I am not the first one to travel the path of a poor college student, desperately trying to make ends meet until I get that next paycheck. However, more than ever, it is particularly hard to pay for books, tuition and luxury items. Everyone is in the same boat, and it's not news that our economy is suffering.

But economic failure is not unfamiliar territory for America. Eras like the Great Depression and Carter's time in office are solid proof of the economy's tendency to go up and down, and incompetent economic budgeting. In order to complement these hard times, there have also been eras of economic wealth. One example of this is Clinton's years in office.

Being a child during Clinton's presidency, the thought has never crossed my mind that it would be fairly difficult to obtain a job. I have always thought that I would be promised a job by the end of my college career. However, that thought has faded over time, and here I am, wondering if a job will be in store for me by the time I end college.

Even in China, students who attend an academically enriching school are not promised jobs. I believe the statistic was that 27% who graduated were unable to find a job in 2008. What China and the US have in common now are that there are a growing number of students joining the army for job security and a hefty paycheck.

I am one of the first to agree that the army's benefits are tempting. The new G.I. bill which expands education benefits, along with a guaranteed paycheck makes the army a smart choice. However, the army is simply not cut out for many people, and many still hold on to that dream job that they have been dreaming of since they were children.

What this blog entry is mainly about is the fear of the scarcity of jobs. What I believe Obama should definitely focus on during his presidency is creating more jobs for people, a promise that he said he would fulfill. Will college really pay off for me in the end? Was it actually a smart investment? The fact is that the future is unclear and vague. I still remain optimistic for the future, and confident that Obama was the right choice for America.

Soundtrack of my life take two?

So, a couple years ago, I compiled a soundtrack to my life. I thought it would be interesting to compare the two side-by-side and see how much I have really changed.

2006

Your Life: The Soundtrack

Opening credits: "I'm Ready" - Jack's Mannequin
Waking up: "Seven Days a Week" - The Sounds
Average day: "Parade of Punk Rock T-Shirts" - Martime
First date: "Honestly" - Cartel
Falling in love: "MFEO" - Jack's Mannequin
Love scene: "MakeDamnSure" - Taking Back Sunday
Fight scene: "Cute Without the E" - Taking Back Sunday
Breaking up: "Summer in the City" - Regina Spektor
Getting back together: "Combat Baby" - Metric
Secret love: "The Tension and the Terror" - Straylight Run
Life's okay: "Like a Lady" - The Sounds
Mental breakdown: "Am I Wrong?" - Brand New
Driving: "Look What You've Done" - Jet
Learning a lesson: "Vienna" - Billy Joel
Deep thought: "How to Save a Life" - the Fray
Flashback: "Soco Amaretto Lime" - Brand New
Partying: "The Call Out" - Hit the Lights
Happy dance: "Mint Car" - the Cure
Regreting: "Brooklyn" - Taking Back Sunday
Long night alone: "Wait" - Something Corporate
Death scene: "What Sarah Said" - Death Cab for Cutie
Closing credits: "Your Own Disaster" - Taking Back Sunday

2009
Your Life: The Soundtrack
Opening credits: "Play Your Part pt. 1" - Girl Talk
Waking up: "I Gotchar" - Lupe Fiasco
Average day: "Fool Like Me" - Lisa Loeb
First date: "Staying in Love" - Raphael Saadiq
Falling in love: "Someone Like You" - Van Morrison
Love scene: "Come On, Get Higher" - Matt Nathanson
Fight scene: "So What" - Pink
Breaking up: "Cigarettes and Coffee" - Otis Redding
Getting back together: "Love is a Beautiful Thing" - Al Green
Secret love: "Meet Me by the Water" - Rachael Yamagata
Life's okay: "Lost and Found" - Atmosphere
Mental breakdown: "The World Spins Madly On" - The Weepies
Driving: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Rolling Stones
Learning a lesson: "Vienna" - Billy Joel
Deep thought: "Casimir Pulaski Day" - Sufjan Stevens
Flashback: "Astral Weeks" - Van Morrison
Partying: "You Give Love a Bad Name" - Bon Jovi
Happy dance: "Touch the Sky" - Kanye West
Regreting: "Ballerina" - Leona Naess
Long night alone: "Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl" - Broken Social Scene
Death scene: "Because" - Elliott Smith
Closing credits: "Chicago" - Sufjan Stevens