I just hit 1,064 days of unemployment, and next week, my wife and I are losing our house. I started a coding bootcamp at 21 in 2021, which was one of the toughest experiences of my life. After ten months of intense learning, I graduated and landed a software engineering job six months later, earning more than I ever thought possible. I got a raise, moved into my own apartment, and started to build a life for myself. I was thrilled when I found a house that felt like home—nothing extravagant, just a space where I could see my future with my girlfriend. I moved in, and just two weeks later, I was laid off. Despite the setback, we got married, and I committed myself to finding another job, treating it like a full-time job for the past three years. I applied, networked, tailored my resume, built side projects, and interviewed whenever I could. The only day I took off was our wedding day. After three years of relentless searching, I feel like I’ve failed. We can’t afford food, and we’re moving out of our home because we simply can’t make ends meet. It’s heartbreaking to leave the house that represented a new beginning for us. I had envisioned building a life there—working on hobbies, creating memories, and planning for a future. Instead, we’re packing up our lives into boxes and selling what we can. I keep reflecting on the person who signed the lease, thinking he had finally made it, completely unaware of the challenges that lay ahead. Now, at almost 28, I’m exhausted from starting over. I want to have kids, be able to afford basic necessities, and just enjoy life with my wife. It feels like I’ve been at the end of my rope for years, and I’m tired of waking up to this reality.
Loading comments…
Comments