I am an accomplished student who has spent their entire life working for better grades and recognition in academia. I worked hard. I got into the best programs, the most challenging schools. I gained skills while also being funneled into the corporate sphere. My college has been sending me interview preparation materials so I can apply to companies I'd never want to work for. “Entrepreneur” is a word that is absent from my institution's dictionary. I don't really need to wonder why.
Fuck it. I'm done.
I don't want to graduate into an office job. I deserve more than to intern somewhere, get treated like trash, and have little to show for it. I'm tired of letting people exploit my skills for their own personal gain, and I will take no further part in this charade.
I'm tired of specialization. Is there something horribly wrong with having a diverse skillset? The job market says there is. There are no general application slots in any decent-paying job. But why would I ever specialize? I'm curious about the entire world, not just the slice I've been expected to wholly consume and replicate.
I'm starting a berry farm. Before society demanded higher education, my grandparents and their parents were farmers. That was never presented as an option for me. I'm making it an option. I'll rely on my own skills and trust other growers. Other people. But I will never again let my fate rest in the hands of an uncaring institution.
My berries will bring both others and myself far more joy than getting published in an academic journal. I don't want recognition anymore. I've seen what I need to see. I've learned enough.
I want to be happy.