A day in the life of a ~*recent college grad*~

Look, I've been trying to find the perfect job for months. I know I have the skills, but so far I haven't had luck or timing on my side to find the perfect "just out of college" job (meaning, for whatever reason, I haven't been the right candidate for the job so far.)

But it's not like I do nothing all day. I actually lead a pretty exciting life. Here's a rundown. (All times are rough estimates, especially the waking up part.)

9:30- Wake up. Check phone. Nothing. Lay in bed.

9:35- Check Instagram. People are doing things with their lives, so I should too. Continue laying in bed.

10 a.m.- Get up, contemplate breakfast options. Typically choose Fruity Pebbles. No clean bowls or spoons though, so do some dishes.

10:20- Turn on the TV and space off watching garbage. Periodically refill water. Constantly refresh Twitter on your phone hoping anything good shows up.

11:30- Realize lunchtime is soon. Start thinking about lunch. Sandwich again? Chef Boyardee? Salad? Maybe cereal for lunch too. 

11:35- Wash another dish because you can't figure out what to eat.

11:40-Still haven't showered. Do that while you think about lunch some more.

11:50- Attempt to "clean up" whatever unnecessary mess that showed up in the bathroom throughout the morning. Text your mom and ask her about something random, like marinades for dinner.

Noon- Sit on the couch with a towel on your head for the next 15-20 minutes. Find out what time Reba comes on. Watch Instagram videos of people's European vacations and wish you could travel since you're not even working.

12:30- Make a sandwich. Try to enjoy it.

12:45- Notice some kids riding their bikes outside. Run to see if they were wearing helmets. They were. Wonder why they're not at school. Is school out? Huh.

1:00- Scour the internet for more jobs to apply for. End up with 20 tabs open to potential job options.

1:25- Go through them to find out that you qualify for maybe three of them(on a good day), but one is unpaid. Apply for whatever is left. 

2:00- Reba is on. Enjoy cheap laughs while you apply for jobs. Periodically refill water glass and wash a dish or two.

2:30- Eat some popcorn from a bag while you think about dinner. Eating out sounds good. Anything that involves leaving the apartment and human interaction sounds good. Remember you don't have an income. Settle for making a new recipe.

3:00- Blow dry your mostly dry hair, and then just put it all up anyway.

3:15- Refresh Twitter. See a super cute puppy and want to get a puppy. Realize you can't get a puppy because you have a year-long lease and no income, and put that dream to rest.

3:30- Load the dishwasher with the rest of the dishes and actually start it this time. Make a grocery list. Cross most of it off, because you don't have an income.

3:45- Get in car to go to the store. Remember it really needs to be cleaned. Make a mental list of things you can do when you're bored later (Go to the car wash, clean the bathroom, do laundry, go for a run, update your iTunes, organize your shoes, read a new book....Maybe this isn't so bad?)

4:00- Arrive at the store. Check your list, find coupons, gather items. People watch while you wander around. Check for cookies. Get the cookies because you need more things that bring you joy. Check out.

4:40- Contemplate getting a hot dog but choose to go home.

5:00- Get home. Turn on some show on TLC. Make dinner. Eat dinner in one of three places: table, couch, or outside. Choose wisely.


6:30- Halfway clean up dinner and think about going for a walk, but notice some movie you've seen three times is on TV, so watch that instead. Get sucked into the TV for the rest of the night.

9:00- Relinquish the remote because you cannot be in charge of choosing from the garbage on the guide page any longer.

11:00- Go to bed. You've got a big day tomorrow!


Okay, truthfully, there are good and bad things about not working. I don't have to look presentable, or even wear pants. But what the last four years have taught me is that I'm full of untapped potential. The job hunt is what you make it. Enjoy the break, but try to stay motivated.

A year later

I've spent a lot of time in the last year trying to come up with the words to convey my thoughts about VEISHEA, and about it being no longer. In job interviews, with my friends, with my classmates and teachers, I have always come up short. I don't know if I'll ever have all the words I want.

I am still angry and bitter about the way that my peers treated my hard work. I told my adviser a year ago that I felt personally attacked by people's actions during the "riot," if you can even call it that. I call it juvenile and irresponsible and rude and a lot of other things. People riot for causes and justice, not to aimlessly tear up the streets of the community that has provided a sanctuary for them.

I felt for the injured student's family and I felt shame for those involved. I understood why the university handled things the way they did. I don't think, to this point, that it has been justified through further actions.

The VEISHEA organization gave me direction in college when I was looking for new ways to be proud of myself. I met some amazing people who will feed the world, lead the world, and remain my best friends in the world. I fell in love. I spent two years spilling my whole heart into the celebrations that made this university proud.

The thing that I'm most upset about is not the lack of concerts or parade or lunch on campus or even not being able to be a part of something big during my last year of college. It is that I had so many dreams of moving on to do big things in this world, and someday bringing my family back here and showing them what I was most proud of during my time at Iowa State.

I am most upset because the thing that I am most proud of during my four years on this campus no longer exists.

I'll find new things to be proud of and the relationships that I have will be here for the long haul. I'm so thankful for all of the friends and love I found in that little office, but I still feel cheated out of my memories sometimes. I feel like they will always be bittersweet. I don't think a year can erase that.