Waking Up to the Real World

I had it all mapped out this week. The plan wasn’t terribly complicated; it just made a lot of sense with what I want to do. I figured I’d stay home after I graduated, for 2 or 3 months, so that I could work on my own projects. I’ve got three software ideas that no one’s attempted and could do very well. And of course, it’d be about time to get a new PC… So anyhow, after that I’d come back to DC to work. Come December when my lease runs out I’d buy a blue Celica GTS w/leather seats and a six-speed manual transmission. And in the mean time I’d attend a dance camp or two and enjoy life in the real world.

Then yesterday I changed my mind about the real world. I’ve never been “laid off” before (or fired, for that matter), but I guess it’s fairly transparent that the market isn’t doing so hot. To think, I’ve been employed by the FTC for a little over 2 years now. My work for them is getting more valuable everyday, and now I’ll have to leave. No, I’m not the only one. But it’s still not the greatest feeling.

So next semester I won’t have money. And I won’t be able to work over winter or spring breaks. So I’ll have to start earlier this summer. And I won’t have a guaranteed job lined up when I graduate…

And so it goes.

I put my resume on our campus’ job-search engine last night. I suppose I should post it here soon. I did talk to my boss about coming back to do training for them, instead of development. But things are just a little bit more up in the air.

Everyone’s a little less certain these days. Products and people are added to the “discontinued” list everyday. Look at Israel, a country that thrived on high-tech industry at a much larger scale than the US. They didn’t have anything else. Right now their whole country is struggling. We’re lucky that we’re so huge. But we’re not immune.

I have everything I want right now. My girlfriend’s wonderful. I enjoy school, dance, my friendships, and my family… but times have changed. Just a little for me. I’m not complaining…just waking up from my little College Park bubble.