Plenty of advice up above about the finances.
Your degree in chemistry demonstrates a few key skills: strong abstract analytical thinking (thermodynamics isn't exactly paint by numbers), follow through (not an "easy" major), and a marketable skill from all of the lab work.
You can apply these either doing straight lab work, as a bridge to something related but more interesting, or as a case to hire you in an unrelated field. As a field, chemistry covers a huge amount of ground from renewable energy to environmental cleanup, to heavy industrial process. Something in that range is bound to be interesting. Most employers you would want to work for over the long term and who will be willing to invest in their employees will see the value in hiring smart people who can adapt and learn. Market your ability to do that.
All of that is nice in the abstract, but what can a new grad specifically do to make headway? Get in touch with people who are in the field and know the lay of the land. Every profession has professional associations. Find out what the local professional associations are and go to their mixer events and meet people. The social rules are a bit different at these events and it is totally normal to walk up to complete strangers and just ask point blank what they do and could they tell you a bit about it. They are mixers because it is an opportunity for those in the field to meet new people and make professional connections. You can also call the local analytical labs and ask to take a manager-type out for a cup of coffee to ask about what they do and what the lay of the land is. Most people will have been in your position and are willing to take a small amount of time out of their day to pay it forward. Odds are someone took the time to do that for them as well. This is not a job interview, but you should have a copy of your resume on-hand if they ask for it. The goal is to get information out of them about what their job and profession is like and learn from them. This also gets an extra set of eyes out there looking for opportunities that might be a good match. If they don't have time/interest and say no, that is fine too and doesn't really mean anything about you; just move on to the next person on your list and call them up. (PS, this is also called networking).
I've worked some bad minimum-wage jobs in the past, have 3 science degrees, and am currently working as a consultant. Working in science fields is considerably different than school... for better and worse. But it is all much better than fast food.
Oh, and if you are worried about 7 miles on the bike, drive half way to start and make it a 3-4 mile ride and ramp it up from there. It's actually not a bad metaphor for developing a career... break it into bite size chunks you can use to make progress now, and then do them, and work your way up. Sometimes you'll change your route, but keep pedaling.
Good luck!