not having any luck in the job search was starting to get to me. it has been 2 years since i've graduated university, and while i've had odd jobs here and there (3 to be exact), i never had that career job or even a job that paid well. it's so frustrating looking at jobs online, only to see that my 6 years of college and university education get me nothing. entry level jobs want years of experience, knowledge of this program, a certificate in that; none of which i have. i still apply, but i've yet to get any calls, obviously. and let just throw this out there, a few weeks ago, i was applying to a department store and you know what they had under qualifications? a degree in retail management! to be a sales associate!! so yeah, i felt pretty defeated.
here i am, at nearly 26 still in a rut of what to do with my life. dylan has always tried to talk me into going back to school, but i would just scoff and say, "and take what?! i have no idea what i want to do!" "i don't want to go and take just anything. i need a job after!" "a masters degree wouldn't guarantee a job either!" i truly enjoyed what i got my degree in; criminology and sociology, but more so the criminology. to me, it's fascinating and i loved it. i considered law school in my first year, but quickly changed my mind.
last thursday (july 11) when dylan and i were talking, once again, about how frustrated and lost i feel, and the fact that i still have yet to get a job since moving here, or any calls (career-type or retail) he again suggested school. he told me just to think about it. i went for a walk and tried to clear my head and while i was out, i started thinking about a legal administrative assistant. when i got back home, i checked out a few colleges in the city that offered it and read up on it. most jobs i look at online want this diploma and they pay relatively well, i've seen some postings up to $65-$70,000. *i know one wouldn't start at that, but it's nice to know it's possible to work up to that* i gave the college a quick call to make sure they still had openings since i would be applying late and they did. of all things, they wanted my high school transcripts to make sure i had grade 12 english. then i was sent into a tizzy because i had no recollection of whether i took it (turns out i did, as it was mandatory) and i was thinking, "you're telling me i may not get in because of something i didn't take nearly 10 years ago?!"
i had pretty much decided, that yes, i'm going to go for it and just apply. i spend the next day calling my high school, college, and university to get all my old student numbers. i finished the application process later that day and only applied to the one school (even though i could have chosen up to 5) and figured i would play the waiting game for 3-4 weeks. i didn't think there was a real reason i wouldn't get it, especially with my educational background and what i took, but i didn't want to get my hopes up. and then there was the whole, "more debt?! really?!?" i've been paying off my student loans for 2 years now, but i applied again since we don't have an extra $10,000 hanging around in our bank account.
on sunday (june 14), i got an email early in the morning, "congratulations, you've been accepted!" first of all, i couldn't believe i heard back so fast, and second of all, i got in!! i did a little dance in the living room and my girl friends and dylan were there with me.
so that's that! i'm going back to school. it's a diploma program that is 12 months straight and when i'm done, hopefully i'll get a placement that will lead to a job, and a job that pays well ;) in the end, what's a little more school debt?!
i really do think this is what i've wanted to do, i just didn't know it. it may have taken me a little longer than most to get there, but i feel like i'm finally on track and doing something with my life that i will (hopefully) enjoy and that will get me somewhere.
excited!
holy crap, i'm going back to school!
*this was pretty long-winded, but i wrote it out mostly for me to keep a memory of*