To make it, you have to save for experience: The story of a graduate

Oliver Goch, 26, lives in Huntington Beach. This transcript is based on an interview with Goch and has been edited for clarity and length.

Goch: My perspective on “creating” has changed.

I am a test engineer at an aerospace company. I have been with this company since college. I graduated in June 2020, in the middle of the pandemic.

I was working in El Segundo and living with my grandmother in (Pacific) Palisades, which was a pretty good deal. Then I got this new job in Huntington Beach and eventually moved out. So this is my first big boy, living on my own, thrown to the wolves, no grandmother and no parents (reality).

Because I pay $2,200 in rent, which is almost a paycheck. This month I had to pay rent and then all my credit card bills came due. And I barely got by because things came up, like a nail in my tire. So I drive out to get it fixed. And then they say, “Oh yeah, all your tires need replacing.” And I say, “Ah, great, $900. Now I hope nothing else comes up.” Once again, I’m very happy that I can afford it.

I think older generations thought, “Okay, I’ll save money, buy a house and be done with it,” right? I don’t think my generation sees that. I was saving up to buy a house and I thought, “For what?” My mindset has definitely changed: Maybe this can be a travel fund or something. They’ve done their research and experiences make you happy. I think my generation has prioritized happiness and experiences like that more.

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