Waking up at 6:45am, by a painful alarm, while your unemployed roommate sleeps blissfully in the other room is never a good feeling. In effect, it’s a hideous feeling, especially when it’s a perfect 75 degrees outside and you see their bathing suit hanging next to their bed awaiting them to take it to the beach and you know they have another six hours of sleep left (at least).

You then think to yourself, “Why God why? Why do I have to go to work? Why can’t I just go get tan at Castaways and take a chance on melanoma?”

Well if this has ever happened to you and you envy your unemployed friends the way I used to in the summertime, please read on.

Not only are you reducing the risk of skin cancer, but you are developing yourself professionally. That is not only giving you bragging rights, but also something to put on your resume which in itself will get you closer to living out your dreams.

If you are employed and wish you could bake yourself in the sun along with the rest, just know you are not only living out your dreams but also filling up your bank account. This allows you to buy yourself nice things or give back to your parents after all the years they supported you. What a nice feeling is that?

If you are unemployed, and we’ve all been there, you know that watching the clock all day is like watching paint dry. Know that your unemployed friends wish they were in your shoes and not only making friends at work but making a difference in the world. Being employed provides you with day-long entertainment. These days, Gen Y mixes the work life balance together and has just as much fun in work than out.

Being employed allows you to keep track of time. I love differentiating Monday from Wednesday. I love the joy a weekend brings me. Tracking time lets you track your moments and I would much rather embrace every day I live than wait for the hours to slip by and not be able to distinguish a weekday from a weekend.

Never again say you envy your unemployed friends when the weather is nice out. Know that you are gaining real life experience and having just as much fun as they are. Know that you are growing professionally and personally and that is much more significant than watching the television all day or soaking in the summer rays.

Don’t feel down if you are an active job seeker, though, and you wish you had the chance to develop professionally. Going to networking events, reaching out to those on LinkedIn that work at your dream company, or going through the networking groups on LinkedIn are some great ways to get yourself closer to finding that job you seek oh so much.

It’s all about being proactive and trying to find opportunity anywhere and everywhere. Never let a day go by without reaching out to someone, even if you don’t know them, because you never know who they know. As long as you try every single day, it will pay off- I promise.