the next few years, but right now that is not an option. I’m burnt out, broke, and way too confused even begin to have a solid direction as far as that goes. Even so, I’m trying to remain hopeful. Hopeful that something will work out soon, and I won’t be miserable. Hopeful the time and money I’ll save by living with my parents will allow me to become a veritable craft goddess like I dream. If not, I’m pulling a Thoreau and moving to the woods. Oh, wait, loan debt will still follow me there.
Recommendation:
What’s Worrying Millenials? Pretty Much Everything by Fran Kritz
“…while unemployment for the nation as a whole was 7.7 percent in February, it was more than double that—16.2 percent—for young adults ages 18 to 29.”
Oh, and the 29-year old woman has master’s in social work, yet works at a pizza shop. Shoot me now.
Grumpy Cat, how do you always know how I feel?
Oh. My. Blog. 
[…] actually think the job one is pretty self-explanatory, and I’ve wined about it in my previous post like a good college-grad, but the second is a bit more complicated. See, I’ve had this thing […]