No sympathy here JC. I moved out of my parent's home at age 18. I lived in a basement efficiency apartment for the first 2 years, ate off of paper-plates and reused plastic utensils, rode the bus an hour one way to get to a part-time day job, then an hour back to get to the evening part-time job. Put myself through community college without financial aid or student loans. I do recall the day I finally was able to stand in line at the checkout at Gold Circle to buy my first set of real stainless steel utensils...I recall thinking that day, I worked 8 hours to pay for these. My plates came from saving grocery store receipts and many of my blouses were bought with 'green stamps.' Although you might not be old enough to know what those were. Oh and in the very beginning I even had a weekend job too boot. So yea, 3 part time jobs for 2 years. When was this prosperous time in my life? The late 1970's and early 1980's.
The year 1996, middle of the boom. My world took a major crash from the death of both parents to divorce from a cheating husband. I walked away with my car, clothes on my back. Barely enough saved for an apartment, I again took on a part-time job to support my fulltime employment. I again put myself through school, this time I won unclaimed scholarships to help pay my way. At one point I was running and working so hard, I got up and ran out the door knowing I was late to be somewhere. It was 6:30 and I had to look at the location of the sun to know if I was going to class or to work.
You want my opportunities, now?
Every obstacle in life is an opportunity waiting to happen.
“No sympathy here JC. I moved out of my parent’s home at age 18. I lived in a basement efficiency apartment for the first 2 years, ate off of paper-plates and reused plastic utensils, rode the bus an hour one way to get to a part-time day job, then an hour back to get to the evening part-time job.”
Yeah 2 years. Gosh, that’s so tough. I’ve had 12 like that.
“Put myself through community college without financial aid or student loans.”
As did I.
“So yea, 3 part time jobs for 2 years. When was this prosperous time in my life? The late 1970’s and early 1980’s.”
And boomers think they have it so hard having to struggle for 2 years.
“You want my opportunities, now?”
Absolutely. If you had to suffer for two years before getting full employment, I would trade that for an instant.
Like I said, your two years has been 12 for me. You want to walk in my shoes, have them.