If I Could Take a Co-op Where My Job is Loving You

October, 2025

About

This work reflects frustration with the job market and the wish that serving friends could be its own job. It combines lines about various friends and my desires for them.

Behind the Work

In the first two years of college, I was consumed by work and hardly spoke to anyone. I hated driving, strangers, large groups, sports, getting to bed late, and no introvert time.

Come third year, I had a breakthrough over the summer, and I had found more friendships than I could keep up with. I slept maybe 4 hours every night for the last half of the summer. I was constantly driving out to friends’ houses, social events, meeting new people, playing late-night volleyball and soccer, diving into spontaneous plans, and staying out until 3 am.

Even when school started, I was constantly texting, heading over to friends’ houses right after or before classes, and hanging out late on the weekend.

Deep into co-op searching, I felt extremely frustrated and hopeless. Since starting college, I had never been excited for a co-op experience. I despised networking, dressing nice, professionalism facades, strangers, and talking about why I am better than the guy with 13 years more experience.

When I was stuck in school, I could only think about wanting to play soccer and watch a late-night movie as I did in the summer. Many of the co-ops I saw, I had little to no interest in. I started to think, I wish I could just serve my friends as a job.

Lyrics

I’ve hit apply, apply, a million times

I’ve got 17 resumes

I’ve read, I’ve read a million threads

They all sound like 3 months of dread

My excel says, “Do I want the job” 

I think eh, eh, eh

No, no, no

I’d rather take the A.C.T 

I’d rather clean my room 

I’d rather spend a day at an auto-shop

I’d rather fix the U.C wifi and Catalyst too

I’d rather mow the lawn and clean a high school toilet

I’d rather trek an hour in the cold, windy, rain for community service

I’d rather deal with someone stealing my catalytic converter 

AGAIN! 

I think I’ve learned…

I just don’t want a job

If I could take a co-op where my job was loving you

I’d apply before they could even post it for others view 

My cover letter would be a love poem 

My resume would flood the borders

I wish I could take a co-op where all I do is love on you 

I’d love to learn to cook your favorite meal 

I’d love to serve you breakfast in bed

I’d love to wash your feet in honor everyday

I’d love to massage your back after a days work

I’d love to scratch your neck and inner arms with the nails of my hands

I’d love to hold you…for no reason but to hold you

I’d warm up your car in the winter before you leave for work

I’d scrape off all the ice and clear the driveway

I’d make sure our house was clean the way you like

I’d wash all our dishes and the bathroom too

I’d write you love notes for your lunch like mothers do their youth

I’d ask God everyday, “How do I love them better?”

Oh, I would love you loudly and unashamed

My mom has prayed for years and years and years for a friend like you

We can all play barefoot soccer with the cold turf on our toes

Even if I was sick 

Even if I got concussed in the head

As long as I’m with you, I don’t care what we do

We can all play volleyball til my wrists are pulsing red

I love when we celebrate our wins and laughable failures

Screaming and cheering 

We jump in circles

As long as I’m with you, I don’t care what we do

I’d stay up late watching cartoons even if I start work with the early moon

I’d love to stay up late talking life alone with you

I’d love to stay up late driving you to the emergency room

I’d love to stay up late driving you to the grocery too

I’d love to stay up late driving you to get a shot for the flu

We can stay up late bitching about inflation and traffic jams

We can stay up late talking boys and betrayed friends

We can stay up late building legos we have no room for


As long as I’m with you I don’t care what we do

Sick or sleeping, I just want to be near you

I think why, why, why do I love this guy

There is no justification to love you the way I do

But when I’m overwhelmed, when there’s so many people, when the work is crashing down, when my mind is spinning out, I’m gonna run away to my cave that’s safe. Nobody can be around me.

My one exception is you. 

I’ve got an exception for you. 

I’d hate to write a boring paper for the corporation

But oh my lord, if I was to write about you

I’d use up all the ink in every Staples store

The doors would burst with papers about you

I might cause a lawsuit 


If I don’t get that co-op to love on you

I’d hack into the data-base

And I will eliminate everyone else who wanted to