Summer Jobs are like Unicorns

Summer Jobs are indeed like unicorns, meaning that in this economy they don't exist. I have been trying to find a job since I graduated from high school 2 years ago and other than my college work study that I do during the school year I have nothing. This means not one, not two, but three months without any money every year. Once again I have resumed my job search for the summer and once again I feel like I'm coming up empty handed. No matter how hard I try I get rejected or don't even hear back from the places I apply to. It isn't like I'm slacking off, I show up in person to get and return my applications, if it's an online application after I complete it I go to the store and talk to the manager and I make sure to call them every week after I turn it in.
It never works. It doesn't matter that I'm doing everything right and trying my hardest to get a job. People are always telling me to do the same things to get a job, (which are the things I just listed as doing) but for a college student that is competing with much older adults for jobs that used to be reserved for the youth of America I don't really stand a chance. I've come to the point that I'm so frustrated trying to find a job that I cry just thinking about it. Why do I get so upset about it? Well because I feel like a failure and a loser. Having a hard time in school doesn't make it any easier either. It's days like this that I wish I could magically win the lottery or the forever prize from Publisher's Clearing House.
I've become so tired of hearing people tell me that I can do it and that I can find a job for this summer that I could vomit. My frustrations about finding a job are a common problem among many people my age right now so there is that to comfort me but it still doesn't help much. Most of the reason that I'm so upset about not having a job yet is because I can't give my parents money on tuition. The fact is, my tuition is not getting any easier to pay. Every year that I've been at Hollins it has been raised and will probably continue to do so, and I want to help ease that burden on my parents. After all, it is MY education. I would also like to start saving up money to get out of the house the fall after I graduate from college but if I can't find a job that will be incredibly difficult. So until the point that I win the lottery I have to keep looking for a job and praying that the economy magically adds jobs for me in the next few weeks.