24 yo, no degree, no job. What are my options?

Lifestyle Relationships
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hi guys..i’m super frustrated and i don’t feel like complaining to my real life friends because they are not as honest as ppl on gupshup. So I am posting my probs here. Maybe you can give me some ideas.

So I’m 24 years old. It has taken me 6 long years to finish my degree. I finally finished all my reqs this spring and applied for summer graduation. i just received an email that my graduation has been approved for..DECEMBER. I can’t believe this !! I’m not taking any more courses so if my grad is ok for December, why not August? I went to the Dean’s office, but she was on vacation. Her assistant was very sympathetic to me and said the registrar had a problem posting my grades so my degree got delayed and there is nothing she can do besides writing a letter to employers that I have completed all my credits. I emailed the university ombudsman and no response. Registrar told me to see my dept (which i already did)! I don’t even know where to turn anymore. Graduation is on August 5th so with each passing day, the likelihood of getting my diploma draws closer to nil. My younger sister is graduating on Aug 5 too.

I feel worse cuz I practically have a job in hand. I’ve been teaching in a high school for the past year as a sub and the principal likes me so much he has offered me a position for the next year. The contract is contingent upon me receiving my diploma. If I get my diploma in Dec, I am going to have to wait until Sep2009 to teach. I won’t have a shortcut then and will have to go thru the long interview process, not to mention wasting 14 mos. of my life.

I had so many dreams that were going to start with my income from teaching but now I don’t know what to do. I wanted to go to med school for a long time but the other thought I have in the background is that Mr. Love cannot wait that long for me. I know how hard it is too find a sincere person so I’ve let go of my med school dream. Otherwise I would have studied for the MCAT in this gap of empty time. Everytime I think about sitting home alone for a year while everyone in my family is at school and work I get tears in my eyes…my life is aimless and I’m going to be turning 25 in six months :frowning: My younger brother is 18, and he is probably going to graduate next year. I don’t know how I became such a failure. what should i do..nothing is making sense.

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Re: 24 yo, no degree, no job. What are my options?

I think if you can get a letter from school saying that you have completed all the required course work and only thing remaining is to present you with a degree, than it will work for you InshaAllah. Check this with you employer, department and graduate office.

If you think that you might have to sit at home for one year, than i would say, go for an internship. It may be from your field of study or may not be. But it will help you build a good resume. Variety of experience shows that you can fit in and a quick learner.

Other thing you can do, is to take some short term courses i.e. Computers, Languages, etc

Good luck and inshaAllah things will turn out good for u. :jhanda:

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Re: 24 yo, no degree, no job. What are my options?

as long as u've completed all the requirements, and ur school can give u a letter indicating the same, i don't c a reason why any employer will not take that into consideration...talk to the school, explain to them whats happening, show them the letter as well...i'm sure it'll work out InshaAllah :)

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Re: 24 yo, no degree, no job. What are my options?

I agree wih Namaan and DM. It shouldn't be a problem if you have the letter.

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As everyone is saying is as long as you have the letter it shouldn't be a problem if that doesnt work out (khuda-na-khawasta) then why don't you take up some other temporary job?

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Re: 24 yo, no degree, no job. What are my options?

Why don't you contact a lawyer and sue them, i am not kidding.

First get the letter, and then sue them, i am sure they will give you some money to settle it out of court plus teh diploma.

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Re: 24 yo, no degree, no job. What are my options?

Just curious, if you are interested in pursuing medicine, why not study for the MCATs and apply? You don't have to delay your wedding. It's not easy, but certainly possible if you really want to work for it and have a supportive family.

Suggest a dress
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Re: 24 yo, no degree, no job. What are my options?

and jelebi technically, you have a degree because you have all ur credits!

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yea dont worry man. If the skool likes u and offering u a position without a degree, surley they will still want you just because you havent had ur graduation ceromny.
Get the uni to contact your job and if they complain subtely and gentely mention legal action. U'l be fine honestly.
Your're prob feeling all these emotions because youre seeing others having all their pics taken for the ceromny and you havent. Inshallah it shall all work out!
Feel better?? Now go have a cuppa!!
:)

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Re: 24 yo, no degree, no job. What are my options?

everything happens for a reason. just pray to ALLAH SWT and everything will be fine.

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jalebi

in the geater scheme of things its just one year. u can not worry about what happened in your life and what bad decisions you made, as long as u have learnt from them and u and thers around you will benefit from your lessons learnt.

i would suggest that you go see the president of the univerity. I am serious. I had a huge issue at my uni due to mess ups on their part, and they were muckin about and not getting things done the whole summer. I got so frustrated that I emailed the president, he had his admin call me the enxt day, and the president made one of his direct reports resposnible to sort the mess out in 48 hours, and it was taken care of in 24 hours. so fight as hard you need to for this, go to president, board of trustees, whoever u need to.

If it does not work out, that is okay. u did what u could, u did your best and the you focus your energies on what to do next rather than fretting on the coulda woulda shoulda. believe me otherwise all of us have thoser thoughts that we can just get stuck in.

as far as med school goes, if u really want to do it, go for it, u are only a couple of years older than most ppl who would be going to med school and in the greater scheme of things a couple of years dont matter.

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Re: 24 yo, no degree, no job. What are my options?

I am pretty sure you can get an employment letter from university indicating you finished all your credits. I did that myself because I didn't get my degree until november last year(the same month I had to begin my new job). When I was applying, I got an employment letter from uni stating that I've finished my degree and my convocation will be held in november.

congratzz Ninja
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The letter advice worked; the dean said she will write it this week so inshAllah the employer will accept it.

I already have a job in a pharmacy and also as a substitute teacher, so that’s what I would have to do if I can’t teach. It just bruises the self-esteem a bit though, cuz they are the same jobs I had 4 years ago.

mizzy, it’s not about my friends—most of them graduated years ago! the ones that didn’t are sitting in gas stations or maternity wards :stuck_out_tongue:

you guys are right about med school i guess; my mom read my mind and said “shaadi waadi ko chor-abhi se doctor ban le, phir tujhe acha se acha rishta bhi mil jayega!” then she said, “mein khud chun kar laoongi”. that was NOT reassuring

anyway u guys are sooo helpful :blush: the thing i like about gupshup is that there are so many names; i could be arguing vehemently in one thread with a person and in the next thread help them without knowing it. that rarely happens in real life, if ever!

New Comer..
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like some suggested, u cud ask the school to write a letter for u that states that u have completed all courses ad will recieve the degree in dec. so u r a gradaute just without 'paper' for now.

a situation likes urs. i wouldnt be super frustrated or depressed. i think if tht letter works u r in a VERY good situation. cuz nt everyone has job promises like u do from the current princal.

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Re: 24 yo, no degree, no job. What are my options?

jalebi, you really, REALLY need to see a good lawyer and claim damages for mental agony and what not! Seriously!

PHOTOSHOP: Revival!
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I really didn't get this part. Your beau can't wait, so you decided not to pursue medical school. Is there a requirement in medical school that you have to be single?

Second Marriage?
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As far as med school goes, I was worried about the same thing (being a girl…how guy’s didn’t want a doctor wife becuase she’d be busy and stuff…and ahving to wait a LONG time to actually start your married life, have kids, etc), but I did my research and the field of medicine is becoming INCREASINGLY compatible with family life. As far as rishtas go, being a doctor generally doesn’t pose as a PROBLEM when proposing to a family…I’ve only seen it be considered a plus. And on top of that, jab shaadi ka time aaye ga, then shaadi ho jayi gi. I’ve seen people plan out their entire lives and then suddenly a week later decide that they’re getting married. If you REALY want to go to med school, then do it. I can assure you you’re not alone; there are plenty of married/engaged/committed people in the same boat as you.

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Here’s an update guys…while I was waiting for the letter, the job I wanted got filled by another candidate. I printed out all the teaching job vacancies in my subject and visited the schools in person but they have no space for me as they have so many degreed candidates. My younger sister already graduated this semester and I’m just isolating myself from my friends because I can’t really explain myself…after all some of them have finished law school in the time I took to get my degree. Sometimes I pine to meet new people but then I dread the question “so what are you studying/where do you work” because I have no answers for either.

I would think this was a blessing if I had some money, because this would be a perfect window of time for me to go abroad for a few months and get out of my rut. But I currently have $40 in my bank account…so it’s more saalan than starbucks for me these days. i know..woe is me blah blah lol

On top of this, last Juma Mr. Love (my college friend who likes me..and vice versa :blush: ) called me. He said he had just attended namaaz with his dad and the khutbah was about marriage. He said the khutbah inspired him to discuss marriage with his dad. And then they went home and he told the whole family about me…and his dad asked each one about their opinion…and dad also called Love’s other sister in canada on speakerphone to ask her consent. and they all said they like me, and then went out for dinner. mann i was soo overwhelmed with this info; i was feeling ‘aww’ at his breathlessness and light happy voice but inside freaking out and anxious. I’m SO not ready!! And he says his parents are visiting the States in November so it would be a good time to talk to my parents. I have no degree, no full time job, and have yet to accomplish any of my dreams. :frowning: But after a few days, I mustered up the courage and talked to my mom. Mom said she likes him, but her answer is ‘no’ until he gets his Master’s and I get my degree. And she said “tell him not to send his parents until that time”..problem is that’s 2 years down the line (for his Master’s) so he says that’s a really long time and he would like to get things started before then. But Mom says hum baat kaise shuru karein…in order to settle here, he needs to be ‘employable’. I was thinking about prepping for med school in this time but I can’t keep him waiting for 4 years…and also he is in Dubai, I would be in Grenada. lahorikudi i know what you say is true for people who have done everything on ‘track’, like graduating on time…but sometimes 2 ppl aren’t on the same timeline. Anyway he is at least understanding enough to wait 2 years…but the question now is what do I do with my life in those 2 years?

My smiley
My smiley
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Re: 24 yo, no degree, no job. What are my options?

^^ Prepare for medical school and try to get in. He must be a nice guy but not the only one left in this world. So focus on your career first and than think about marriage.

Good luck :jhanda:

PS: Girls never ever ever attach your future goals with a guy’s future goals unless and untill you are married to him.

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Re: 24 yo, no degree, no job. What are my options?

u shud talk to mr. luv regarding stdies and marriage.
i was also in same problem, my family is in lahore n inlaws in sialkot. i had to comp my masters, my husband said me to freeze my semester and i was going to do so, then my some members said not to skip my semester and marriage was held, i had to go to PU lahore on weekdays and n my husband used to cme to lahore to pick me up.

u can also manage like that but if ur Mr. luv would agree.