Post University “Life”

by Obsidian

So you spent 4 to 6 years slogging through mind-numbing lectures and tedious assignments. The day finally arrives when you complete your last exam and promptly head to the nearest bar to celebrate by drinking until you can’t walk straight, then drinking some more. By the time you’re sober again two months have passed and you’re walking across a stage to shake hands with some guy you’ve never met while another guy mispronounces your name. You try not to wince and look around to see if you can spot the four people who came to see you. Congratulations, you’ve just graduated from University. Time to join the real world cupcake.

I can’t count the times I had supposed grown-ups tell me I had life easy while I was in school. “Oh yeah, you don’t have any responsibilities, just show up to your classes then go drinking everyday right?” WRONG asshole. In fact, during my six university years I probably worked harder than most of these so-called adults do now. Let’s see how they like juggling a 30+ hour work schedule, 4 or 5 full time classes, hours upon hours of homework, and hopefully finding time for some kind of personal life. The thirty-somethings complain about stress in the workplace…what a fucking joke, go back to school and get some perspective.

Let’s relax a moment; take a deep breath, and out. Whew I feel better. Well it’s now been almost 8 months since my graduation ceremony, and God DAMN is life boring. How mundane can things get? Very. Granted the quest for a job after graduation can be difficult, but once you find one…in sets the tedium. That’s right, welcome to the 9 to 5 grind. Never has life ever been so predictable.

Every weekday I roll over to hit the snooze button a 7:05. Climb out of bed at 7:14 and climb into the shower etc… If traffic isn’t bad I’m at work on time for 8:00am. Wow lucky me. Grab a cup of coffee or some orange juice to keep my eyes open, check my mail, and get to work. Whoa, how can I stand all the excitement? I work for a while and check the clock, finally it’s lunchtime! If I’m really chaffing for a break I’ll head out, maybe for some sushi or to the ever-crowded food court at the nearby mall. Then back to work until 5:00pm, and it’s time to go home. Hot damn, I went to University for THIS?

Hey things aren’t all that bad right? You’ve got money in the bank and are finally paying off those insane student loans. But wait, all your friends have jobs now too. Nobody has time to go out drinking on a Wednesday night because they “have to get up early”. That never stopped us in school, but now it’s a valid excuse. So you head home, turn on the tv or rent a movie then go to bed just so you can do the same thing all over again tomorrow. On the weekend it’s time to do laundry, wash the car, cut the grass, go grocery shopping and, if you’ve been lucky enough to bump into someone on the way to or from work, MAYBE go on a date. People work towards having this kind of daily life, well I’m sorry kids it just ain’t for me.

I’ve come to the conclusion that I thrived under the strict schedule, juggled responsibilities and unending quest to stay sane under pressure that was all a part of my post-secondary existance. When am I going to get that paper done in the midst of rehearsing for that gig in Saskatoon and working a 6 hour shift on Friday afternoon? How the hell am I going to pay for parking next week, when I’m tapped until payday? What do you mean I have to work this Saturday, you told me I had the weekend off? The little challenges are gone and life is a boring, repetitious facade. Where’s the challenge, the vitality? It’s not at my desk, that’s for sure.

Before you all think I’m a twisted and bitter old man have no fear, things aren’t as bad as I make them out to be. There are lots of great things to do after university. One of them might even be landing that dream job, meeting a hot new girl you can actually spend time with (now that you’re out of school), or finding a sweet new apartment/house when you move out of that dingy basement suite. Keep things interesting and you should be alright. Post-University isn’t the end, just another chance to start over again with a brand new set of rules. Bend ’em or break ’em, they’re your rules anyway!

  • Post University “Life”
  • by Obsidian
  • Published on February 1st, 2002

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