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College Student, 20, M, Freeloader Who Wants to be Self-Sufficient
I have never had a job in my life, apart from working for my grandparents on the weekend, doing yard work and helping fix houses and stuff. My mom has been paying for my college and an apartment for me for the past two years. She pays for my car insurance, cell phone, pretty much everything except my power bill, food (most of the time), gas for my car, and my internet.
In another two quarters I will be out of school. By this time, I want to be 100% self-sufficient. I want to have a job in graphic design (or something along those lines). I possibly want to move away from here. I know that I'll miss my family and that they'll miss me, but I believe that getting a fresh start will be good for me. I don't have very many friends here anyways.
Any advice for me? What are some steps I should take?
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I think that sounds like a brilliant idea. I hope your motives are sound though. Don't run away from family, you will need them more than you know at some point. You are young, and now is the time to see what's out there. You probably will need there help for a little while because even if you get a job immediately, there may be some amount of waiting period for health benefits, etc. to kick-in. Also, you will need to work long enough to build up the cash to pay your own bills. Be patient and humble with your family. They sound pretty awesome.
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Nothing is out of reach if you work hard and pray. The economy is pretty tough right now, so it might be a lot harder than you think to find your perfect job so quickly. Also, people even with degrees these days are having to start in positions they're overqualified for and work their way up.
My mom did the same things for me. She still pays for my car insurance and my cell phone, and I'm 25, married with a three year old. It's such a blessing to have a parent that's able to do that for you, you know? I don't know where I'd be without my mom.
I'm not sure how you're paying for the things you said your mom doesn't pay for, since you said you've never had a job, but I guess that's irrelevant anyway. Are you going to school full time? The only way I can think of that would get you paying your own bills, is by working.
It's really easy to get a job as a waiter, or working as a cashier at your local grocery store or Walmart or something. It will be a lot, going to school and working. But tons of people do it; they don't have any other choice you know? Then, ween yourself off of your mom's money.
On your first paycheck, pay your own cell phone and car bill. On your next paycheck, pay your college payment. (Of course I don't know how and when your bills actually come in, but you get the idea.) You'll be paying all of your own bills in no time.
It would be even better if you could set up a portfolio (if you don't already have one in the works) for your graphic designs and make yourself a website. (Just Google free websties and find yourself a free and easy one.) Then you could be promoting yourself already, maybe even get some side jobs doing some independent graphic design?
Anyway, if you didn't get a paying job and perhaps found an internship somewhere (some of those actually pay) where if you do well, they hire you on after a certain amount of time, then you could find one in a place that does graphic design, and potentially have your dream job at least in the works by the time you graduate.
My brain has been all over the place trying to think up something that might work for you, so I hope this has all made sense and will help you, at least help you make a plan anyway. Also, like I stated before, prayer is number one. We can do the impossible if we just ask the Lord to provide for us and help us beat our obstacles. Ask Him to show you what to do and you'll be surprised how He reveals your path to you.
Not saying He's going to make it easy for you. Sometimes things need to be trying and difficult. That's how He shapes us. Anyway, I hope I haven't been too confusing, lol.
Good luck and may God bless you!
xoxo
MissAshlee
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Any field is hard to get into today in this economy and job market. NOt trying to dash your dreams.
But to believe in 2 quarters that you may successfully get employed the instant you graduate is more dream than reality. Then once employed you will need to start saving up money for what deposit, first and last months rent is to just get into an apartment of your own. Look right now at what the average rent is out there, not just basing it on what yours was, then make a list of expenses that your mom and you covered between you. Lets say the list of things to cover comes up to 1,500 per month and includes a tight grocery budget but does not account for any extras like savings for emergencys, a dead car battery, shoes fall apart, etc..not to mention non edible household needs, cleaners, tp personal care products. Furnishing your first place can be done low cost if you utilize 2nd hand stores for things like a working lamp, dining table, dishes.
Anything like upholstered furniture, you may want to look at Craigs list for. My daughter found almost brand new 3 piece living set when some rich people decided to redecorate. ANd best part it was free. She got all her baby furniture later, same way, for free.
So as you see, there's things you can do to make it work to be on your own. But it all needs a job.
So what will give you the edge. My husband has a daughter in school studying CG and she's good but what she has been doing throughout the years of her schooling is first to volunteer for free to help companies design the next computer game graphics. Now she's also got a pt job besides schooling where she gets paid 10. an hour...not much, but she is at least gaining experience that can go on resumes once she finishes end of this year. While mom is still supporting you and income is not critical, I would suggest you might find a place (in graphic design field)to offer to work for free or low pay in exchange for the experience. When you get the job, treat it as if you were earning $30.00 per hour....put your all into it, do your very best, listen to what they tell you and learn. You may need to be able to give examples of your work. My ex had a graphic arts degree when we married. That was over 30 yrs ago. He couldn't get into the field so he ended up working in a companies mail room before he decided to go back to school for a degree in a totally different degree. If you come up against the obstacle of not finding any work in your field, then take any job that will pay enough to cover your bills. You may to advertise you are looking for a roommate to share costs. Not a single one of my daughters, all hard workers, has been able to make it entirely on their own, they''ve always needed a roommate to share rent cost so theres enough free money to put gas in the car and food in their stomachs. And even so, there are times they have no gas money...one is counting up all her change from tips and paying a few dollars worth of gas in change just to make it one more day to work, the next day she'll need more gas. The real world is not easy.All I've said so far won't prepare you for reality.But you'll get a slap of reality once you're out there on your own. It's not easy for those of us with many years of experience in jobs behind us, and the maturity of years to know how to manage a tight budget. It gets to be a drag real quickly when you find you can't afford to even go out to a movie once in a while or buy yourself a bottle of wine or go out to eat cus that money is needed to pay part of your cell bill or put gas in the car. And if you do those tiny splurges and they add up so you can't afford to pay the cell bill, your phone gets shut off. I have one daughter who pays her bills just fine when employed but in recent years has found herself unemployed several times, jugglings two pt jobs, losing one and the bills didn't get paid. She'd write me on facebook asking me to call her cus she could not make calls since she couldnt pay her bill but found out she could still recieve calls. The cell companies still make money from those who call you I guess. You have a great goal for yourself, don't lose sight of it. But to expect it will fall into place the moment you're out of school is just a fairytale dream.
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