Generation Stuck

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

Name	Katherine Round
Age	26
Works in	Service
Studied at	Tufts University
Lives in	Cambridge, MA
From	Manchester by the Sea, MA
Makes	$15,000-$25,000

Current job

Bartender, Saloon in Davis Square

Jobs since graduation

Public relations and marketing, Limelight Stage and Studios; bartender, Old Castle Pub; English teacher, self-employed, Buenos Aires; bartender, Krakow Café and Bar; bartender, Alchemy Bar; clinical project associate, Executive Clinical Research Consulting LLC

Living arrangement

Living in apartment with one roommate, moving back in with parents on September 1

How a paycheck
is spent

About 60 percent is rent and the remainder is spent on bills, transportation, food, health insurance, credit card bills, and incidentals. I am rarely able to put away money for savings.

Interests

Travel, reading, writing, hiking, mixology, cooking, theater, current events

Favorite
creative work

Gone with the Wind, one of my favorite novels and one of the few books that was only improved in its transition to the silver screen. I first read the book when I was 11 and while I was probably too young to pick up all the subplots and nuance that I later discovered in my re-readings, it immediately resonated with me. The story is one of life, love, and loss — the classic recipe for any absorbing saga. The protagonist is a strong, spirited, unapologetic, and proud woman. Scarlett O’Hara was born into a life of privilege and refinement and when war stole the life she knew, she made herself a new one. Scarlett’s character inspires me to be tenacious and determined, not to give up when I have my weak moments, and to keep faith in myself, my abilities, and my worth when life is trying to convince me otherwise.

Personal motto

You can do anything for a year.

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 Katherine

“If I could share a piece of advice with my 2004 self, it would be this: Choose a path and stick to it … I couldn’t.”

Responses from Katherine

“I think my cell phone is the most expensive thing I own.” —Morgan

Generation Stuck