Happy Independence Day! Except, wait...

While I have not started my job yet, I cannot express the amount of relief I felt when it was offered to me. I was seeking a job more or less out of necessity, with very little job history related to the jobs I was applying for, and while still technically homeless.

I can only imagine what the stress is like to be in the same position with zero back up plans...

Let me explain.

I am finishing up my year of service with the Franciscan Volunteer Ministry in ... holy crap, 5 days! In March I was debating my options.

• I could apply to be a volunteer a second year 
• Apply to a different volunteer program.
• Go back home and live in my parents' house until I find a job
• Apply to jobs in area I'm currently living in.

There are many options, but I felt like I wasn't called to the first option and the second option was gonna be risky, and I knew I didn't want the third option to be an option at all so I went with the last one: Apply to jobs in the area I am currently living in, and while even though going back home was my back up plan, in the back of my mind I really didn't consider it an option. I really wanted my independence right away and I was irrationally worried if I move back home I'd never be able to leave.

So starting in April I began to apply for jobs while at the same time was sending stuff to publishers and trying to work on my portfolio, all while being a full time volunteer. By the end of May I was burning myself out and it was starting to hit me this was a lot harder than I thought it would be and my back up plan was starting to sound way easier. On top of that, my plan to move in with my friend fell through because her own housemates were "politely" kicking her out for unsaid reasons. I now needed a job to not only afford living in the area, but also needed to find a new place I could potentially afford. Come June I was extremely stressed out! By the end of July I either needed everything set up or I would be forced to move back home, or be homeless for a while. 

July 3rd is when I received my job offer, and a bit after that my friend and two others found a house we settled on, phew! 

But wait, there's more! 

Even though I will have a job that gives me a high enough salary to survive in the area, it's still low enough to make property managers nervous and with zero rental and little credit history, I can't even apply to live somewhere without a cosigner. Living independently is aways away yet. 

Don't you have a college degree, Cella?

It feels pretty useless right now, not to mention the student loans it came with, but in due time it will come to my assistance. In due time.