#MYC19STORY 2 A Dwindling Paycheck = HIGH Instability

I work in the entertainment industry, or entertainment lite, as my paychecks come from a university. It doesn't pay nearly as well as touring or working for the union in a big city, but it felt generally more stable since there would always be school-affiliated events.

Or there were, until the mandate that all classes be put online and students leave campus if possible. In the last 48 hours, this payweek has gone from nearly 40 hours of anticipated work down to seven. The next week? Probably about the same, provided neither of the two events I'm scheduled for get cancelled as well. The rest of the month was looking pretty lean before things started cancelling, but now...

I know that it's important to avoid large gatherings if you can help it. I should fear for what the virus can do to those I know who could suffer most if they were to catch it, but it's hard not to fear the financial repercussions I'll be facing myself more.

There is no safety net for me, and it's only a matter of time before all of the go-to temporary paycheck options for arts folks start cutting, or at least stop hiring.

One of my supervisors even said some of us may be better off filing for unemployment depending on how long these conditions last.

So much for stability.

Well, I'm off to throw more applications into the void, see if anything that can sustain me through this mess answers.

Good luck, everyone.

Shanna G.