Hello there!
My name is Nina. I live in the city of dreamers, a city built on ever-growing myths and freeway systems: the crazy town called Los Angeles. I am 23 years old, mostly excited about the world (minus global warming and the possibility of eventual destruction of the earth by human hands), full of passion and creative yearnings, and…jobless.
I majored in English and minored in Philosophy at a small liberal arts college outside Philadelphia called Haverford College. Although my studies are ostensibly less applicable to the market than say a degree in something like sustainable engineering, I made sure to explore options along the way.
I went on an archeological dig, only to discover I didn’t want to be an archeologist. I took a summer course at Oxford University to develop my creative writing skills. Each summer, I delved into my love of theater by helping out at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. I tried my hand in the film industry as a production intern. I explored my love of music as an intern at a New York City music label, and have continued to do so by writing for two different music blogs.
Here I am, now six months post grad, and for all my internships and skill building, I am still just as lost. I don’t really know what kind of job I want because my interests pull me in a million different directions, and then on top of that, when I see a job that entices me and brings me closer to an answer, it’s unattainable.
Here I am, metaphorically not literally alongside you as we try to wade through this oft terrifying job market swampland; as we get stuck in the slow moving sludge that always manages to get stuck in our shoes down in between our toes making us unsure of our footing, extra uncomfortable, and giving us serious resting bitch face during this supposedly “oh-so-exciting-figuring-everything-out” stage.
In Nina’s Notes, I will share tidbits and insights as my journey unfolds. Including, but not limited to:
• My tragic failed attempts at networking
• The difficulty of finding time to search for a job while also doing two internships, volunteering, being a research assistant, and writing for two blogs, all the while trying to stay “in the know” and be a person all at the same time (a.k.a. learning how to say “no”)
• Navigating the minefield that is informational interviews
• Developing habits and hobbies that keep me sane
• My clinically unproven method of “resume attacks”
• Persisting in the face of being told “no, no, no”
I invite you to follow along as I essay to build up a life that reflects me and has an impact on the world, and hopefully find a way to support myself along the way!
Meet Nina, a recent graduate of a liberal arts college, with many passions, interests, and skills…and no job. We invite you to join her (and commiserate) as she struggles wading through the post-graduate swamp world. A creative at heart, and most likely a mermaid in another life, when she is not at the pool, she can be found writing, reviewing music for The Wild Honey Pie and OurVinyl, making art with her friends, goofing around on Photoshop, cooking, or frolicking amongst foliage while dreaming of how to save the planet from destruction by human hands.
