Guest Post from Alisa Johnson, blogger at collegedegrees.com

It’s not a great time to be a student, especially if you were hoping to get a good job in a field that you love on graduation. In fact, it’s not a good time for anyone who does not have a job or who’s in one with little security. It’s worse when you’re in college, because you have a mountain of debt in the form of student loans, debts that you were hoping to clear with a well-paying job. Now that the recession is upon us, the possibility of not being able to gain gainful employment could be weighing heavily on your mind, and you’re at the risk of doing badly in college because of this added stress. When the field is loaded against you, there’s nothing else to do but play to your strengths, and you can do this by:


  • Focusing on the present: It’s not wise to fret about the future and end up losing what you do have in the present. So for now, even though the job situation does look bleak, focus on your grades and your current life in college instead of worrying about your job prospects and messing up your grades and other things that are going well for you right now.
  • Minimizing your debt: You can do this by taking a part-time job, something that will help minimize the burden of your student loans. Even after you get out of college, instead of waiting interminably to get the job that you want, take any job you can get so that your debts don’t pile up and become overwhelming.
  • Reducing spending: And by that I mean on the unnecessary stuff. You need to know where your priorities lie, so stop using your credit card unless it’s absolutely necessary. If you’ve already run up a huge bill, transfer your balance to a zero interest card (for a limited period that you can use to pay off the amount). In short, tighten your financial belt before it becomes a noose around your neck.
  • Looking to campus placement programs: These are still your best bet at securing a job straight out of college. Instead of holding out for the job of your dreams, apply for anything that sounds good, and if you’re offered a position, hold on to it for the financial security.


Although it may not seem to be much of life when you have to settle for what you get rather than what you want, the alternative is much worse. And as long as you maintain a positive outlook and keep yourself out of the claws of debt, it doesn’t matter that the world is in a recession, you’re still going to survive.

Alisa Johnson writes about grants for graduate school at collegedegrees.com. She welcomes your feedback at Alisa.Johnson1982 at gmail.com .