Back to Reality

So I just got a scary email in my inbox today. It was from the chancellor of UC Berkeley talking about budget cuts.

It's one of those things that totally bring you back into reality. Because living in Germany I am sort of in a bubble. The economic crisis that has hit the US and the UK so hard has sorta left Germany untouched. Well at least comparatively. I have no real worry of losing my job or not being able to find one, so I think I sometimes forget the reality of the situation.

The email said that there would be a hiring freeze at UC Berkeley, all employees would get an 8% cut on their wages, many would lose their jobs and student fees would go up a lot. The governer had even mentioned axing Cal Grants altogether (the only way I was really able to finance my schooling), but thankfully they thought that was totally unfair to poorer students and still want to offer them the opportunity to attend UC Berkeley.

My younger sister is just now entering college and it's interesting to see how different things have become in just 5 years. My sisteer has had to deal with a lot more budget cuts in her schooling and it has been harder for her year to get into schools due to the cuts and now harder to finance as well.

It kind of reminds me of this book I've been reading, Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell (READ IT!), which talks a lot about how people get successful (or don't) can depend on when, where, and how you grew up.

Interesting to think of the difference, especially since the differences my sister and I may experience. I mostly avoided the budget cut crisis so it didn't affect my college application and experience as much as it will hers, but then again I came out into the job market in a time when there are no prospects, while she may be lucky, and Obama-willing, the economy may have turned around by the time she graduates. I think it will be interesting to look back and see how the times have ended up shaping our career and life decisions.