You may laugh, you may roll your eyes, and you may say I’m being a drama queen, which is probably true. However, it doesn’t change the fact that after 18 years of education year after year, I’m realizing that it did not prepare me for the real world in any way.
Throughout my 4 years of university I repeated the same mantra in my head as yet another condescending asshole yelled at me during one of my many customer service jobs where I was getting paid shit and feeling like shit. Every time some narcissistic jackass decided he knew my job better than me, I would repeat the same mantra in my head: “this is why we go to school.” I’d say to myself, this is only a part time job, it’s not forever. This is the reason I’m spending all this time getting a degree so I don’t have to work these stupid jobs.
Wrong.
If post grad life has taught me anything, (and apologies on the blunt, pessimistic tone) is that it does not get better. In fact, you get a full time version of that job where all of that shit you put up with throughout university on a part time basis… Is now your life. 40 hours a week.
Now to some degree this is because I, just like many fresh grads, have no work experience other than those part time jobs. So naturally, I must gain experience. The problem is, is that I am now bored to shit, not knowing what to do with my life and in the same position as I was when I started university. What the heck am I doing with my life?
I’m having a “quarter life” crisis. Yes, I’m laughing at myself too.
But it’s true! I built up in my head over the past 5 years that university was the way to go, and at all costs, get your degree because it will lead to a better life. Well, since I didn’t get an engineering degree, I guess I’m hooped right?
But see, here’s the thing: my cousin forced herself to do engineering, and now wants nothing to do with her degree, or that field of work. My friend got an English degree, works at a publishing house, and loves her job. Another friend got a diploma in a specialized field and now works at a hospital full time, making about twice as much as I do currently. Another friend got her degree in sciences, but has no idea what she wants to do. She has kept her old job working with children because she loves it so much.
My point is, is that nothing is a guarantee unless you find something your passionate about and there’s a demand for. Sure, you can get an engineering degree, because it may land you a job, but if you hate engineering, it won’t do you a lot of good. Same goes for the English degree; you may love English, but what if there’s no work in your field?
My problem is that I have a degree, and yet I still have no idea what I want to do. And no, my degree did not help me decide.
So what’s my solution guys?
…..get a masters and avoid the real world. Kidding.
