Have you ever sat at your graduation ceremony, cap tilted slightly because you wanted to
look like the main character, and think damn, the world better be ready for me? Only for life
to look back at you, giggle, and throw you into a customer service job asking people if they
want extra ketchup? Yeah. That humbling.
I think nobody really prepares you for that post degree identity crisis. Like, we’ve been
conditioned since we were kids that school is this golden escalator. Primary, high school,
university, degree, then corner office with an ergonomic chair that whispers success. Except
instead of an office, you get a “temporary” gig hosting bar nights, waiting tables, folding
jeans in retail, or working as someone’s unpaid intern while your brain silently screams “I
have a bachelor’s in International Relations, sir.
And oh, the shame. That quiet, annoying shame that sits on your shoulder telling you, “So
this is what your degree was for?” You start avoiding old classmates because you know
they’re gonna ask the cursed question: So, where do you work now? And you’re like, “
currently I’m exploring opportunities in the hospitality sector,” which is code for I make lattes.
But here’s the thing, I’ve realized the shame isn’t really ours. Society fed it to us with a silver
spoon. Somewhere along the line, people decided that jobs were either degree worthy or a
fallback. But money? Rent? Groceries? They don’t care if your paycheck comes with
prestige.
And let’s not pretend we don’t see the other side of this coin. Because while you’re out here
learning the precise science of balancing three plates on one hand, some guy who barely
passed group work is chilling in a glass office somewhere in the Ministry of Finance. Why?
Because “Uncle James knows the HR.” Nepotism. The original cheat code. Some folks just
skip all the character development and go straight to the final boss level because they have
the right last name. And honestly? If I had that plug, I’d probably use it too. Let’s not lie.
So how do you live with this reality without feeling like your degree is just a very expensive
wall decoration? First, acceptance. Not the boring kind, real acceptance. Like, yes, I have a
degree in X, and yes, I currently do Y, and no, that does not make me less than anyone else.
Your job doesn’t erase the hours you pulled all-nighters, the essays you nearly cried over, or
the exams you wrote with your last drop of adrenaline. That degree is still in your name. No
one can repossess it like a car.
Second, you have to reframe the “below your degree” thing. Because honestly, is it really
below? Or is it just…different? A job isn’t your entire identity. Sometimes, the skills you pick
up in “non-degree” jobs, patience, people skills, resilience, learning how to deal with
customers who think expired coupons are a human right are the exact things that make you
sharper when the “degree job” eventually comes. Psychology Today even says that non
linear career paths can make people more adaptable and fulfilled long term.
And the shame? You kill it by laughing at it. Tell your story before it tells you. If someone
asks, “So what are you doing these days?” you can be like: “I’m out here running a small empire in the coffee distribution sector. Some people call it barista work, but don’t be fooled.”
Dark humor takes the sting away. Own it before anyone else can.
Older generations will nod because they had to hustle too maybe not the same way, but they
get it. And Gen Z? We’re literally the generation that can turn making memes into careers.
So why are we out here acting like every step has to be linear?
The truth is, life is not a ladder. It’s more like a jungle gym. Some people swing from one bar
to the next with uncle connections, some climb diagonally, some take a detour through the
slides.

As long as you’re moving, you’re fine. Sheryl Sandberg said that, and honestly, she
ate with that metaphor.
So if you’re clocking into a job that makes you feel less than, here’s my unsolicited but
heartfelt advice: remove the shame jacket, it doesn’t fit you. Work with what you have now,
keep building, and keep your degree shining even if it’s just in your email signature for now.
Because honestly? The corner office isn’t the endgame. Peace of mind, steady coins, and
the ability to laugh at your own detours? That’s the real flex.