I am 24 and I recently graduated from college with a degree in criminal justice... not English (as I had started) or womens studies, art appreciation, anthropology, music... I generally chose what I thought would be best to find a job out of college. I ended up moving back in with my grandparents (one of which has cancer), and I am helping with day to day things. I am also volunteering my time to help a dear friend who is going through renal failure. It's not making money, but it is still being productive. I will admit, in the three months since I have graduated, I have put out nearly 100 job applications and have had two job interviews. I live near Atlanta, so jobs are pretty competitive. I have applied for jobs bagging groceries, answering phones, filing paperwork, serving food, cooking food. I don't think my degree makes me "too good" for anything. A job is a job, as long as what your doing is ethical and legal.
I am in debt. I know this. I knew this when I signed my name on the dotted line for my student loans, and I knew at that moment that it was my responsibility. No one else's. Not the government's, not wall street's, not my school, or my parent's fault. I signed an agreement -- a contract. And I must honor it. Just like when a person signs a car note, they know they must pay it back. When people get a mortgage, they know they must pay it back. No body forced their hand or held them at gunpoint.
Yes, there is something wrong with this country. It can't just be blamed on "greedy corporations". It's excess. Everyone's excess. Everyone feels that they need to have the biggest, brightest, and newest thing -- new houses, new cars, new clothes, new phones, new drugs, new stereos, new computers. People have their priorities all mixed up. When I was in college, I paid my rent with my student loan money, and I paid my bills and groceries with the money I made off of my part time job. I did not have a car; I rode a bicycle. I ate ramen noodles and had a campus meal plan. I did not dine out every night, or even every week. I lived below my means. And I intend to go back to school next year. I want to get my masters degree in social work. I know it will not make a crap ton of money, but at least I will be making an actual difference in people's life. Not just talking about it.
Like I said, I'm in debt. I know this. I made an investment in my future, and instead of sitting on some street corner and bitching about how "insert adjective it is" and how "insert organization is greedy" and that "it's all insert name's fault", I'm trying my damnedest to make my investment pay off, even if it is not monetarily.
