Anyone nervous about graduating in today's horrible economy?

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 7/20/08 at 8:48pm

I'm graduating in two years and I'm a little on edge about having to navigate an already ruthless job market and find housing in an already ruthless real-estate market in today's economy.

[Juliash]

Posted: 7/20/08 at 11:33pm

Yes. There's this statistic going around that when our generation reaches 60, we'll all need a million dollars in our retirement accounts to actually retire. My history teacher spat that out one day, but I don't know how credible it actually its. But I'm still scared.

[Juliash]

Posted: 7/20/08 at 11:33pm

PLUS, I can't afford college. Period. I'm still going, but I don't know how I'm going to be able to pay for it...

[PookieBear]

Posted: 7/21/08 at 12:15am

i'm not an american citizen, so i will have to pay the international fees. my parents want me to just go to uni in australia but i'm a bit of a rebel and i want to perform in americaaa and get training there too!

my brothers have done the same by getting a scholarship (but not studying musical theater - more like engineering of some sort haha)

[lovelyspotlight]

Posted: 7/21/08 at 5:39pm

I kind of feel as though most things are relative. As in...you might be making more money by the same virtue behind the fact that you're paying more money...making everything equal out to just about the same. Plus, in terms of financial competition, unless you're competing with large-scale corporations, the "horrible economy" will affect them to effectively the same degree as it affects you. Part of your concern seems to be getting a job in the first place. College is the new high school. There are more and more well-qualified (or at least decently qualified) people entering the employment pool...so yes...getting hired will be more difficult. But I don't think that's indicative of a horrible economy...just a growing one. That being said, I don't disagree with your comment that the economy pretty much sucks right about now. Have you taken note of how ridiculously weak the dollar is against the pound? I was looking at a British clothing website and was about to buy a dress of some sort...the pound is nearly twice as strong as the dollar. TWICE! I know it's been more drastic in the past...but I was a little miffed. And I didn't buy the dress.

[SarahBeth]

Posted: 7/21/08 at 7:12pm

Considering I have about $25 to my name right now. Yes. Wait tables. The tips are good.

[Little-Lotte]

Posted: 7/22/08 at 4:45pm

PookieBear: If I were you, I wouldn't come to school in America. I have no idea if Australia is part of the EU but if it is I would recommend looking in the UK for schools, it would be much cheaper in the long run plus in many you can join British Equity for like a year upon graduation. American colleges are putting their own citizens into massive debt, I can't imagine what its like for International students. If you're a citizen unless you are extremely rich or extremely poor or an athlete, you are basically screwed.

My professor said that because of the war every American (man, woman and child) is currently in debt $30,000 EACH! That will have to be paid back eventually through taxes and other means, which is ridiculous.

It depends on where you live how the unemployment rates are. You can always find a job it just will vary if you can actually LIVE off of said job. The answer is to raise minimum wage but then that would cause its own problems and our government doesn't want to deal with them.

I remember only 6 or 7 years ago when the dollar was really strong and buying things in Europe or the UK would be half as much. Amazing what a single administration can do to an economy.

Updated On: 7/22/08 at 04:45 PM

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 7/22/08 at 5:39pm

Updated On: 1/15/09 at 05:39 PM

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 7/22/08 at 8:43pm

"I have no idea if Australia is part of the EU..."

SERIOUSLY!??!??? This is one of the reasons that America is the laughing stock of the world.

ON TOPIC- yes, I am nervous, but there isn't much I can do about it.

[lovelyspotlight]

Posted: 7/22/08 at 10:40pm

Exactly, Jacob.

We're at the mercy of the economic status of the country just as everyone else is...so why whine? Just adapt as everyone else will have to. That goes along with what I was saying about relativity.

[fabala4077]

Posted: 7/23/08 at 12:35pm

I nearly didn't decide to go to NYU because of this. I had been offered some money from some other (inferior) schools, but I just couldn't allow myself to say no to the opportunity of NYU. So now, I'm extremely nervous, because by the end of my college career I'll be very much in debt. And with a theatre major, good luck ever making enough money to pay back the loans!

[lovelyspotlight]

Posted: 7/23/08 at 12:52pm

You can do it. Just be smart about it. =]

[erineloise]

Posted: 7/23/08 at 1:42pm

Its all pretty terrifying. I'll be graduating in three years with a double major and the one reason I'm doing that and not getting my BFA is because of how ridiculously small the job market is for actors and if things really don't work out I'll get my masters in my other field (forensic anthropology) which is desperately in need of qualified people.

Luckily I shouldn't be in debt after college since I'm not taking any loans out, but that doesn't mean that I'm not scared about what is going to happen. I'm nervous that I'm going to have to be working as an actor and forensic anthropologist just to make sure myself and my family (someday) can live comfortably. The scariest part of all is the health care system here. Once I get off my parents' insurance I have to either move out of this country or get a job where I can have AMAZING coverage. Yeah more than anything else, the health care system is what freaks me out, that is what is going to kill me.

[lovelyspotlight]

Posted: 7/23/08 at 8:32pm

Hah, just live somewhere close to Canada and pop on up there when you need surgery or prescriptions or anything of the sort.

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 7/23/08 at 8:59pm

"I just couldn't allow myself to say no to the opportunity of NYU."

Fabala, I had the same exact train of thought as you when I was deciding between NYU and other schools. Besides the whole debt thing, I have never regretted my decision.

[adelaide3]

Posted: 7/28/08 at 9:43pm

Obviously not being able to pay for school is a very heavy financial predicament, but for those who can, I think it's dangerous get too wrapped up in the state of the economy come graduation. Yes, it's scary, but what exactly can we do? All move out of the country? The best is to just persevere, use the skills learned in college. For us theater people, focus on making great theater so people will want to come out to see shows, pay money for tickets and stimulate the economy!

[ragg_ballad]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 2:53am

i think what adelaide3 said is something performers should keep in mind- you're doing this because you LOVE it, and are passionate for it beyond the money[little/none] and the rare fame/glory. Like after 9/11, people turned to the theatres to get their spirits up- theatre creates another world, where we can escape from our lives, even if it's juss for 2.5 hours. So, once you all graduate, you'll know people may turn to you as some sort of relief from the poor economic status[ if they can afford the tickets that is since the prices seem to be escalating.. :) ] you're sorta changing a person's life for 2.5 hours, and I think that's a feeling that may overcome your fears of going out into this economic mess.

:)

[KrissySim]

Posted: 8/1/08 at 7:54pm

You have revealed your age, Cruel_Sandwich

Take part time work while in school and during the summers to have some money on hand when you leave school. Start applying for work during your senior year, and keep the applications current. (Update and re-apply when necessary.)

If you are a musician/singer/dancer and have an act, consider busking in Europe. I did this for two summers. Europe has a more positive attitude towards this than America. I'm not talking about ragged homeless people. I'm talking about people who can play music, sing and dance. I have a friend who made over € 35,000 in a summer (that is how much he took home at the end of the season) just playing a celtic harp and occasionally singing, but he had CDs to sell along with his act. (You have to deduct what he paid for the CDs, but he sometimes took in € 600 a day)

I was in a two-woman team and we would bring in € 200-300 a day when we hit the right places (touristy places). Once you meet people doing this, there is a network. They can tell you where the good places are. And it fluctuates from year to year. It helps to have friends you can stay with as you travel, but you can sometimes find these by networking.

And ..... it teaches you about capturing people's interest. They will walk away if they are not interested. To capture and keep up interest on the street, you have to be good.

[marieclarksin5]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 1:49am

i'm scared to death. being a theatre major and graduating in today.....i'm afraid i'm going to be singing on the subway for money.

[PeaceFrog]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 5:42pm

I'm not worried about it at all ... unless things get so bad that the restaurant business as a whole takes a major hit. I started hostessing at 16 and waitressing at 17. So far, I have experience with truckstop/greasy spoon, fine dining and two national chains with great references from all my supervisors, so I'm not too worried about being able to support myself. I'm averaging around $650 a week doing fine dining this summer. Then, if all that goes belly up, there's always "the world's oldest profession." Judging from some of the propositions I've gotten from creepy middle aged married men while waitressing, I suppose I could make ends meet as a Ho if all else fails. There'll always be a market for that ... jk