I recently graduated with an M.A. degree in English and despite what I told everyone when they condescendingly asked "what on earth are you going to do with an English degree," my retort smugly being "anything I want!," I am now feeling the pains of a specified Arts degree. In our technological and business minded economic infrastructure, the poor Arts student remains poor.
And yet, things could be much worse. I’m not exactly unemployed, I just have a part time job that gives me hardly any hours and isn’t even remotely close to the field I want to be in. But beggars can’t be choosers…..literally….at least I have something on my resume and enough income to pay for my transportation to and from work….well…almost.
So I spend my days off continuing the job hunt, feeling that if I put in enough hours I will eventually be handed something. I am more than willing to start at the bottom and work my way up, and I’m fully aware that this may take time, but the constant “waiting for my life to start” is getting monotonous. Ergo, my fabulous plan to take account and take responsibility. I will set goals and you must hold me accountable. Deal?
Here is a rundown of my mini successes today. As I have only been applying for work on job boards – work in publishing by the way (infamously difficult to get into) – I decided to be bold and be that annoying person who sends unsolicited resumes and cover letters begging to be noticed and taken seriously.
The result? A few people did respond and said they “aren’t currently hiring, but will keep my resume on file” and I got one successful “thanks for your resume. I will follow up with you on Friday.” All in all, one of the more successful days.
Ordinarily this is how my days off go (and reminder, I use the term days off loosely because I frequently have full weeks off, or multiple days off….my job is indeed a joke, but again better than nothing).
So this is how my regular days off go: wake up close to 9 because my alarm isn’t sent, and why would it be? Roll over and doze in-and-out till almost 11 because I’m struck by an almost depression knowing that there is really no reason to get out of bed today. Eventually I do get up and make my way down to the kitchen to finally obey my voracious stomach….only to find it a complete wreck because everyone else in the house has gone off to work and they figure that I, the work reject, having nothing better to do anyway, right? Even if I don’t, still not cool. Afterall, I didn't get two degrees just to clean up after people all day and watch tv. Not saying there is anything wrong with that, but it's sooo not my scene. Where was I? Oh yes, after eating and coffee and a few episodes of Sex and the City, or some other show – I watch TV while I eat. Why? Because I’m alone anyway and eating all by yourself is depressing as hell - I then try to find something to occupy my time: check the mail, take an aimless walk to nowhere and then come back, see if the frog that’s been living in my backyard is still there, check facebook, etc. On the good days I re-check the job boards. On the bad days I crawl back into bed and watch movie after movie.
So that’s why I say today was a good day. It’s really difficult though to feel compelled to do anything when after you have FINALLY showered and gotten “ready for the day” at 5pm, you then get back into sweatpants and a t-shirt because…really?...who are you trying to kid?....you have nowhere to go anyway. So yes, I am in a t-shirt and sweats, but I have potentially climbed a tiny bit higher out of my whole….and if not….at least I feel like I accomplished something today. Besides, the frog has been hibernating for almost a month now. New things need to start occupying my day.
On the agenda tomorrow, maybe review some grammar or brush up on my German….but one “productive day” doesn’t usually follow another. I miss my productive academic life; back when I had a million things to do every day and I felt guilty for taking 2 hours off to go watch a movie with a friend. Ahhhhh that was the life. That me hates this me. And that academic me has a point, because this me mixed up A Thousand Splendid Suns with One Hundred Years of Solitude. Not the plot, thankfully, just the titles: One Thousand Years of Solitude. Not too bad you say? Well that was prefaced with: ME “I just finished my M.A. in English and miss the stimulating literary discussions.” OTHER “really? I love literature! What are you reading right now?” ME “Oh I’m in a Gabriel Garcia Marquez phase right now.” OTHER “I love Marquez, are you reading Love in the Time of Cholera?” ME “No, that one’s next on the list, but I’m reading One Thousand Years of Solitude.” OTHER *blankly staring at me gauging my intelligence* …..sigh…..and this is why I need a real job or to get my butt back to school….my brain is melting from sheer lack of use.
This video sums up my life right now!
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