Today I will finally return to my passion, writing. It seems like only yesterday that I was a bright-eyed college graduate with big hopes and dreams. Today, I return to my Examiner page a changed woman. I am worn out, jaded, broke, and my soul is crushed. The last two years have left me so cynical that I barely recognize myself. How did I get to this place? And how do I escape from it?
My story takes me back all the way to 2002, when I graduated from high school. I did what every good student does, put in college applications and signed many promissory notes. It just seemed natural to go to college. It seemed like the best way to become a successful adult. I enjoyed college, of course. I love learning, thinking, and being challenged. I still miss it, and I would go back for my master's degree in a second if I could. What I wasn't prepared for was the horrible job market, especially in the Cleveland, Ohio area in the field of Communications.
After my graduation, I spent about 8 months unemployed. I applied for everything, even Starbucks and Walmart. I finally found full-time employment at a customer service call center, and I am still stuck there. It's been the most excruciating year and a half of my life. I became so worn out from my full-time hours that I even stopped writing, opting instead to drink away the frustration of failure. My point is that it shouldn't be necessary to go into ridiculous amounts of debt in order to go to college. We live in America, the world's superpower, and a superpower needs educated citizens in order to continue to thrive. So why is it so difficult to fund higher education?
I suspect I am not alone in my situation. As the economy continues to struggle and companies continue shipping American jobs overseas, the thousands of debt-laden college graduates have less and less jobs for which to compete. It begs the question: is it still worth it to go to college? At this point in my life, I am coming up with a loud and clear "NO." If I could go back and do it all again, I would have started my own business straight out of high school. College is just another aspect of the American Dream that is dying, suffocated by greed and hypocrisy.
I will never give up on my dream, because writing feels good. Shouldn't everyone have a career that makes them feel good? I think so, especially in America. As citizens of America, we have inalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I will always pursue that happiness with all the strength I have. With some luck, I just may find it someday.
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