Yeah, strange title. First post of the new year, and hopefully I’ll find time to make sure it’s not the only post of 2012.
What can be said about 2011? Shitty, harsh, painful, interesting, tearful, sometimes not bad? Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. I can’t say it was a good year, and I’m sure there will be worse to come, because you know… that’s life. My first year as a graduate from “higher education” has been an all uphill battle to stay afloat.
Trust me, I know I’m not the only one. Just look at the “Occupy” movement, we all know about it, and if you’ve forgotten about it, because you don’t think it effects you, then shame on you. There were plenty during the thickest parts of it that were saying that the people of “Occupy” and those like them were nothing but products of the “entitled” generation, the generation of graduates that expected a job handed to them on a silver platter, that my generation is just a bunch of lazy kids that don’t want to pay taxes and think that they deserve high paying jobs “just because *insert appropriate obnoxious response*.” My favorite was the lot that complained that they were tax payers, and they’ve all been doing what they’re suppose to do, and they’ve never asked for a break, so the rest of us should all shut up and live with it.
So, here’s the reason that that’s bullshit. Yes, there are some brats out there that truly do think that they deserve this and they deserve that, but there happens to be a butt ton of us that work full or close to full time, two or more jobs, people that pay their taxes, their car insurance, their rent, their bills, so on, so forth.
The thing that the former generation tends to forget, while they’re preaching to us about how it was our fault for getting into this mess, how it’s our debt, is that, when they went to college, tuition was astronomically less, and was usually able to be paid much more easily than it is now, and any loans that may have been needed, had much lower interest rates, and were just all around less because tuition was less. Not to mention the whole… Sallie Mae is okay with loaning to just about anyone as long as they can find a cosigner. Also, they weren’t told that without that education they would be nothing, that they would never be able to get a real job. Colleges around the country are obsessed with getting your check, no matter what they have to do to acquire it, including goad ambitious, gullible, and naive high schoolers and their worried, hopeful parents, to just go ahead and sign up for a loan, it’s completely worth it in the long run, because you’re guaranteed a job in your field after graduation. And of course, every school you’re looking to attend has the highest employment after graduation, because they have loads of connections. All you have to do is pay close to $30,000 a year and you’ll basically walk into your new job right after you graduate.
Right now, the best thing that could happen to me, would be to get a promotion at my job. Yes, I have one. Are you surprised? I work as close to full time as my job allows, getting a promotion would ensure full time, and higher pay, which would be amazing!! I definitely wouldn’t be able to pay for everything that I need to, but I’d definitely be able to play financial tetris a little bit better than I have been.
One thing that will help… wait for the celebratory trumpets…. okay fine, don’t, I finished paying the last bit that I owed for school. I’m done being ass-raped from one person, and only have to worry about 2 others, Sallie Mae and Capitol One. WOOOooooooo… financial circle jerk!
I’m one of the lucky few. I live with my amazing boyfriend that understands where all of my money has to go, and we’re both fortunate enough to make enough to stay afloat. I also have a supportive family, that has helped me through the worst of it. I’m lucky to have a job, even if it doesn’t pay for everything. I’m lucky to be a strong person, in mind and health.
I’m a fighter, and I will continue to do so at whatever cost.
susartandfood
February 12, 2012
Thanks for stopping by my blog and following. Will do the same.