Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Math = Yuck - UPDATE!!!

We plan on moving to Vancouver in 2 years time. So, make that Summer 2012. I will be turning 28 years old. The BSW course that I want to take is 2 years long if you go full time and 3 years if you go part time. I'm thinking that I would have to go part time because living in Vancouver or the GVRD is expensive. So, 28years + 3years = 31 years old. I still have to take prerequisites though. So, I would probably have my second degree and starting my career by the time I am 32. Is that too old?

Also, if I decide to take my second degree at the University of British Columbia(UBC) in Vancouver, then I won't need to take a math course as it is not a requirement of the faculty.

Hurray!

I can't wait to move there in 2 years, I want to move now.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

What I Wanted To Be...

1989- Ballerina
1991- Homemaker
1993- Veterinarian
1994- Fashion Designer
1995- Model
1997- Rock Star
1998- Journalist
1999- Writer
2000- Psychologist
2003- Correctional Officer
2006- Sociologist
2009- Researcher

and now I want to be...

Thursday, March 25, 2010

math = yuck

Turns out that if I want to take the degree I should have taken in the first place, I have to take a University math course! Yuck! I'm not that great at math, especially all that fancy math like linear algebra, limits, and chi squares. That's why I have an arts degree.

I guess I will have to be good at math for at least 6 credit hours at some point.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Typical Day when You are Under-employed

8:00am- Wake up & see Dallas off to work
8:30am- Have breakfast and watch an episode of House, MD
9:45am- Apply for a job via email
10:00am- Go to gym & workout for just over an hour
11:15am- Walk home
11:30am- Start first of 3 loads of laundry
-Make lunch for Dallas
12:00pm- Dallas is home for lunch
1:00pm- Dallas leaves for work, again
-more laundry & hang up clothes
1:30pm- Make my first batch of Almond Milk
2:00pm- Facial & do the dishes
3:30pm- Shower
4:00pm- Make hummus & more job search
5:00pm- Eat dinner & watch an episode of sex and the city

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Resolutions of New Year's Past





Get healthy, lose weight, take better care of your skin, buy an rrsp, find love, get a better job, quit smoking, do better in school, etc... Resolutions for the new year- does anyone ever stick to them?

My New Year's Resolution took a different spin this year. I resolved to make myself happy. Whatever that means, I haven't quite figured it out yet. I made this resolution because it is not something that is a passing fad. Happiness directly affects you and everyone around you. If I don't stick to this resolution I am telling myself that being happy in my life is not that important and that I am ok with living a dead end life that makes me miserable. I am NOT ok with that.

What makes me happy? There are a few things that make me truly happy. 1) Going for long walks. 2) Snuggling up in the couch with my sweetie. 3) Eating vegetables fresh out of my own garden. If I can squeeze more of these into my everyday life will I be closer to happiness? Maybe a little. But, I also need to factor in other aspects of my life that are not necessarily perfect- work, family, partner, home, etc. I need to get to the point where I can change the things in my life that are not quite right or be willing to accept them in all their flawed glory.


So, what makes you happy? Comment below!

Friday, March 19, 2010

Bad things about not having a full time day job...

#1. You have to listen to your annoying cat bitch and complain allllll day long. >:/



Thursday, March 18, 2010

Good things about not having a full time day job...

#1. Being able to go to your doctor's office and see your own doctor, and not have to book time off or go in at the ungodly hour of 7am.

-Jovan

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

leaving a job that just doesn't fit

Today was my last day at the youth resource center I had been working at for the past 2 months. I was working as a youth support worker for youth who are in Child Welfare and foster care system.

A few weeks into the job I was unsure of it. I wasn't sure if I was cut out for the work and I knew it wasn't what I wanted to do. But, I thought I would try to stick it out for awhile to get some new and varied experience. Bad days got worse and coming home from work hating my life was not worth it. Plus, the pay wasn't that great.

I realized today that I jumped into this job too quickly. I wanted a full time job. I wanted a steady pay cheque. I applied and I didn't ask myself if I thought that I would enjoy doing youth support work. I think that was the missing link that never really came into the job search picture before. Now, I know that no job is worth being completely unhappy and crying about how shitty your day was everyday. It is better (for me) to find a position that is less hours, less money, but that I enjoy most of the time.

I was not too sad to leave this job except I worked with some of the nicest people I have ever encountered on a job. I only worked there for 2 months and they got me a good luck card and a cake. I honestly did not expect anything but some handshakes and some good luck's. Instead, I got hugs and cheesecake. I hope I can stay in touch with some of these amazing people that really helped me through those terrible days, the coworkers that bought me Slurpees to cheer me up, and the people who played friendly pranks on me at lunch time. At least one good thing came out of my experience at this job- two if you count the realization that I no longer need to read the youth support worker job ads.

To all the support workers at the unnamed resource center...

Thank you. Good luck. You are great at your job and deserve much more credit than anyone will ever give you!

-Jovan

Sunday, March 14, 2010

First Post of the Rest of My Life...

Hello!

My name is Jovan. I am 25 years old and this is my blog- Life After Convocation.

I live in an excruciatingly small and dirty city in Canada. I am also a recent University graduate. Since graduation, I have been having quite the ordeal in actually getting to the point where I always hoped I would be once I got that diploma. I know of many people like me who have struggled and are still struggling to make it in the non-academic world after school.

Here's a quick history lesson:

I graduated in October 2009 from a local University with a 4-year Sociology degree. I minored in Conflict Resolution Studies. In hindsight, I feel I should have pursued a different degree- something a bit more useful and less broad. Even though I have a 4 year degree, I was in school for about 5 and a half years. I enjoyed school, especially in my last 2 years. I was good at it. I liked learning and researching. I loved lectures and wacky professors. I liked writing papers and getting A's. I was good at it.

When I graduated, I was disillusioned. I thought that this piece of paper would make it easier for me. I thought I would be able to get a job I enjoyed. I thought I could do whatever I wanted. I thought I would make some decent money or at least more than what I was making at the time. Little did I know and quickly did I find out- that piece of paper is pretty but somewhat useless.

This blog is all about the trials and tribulations that I have encountered after graduation. Some posts may be about things that happened in the past. Some posts may be focused on the present. Other posts may be just plain ol' bitching and complaining. I hope that you can relate to this blog or at least find the humor in it all.

**Fingers crossed for a movie deal**