Catch-22: Life’s Tricky Loops 🔄

Life sometimes puts us in a Catch-22—a situation where every choice feels impossible and winning seems unlikely.

I still remember the toughest moment between graduating and landing my first job. It took me three months to find employment, but those months felt like three years. Every day came with costs—transportation, food, house rent, and making copies of my CV. You feel embarrassed asking your family for money, even though you’ve already graduated and are supposed to be independent.

And the paradox?

You win almost every exam, getshortlisted, and, reach the final step—but they drop you just because you refuse to pay 80–100k ETB. No one cares. Imagine paying 100k ETB to be hired for a 10k monthly salary.

Sometimes, you need experience to get hired, but no one hires without it. You try freelancing to build a portfolio, but clients ask for previous projects you don’t have.

Time flies. Soon, the next batch graduates, and suddenly your CV and credentials feel “expired,” and you feel almost retired without ever getting hired. I hope many of us have felt this same pain.

Frustrating? Absolutely. But these moments teach powerful lessons:

💡 Family support matters more than ever—job seekers still need help even after graduation.

💡 Patience and persistence are key—never give up, even when the path feels impossible.

💡 Systemic support is essential—welfare associations or job support organizations should exist at a national level, like in other countries. Examples include:

• USA: CareerOneStop, Goodwill Industries

• UK: National Careers Service, Jobcentre Plus

• Germany: Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency)

• Canada: Service Canada / Job Bank, YMCA Employment Services

• Australia: JobActive

Remember: Catch-22s aren’t walls—they’re puzzles waiting for the right move.

Microwave Growth

Some things can’t be rushed. You can’t just put growth in a microwave oven and expect perfection.

Whether it’s learning a new skill, building a career, or developing a project, trying to force it usually backfires. Real progress takes patience, effort, and time.

💡Lesson: Give yourself the time to grow because good things don’t happen overnight.

Storm in a Teacup

We, as human beings, are faultfinders by nature. Sometimes we blow small stuff out of proportion—we try to make a storm in a teacup. Some problems are tiny, yet we turn them into mountains and even blame someone for them.

Dear comrade, relax, keep it simple, save your energy for the big picture, and move on.

💡 Takeaway: Focus on what truly matters, not the little things.

Burning Ice

Not everything that looks shiny is actually safe. Some wins? They’re just burning ice.

It reminded me of the Oromos' idiom: “Heeruma dharraanee, heerumnaan rarraane.” 

Meaning: We over-wished for marriage; we were overwhelmed later after marriage.

Take a closer look before celebrating too soon. You might be holding something that’ll hurt later.

💡Takeaway: Don’t just chase the shine. Focus on what really matters.