I am a Craigslist addict. If I told you that I check the simple blue site as impulsively as one checks the Facebook relationship status of a crush, I don’t think you’d believe me.

If first impressions truly were that important, I would never have returned to that elusive palatinate blue site. On introduction I found the layout terribly mundane and unappealing; yet, like a relationship based on inner goods rather than outward appeal, I began to fall in love with Craigslist.

I suppose it’s important to note that my relationship with Craigslist is not unusual; I am a part of a global community of Craigslist lovers. Though I am not among the ranks of Jason Paul, who has decided to live strictly off of Craigslist for a year, I am still a committed fan. Every month 20 billion Craigslist pages are viewed, and I am proudly one of those page viewers.

Some days I wonder about Craig Newmark, the founder of Craigslist, and what he thought in 1995 when he compiled emails of San Francisco events as a hobby. I wonder if he knew that his later created, free, classified ad website would become the leader of both classified and job ads in the world. Over the course of four years the phenomenon known as Craigslist developed, spreading to over 450 cities across 50 countries with the simple goal of creating a social community.
My experiences with Craigslist are humorous and heart-warming. At first, I was meek in my approach; I only looked at job postings and items for sale. Over time, however, my addiction turned me into a ravenous job-seeker, even though I was already employed at the Mars’ Hill.

Over the course of two months, I have applied for nearly 100 jobs and have gotten numerous replies. My friends warn me to apply only for the jobs I am actually interested in, but I pay no heed. I can’t explain the wondrous rush of life that goes through me as I receive emails from people all over the Lower Mainland who want to meet with me, interview me and eventually hire me.

Of course, there have also been encounters with relatively creepy employers, like the time I applied for a job that sought “a beautiful educated female” and in my naiveté I thought it was a sales position. Naturally, the employer was a business man seeking a low-commitment, long-term relationship with a willing university girl. I was disgusted!

Then, of course, there are the panic days when I wake up to find five interview requests in my inbox thanks to a night of restless searching. Thankfully, I love interviews because I get to meet people I would never have encountered otherwise.

The worst moments of my life as a Craigslist addict are those in which the interviewer tells me they want to hire me. I cannot be a Craigslist addict if I am hired! I learned this lesson the hard way, of course, after I accepted multiple jobs and continued to apply for others. It’s difficult going in for a first shift at a coffee shop knowing that I don’t really want the job. Worst of all is making cute cards or writing pretty letters to employers to explain that the job ‘just wasn’t a fit.’
But there are good Craigslist moments too; I have found an excellent driving instructor and have sold my grad dress to a desperate woman.

Though my addiction seems to worsen by the day, I have hope that one day I will find that perfect job and will no longer rely so heavily on my daily dose of Craigslist.