I started college with one main game plan: major in something that will get you a job and you'll come out making money. That's what I've always been told, go to school work for the paper and then let the paper work for you. So I spent my first two years majoring in something I was mildly passionate about, psychology, and thought I'd be content operating in that field for the rest of my professional life. Until one faithful day I realized I didn't care about the size of a person's amygdala, and I never intended on conducting research or writing case studies. Psychology wasn't where I was, it was where people told me I needed to be. So I switched majors like a light switch and followed my passion of women, gender and sexuality studies.
Now I need to stop here because I'm sure I have some of you wondering what the hell that academic track even consists of. To quote my brother-in-law, "Carley is in the major where they make sure everyone has a safe place to use the bathroom." While this is obviously a monumental understatement of both the bathroom debate and how I spent my undergrad career, I use it because in its simplicity lies truth. I went to college and came out with skills not to directly help myself but to help those around me and in turn help myself. I spent years and thousands of dollars to focus on ways to create safe spaces, promote healthy ways of thought, make coalitions, and advocate for people who are not in a position to advocate for themselves.
Ready for the kicker?
I cannot find employment in my field.
I, like many other recent college graduates, am stuck in a hiring limbo. Trapped in the constant cycle of searching for jobs in specific field, yielding no opportunities, having to work menial jobs to pay for the student loans we've acquired to pay for the degree that was supposed to save us from menial work. Let's then add on the constant badgering from members of prior generations commenting on how lazy and ungrateful our age group is. I'm more than sure we want to work, and definitely need to work because we cannot afford to pay for those scholarly pieces of academic merit papers on pure charm and wit alone. Employment anxiety is a real thing and since I've moved my tassel from right to left it has become extremely agonizing.
Finding a job is no longer about selling yourself on paper and then having a stellar interview. Having a bachelor's degree is almost the same as having a high school diploma. Entry level jobs aren't looking to pay for you having a four year degree because having them has become so common. So then you get pushed on to continuing your education in order to become a more competitive employee. Another degree later, and thousands more in debt you've somehow become over qualified. Entry level jobs now require upwards of five years of experience... can't get experience without having a job... and how do you get a job... experience.
These harrowing cycles of unemployment need to stop. We need to come together as a community and assist one another in finding gainful employment. I'm lucky enough to have a full time and a part time job, but neither of those accommodate my two degrees in my pay rate. Nor once when my student loans kick in will they be enough to cover those payments and allow me to live comfortably.Society needs to stop pretending like going to college results in a well-paying job, when it barely results in a job.
To all my fellow graduates, I salute you and congratulate you for all your hard work. However the hard work is just beginning.
