You're A Graduate. Get a Job. Oh Wait, You Can't.

When they asked me what I wanted to be I said I didn't know. "Oh, sure you know,' the photographer said. "She wants," said Jay Cee wittily, "to be everything." - Sylvia Plath

Old heart, old love. Old heart, new love. I try my hardest not to be naive. I know that of all the decisions I could have to make, this is not a bad one. I try to be diplomatic, and I enjoy most people I meet. Maybe I am a politician at heart beyond Shippensburg.

I can't find a job in journalism. This is getting horribly ridiculous. I don't understand how anyone expects my generation/recent grads to get ahead if all would-have-been-five-years-ago-entry-level-jobs now require 3-5 years experience. Does my college television station count? The resounding answer, which I'm almost starting to hear getting yelled back at me through the bolded descriptions on job boards and industry rejection emails, is NO. Does my internship help? Somewhat - it shows I have an iota of understanding about how a major television news station works. But it's not enough. What is enough?

So I'm back to serving. I loved doing it at school. I was almost more sad to leave my co-workers at Fridays than I was to graduate college. The place was worth it. I've been doing a training session for a new restaurant chain (which, due to my inherent paranoia, I will simply be referring to as "The New Place"), and I like the direction that corporate wants to take The New Place in. I think I'll make great money - and it's a close drive from my house.

And then Fridays called me. One in my area at home wanted an interview with me. So, even though I was already "in" with The New Place, so to speak, I decided to go meet with the people at Fridays. And was informed that I was hired. Fan-freaking-tastic. I really don't want to work two serving jobs at once - that's a little much, especially since I'm looking for full-time work. Would you like to spend 60+ hours per week between 2 restaurants? If you just answered yes, then you should probably make your way to the emergency room for a catscan because you're clearly concussed.

I hashed this out on the drive home with a good friend from college. He pieced me together when I thought a break-up had "totalled" my life at the time, kept a watchful eye over me while I cavorted around the bar in which he worked, and spent countless afternoons watching everything from "Shrek" to "Sherlock Holmes" on his couch with me. So what did he think? He backed what I had been thinking: stick with The New Place. I loved my old job so much that anything further at a new location with the same company might be a let-down. And do I think I'd make better money at The New Place? I think I might. I can't help it. I just think "Fridays" and I think of what I had 6 weeks ago.

Somebody make me stop thinking through restaurants and keep thinking journalism. Or magically add "3-5 years experience required" onto my resume.

Oh, and by the way.
Dad: Well, that's good. But don't forget your degree.