Overcoming the Challenges of College Debt and Career Pursuits: A Personal Reflection
Many recent graduates share similar feelings of uncertainty and disappointment when it comes to their career prospects after college. This is especially true for those who, like me, have accumulated significant student debt but have yet to secure a position in their chosen field.
My educational journey began at a community college, where I earned a degree in Digital Filmmaking with the aspiration of building a career as a professional video editor. Unfortunately, breaking into this industry has proven more challenging than I anticipated. Over the years, I’ve managed to secure only a couple of short-term freelance projects, while balancing part-time work in retail. Although each gig has contributed financially—I recently earned $230—they’ve primarily gone toward managing my student loans. Still, I find myself questioning whether this investment in my education is justified given my current employment situation.
Social interaction has never been my strong suit. I’ve often described myself as shy or reserved, a trait that persisted through high school and into college. Despite my efforts to connect—joining campus clubs, sitting with new people in the cafeteria—I struggled to establish meaningful friendships. At one club meeting, someone even remarked that I had spoken only three words the entire time, highlighting my difficulty in social engagement. Watching my peers form friendships and romantic relationships while I remained on the fringes, I graduated feeling disconnected and lonely. The only familiar faces I saw at the ceremony were my family members.
Looking back, I realize that college didn’t provide me with the social experiences I hoped to gain. Instead, it left me grappling with feelings of loneliness and depression, coupled with the weight of my student debt. Without a full-time, relevant job, I feel I have little to show for my investment beyond a degree—an investment that cost me around $15,000, considering my limited schooling history and academic challenges that led to being dismissed from a four-year university.
In fields like video editing, networking and industry connections are crucial. Yet, social interactions don’t come easily to me, making it difficult to break into the professional scene. Despite the fact that a degree from community college is often viewed as less critical in this industry, the financial burden remains. If I’m going to be carrying this debt for years, I want to feel that my educational efforts have yielded tangible benefits.
It’s challenging to reconcile the hopes I had when starting college with the reality I face now. My experience underscores the importance of aligning educational pursuits