To School or Not to School?

Originally posted February 1, 2010

After taking my sweet a** time getting my undergraduate degree, in just shy of a decade, I finally graduated with my BA from DePaul in June. Now having been out of school AND unemployed for a solid seven months, I can say that it's officially time to change-up The Plan. The problems are many: I'm broke; I owe the banks, credit card companies, and Federal government tens of thousands of dollars. I'm sick of school. I am either not qualified, not properly located, not interested, or simply unaware of any jobs that have managed to surface in this still sinking economy. Sure, the Feds say it's getting better, but based on the number of adults-returning-home (myself included,) I have to disagree. I've found that adults living at-home with the parents that plagued their pre-twenties' existence is rarely a choice.

Now the question has become: How do I, once again, get out from under my mother's roof and resume my place as a contributing member of society, rather than a leech on the welfare system? Now that I think about it, my unemployment is probably running out soon...

Here are some options that I've been contemplating:

1. Return to college and get an MA, in what? Public Administration? Journalism? Education?

2. Join the Peace Corps or other such agency?

3. Keep applying from amongst the hurd for the same entry-level positions, demanding over-qualified, extremely under-paid, out-of-options employees?

On top of these issues, I need to re-locate. Spending the year in constant adjustment to the fluxuating seasons and weather extremes of Global Warming makes living in Chicago seem both hostiile and unreasonable. Arizona, California, and the likes are begging for my migration. Unfortunately, without the money to travel to visit, interview, etc., such a move has been little more than a burden on my seasonably-depressed existence.

All in all, what I really want to do is go to areas in need of humanitarian efforts: war zones, poverty-stricken areas, etc. I want to help, but also to learn, travel, and live. Unfortunately, I have few skills I imagine would be required of such work and little interest in first aide. Bandades and condom distribution are one thing, but cutting into or closing up flesh is a whole nother. What type of work does this leave? Should I get a degree in counseling? Would that even help?

Too many questions and too few answers. If anyone knows of any doors wanting to be opened or has input at all, feel free to offer up your suggestions.

GE