So much has changed from the time our parents became adults and entered the real world and our generation. The “American Dream” has essentially died, and things like getting married and buying a home with your partner are almost unattainable (unless you have a large sum of money getting funneled to you from another source).
When I was younger and entering college, my dream was to finish school and move to a new city. There, I would start a brand new life, get an exciting job, meet new people, and explore the city. Fast-forward to present day: I am struggling to even find a part-time job in my field, journalism, in Philadelphia. Everyday items have skyrocketed in price, and between trips to the grocery store and paying bills, it seems next to impossible that next year at this time I will be afloat in a city with a higher cost of living than Philadelphia.
While this mindset may seem pessimistic, it is shared among many students who are almost graduating. Shanu Patoju, a student at Temple, feels that the job market seems unattainable, even with the degree and experience.
“After postgrad, employment is going to be a hard task,” Patoju told Her Campus. “There is a lot more diversity and competition which is scary. I went through college and still don’t feel prepared to start my career.”
Many students share this fear, including myself. We all went through college and completed cour class work and requirements, but entering into the real world and the daunting job market that exists right now is soemthing that still feels unrealistic.
Thirty years ago or so, having a college degree in a versatile field often guaranteed a job in that field that paid enough to secure a stable life. At the restaurant job I have currently, many of my coworkers who graduated two or three years ago have had trouble finding a job in their field and continued to stay at the restaurant as they are making a living there.
While there is nothing wrong with this path, I really want to be able to utilize the degree I have worked so hard to earn. I recall the countless hours spent in the library, talking to professors, and studying for exams, and want that work to be applied somewhere.
Our parents entered a world where stability could be achieved by putting in hard work in college. Now we are entering into a world where rent costs have almost doubled, groceries put a massive dent in your pocket, and living with roommates seems to be the only way to be able to live in a big city.
We have to remember how different the economy and culture are for us compared to our parents. One day (hopefully) things will return to a place with affordable rent costs and reasonable prices of groceries, and we will be able to live the lives that we were promised.