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anonymous198  ·  3290 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Last semester in college and disappointed

Sally,

I felt the exact same way graduating from my university 2 years ago in Environmental Science and Entomology. What I felt was that I was caught in this depressing limbo of not being a student anymore, yet not having a career lined up for me yet. I had researched with professors, worked with companies that sent me abroad to work, attended conventions to show my research, yet I couldn't land a job. It seemed that no one had an open position. All the "dreams" or "careers" I had in mind were slipping through my fingers as I kept on receiving rejection email after rejection email. I was either not qualified enough (with a bachelor's degree), or I had very little experience. I ended up working at a pizza joint as a driver. As time went by, I questioned my efforts in college and wondered if I could've done more, been more determined, etc. Around that time, a friend shared an article with me that talked about "quarter-life" crises. Essentially, it is very similar to a "mid-life" crisis in that you feel stuck in this stage of life after college and before career. I totally recommend you read up on this because it really helped me realizing that I was not alone, and that it was common for college students to experience this depressing limbo. I can't find the article, but I did find a TED talk and those always inspire me. Here's the link:

https://www.ted.com/playlists/225/talks_to_get_you_through_your

The important thing to remember is that as long as you are determined, IT WILL GET BETTER. Don't be afraid to take risks and apply to as many jobs as possible or go to different networking events. The more people you meet, the more likely you are to meet someone who is in need of an engineer. Also, don't forget that you are not only an engineer, but also have other talents that you could find jobs in (for now). Don't be prideful. Find a job that can sustain you while you search for a career or even think about grad school. Just because you are working in a "simple" job, doesn't mean you will stay there the rest of your life (I eventually became a substitute teacher and now have a full time position as a teacher's assistant and am enrolled in a program to become a teacher). Also, find a community of friends you can have fun with; go to dinner, or go to the movies. It's important to stay connected to people every once in awhile. Let these friends also be your support group. I hope this helps you figure out things you can do for now at least. I am certain though that you will be amazing at whatever you decide to do.