"A Minimum Wage Life"

I went to work right out of high school because I thought that was my only choice. Since then, I went from one minimum-wage job to another. I drove a ten year old car, lived in a tiny third floor apartment, and never had any extra money to buy new clothes. When I looked around, I saw other people my age with exciting, high paying careers and more job satisfaction than I thought was possible. Finally, I realized that I could not spend the rest of my life living paycheck-to-paycheck, waiting tables or working customer service, with no chance for advancement in my future. I had to do something to better my life.

My old car was on its last leg. Though it almost always started, it sometimes stalled in traffic. Also, I couldn't be sure how much longer the old jalopy, with over one-hundred thousand miles, would pass a state inspection. But I could not afford a car payment, could barely pay the bills I already had—especially when my rent had just gone up, but my paycheck had not. I couldn't see that I would ever have extra money, as long as I continued on the way I had been. I knew I had to do something to better my life, but I didn't.

I was tired of waiting tables. It was hard work, being on my feet every day, and a lot of people were demanding and difficult. In addition, I rarely made enough tips to earn more than minimum wage. My second job, in a local department store, was not any better. I was on my feet from the time I punched the clock, until I punched out at the end of my shift, and it was not a pleasant shift, listening to customer complaints. I didn't know how much longer I could stand being yelled at. I knew I had to do something to change my life, but I hadn’t.

The last straw came when I met my new boss at the store—a twenty-one year old college graduate. She had no experience, had never held a real job in her life, but she had that piece of paper that made her my boss. I had been bypassed when the management position opened up because I did not have a degree. It was the ultimate insult. I had three years of dedicated service and experience, and it didn't seem to matter. I had to do something to better my life, and this time I was serious.

I decided to do something about my situation. I went to the local community college and explored the courses of study available to me, as well as their course schedule. I was pleased to find that I had many options and that their class schedule was flexible. I did not waste any time making my decision. I enrolled in a college comp class. No matter what I finally decided to do, college comp would be required. So I was not wasting my time. I was finally making progress toward a better future.