I would appreciate some ideas on the possible meaning of this dream.

Background: I'm a 26-year-old male college student. Lately I've been struggling with a few things, including the recent loss of my job and doubts about whether I can finish school.

Dream: I wake up in the middle of the night and head to the bathroom. I flip the light switch, but it doesn't work. Though it's dark, I can see in the mirror that my face is painted completely black -- a startling revelation. I then go around the house flipping light switches, but none of them work, so I assume there's been a power outage. However, I notice that the computer is still running.