It happens all the time in real life

[fellmama]

This is cut so you don't have to read it if you're sick of me bitching about this stuff. Seriously, this is Mary in full self-pity mode.

My entire life, I've always known what was coming. I knew another year of school would start in September, regular as clockwork, and then I knew I would go to college. But now I don't know what's going to happen. I'm sure I can get in to grad school (assuming, of course, that I can hold off my nervous breakdown long enough to graduate). But I'm not sure I can get into someplace good, someplace I'd be happy at, someplace I'd be proud to attend, and, frankly, I'm not sure it would be fair if I did. I honestly don't know what I would research in grad school. I'm very fond of the notion of doing what most professors seem to do; that is, find something they like, read a lot about it, write a few papers, and move on. But a dissertation requires, shall we say, substantially more commitment. I switched topics for my seminar paper twice (managing to seriously piss off the prof in the process), and I haven't yet managed to hit on a thesis subject I can stomach the thought of studying for a year.
The job front is even worse. I don't have any marketable skills. Or at least any that aren't marketable outside of a tiny, tiny niche. I realize that I sound like I'm fishing for compliments, but I'm not. I don't want to hear about how [positive adjective] I am, and I don't wanna hear how employers will just be lining up to offer me 120K positions with residency in London. Because they won't.
So what do I do? Anna's comment seems the most constructive so far: join Americorps and try to get my shit together. Americorps sure wouldn't hire me--I'm not nice enough to help people, and they must have measures in place for weeding out future child-slaughters. But it would at least be a plan of action.
Of course, if I do suck if up and claw my way through grad school, you'll be rereading the previous paragraph in 2012.
Lucky you.

Resolved: no more reading Something Positive and listening to Steve Goodman late at night.

Comments

[catka83.livejournal.com]

I feel exactly the same way re: what next? and marketable skills? Senior year BLOWS. I have no plan.

[martaj.livejournal.com]

I keep wondering why I didn't go to some school that would give me actual skills... Actually I suppose I can always go and work in a lab. Anyway, back to you. Probably the best way to tackle this is to actually research the possibilities. I think part of the scared shitless feeling is not knowing whats out there. We are kind of used to everything just happening. Now you have to make it happen, which is so much harder.

[koni.livejournal.com]

Same here.

[colvincd.livejournal.com]

Well, It's just like that Beatles song "Out of college /Money spent/See no future/Pay no rent." I don't doubt that you could get into a graduate school. Unfortunately history seems to be one of the more restrictive Grad Schools, but thankfully that's not what you have to go into. Classics Grad School, Anyone?

Or something else.

[urbanwhittie.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear you're feeling so put out. Listen to Avenue Q for a bit, remind yourself that you could make a musical about your life and sell it on Broadway for millions, and then, if you're still interested in AmeriCorps, look into the positions that have nothing to do with children (like working at a food bank or whatever).
See you soon!

[annamal-11.livejournal.com]

There are tons of AmeriCorps positions out there that have nothing to do with children.
Another idea would be to look into cool grants like the Fulbright or the Watson. They're hard to get, but the application process is seriously worth it -- helps you narrow your focus and things like that.
I'm out of school, and facing the same issues you are. What the hell do I do next? Something I'm considering doing is to write down my interests and the things I like to do -- and see where that takes me, job-wise.
And I think you have plenty of skills! :)

[parksdh.livejournal.com]

I would say switch to physics, but its probably too late for that :(

[alientheater.livejournal.com]

Yeah, because then she could just ASSUME she's going to go to grad school (and for her phD) and become a professor instead of having to think about it.

Tenure, anyone???

[zoing.livejournal.com]

Well, there is always the Bon. History majors always end up at the Bon. "Would you like perfume with that?" Look on the bright side, I bet the employee discount is killer.

On a serious note, you're smart and you know it, if you don't I guess you're dumb. Wait, you're not dumb! YOU'RE SMART. Repeat after me:

I'm good enough,
I'm smart enough,
and dog-gone-it people like me!

Cause you are and you are and we do...sometimes.

[zoing.livejournal.com]

btw, what about me, fucking theatre major!

[zoing.livejournal.com]

I couldn't even probably work at the Bon, I'd probably have to work at the diet Bon, like Sears, or the poorman's Bon, like Wal Mart. Anyway, I love you and you'll do great things! Just don't know what they are yet.

[love-pirate.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean. Whitman and marketable skills? Yeah, ha ha ha. I don't have any either and I don't get how there don't seem to be any homeless Whitman grads. Weirdly though, I'm kind of curious about going into the "real world" with almost no practical preparation...kind of like being stuck somewhere and seeing if I can make a radio out of a coconut and a paper clip. It's like MacGuyver, but with my career! Yeah, something like that... :o/