My Story

The idea for this blog comes as a result of frustration. About 3 months of pent-up, angry frustration over the "real world" (not the MTV kind!)


I graduated in May from a small school in Ohio with my Bachelors degree in Museum Studies in History. Anyone reading this is probably wondering why I would choose to major in this given the economic times and what I'm going to do with a Museum Studies major. 


Well I'll tell you why. I have always loved history. Since learning about Paul Revere in 1st grade, I have loved history. I have read as much as I can (and I continue to read) about every historical time that interests me. Growing up, my parents always took us to museums on vacations or staycations. We never went to the beach or Disney. It was always the Smithsonian, Gettsyburg, Columbus OH, Cleveland OH, etc etc. So naturally, I have always loved visiting the museums. Despite my love for history, I have never wanted to teach, at least not right away. My favorite history teachers in school started teaching later in life, and they were the greatest teachers/professors I could have asked for. 


So when I first started in college I decided to major in Communications. I chose it because it seemed like something I would be good at, not something I wanted to do. When Museum Studies became an option, it was a no-brainer. They always tell you to major in something you love, and I loved history and I loved museums, so why not?


Now to answer the 2nd question, what could I do with this major? I want to be a curator. Almost everyone I say this to, gets a confused look on their face and asks what that is. The curator is in charge of the collections. They "care" for the artifacts in the collection. It can be as simple as acquiring objects and putting them on display, to something as complex as minor conservation work, loaning objects out etc.


So why did I decide to be a curator? Maybe its because I think of it as a job that is going to benefit someone in 100 years from now when they find an object in a museum collection that is worth something historically. That person might be so grateful that someone decided to acquire the object 100 years before. Maybe I also chose it because it would be hands on and I would always be doing something different.

The biggest reason though? I would love doing it. It sounds cheesy and maybe a little juvenile. But it is what I want to do. One of these days. Because getting back to that "pent up frustration," I don't have a job. So the only collection that I am caring for, is the dust that is covering the collection of college textbooks I still own.


I am like hundreds of thousands of other college grads: Done with school, broke, jobless, and living in my parents home. For 4 years I was "living the dream" in college having the time of my life, and now I feel lazy and worthless to the professional world. 


Even before graduation, I was looking for jobs. Maybe not as hard as I should have been but writing an undergrad thesis, papers for other classes, studying and working makes job hunting difficult. But the day I graduated, I started looking. And looking. And looking. And let me tell you what I have found and what I have been told so far: A whole lot of NOTHING. 


It is frustrating and horrific. I spent 4 years working my butt off to get to graduation, and every time that I log onto one of the countless job sites, my day just gets bad. 


So this is why I am writing this blog. It is on behalf of me and the hundreds of other college students out there looking for jobs and experiencing the same pains that I am. I will write about every job site that I have used, I will rate them, and (of course) I will complain about the problems and issues I have been facing along the way. I am hoping that someone out there will read this and help do something about it. I don't want pity, and I don't expect someone to find this and say something along the lines of "I'll give you a job." I want anyone that reads this to think back to their days as a fresh grad, and the trials that they went through, and remember that when they are hiring. Everyone experiences problems in finding the perfect job for them, and if it was easy it wouldn't be life. 


Putting my personal job hunting problems aside, and speaking for a lot of my friends, this is getting just plain ridiculous. We are all trying so hard and using what we were taught, and we are getting nowhere. I am not trying to pin the blame on anyone, and I am not trying to rip the professional world apart. I also am not intending to offend anyone (student, professional, or business). I just want to point out the problems that are facing college grads in the real world.


With that being said, welcome to my blog! =]