Recent College Grads - We are Victims

I've been unemployed for about a month now. And it's been a great month. All I do is hang out at home, job hunt online, organize things, clean, cook, bake, paint, and visit friends. Notice how exercise is NOT on that list? It's on my "To Do" list... really.

But, this is all good and fun... but my bank account is starting to get low. I am starting to get a little worried and stressed out. I need to find a job soon. But, I don't want just any job. I want a job that I will like and that is on the career path I want. 

I guess I could just get a job at a store until I find the job that I want. That's no fun.

Years ago, a bright college graduate wouldn't have any trouble finding a job. If you went to college, you were pretty much guaranteed a good job with benefits. These days, it's not as simple. College graduates everywhere are forced to work at as receptionists or at Applebees, and if they are lucky, Starbucks (because at least Starbucks has some good benefits). We are everywhere. Serving your your espresso, selling you your new sweater at Macy's, seating you while you are on a date at a fancy restaurant, making your appointments at the chiropractor, filing your documents in an office... college graduates are the new high school graduates.

We go into debt getting a higher education, and then we can't find a good job in order to pay off that  debt. And we are living our lives earning a little more than minimum wage, with no health insurance. Ages 24-30 are victims of two screwed up systems in the United States: the costs for higher education and health care.

This is sad. I don't feel like I can go to Grad School or the Peace Corps because I don't want to keep putting off this massive debt. I avoid going to the doctor as much as possible... even though I HAVE health insurance, it just doesn't really cover anything. I feel like the only choice I have is to find a job with benefits and keep paying those student loans until I am 50 years old. And that's if I don't defer my loans. If I defer them... I could be paying my student loans into my retirement.

What can I do about this? Write my congressman? I guess I could. Maybe start a petition or something. But for now I am just going to sit back and enjoy this Law and Order SVU marathon.

Screw you recession! I QUIT!

Nevermind the shallow job market, nevermind my unbelievably large amount of student debt... I quit my job. Which is actually how I wound up having my own blog. I created a blogspot account for my job, and after deleting my work blog... I still had the account. So here I am, blogging just for the sake of blogging.

I'm not in an interesting place where I can blog about unusual adventures (like my best friend, who is in Cambodia having lots of culturally awkward moments and getting hit by motos), but I am one of the many US citizens looking for a job right now. And that... could be interesting... maybe... probably not.

The job I had originally seemed like the best thing for me, and maybe it was one year ago. One year ago, I was exactly where I am now. Living with my mom in my home town looking for a real job. Working at the seasonal produce stand and pumpkin patch to make some money, watching Obama win the hearts and souls of the world, and baking and cooking all the time... it was great!

And I am very happy to be doing it again (except this time watching Obama and crossing my fingers for adequate healthcare reform). I have 2 months to work at the produce stand while I find a good job. I will not leave one job I don't like for another one I don't like. But I guess you never know what a job will be like until you take it and do it for awhile.

So what if I am an intelligent college graduate temporarily working at a produce stand? This job only pays one dollar less an hour than my "real job." And I could get more hours and live at home. I will make more money selling fruits and vegetables than with a semi-high level position with a hospitality company. Which is a blatant indicator that I was, on some level, being taken advantage of.

After outweighing the pros and the cons of a job I didn't like... I finally said, "Screw you recession! I QUIT!" (actually, I every so kindly and respectfully resigned)

And here I am... being so very selective about my next job choice. Employment is overrrated, happiness and mental health come first. Luckily, I am at an age where I can think and behave this way. Not everyone is so lucky. Sometimes you just have to stand your ground and say, "Hey, I am worth more than this, so I am not going to take it anymore." Even if it may seem impractical to others, when it comes down to it, I knew it was the right choice.

Now excuse me, while I enjoy some fresh sweet corn and peaches.