Just some ramblings of a pissed of college grad

Zeke

Anyone care to tell me if the 4 year college degree just recently became worth less than the shit paper stock it's printed on, or has it been this way for a while. I don't quite understand how this works anymore, the piece of shit degree tells employers that I can learn and that's about it. My "education" is pretty much worthless in the real world it seems. Experience is far more valuable now and I don't know why I bothered going to college in the first place now. In order for me to move ahead in the world right now I have 2 choices it seems.
1) I can go back to the institutions which have stifled my brain for close to 20 years of my life and earn another degree or masters that will most likely be worth shit when I graduate, or
2) I sit in my current position and gain some "valuable" experience in order to move up to another position that I am over qualified for, climbing the ladder all the way until I eventually get to the point where my talents and intelligence will finally be used.
Now from what it seems both of those options are a waste of my fucking time. What the fuck is wrong with the institution of education today that I get a higher education and it's worth absolutely shit? Anyway I breezed through all my educational institutions my entire life, high school I slept through it, college? I never opened those expensive texts books. I still got through with minimal effort in anything I've done. So why now is it so fucking hard to find something that will give me a challenge and pay me well? Currently I work at a non-profit org and I get paid jack shit for what I do here. I tried applying to the probation department, sheriffs and police all over Southern California. Apparently I'm "too smart for them" as my recruiter friend explained. I'd question authority too much to make a good peace officer, well if that's the case then the other option, being the military, would surely be a bad choice for me. So currently I'm set adrift in this world with jack shit experience, a paper degree that's worthless and an awareness that is more a burden than a gift. Why can't I be ignorant, life would be so much more enjoyable.
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Anyone who says money can't buy happiness doesn't have enough money.

Celo · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 2:10 am Post subject:

Whats your degree in ? Also dont worry it took me 8 months to get a job after I graduated a full time one is.

Dont worry.

Zeke · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 8:58 am Post subject:

Yeah not to worry, it's only been 3 years since I graduated.
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Anyone who says money can't buy happiness doesn't have enough money.

Zeke · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:00 am Post subject:

BTW if you're looking for a bright and cheery side for me to see on this particular topic, it ain't gonna happen. I can only hide in delusions for so long, after 3 years I kinda got the point.
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Anyone who says money can't buy happiness doesn't have enough money.

Celo · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 6:27 pm Post subject:

Well since you asked for no Bright and cheery side.

All I have to say is that you're screwed!

Zeke · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 1:04 am Post subject:

Pretty much, yeah. Cool

_________________
Anyone who says money can't buy happiness doesn't have enough money.

jynexia · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 2:17 am Post subject:

Well you could always join the Army. Life can always be worse and besides having a degree gave you the right to complain about a shitty job. If you didnt have one you would have no excuse.
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~jynx~
I need to go to my Happy place, but I accidentally blew it up, so now I have to find a new one... Sad

Sadsiren · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 5:09 pm Post subject:

It's a sad sign of the times. Before, it wasn't common for everyone to have a Bachelors, and that would be the decision maker in an interview. But now BAs/BSs are like a dime a dozen, and it's a Masters that makes the turnaround.

I come from a different side of the spectrum though, Joel. I never finished college, you know. So I look at a lot of job listings and I see so many ask for an education I don't have. It's like I'm screwed both ways. I don't have your shiny piece of paper, OR experience in the particular fields I'd like. I have 6 years of clerical with the City under my belt, and yet for any job I'd like, it means nothing...

I don't know what your degree is in, or what you want to do in life, but I hope you'll find a path to it, somehow...

Dipsosis · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 7:58 pm Post subject:

Yeah, I dropped out of college as a senior because I got my first real job offer and I needed the money. I never looked back.
And after years of freelance work, slaving away for some other taskmasters, I've decided that I need to be my own boss. If I'm going to be anyone's bitch, I'm going to be my own. You really have to figure out two things Joel: exactly what you want to do and how exactly to get that career. If all you're looking for is gainful employment, just hang on about 6 months and I think I can provide you a salaried position. I can't guarantee you'll enjoy the work though Sad

That piece of paper does give you a leg up though. I've been in a couple situations where, based on recommendations and experience/quality of work, developers have contacted me, only to refuse me work once they found out I didn't have my bachelor's. It's funny - Blizzard was one of them. I was contacted about working on a project that turned out to be WoW of all things lol. I found out through a contact that their HR department waffled on me because I refused to commute to Irvine everyday, and because I didn't have my degree, even though I explained I had enough upper div units to nearly fulfill both of my majors (philosophy and English literature).

Zeke · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 7:17 pm Post subject:

But you don't have a shiny piece of paper that just collects dust and doesn't count for shit right?
Anyway, I'm out of this job next week and for the first time, in a VERY LONG time, I think I know what I want to do. Oddly satisfying, yet incredibly daunting. Cool

_________________
Anyone who says money can't buy happiness doesn't have enough money.

jynexia · Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 1:01 am Post subject:

OOooo what is it that you want to do?
_________________
~jynx~
I need to go to my Happy place, but I accidentally blew it up, so now I have to find a new one... Sad

Zeke · Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 1:18 am Post subject:

I might finally take my friend's advice and take the LSAT to see how I do, then I'll see from there.
_________________
Anyone who says money can't buy happiness doesn't have enough money.

jynexia · Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 1:21 am Post subject:

Best of Luck to you. I personally will try to stay away from lawyering for as long as a can (of course the way things are going I will inevitable be dragged into it eventually). But if you want someone to help you study, I would glad...though I will have to come up with a way how.
_________________
~jynx~
I need to go to my Happy place, but I accidentally blew it up, so now I have to find a new one... Sad

Zeke · Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 5:10 pm Post subject:

*Shrug* I have a feeling I won't be studying at all the first time I take it =P That seems to be the trend for me anyway. Then again I may just go nuts with it and fervently work for the highest score =P HAH! That'll be the day... Laughing

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Anyone who says money can't buy happiness doesn't have enough money.

Dave · Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 6:10 pm Post subject:

[Cue dramatic, upbeat law show theme music]

[Montage of Downtown L.A.]

[Busy people seen in high power law offices]

[Shots of Joel smoking outside with Mike and Steve while reviewing papers, talking to James who's at a computer, then calmly and cooly arguing cases in court]
"John Izuki as JOEL SUEMATSU"

[Shots of Dan shouting in his office at Timmy and Kimmy, Slamming doors as he storms away from Helen, and aggressively presenting his case in court while keeping his opponents on the ropes.]
"Mark Callahan as DANIEL GALLAGHER"

[Shots of Dave pouring over papers late at night while Bianca pours him some coffee, compassionately listening to clients state their case, and passionately arguing his case in court].
"Robert Dominguez as DAVID VARGAS"

[Shots of Steve making calls, driving from location to location , then presenting hard evidence in court and looking back at his friends giving them a wink and smile]
"William Duvall as STEVEN GONZALES"

[Shots of Mike reviewing notes, pulling obscure law books from libraries, and then aggressively cutting his oponents down in court with a full armament of knowledge]
"Chase Armstrong as MICHAEL CORSE"

[Shots of Arturo looking worn in his office, having heartfelt conversations with Helen and Steve, then very proffessionally presenting his case in court]
"Victor Herell as ARTURO AGUIRE"

[Shots of Helen looking frustrated and angry at Dan and Arturo, taking files from Bianca, and then getting in the face of witnesses in court]
"Catherine McGinnis as Helen Moynihan"

[Shots of Bianca smiling and cheering up a gloomy room, dropping notes onto desks as she goes by, and handing Dave and Steve the right file they needed in court]
"Carrie Valentine as Bianca Darksomething"

[Montage of law office with the whole cast doing awesome, dramatic, and heart-wrenching things for good measure]
"JOEL'S LAW (comming this fall)"

Yes, I was bored :p
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"Addiction can neither be created nor destroyed, it can only be changed."
-Clango, Diesel Sweeties
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