Generation Stuck

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

Name	Morgan Derby
Age	25
Works in	Education
Studied at	Macalester, Lesley University
Lives in	Plymouth, MA
From	Fairfax, VA
Makes	$35,000-$45,000

Current job

Pre-IB/IB English teacher and assistant CAS coordinator, Sturgis Charter Public School

Jobs since graduation

Residential assistant/teacher, then residential director/pre-season curriculum advisor, Exploration Summer Program’s Senior Program; sales associate/sales lead, Ann Taylor

Living arrangement

Living in apartment with partner

How a paycheck
is spent

About 30 percent goes to rent and utilities, 25 percent toward paying off debt, 15 percent toward food, 15 percent to an emergency fund that ideally would go towards paying off debt — but which actually, without fail, goes toward car repairs, doctor appointments, buying books before student loans disperse, etcetera — about 10 percent toward auto loan and fuel costs, and about 5 percent toward mental and physical health expenses.

All that being said, due to our income differences, my partner and I split our expenses 65/35; essentially, I pay bills and he pays for anything extra like movies or dinner out.

Interests

Yoga, dance, mindfulness, hiking, rock climbing

Favorite
creative work

The Perfect Space by the Avett Brothers. The instrumentals and vocals push me a little out of my comfort zone at points, and the lyrics ring deeply, humanly true in a way that seems rare and precious to me. My favorite track on the “I and Love and You” album, where the tracks are almost all favorites and are thoughtfully organized into a coherent whole.

Personal motto

"Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.” — Siddhartha Gautama

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 Morgan

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

“My college experience probably saved my life.”

“Three years after graduation, I’m still working in the only position I could find.”

“Things have been complicated most recently by the discovery that a family member forged my signature on a $15,000 educational loan.”

Responses from Morgan

“When you’re in your mid-twenties, unemployed, and still dependent on your parents, it’s very easy to lose your sense of identity and purpose.” —Genevieve

Generation Stuck