Generation Stuck

Twelve 20-somethings chronicle their lives for WBUR. Learn more.

Name	Cheyenne Postell
Age	24
Works in	Theater
Studied at	Emerson College
Lives in	Somerville, MA
From	Springfield, MA
Makes	$15,000-$25,000

Current job

Subscriptions associate, Huntington Theatre Company; booth representative, ArtsBoston BosTix booth; head usher, Office of the Arts at Emerson College

Jobs since graduation

Box office assistant, Williamstown Theatre Festival; literary and box office professional intern, Huntington Theatre Company

Living arrangement

Living in apartment with two roommates

How a paycheck
is spent

Each week, 55 percent is put away for rent, 16 percent for groceries, 7 percent to get through the week, and 22 percent is spent on bills.

Interests

Theater, fashion

Favorite
creative work

Very Special by Debra Laws. I used to sing this duet with my father when I was a child. My parents were, are, and always will be very into Motown. We listened to albums while cleaning the house, burned CDs in the car, and in any situation where we had enough time to put a record on the turntable. Songs like "Very Special" shaped how I felt about my parents, love in general, and to this day are the soundtrack to all of my memories.

Personal motto

Even if you only have yourself, you always have yourself.

Survey

Have you moved back in with your parents since college?	Yes No
Have you taken a job requiring a lower skill level or less education than you have?	Yes No
Do you feel you are less far along in your career than you had imagined for this age?	Yes No
Do you feel you are less far along in most other aspects of your life than you imagined at this age (saving money, starting a family, buying a home, et cetera)?	Yes No
Have you experienced significant emotional distress as a result of your economic situation?	Yes No
Are you receiving financial support?	Yes No
Are you optimistic about your future?	Yes No

Responses from Cheyenne

“I hate to think that money is driving us apart, but I know she tires of hearing me say I cannot afford something.”

“I have to believe that I am responsible for my own situation.”

“I am not as informed about my own debt as I know I should be, and I am just too scared to really find out what I am up against. What if it is too much?”

“I am so confused. I know that college is responsible for both my income and my debt.”

“I work too much to be underemployed, and way too much to be so poor.”

“I will never be able to get out from under my student loan debt.”

Responses from Cheyenne

“I was laid off two weeks before Christmas ’08. Since then, I’ve taken many jobs in the field that I got my degree in, but none of them last for more than four months.” —Nathan

Generation Stuck