Overcoming College Debt and Building a Career in Video Editing: A Personal Reflection
Navigating the challenges of higher education and career development can be overwhelming, especially when the path feels uncertain. Many students, like myself, find themselves questioning the value of their college experience, particularly when job prospects in their chosen field don’t materialize as hoped.
My educational journey began at a community college, where I earned a degree in Digital Filmmaking with the aspiration of becoming a professional video editor. Unfortunately, breaking into this competitive industry has proven to be more difficult than I anticipated. Despite several years passing—I’m honestly hesitant to reveal exactly how many—I’ve only managed to secure two short-term freelance projects while holding down a retail job to make ends meet.
The earnings from those freelance assignments, approximately $230, are currently contributing to my student loan repayments. Yet, I often grapple with the feeling that without a full-time position in my field, I have little to show for the debt incurred to obtain my degree. It’s a common sentiment among graduates who question whether their investment in education truly paid off.
Social interaction has also posed a significant challenge for me. I’ve always found it hard to connect with others. During high school, I was recognized as “Most Quiet,” and despite my efforts to improve during college—trying to engage in campus clubs, sitting with new people in the cafeteria—I still found it difficult to open up. At a club meeting, someone even pointed out that I had spoken only three words the entire time. While many of my peers built friendships and romantic relationships, I remained largely on the sidelines. The only familiar faces at my graduation were my family members.
Looking back, I feel like my college experience provided little besides a sense of loneliness and a degree that hasn’t translated into the career I envisioned. The reality is, if I don’t secure a full-time role related to my major, I’ll continue to carry the weight of roughly $15,000 in student debt—debt that feels difficult to justify given the emotional toll and the limited tangible benefits.
In the video editing industry, networking is often emphasized as a crucial component of success. For someone who struggles with social interactions, this adds another layer of difficulty. However, I’ve also heard that a formal degree, especially from a community college or a partial college experience, can be less critical in this field. Still, after investing years and significant money into my education, I want to feel that it was a worthwhile investment—