college apps

The college applications process is actually so insane. My parents and teachers have been driving me crazy for my entire childhood, so that I can get into the best college, so that I can get a boring degree that, in this job market, probably won't even help me? College-educated and non-college-educated people have essentially the same unemployment rate. Ludicrous, right?

And also, higher academia is lowkey dying, so even if I went against the grain and got an "impractical degree" like some lovely comparative literature or philosophy degree, I likely wouldn't have a decent job there. It really makes me ask: did the world have to fall apart right now?

I mean I've grown up privileged, and I am very thankful for that, but I've still experienced the impacts of COVID, this job market, inflation, the hulking, profit-driven unknown of the future of A.I., the dumpster fire that is U.S. "politics" at the moment, my generation's generalized mental health crisis, and much more; what fun. How am I supposed to be that concerned about some college essay meant to prove that I'm somehow more "worth it" than other, probably equally qualified and intelligent people, especially with all that's going on right now?

No number of video essays will make the world make sense to me in this present moment.