Diplomas aren’t a road to the top

Where do all the graduates go?

It is impossible for everyone who goes on to higher education to get a job in the field in which they study. How many sociologists do we really need? What does it mean to be a business major? Not every philosophy major is going to get paid to think very deeply and thoroughly about the true nature of knowledge and existence. Not every film major will go on to make an important movie. The ideal world, where it would be possible for everyone who goes to college to get a job in their degree, would not be such an ideal world. People would go hungry.

Having graduated in August 2005, I am currently working two food-delivery jobs and have just recently called the Federal Student Aid office to get forbearance on all of those student loans that paid for rent, food, and the occasional beer, meal plus tip, and gifts for an ex-girlfriend.

No one goes to college to be a food delivery guy. I’m not complaining about these jobs, nor should I have the right to complain about anything except my expectations for myself, but it happens. Many people, such as myself, and some not such as myself, get to the end of their undergraduate studies and ask themselves, “Now what?” I don’t even know what I’m going to eat for breakfast or if I am going to eat breakfast at all.

Before the age of credit cards and student loans, only the wealthy and incredibly talented went on to further their studies in a formal education system. These days, almost anyone who scores an 1100 on the SAT and has a decent GPA can get into a state or community college. The root of the problem, which is the overwhelming disappointment of not having our dreams come true after college, lies in our own expectations. These expectations come from so many sources growing up, and now more than ever, from the media. Like the movie and TV characters we admire, we are all the underdogs – except for the few people who are simply destined for success. You bastards.

It’s great that everyone has a chance to “make it” but this also means most of the people who take the chance won’t make it, at least not in the way they thought it would. But then again, what does that mean? What does anything mean? I wish I were a philosophy major.