Should I feel ashamed that I live with my parents?

Hi, I'm 22 (nearly 23), am unemployed and I live at home with my parents. I'm not proud of it either.

I graduated University in the summer of 2012 and alongside nearly every other graduate in the country I've been looking for work ever since. I had to ditch the flat I was living in because I couldn't afford the rent, and move back home. I've been here 9 months and in that time I've had one big internship and taken on a handful of voluntary jobs as well as one retail job that recently came to an end.

I'm not meaning to sound selfish, I'm very appreciative that my parents let me move back in and have been financially supporting me through the tough times. Particularly with my current situation of health vs work.

But I can't help but feel ashamed when I tell people that I'm still having to live at home.

I've always wanted my own independence, I've always felt more mature than my years and have dreamed of having my own place somewhere that would make me say "Yeah, this is my place and I can pay for it all by myself, do my own washing, have whoever I want round and stay in bed until 3pm without feeling guilty." But right now I just feel like I get that sympathetic look every time someone finds out I live with my parents. Like I'm not quite ready to be a grown up and I don't fit in with those I surround myself with.

And don't even get me started on my love life.

I think the part I am struggling with is that I don't know when this will end. I'm fed up and I'm fed up of feeling fed up. I know I deserve more, I know I can do more and I want to be the person I know I can be, but I just feel so held back with everything right now.

With my PMA taking a knock, I need to find some inspiration to get me back out into the big wide world. All suggestions welcome.

Why are we so afraid of boobs?

To start with, let's get a few things out the way so you get a better idea of where I stand on the level of feminists. Yes, I do believe women deserve equal rights to men, and should in no way be overpowered by men in a work place simply because they are a female. No I have not been wearing a 'free pussy riot' tee since they were imprisoned and I really don't like grrrrl punk music. I drink beer over wine and I like pretty underwear. I also believe I represent about 70% of females my age with my thoughts towards feminism. 

Something happened this week that has seen my social media feeds be split 50/50 as to whether or not it was good or bad news. Front magazine got scrapped. Since it was first published, Front has received a lot of criticism (along with all the other lad mags) for it being degrading to women and focusing too much on boobies and not enough on music. Here's the thing, I LIKE Front magazine. If you laid out all the lad mags on a table, Front would 100% be the magazine I'd choose over any other. I like their content, I like their design and I won't scream at the site of a pair of tits, I just simply flick the page. Easy peasy. 

Okay so it HAS influenced an 'alt girl' culture with many teenage girls wearing denim shorts that will at some point give them thrush, but Christ if that's all you have to worry about as a parent then you should be pretty happy. 

We can't seem to go a week without some mother getting her knickers in a twist because lad mags are visible on magazine stands, or bush-growing feminists are protesting about the latest strip club in town. "Women are being objectified" they say, "it's disgusting" they cry. While I wouldn't choose the life of a pole-dancer myself, I've met girls before that are completely happy doing it. Models aren't FORCED into taking their tops off, they aren't FORCED into climbing that pole. Ever think that they want to? Huh? They might actually enjoy their jobs, and I salute them. If you're happy in your job, then frankly that is all that matters. 

It's in our human nature to find certain body parts attractive on other people. I personally have a thing for blokes with a nice jawline and some stubble. I also won't deny the fact that I've drooled over band members and thrown jokes around with my female friends as to who gets first dibs on the hot guy from the bar. Girls objectify men just as much as men objectify girls. Fact. It just so happens that the bits of our bodies blokes tend to go gooey-eyed over are the bits underneath our clothes. I'll also raise my hand and say "yeah, I have a cracking pair of norks, I just don't feel comfortable getting them out." Not because I feel everyone will slam me as a slut, it's just because I don't have that level of body confidence to show it off. 

That said, my whatsapp galleries with my closest girl mates are filled with pictures of us showing off our latest lingerie collections and I'm completely okay with that. New lingerie that makes me look and feel great is up there with pizza for things that cheer me up. Heaven forbid I might choose to show it off to a boy one day. 

We're in a modern age where sex is not the off-limits subject it used to be. It's talked about freely and everyone is becoming a lot more comfortable with themselves and their bodies because of it, confidence like that is something we should be celebrating. We shouldn't be ashamed that we enjoy it, yet we still have middle-aged mums knocking us down for flashing a little more flesh than what used to be deemed acceptable. 

Boys love boobs and that is never going to change. The sooner we get over that the better in my opinion. You don't see protests about Ryan Gosling taking his shirt off for us all to enjoy, so why kick up a fuss about Kelly Brook, (who's underwear collections are wonderful FYI). 

You're nobody 'til somebody loves you

Ever since the demise of my last relationship I always knew I was going to struggle to trust someone again. At least, trust them enough to actually consider fully committing to a relationship. What I didn't expect, was to end up being given an eye-opener into just how little you can trust people, or rather, men.

My love life hasn't exactly been something to get excited about recently, it's been months since I even kissed someone and living back with your parents, as I'm sure many of you will know, makes romance a pretty difficult subject.

This isn't to say I've completely alienated all men from my life, I keep in contact, I chat, I flirt a little. Harmless, most of it and nothing that is really expected to be taken any further. However something that seems to be a reoccurring issue, is that I am then discovering that while they are telling me they wouldn't mind cuddling up to me, taking me to dinner or something more, at the end of the day they are in fact, crawling into bed with their girlfriends.

It's not that this has happened once either, I'm nearly able to move onto my second hand to count how many have been doing this.

Luckily I've learnt not to wear my heart on my sleeve, and keep people at arm's length, so emotionally it hasn't effected me. But it has left me with the question - how am I ever meant to trust a guy again if all I am experiencing is them flirting with other girls when they're in relationships?

I don't want to be this ice queen forever, I'd like to find someone I am compatible with. But, quite frankly this experience is only making me want to close myself off further, because once you open up you become vulnerable and it would appear that, that's when people start taking you for granted.

And remember, you will always get found out, always.

Working for free, is it worth it?

There's a lot of controversy surrounding internships right now, they appear to be the only way in hell to actually try and gain some experience in your desired field, and the slight glimmer of hope for a job at the end of it has got many typing as fast as their little fingers will go, sending application forms off left right and center.

Will they ever hear anything back? Probably not.

I'm at a weird stage in my life, not one I'm particularly proud of, not one I wish to be in. But I'm here out of lack of options. I'm 22, single, unemployed and living with my parents. Why? Because I thought it'd be a super ace idea to work in the music industry.

I've wanted to work in music since I was young and after discovering I'm absolutely shite at singing/playing an instrument I realised working behind the scenes was a much better option. I graduated in 2012 with a 2:1 degree in Television and Broadcasting but music is where my heart lies and where it will lie for a long time.

I produce and present my own radio show. Unpaid. I am on the editorial team for a music website and donate my words to other websites on occasion, all unpaid.

I've also just finished a month-long internship at a fantastic music website in the hipster village of Shoreditch. Unpaid. Okay slight lie, they DID pay my travel fares from zones 1-4. I cannot fault the people I worked with, the work I got to do or my time spent there, because it really was an insightful and enjoyable experience. But underneath all the " OH MY GOD That's sooooo cool!" remarks I got, I was living off leftovers for dinner and sleeping on my mates floor whilst I sipped water at gigs because I couldn't afford a pint. But hey, it looks great on my CV right?

And here I am, back at my desk in my bedroom staring blankly at job websites hoping to god something jumps out, or I receive an email saying "We'd LOVE to have you work with us, here have ALL the money we have because you're just so great." And when you have huge music companies stating you MUST have a Grade A in Maths GCSE as well as 5 years experience and a pet giraffe just to even qualify for this 3-month unpaid tea slave job, how am I exactly meant to feel inspired to apply?

The internship I did happened by chance, after a quick meeting one weekend and I was very lucky that happened. But now, now I don't even know where to begin looking for work. The reality, is that I'm going to have to get a Christmas Temp job in a store somewhere, to save money so I can actually afford to do another unpaid internship.

I know I am just one of thousands in a similar situation, but it's hardly surprising to find that so many young people are depressed due to the lack of faith and goodwill within the creative industries. I just feel like I'm in a vicious whirlpool of unpaid work and there is absolutely no shining light as to when I'll get paid to work in an industry I love.

If anything, I'm really good at making tea now.

Go on, I dare you

For those that know me, I can be quite an outgoing and confident person. As long as I feel comfortable around a person I'm pretty much an open book. Yet when it comes to striking up a conversation with a complete stranger I may as well be invisible, because I can barely look them in the eye, let alone talk without stumbling on my words. Working in retail helped me out a little, but still, simply going up to someone to tell them the latest offer would be a difficult task for me.

It's because of this awkward shyness that I struggle to network amongst people, even if it IS important to my career and don't even get me started on trying to say hello to aesthetically pleasing male specimens.

Here's an example; not long ago I went into my local HMV to purchase something for Fathers Day. As I made my way to the till, I was greeted by a fuzzy faced gentleman with glorious arms and an even nicer personality. As I mumbled a "thank you" I left the store probably looking like I was having a severe hot flush and headed straight to Twitter to let the world know of the wonderful man I had just laid my eyes on.

I was then hit with replies such as, "so why didn't you tell him?", "go and ask him out, I dare you!" "What's the worst that could happen?"

I COULD BE HUMILIATED IN MY FAVOURITE STORE AND RUN OUT CRYING WITH TEARS OF SHAME DOWN MY FACE, THAT'S WHAT.

So I continued my life without lovely HMV man but with my dignity a little more intact, all because I didn't have the balls to just say "hello, how are you?"

It's the same with 'networking', to get where I want to be in the industry I want to work in, I am going to have to introduce myself to A LOT of important people, and make a good impression. The thought of this however, absolutely terrifies me, the fear of all the awkward rejections is too much for me to even start whimpering my name at some big label boss.

My question is HOW do I get over this? Is it just a matter of me manning up and getting the guts to march over and make myself known? Will I ever be able to speak to an attractive guy in a shop without looking at my shoes the whole time?

Or am I just going to die alone because I was too scared.

Top 10 Best Things About Being Single

1. Your bed is yours and you do what you want in it. (Fart, work, eat, spill crumbs, starfish, dribble... do your WORST)

2. Granny pants? Check. Top knot? Check. Band tshirt with a million holes and stains? Check. Fucks given? None.

3. "Ooooooh, look at him! And him! And him over there! Oh my GOD look at HIM" *drools*

4. You can go out when you want, with who you want and spend ALL your money on yourself!

5. You don't have to have a forced conversation about just how boring each others days were and what you want for dinner.

6. All those horrific feelings of worry and jealousy are replaced by content and self-appreciation.

7. No having to sit and watch Call of Duty for the millionth time.

8. Watching Made In Chelsea for the millionth time.

9. You've listened to that One Direction song ten times today already? Go on, play it another five.

10. Want to travel? Dream of moving to the city? Job offer you can't refuse? There's nothing holding you back. GO YOU!

One negative of being single?

No sex cuddles on tap. 

"I'd rather be a bit squishy then spending 5 days a week at a gym"

I've been a size 12 since I was around 16, gaining and losing a few pounds here and there, but always a size 12. I've got a bit of an odd body shape, imagine getting a ball of dough and squashing it with the palm of your hand, that's me. I'm wide, I have big hips, bum and thighs, but I am flat. I don't have much of a tummy and my boobs are of average size, a nice handful.

I've tried diets over the years, I've tried getting into running - but I'm not someone to continue something they don't enjoy. I don't enjoy running, or other athletic sports for that matter, I can't even afford a gym membership. What I do enjoy is swimming and surfing, rock climbing and roller blading, adventurous sports. Not the most accessible of sports at the best of times.

I also like food, I love tasting new flavours and trying new things. This isn't to say you'll find me devouring a whole pot of ice cream in one go or binging on burgers. I know what's good and bad for me, I know what my portion sizes should be, do I indulge every now and then? Of course I do, who doesn't? My weakness is biscuits, I bloody love those things!

But still most days, I find myself looking in the mirror going, "why can't this bit be smaller?"... "why do my hips have to be so round?"... "why can't I look like her, or her?"... "how is anyone going to fall for me if my thighs are this big?"

I've not exactly been lacking in male attention over the past year or so, I've had compliments about the parts of me I hate the most. Yet I still can't knock these hatred thoughts from my head, please do not get this wrong, I'm not throwing a line into the sea awaiting you all to compliment the shit out of me. It's just been one of those days where I can't look at any part of me and think it looks good. It also doesn't help that I have a magazine next to me with Alexa stick thin Chung on the front cover.

But why? Why do I and so many others do this too ourselves? I tell myself frequently that I should shed the flabby bits, but then I'm split in thinking I'm going to be bloody miserable while I do it and will I really be happy by the end of it?

I have friends who are squishy and I have friends who are tiny, all of whom seem happy with themselves. I guess I just need some tips in having a body boost, any ideas?

I'm now going to go open that packet of hobnobs and bloody enjoy them.