neo-yuppies
Is "neo-yuppie" a phrase yet? It is now. Basically, I am going to go on a mini-rant here about "success" and being "professional" and basically all the yucky crap that is supposed to go along with being grown-up. I will use a lot of words in quotes to indicate that I think these concepts are dumb or misused in general.
It's not that I want to grow up to be a dirty hippie and drift around aimlessly after I graduate (read: move back home and work at CVS/restaurant/other dead-end job). I don't mind the idea of having to start a "career" instead of just a job, because I do want to feel like I'm not just taking up space but an actually contributing something. But all the entry-level jobs for recent college grads that I've seen on idealist.org or whatever are really boring, just clerical or, even worse, canvassing crap. I'd love to work for a non-profit, but the only good jobs they have are for people with master's degrees and/or years of experience. And I am just not in the mood to get my master's yet (which is a story for another rant).
It's just that it seems ironic for me to be trying to get a job of the helping people variety, but that in order to do so, I basically have to be selfish- compete against other people for jobs, spend money on fancy work clothes, make sure I get paid enough to cover the rent. The goal in theory is to develop my own skills in order to help students/refugees/drowning polar bears or whatever, but what I am doing in reality is helping myself by building up my resume and bank account.
That might be a bit harsh, but it's just how it feels sometimes. Isn't it a bit hypocritical that people working for non-profits like Amnesty have to be business-like and spend their money on suits and shoes to further their own careers? It would be nice if they said, 'Hey, having fancy clothes is not important, spend that money on starving orphans instead!' My point is that even in the non-profit world, we still have to play by the corporate world's rules. And as much as I would be happy to volunteer as an Amnesty intern working for free, in the post-college world of "real life," I can't just work for free. I'll have to pay for rent, groceries, etc. somehow.
This is how people end up abandoning their ideals and selling out to some soul-less job in "The World of Business"- non-profits have not set up a system that helps young people be able to work in a job they are passionate about and be able to eat, too.
I am bringing this up because recently, I've been worrying about getting "work-dressy" clothes for future interview(s) and job(s). Side note: it is way easier for guys to dress for work, probably because the whole system started with just guys working, and then women came along and basically copied what men wore to look "professional," thus the rather awkward (in my opinion) fashion choice of the women's pantsuit. I have dressy clothes, but they are more party-dressy, and particularly Florida-dressy. I am worried about the super-competitive DC people, who Taylor says dress "very conservatively." Goodbye, suit with short skirt. Goodbye, flip-flops (sob!) and open-toe dress shoes. I'm going to have to get not only work-dressy clothes, but winter-dressy clothes. Basically the opposite of all my lacey tank-tops and capri pants. I am going to have to buy sweaters and shirts with sleeves and a new coat. And it sucks to have to go buy work clothes in order to get hired, without having the paycheck yet with which to pay for said clothes.
So that is my most recent complaint about the state of the world. Like I said, I don't want to drop out of "The System" all together, because I do kind of like getting dressed up and being productive. But sometimes (like when I think about turning in my flip-flops for heels), I want to run away and live on a farm and make goat cheese and grow organic avocados and red peppers and get a dog and jump into a big pile of leaves (note: I have never done that but it sounds fun) in my favorite jeans and t-shirt, and not have to worry about what other people think of me.
It's not that I want to grow up to be a dirty hippie and drift around aimlessly after I graduate (read: move back home and work at CVS/restaurant/other dead-end job). I don't mind the idea of having to start a "career" instead of just a job, because I do want to feel like I'm not just taking up space but an actually contributing something. But all the entry-level jobs for recent college grads that I've seen on idealist.org or whatever are really boring, just clerical or, even worse, canvassing crap. I'd love to work for a non-profit, but the only good jobs they have are for people with master's degrees and/or years of experience. And I am just not in the mood to get my master's yet (which is a story for another rant).
It's just that it seems ironic for me to be trying to get a job of the helping people variety, but that in order to do so, I basically have to be selfish- compete against other people for jobs, spend money on fancy work clothes, make sure I get paid enough to cover the rent. The goal in theory is to develop my own skills in order to help students/refugees/drowning polar bears or whatever, but what I am doing in reality is helping myself by building up my resume and bank account.
That might be a bit harsh, but it's just how it feels sometimes. Isn't it a bit hypocritical that people working for non-profits like Amnesty have to be business-like and spend their money on suits and shoes to further their own careers? It would be nice if they said, 'Hey, having fancy clothes is not important, spend that money on starving orphans instead!' My point is that even in the non-profit world, we still have to play by the corporate world's rules. And as much as I would be happy to volunteer as an Amnesty intern working for free, in the post-college world of "real life," I can't just work for free. I'll have to pay for rent, groceries, etc. somehow.
This is how people end up abandoning their ideals and selling out to some soul-less job in "The World of Business"- non-profits have not set up a system that helps young people be able to work in a job they are passionate about and be able to eat, too.
I am bringing this up because recently, I've been worrying about getting "work-dressy" clothes for future interview(s) and job(s). Side note: it is way easier for guys to dress for work, probably because the whole system started with just guys working, and then women came along and basically copied what men wore to look "professional," thus the rather awkward (in my opinion) fashion choice of the women's pantsuit. I have dressy clothes, but they are more party-dressy, and particularly Florida-dressy. I am worried about the super-competitive DC people, who Taylor says dress "very conservatively." Goodbye, suit with short skirt. Goodbye, flip-flops (sob!) and open-toe dress shoes. I'm going to have to get not only work-dressy clothes, but winter-dressy clothes. Basically the opposite of all my lacey tank-tops and capri pants. I am going to have to buy sweaters and shirts with sleeves and a new coat. And it sucks to have to go buy work clothes in order to get hired, without having the paycheck yet with which to pay for said clothes.
So that is my most recent complaint about the state of the world. Like I said, I don't want to drop out of "The System" all together, because I do kind of like getting dressed up and being productive. But sometimes (like when I think about turning in my flip-flops for heels), I want to run away and live on a farm and make goat cheese and grow organic avocados and red peppers and get a dog and jump into a big pile of leaves (note: I have never done that but it sounds fun) in my favorite jeans and t-shirt, and not have to worry about what other people think of me.