Pros & Cons of Unemployment

In the past five weeks or so that I have been unemployed, I have certainly struggled with trying to find a job and what to do with my time. While I won't say that sometimes I haven't enjoyed my laidback days of sleeping in and lounging around, for the most part, I have been bored and itching for something to do to fill my days -- namely, in the form of a full-time job. I figured I would compile a list that would give you some insight into my daily internal conflict over being unemployed.

What I LIKE About Being Unemployed:

• Sleeping in: I usually have no need for an alarm, unless I want to get an early start on doing nothing.
• Plenty of time for the gym: I no longer have the excuse that I am too busy to work out and instead, can devote at least an hour a day for gym time. With a pending family vacation in the works, this gives me ample time to be bikini ready. In fact, I can be bikini ready AND have a bacon cheeseburger with a chocolate milk shake at the rate I'm going.
• Quality time with my dog: Nothing brightens your day quite like hanging with man's best friend, and with my poor dog usually confined to spending his days alone when I was at school, I can now accompany him on the couch.
• Dedication to my cooking and baking: With all of this free time, I have plenty of time to concentrate on my resolution to practice cooking and baking. My cousin claims this is a phase that both she and her neighbor went through when they were job hunting, and whether or not this truly is just a result of my being unemployed, we will find out. But for now, my family gets extra baked goods and my mom doesn't have to worry about cooking dinner all the time.
• Finishing grad school apps: I am exploring graduate school as one of my potential options for the future, and being unemployed certainly allows me enough time to work on my grad school applications.
• Blogging: One of the perks about being unemployed is that not only do I have ample time to plan and post on this  blog, but I can share my trials and triumphs in the job search with my many devoted fans (okay, with my three devoted fans?)

What I DISLIKE About Being Unemployed:

• Sleeping in: The fact that I have nowhere to go, and thus, no need for an alarm, makes me feel lazy. I want to get an early start and be productive! I just don't have much need for being productive, only perpetuating the feeling of being lazy.
• Plenty of time for the gym: With the exception of offering to run errands for my mom while she's at work, most of the time, the only thing I have planned all day is going to the gym. That is my lone activity, and occasionally, the only reason I leave the house.
• No money, mo' problems: This is clearly one of the biggest reasons that I dislike being unemployed. Unfortunately, without money, I really can't do much. For example, I have to share a car with my mom right now, so I don't always have access to a car. With a car comes freedom to actually leave my house and go out and do things -- which also requires money. It is a vicious cycle, but I'd like to actually be a part of the cycle.
• My resume is at a standstill: Instead of utilizing this time to be gaining work experience and adding skills to my resume, I spend it blogging, going to the gym, spending time with my blog...You get the idea. I want to be using this time working and learning.
• Having to answer the question "how's the job hunt going?": Clearly, I haven't had the most active job search -- minimal phone calls and interviews namely. So when I am asked the question of "how is the job hunt going," I feel somewhat embarrassed when I say that I haven't found anything yet and that I'm still searching. Then I have to go on to explain my whole search process, what I've been looking for, and sometimes, have to figure out what I'm doing wrong. While this conversation is oftentimes useful, it only makes me think that I am a bum with a degree and wonder if there's something wrong with me.

There you have it. A bit of insight into the mind of an unemployed recent graduate. It's not always easy, but it certainly is a learning experience in and of itself. One of my friends, Mimosa (of Musings by Mimosa) commented on a post saying no to worry, that "once you find a job, you'll be working for the rest of your life." This sentiment helped put things in perspective for me, so I'm trying to keep that thought in mind while continuing on the job hunt.