Nobody likes you when you’re 23…

A day in the life of a “millennial.”

I wake up everyday in my sister’s bed. No, not like that you weirdo. She always had the bigger room, but, as she’s 8 years older, she’s been long gone from the house. My actual room was a standard kid’s room: sky blue painted walls, twin bed, and computer desk. Now my room has turned into a storage closet complete with a treadmill that has become a makeshift clothes hanger and a bunch of baby stuff stored away for when my sister and her husband visit with my nephew. After snoozing my alarm clock for an hour (I really should just set it for 7am), I get prettied up, hop in a car with my parents, and get driven to the Kimball Brown Line stop. It’s about an hour ride to work. I usually sit and read (I’ve read through 2 of the 3 Lord of the Rings book on that ride). After a brisk walk from the station, I walk into work and sit at my desk and do pretty much nothing for 8 hours. I mean, I do “work,” yes. But if you were to ask me (or anyone there), if I do anything meaningful the answer would be “Eh… not really.” Unless I stay at my girlfriends place (who lives in the closer, Lakeview neighborhood), my parents pick me up from work, and I go home. Sometimes I go to the gym, but others I eat dinner with my parents and then fuck around from 7-11pm until I fall asleep. I wake up again the next day and, aside from my stays at my girl’s place or a gym day, every day is exactly the same. A day full of “meh.”

I know what you’re going to say. I’m just a kid with expectations beyond what they should have been. I majored in a useless subject. Kids these days don’t understand…Well guess what? I didn’t. I majored in Marketing from arguably one of the best business schools in the country at a Big 10 school. I held internships in London and L.A in “cool” industries like music and entertainment. I didn’t have a 3.5 but I would think a 3.1 from a top-20 business school would land me a job better than as an hourly temp. I knew that I wasn’t going to be making $60k out of school but I thought I’d be doing better than $12/hr with no benefits.

But I’m not angry. I really am not, truthfully. I am still grateful for the opportunity to work (no matter what) and to have something to do. Because I know what it’s like for the other half of kids my age. I was unemployed for awhile, and got depressed and anxious. It was awful. There’s only so much time you can sit in your underwear eating Chicago Dogs and play Call of Duty.

There’s been plenty of “literature” out there by “experts” about this subject. I mean, we live on the internet so everyone’s opinion means equal parts something and nothing. Some will say that I need to quit whining and grow some balls. I agree with that point somewhat. There are some kids in my generation that prefer being professional bums. Then there are other people who will say I’m a victim of some pseudo-Masonic-elitist-fascist-racist conspiracy designed to turn college graduates into underemployed indentured servants and that our generation has been dealt a terrible hand. I agree with that point a little as well. Perhaps it’s not as easy and fun to be a twentysomething now.

I guess the point I’m trying to make, as I sit in my cubicle and type this, is a message to others millenials reading this: things may be not be that great, but they’re also not that bad either. They will get better. It seems simple and cheesy but this was one big thing that pulled me off the couch and picked me back up when I seriously doubted myself. We are young, educated, and have so much time ahead of us. We really do. If you think you’ve failed because you’re jobless/underemployed at 23 with a degree, then you are sorely mistaken. If you feel like you were much cooler in college than now- well that’s kind of true. But now is not the time to be “cool.” Now is truly the time to grow. College may be advertised as that time but you truly have the opportunity now to start doing whatever you want. Workout, eat right, learn new things. Do something absurd. Jump off cliffs, go skydiving, or learn to cook. Become great. If you’re worried about job stuff, send out as many resumes and cover letters as you possible can every day until you find a job. Or better yet, work at Target and then job hunt. Seriously. It kinda sucks, but I worked stocking shelves with a B.S in Business in my backpocket to bide the time. It was kind of nice doing And don’t worry, you will get hired for a good job (not that Target is bad). You will be fine.

I am reminded of something my dad always tells me. It’s the quintessential “dad” thing to say, which doesn’t make it less true. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Get going.