It was fall of 2009. I was miserable working for a temp agency inputting data for an international distributor of electric components in a DOS system. Yeah, it was as exciting as it sounds. That was job number 6 after only graduating a year and a half before.
To say I was flopping around would be an epic understatement.
I knew when I picked my major (English with a concentration in Creative Writing) that there wouldn’t be one specific job for me after college. I just wanted to write! It sounded so easy! One of my wildly successful writing professors actually encouraged us to go out into the real world and work odd jobs vs. getting an MFA. Little did I know at the time that I would take his advice quite literally.
The temp job was easy enough once I figured out the system and the shortcuts. But I was losing my mind. I remember one day I had a project that took me away from the computer into this one back room where I was packing orders. I put in my earphones and had to consistently wipe away tears as I packed box after box. Was that really all there was? Working some job I hated for the rest of my life? Whether it was that specific one or whatever the next odd job that would follow, the idea terrified me.
Suddenly the world felt so big and I felt so, so small. Like whatever I wanted didn’t actually matter. I felt like I’d wasted my time in college and cursed myself for not picking a more specific major like education (which I really didn’t want to do) or nursing (I suck at science).
All of my friends were finding their grooves. They were getting fancy offices and raises. They were becoming Real Adults and I was driving 45 minutes to a job that would end in a few months only to start the search all over again.
I missed writing. And I worried that once we got ourselves on a path, whether it was one we meant to get on or not, that we had to stay there. I didn’t really know where to start–but I knew something needed to change.
NANOWRIMO (National Writing Month: November) was fast approaching as was the end of my job assignment. I knew I wasn’t going to write a novel in a month, but I took the excitement buzzing around the writing world and focused it in on one specific goal: write a book.
But where the heck do I even start? Stay tuned!
And keeping with the idea that posts with photos are more fun: here’s where it all went down. My little “apartment” in my parents’ attic!
Very excited to hear the rest of this story! I think we have all been there in that "in between" job. For me it was selling lotions and soaps at Bath and Body Works. It was a fun job, but I was really scared to be stuck there.
Oh girl, this is totally me! Minus the whole having a novel behind me thing 😉 My major was music, and the odd jobs I worked after school slayed me with boringness. Getting out of those jobs that I hated and taking steps towards doing what I love was the best decision. I'm so excited to hear the rest of your story! Also, jealous of that attic! I have always wanted a real, honest to goodness, make it into a room type attic. It looks amazing!!
It is so scary after college when you aren't really sure where you are going and you need a job to pay the bill. I know I was miserable for years after I graduated just doing what I could to get by. Questioning every choice I made and whether I had done the right thing. Heck, to this day I question myself some times. I know I am not following my dream and I have no clue what the path is to get to that dream.
Can't wait to hear the rest girl!
After college is a total WTF time. I fell into a job rather than pursuing one that I wanted.
I can't tell you how many times I've too wondered why I didn't just go to school for nursing or something where you could more easily get a job– or at least have a more clear career path– but then when I stop and think about it I'm like I nearly faint at the sight of blood or needles and I've never liked science so why would I think that's a good idea? I'm so excited to hear more of this!
Can't wait to hear the rest!! I know how you felt about flopping though, that's how I feel now!