Hi, I've posted this on a couple of different boards looking for all the advice I can get. I'm hoping to get some insight from people experienced in this.

Here is my story. I graduated with an undergrad in English a year and a half ago. I had a decent gpa, 3.1 (nothing impressive). I was a decent student, but again, not exactly impressive. I have always been a little introverted, and never really made an effort to speak out in class or talk to my professors a lot, so I never got to know any of them well. Also, all through college I was supporting myself and in a very bad marriage. I was just stressed and stretched thin for my early 20's.

I was planning to become an English teacher, so immediately upon graduating I applied and was accepted into a master's program. The program did not require letters of recommendation, so I never even considered I would need them.

My first semester of graduate classes went smoothly, but I kept ignoring this feeling that teaching was not for me. My second semester came and I had to actually participate in a teaching internship. I realized that is was 100% not meant to be a teacher. Add on top of this that I was going through a divorce. I was the most stressed out I have ever been, couldn't eat or sleep, and had to withdraw from my classes.

I took the rest of that semester off, just working at my crummy retail job. I had planned to take an entire year off, but in the Fall (last semester) I decided to apply for a sociology program (that had been my minor and I was always intrigued). I took a semester of online classes, but then when I went to register for classes this semester found out that classes were being cut and there was no guarantee the classes I would need would be offered.

So I made the decision to spend this semester coming up with a new plan. I have always wanted to go into a Public Administration degree, and I am think I could do very well in this field. This has always been a very strong interest of mine and I feel that it will offer me a lot of career options.

I meet all the admissions requirements, except letters of recommendation.

I honestly don't know how to handle this issue. I can ask 2 of my undergraduate professors, but I don't know what they can say beyond "She got A's in my classes." One can be from an employer, and my supervisor has already offered to write one. However, this is a retail job and completely unrelated to the field of public administration.

At this point, is graduate school just not an option for me? I am embarrassed that I never got to know my professors, but my personal life stress was always a big distraction for me. I am very excited about moving to a new town, starting a new program, and a new life but I also feel that I shouldn't even bother because of the letters of recommendation.

Can anyone provide some advice on what I can do?