justin.davis

As a freelancer, it's really tough to make that transition coming out of college when you did all kinds of stuff for free to learn into the real world where you actually need to charge. The people you used to do stuff for free for have a hard time grasping that your rates have changed...

So getting a job is hard. Ok, not getting a job. Starting a career is hard. Sure, I could get a job at a Dollar General in a heartbeat, but that essentially does me no good. Sure, I've applied for loads of things, but there have only been 2 or 3 that I really got excited about and actual said yes, that is something that sounds like a really good thing to do with my life.

Honestly, I think a lot of my struggle right now is that I have a major, but I don't really feel like I have a "trade," per se. On top of that, I'm finding that I don't have that much interest in many of the jobs that my major leads to. I just can't figure out what I both have a passion for, am qualified for, and can comfortably do. I don't want to get in over my head, but I don't want to sell myself short, either. It's a really hard balance to achieve.

It's always fun trying to beat the system. Right now I'm in one particular dilemma with the Dining Plan options at Berry. So the way they have it set up you have Flex Bucks for the food court and coffee and such and then you have d-hall meals. If you live in a traditional dorm you are required to get at least 7 meals a week.

The difference between the Flex Bucks only plan available to apartment-style residents and the "Any 7" plan is $2,828. This essentially boils down to about $10.87 per meal. Now, I know this is kind of an objective statement but I know most Berry students will agree with me in saying it is quite often terrible food. A lot of times I don't even get that much food. Lunch today was two pieces of mediocre pizza and a glass of coke. There are so many better food options around for the same price, both on a health level and a taste level.

Here's my situation: My girlfriend is living in Centennial next year, so I will have pretty easy access to a kitchen, and, frankly, I know she's going to cook quite a lot. I will be living in a traditional hall, however, so the school is requiring me to buy the Any 7 play and fork up the nearly $3k for meals I simply am not going to eat. Ridiculous, yes?

We'll see what happens, but I really hope I can talk some sense into them but there is simply no reason for me to pay that much for no reason whatsoever.

John Henry and The Railroad