Graduating with animation degree but might not do anything with it
I (29F) feel like I am approaching a crossroad. I will be graduating with my animation degree in the fall. I think I have received some great advice and resources on portfolio building and I do think indie animation will have a positive future. However, I work a full time day job. I’ve been working full time throughout my college career and it shows on my lack of portfolio content and internship record (which is non existent). I’ve struggled with the work-life-school balance from the get-go and here I am a senior with practically nothing to show for it. I’ll always want to learn more and plan on still pursuing educational content for the next year after I graduate.
The current job/company I work at is a small group (three people including myself) has experienced some exponential growth. It went from e-waste/tech recycling to computer parts sorting and processing. My boss is confident he can eventually pay me and his other employee $30/hr. I just have had some much information overload between learning at work and at school that I’m so freakin tired at the end of the day and I haven’t been doing any animation at night.
But I wonder if it’s even worth to get trying to pursue animation if I’m making $30/hr at my current job. I’ve never been at a job making that much money and I can afford to support myself at that level. I don’t think I’ll have an industry job that pays that well and I feel like I lost my spark for creating art after going through school.
So fellow animators and industry professionals, is there greener pastures on that side? Or should I risk a leaving well-paying e-waste recycling for an art career?