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View Full Version : Fellow CA Members, I need your advice.


Telefunker
December 14th, 2009, 12:12 PM
Hey there.
I'm in a bit of a predicament here, you see. I'm a transfer into the Illinois Institute of Art in Schaumburg. This is my first quarter here and many know as well as I do how hard it is to pick up and move to a new place, much less transfer into a new college. I've learned a great deal so far this quarter and I do think I made a good move on that part, but it seems that's all that I've gained by transferring.

Don't get me wrong, the area is nice. But you see, I work at the beloved Wally World. The store I used to work at was really good with co-operating with me when I needed help and in turn I'd put fourth 100 percent. But I trasfered into a new store where my manager rules the store with an iron fist. She looks for (simple) reasons to fire employees. And even then she sometimes doesn't need one. She simply doesn't like you? She'll fire you for unproductivity. I put in a change for my hours of availability when I first got here. So for the first eight weeks I was here, they had me working 32+ hour shifts. I got way past behind with my school work. I got about 3 hours of sleep per day for that period. It got so bad that about a month ago, my body totally gave out due to lack of sleep. I couldn't stomach food, couldn't breathe and definitely couldn't make it down from my apartment to my car to get my prof's number. My days off consisted (and still do) of me playing catch-up and even still I never really got caught up. (I'm still not caught up) I have little to no time for personal work or studies. Little to no time to prepare meals as simple as a PB-and-J slapped between two pieces of wheat. I had (and still have) no freakin' social life whatsoever. I only know about 4 or 5 people in this area and that's pretty much all I have the time to get to know.

So you're probably saying by now... "Well, Why haven't you tried looking for a new job?" I have, and in fact; I still am searching for a new job. You might also be asking something along the lines of "Well why can't you rough it for just a bit till you find a new job?" And my answer to that would be, I would if I could but cars and sustenance don't pay for themselves. "Can't you get your parent's to help?" Oh believe me when I say that getting them to co-sign my student slavery sheet is probably the most help I'll be getting from them. "You haven't had any calls for interviews yet?" No, I haven't. I've applied for two jobs at my college and went specifically to the head honcho, turned in my application directly to them, and then asked when I could schedule an interview. I had interviews with the both of them, and got turned down. Neither of them gave me an explanation but I know there's a social hierarchy at my college. I'm not making excuses for my performance. I'm just saying there's a lot of bullshit going on. If that's saying anything.

I'm here to study and expand my creative repertoire. I'm not here to play tea party at Starbucks with the local hipsters and their overpriced macs. I'm not here to play pet robot with Wal-Mart. I'm here (light years away from home) to establish myself as an individual and learn essential skills that I'll need for tasks in my future.

So I have to ask you CA. What would you do? This entire tirade is by no means a pity party. I seriously don't know what to do. I mean seriously. I'm here taking 16 credit hours of classes which require a lot of time and dedication per quarter. And there are so many things that I need to teach myself outside of class. I mean pretty much my life looks like this. Schoolwork,Work-work, homework and if I get lucky, I can sleep. So what would you do? Or what have you done in the past in a simmilar situation? Does anyone have any helpful tips? I think actually... Pretty much any feedback would be helpful.

Falchion
December 14th, 2009, 12:20 PM
Remember, any job's better than no job. Money just about trumps self-respect and dignity when you're a starving artist...

Two Listen
December 14th, 2009, 01:52 PM
Are you presently dating anyone?

Black Spot
December 14th, 2009, 01:58 PM
Read up on your rights and sock it to your boss. Ask someone in a union.

CruShTinbOX
December 14th, 2009, 05:30 PM
Welcome to any shit job. I work a shit job to pay the bills too, and I deal with the same kind of nonsense. If 32 hours a week is too much, why don't you just tell your boss you are in school and can only work (insert number of hours you can comfortably work here) hours and that's that?

You're boss doesn't run your life. If art is the most important thing in your life, then you have to stand up for yourself and not let some idiot manager at a retail store get in the way of that.

icecoldtears4321
December 14th, 2009, 10:28 PM
hello there :)

I am from the chicagoland area as well. I dont know where you transferred from but illinois can be quite a lonely place indeed. heh, i too recently transferred to university of illinois at springfield, and face some of the similar problems. I dont have too many friend down here so i always look forward to going back home so that i can be with my friends again :). I don't have a crappy job, but my job does not pay well, im a tutor for the honors program here because i also have to have time for my sport and cant have an involved job. Recently having broken up with my boyfriend down here also posed a large problem because now i have to deal with this horrid city by myself lolz.

I guess my advice would be to try and find people from your area on here maybe? i know i am from the area and could probably help you find friends or maybe be your friend lol. Although you job sucks, don't leave it quite yet. go out to a mall, or a strip mall and get an application from every store (yes every store) and fill them out. i know last year i took 18 credit hours, and this year i am taking 16, plus tutoring and cheerleading practice while trying to have a social life....i really feel your pain.

you can always message me if you need help!

Blue Severin
December 14th, 2009, 11:03 PM
well, art is more about time put in than having a degree, it might be worth it to stretch your university schedule out a bit, it would take you longer to get through school, but you would have more time with less classes, it would be less expensive, and you would be better at art by the time you graduated. Hope that helps. Also, if you are physically ill due to work, I'd look into workman's comp.

MisterE
December 15th, 2009, 06:48 AM
Hi Telefunker,

I have lived in the area (Chiago burbs) my whole life, and I have to tell ya the job market out here is in terrible shape right now. I have many friends who are out of work and several who have been out of work for nearly a year. Having said that you might want to check with AI (or IIA, or whatever they call it now) about internships. I know that they have had a good relationship with High Voltage Software and have brought on many interns from AI. There are a few other developers in the area also so you might want to take a look at that. My suspicion is that times are tough for local developers so it's hard to say what their needs, if they have any, are.

There have been monthly meetings in the city for IGDA (International Game Developers Association) but since Midway went away it seems that there has been less activity with that group. There was an event last month but I don't see much going on currently. Not sure how much use they really are at this point but it would be a nice way to meet some people in the industry.

Good luck

j

Telefunker
December 15th, 2009, 03:45 PM
Sorry for the late response. I'm currently trying to finish up with finals and such and I needed a break. So I thought it'd be appropriate to pop in for a hot second.

Two Listen
Yes. I'm dating someone but being a leach isn't really something that I'm good at. I doubt that I'd be able to do any such thing without guilt.

Black Spot
I think I will. I know we have this thing at work called the 'open door policy' but It's rarely ever open door. That's one of the reasons why I'm looking for a new job. Anyone can tolerate only oh so much unfixable bullshit before it becomes too much.

CruShTinbOX
I have already asked for less hours. I got my schedule changed a few weeks back.

MisterE
I'm going to have to check in Career Services. I know for sure that one of the professors that teach here works for High Voltage but I've yet to have him for a class. One of my classmates gave me his tutorials though. Good stuff.

I think that after this week is over and done with, I'm going to try and plan out everything for next semester. I think that I'm going to just chock this up to be a learning experience. I mean hell, it's not easy. But I guess nothing in life worth attaining actually is.

MisterE
December 16th, 2009, 06:27 AM
I believe there are at least two people from HVS working over at AI. Although there are others who used to work at HVS who are teaching there now like Kip. http://www.artinstitutes.edu/schaumburg/Academics/Default.aspx?discipline=6&command=Faculty

Good luck man let me know if I can be of any assistance. Well what little I have to offer anyway. :P

Two Listen
December 16th, 2009, 10:48 AM
Two Listen
Yes. I'm dating someone but being a leach isn't really something that I'm good at. I doubt that I'd be able to do any such thing without guilt.

I wasn't implying you should do anything of the sort. I was just curious as to what their feelings might be on the situation.

...it is always good, in these situations, to take into consideration...permanency.

Your job, as difficult and crappy as it may be, even long-term, is only temporary. How we handle our temporary every day situations should in direct correlation with how it impacts our long term goals, or the things in our life that may very well be...permanent. Not knowing the nature of the relationship, it's just a thought. But presuming you want the relationship to be more permanent than this job, then its impact on said relationship, now and later - or at least, their view on it - is certainly worth something of value.

And so I was just curious. I was in a similar situation last year. But I'm not going to recommend doing what I did. It all turned out great, but quitting your job, putting everything you have into your 28 year old car and moving 900 miles across the country probably isn't in your cards right now.