Confessions of a College Grad

I was sitting here in my bed trying to decide what should be my first blog entry topic since, oh APRIL and now that summer is almost over and I graduated from college in May I think it is only appropriate to confess what life is like now that I am done with school--my 10 year long quest to find completion.

I ended my last semester as an undergrad so unbelievably stressed, strained, and overwhelmed that my graduation seems almost like a blur--like after you have itched your eye really hard for far longer than what is really healthy for the longevity of ones sight and then you can't seem to focus your vision because there is nothing but a big, huge, blurry blob standing in the way between you and...everything.  Yes, that's how my graduation feels now.  

Originally, I wasn't even planning to attend the ceremony.  Let's face it, they are long and boring and anybody you invite to come watch you go through this academia ritual is only doing so out of mere obligation (or so it seems).  I also wanted to induce more inner motivation to go back to school to get my Masters and thought that if I didn't go to my ceremony for my Bachelor's then I would make a concerted effort to complete my Masters for the mere sake of going to the ceremony.  I thought long and hard about how there is the possibility that I might not go back to school and I didn't want to have any regrets.  So, I sat through the ceremony and my obligatory guests included: my mom (who cried the whole time), my sister (who cried as well), my dad, my best friend Ethan (who shouted my name so loud I think that it was heard across universities around the globe), and my best friend Summer.  I feel honored to have these people by my side for the support so it's only right to mention names.

I graduated May 15, 2010.  Today, it is August 2, 2010.  I am sitting here on a Monday afternoon blogging, so what does that tell you about where I am as a college graduate?  I confess that I envisioned things happening slightly different then how they are.  

Current status: UNEMPLOYED

If you are under the misconception that once you slap your degree on your resume that companies will be awaiting you with a fanfare welcome than you are highly highly mistaken.  I have applied for hundreds of jobs in the past several months (and I will continue to do so) and I am realizing that a college education is not what it is cracked up to be.  Okay, okay so the economy-sucks period is not the most ideal time to be looking for work...I get that.  It would be different if I was being turned down for jobs where I was applying to be the CEO or the CFO but I'm not.  I will take just about ANY job right now but as all the rejection emails continue to infiltrate my inbox, I confess as a college graduate that maybe college did not give me all the necessary skills that I need to make it as a successful working class American.

Several companies I have applied:

Enterprise

Build-A-Bear

BJC

SSM-St. Joe

Brown Shoe

Liberty Mutual
Edward Jones

American Family

GRG

Marriott

USA Jobs.gov

Snelling

Adecco

Emmis Communications
Graybar

Charter

Kelly Services

and many more...

Alas, I am not totally disheartened.  No.  My trust is 100% in a God who I know has a plan for my life.  I believe that with everything inside me.  I know that something will come up eventually.  Some people take many more months than I to find a good job.

I am going to end my first blog in 4 months with:

TO BE CONTINUED...