I sincerely apologize to newschoolers for this thread.

My assessment is that you’re frustrated with your poor

academic performance, and mistakenly think that you can only correct the

situation by sacrificing what you love most about college life (ie. Partying,

chicas, etc.). You have decided to think outside the box, and have come up with

outlandish excuses as to why your academic failures are inconsequential and

excusable.

My advice is to stick with school, and forget about

engineering, because it seems you’re only studying the subject to appease your

parents. Choose and study a subject area you enjoy, and live the phrase: STUDY

hard, play hard. Lastly, for heaven’s sake, stop belittling your life accomplishments

and overplaying your shortcomings, and don’t worry about the events in the

future you have little or no control over….CARPE DIEM
 
This thread made me smile, I totally thought about that same sort of stuff that you did for a while. But I went for something, just totally took a stab at it you know? And as it turns out I love what im learning right now. I want to make a career out of it and be one of those dudes that cant wait for the sun to come up on the next day because I know that im going to get to do something that makes me happy. I think everyone needs something to do that they're passionate about. And if i can find a way to afford school, and just work like crazy... well yeah that'd be a good idea...
 
yeah im yet another guy in a similar situation. finished HS with good grades, took a year off, went skiing then came back and started my undergrad med degree. i was stoked to get in but then as the year wore on i ended up not giving a shit about anything and failing all but 1 of my classes. im now 20 and still in 1st yr uni, of a 6 yr course. im currently in the procwess of getting over myself and trying to think longterm. uni is a shit for me but i figure i have ot hang in there since its either this or like, work in retail for my whole life. i think its important to have one of these quarter life crises so you can reevaluate whats really important before you really start making important decisons, while everythings still pretty flexible.
 
i tihnk about that shit all the time and i am going to college soon and i hope i dont fuck up

but it seems you should get the degree and finish school then worry about everything else the world has its way of working out i guess
 
yo man i know exactly what your going through, im going thorugh it right now making a decision whether to go do university or take a year off, what i wanna do with my life i dunno i just wanna have fun and enjoy it, im not really in the mood for more fucking school.
 
I think that about 50% of first year university students face most of these worries and questions. I know I did, and still am. Im just in second year now and the end of last year and through summer until now was exactly this for me. It's all about deciding what is right for you, obviously. Now I have figured out that I do want to stay in school and stay with these friends for these years, and then go out and pursue all that shit BEFORE starting a family and career. I think that getting an education and learning all these social skills through these years is so necessary for me, before I go out in the world and try to make something for myself in music or whatever.

One things is for sure no matter what you do in these next years you will still be getting smarter and better at knowing what you want to do, so instead of worrying, just think hard about what you think is right for you
 
Because of this.

This is epic. I feel so proud of myself right

now....

I ended up continuing into second year at the same school without a break,

started dating my best friend and by the end of second year I had narrowed in

on a major. I worked and went to school part time for second and third year,

taking key courses and bumping up my GPA to get into the program. I am now in

my sixth and final year, taking three courses a semester, and absolutely love

my program, the people in it, and the great job prospects!

After seeing this post I am very grateful I didn't major in an arts degree

because In reality I have no interest in that stuff, it was just a short phase.

I am grateful I didn't go ski bum it for a year because I would have missed out

on all the amazing experiences and people I have met to date.

Life definitely never gets easier but it is pretty awesome right now. Some

tough personal and career decisions to make in the coming months and years.

Who would have thought the kid gambling online, drinking and getting high all

the time, and failing/dropping half his courses would be applying for graduate

programs across the continent, work with some of the brightest people in the

field, and make friends with so many amazing people.

Not this guy that's for sure. This post (4 years and 7 months ago) seems a

world away from my situation right now. It is astonishing the change you can

make in your life in such short time.

It is also pretty cool/scary how the internet has a trail of you, forever.

P.S. I had dinner with a man last night worth 200 million dollars, my sister is

marrying into his family. Just a claim, I am hoping he lets me drive one if his

cars some day.

Anyways how cool is newschoolers. I can dig up this thread, read through all

the great advice and see how far I have come.

Cheers to ladies men for keeping it real and dishing out some solid advice....

can't remember if I listened to any of it but here I am and the support and

understanding sure felt great!

Life is amazing.

I'm sure many of you have similar stories. Where did you all end up so far?



 
You sound like a very Smart person OP I think that whatever you end up doing it will probably work out fine.
 
AMEN.

i feel the same way.... except it effects me differently. instead of worrying, i just go through classes not worried about how i do because school doesn't have any importance to me. grades don't have importance, in fact, money doesn't have very much importance to me either besides the fact that you need money to ski.

when i look at my life i realize that the only things that are truly "worth it" are those things that you're passionate about. i can personally narrow that list down to skiing, meeting new/interesting people, and music.

so maybe one day i won't have much money, but i'd rather have friends than money any day. maybe one year i won't be able to ski because i can't afford it, but i'd rather look back and realize that i made a difference in peoples lives. maybe one day i won't be rich, but i'd rather be a good person than a wealthy one.

i'm not saying i'll never work ever. i'm saying when i do work it'll be for the sole purpose of making money so i can do the things i love with the people i love, and nothing more.
 
such an awesome story to read, Congrats bud! I'm in the last month of my study abroad program here in France and I'm loving it, gave me a whole different perspective on the world and I've learned so much.
 
see the problem with this is that you could be screwing your kids out of great experiences. Thats one of the biggest reason I just keep chuggin through college, is thinking about how happy my kids will be when I can take them on awesome trips, take them skiing, help them through college, etc. Sure living paycheck to paycheck is all good when youre single, or maybe even with a spouse, but right when you have a kid you have someone else you have to provide for and that is difficult living paycheck to pyckeck.
 
I had the same problem until I realized through a philosophy elective that I could ask the very same questions which haunted the depth of my soul and pursue them in an academic setting. I switched majors and realized I could settle down and focus on school if it was on ideas which truly turned me on and kept me up at night. I met other like minded people and even a professor who wanted to mentor me...began doing honors work and even got a job as a teachers assistant. Now I'm thinking about a masters and most those who love me support me even if I don't know how I'm going to make ends meet or ever settle down.

You can't do something truly well and exceptionally until you find that which makes you tick. All if the greatest people in this world who have made positive discoveries and contributions had a strong passion for what they did.
 
5491198:TheBigApple said:
Thank you everyone, I guess I really should follow my dreams, and my gut.

You can't connect the dots looking forward, you just have to trust yourself and then looking back, you will be able to connect each life changing event into one incredible series that lead you to where you are at that moment.

That being said, it is best to take it one step at a time, which is what you guys are saying, and so that is what I shall do, one step at a time.

The short term plan, haul ass for the last month so I can at least keep it above 500 (pass more than half my courses), and then work for a few months, save some money, move to B.C. and live there indefinitely exploring nature, and skiing. It just seems so scary to leave it all behind.
Click to expand...

I never did move to B.C. I stuck it out and did a 6 year undergraduate degree. I ended up finding a program I liked, started getting A's instead of C's, dated a lovely girl for a while. Currently going to graduate school in a professional program, have published a couple research papers and make a boatload of money now as I also have a job.

Life is so simple. Be your best to yourself and to others, and have as much fun as possible! Started back country skiing finally and realize that living for the weekends isn't all that bad! Plus there is plenty of time in the evenings to pursue other activities. I can still explore nature and ski plenty enough for my aging body to get its fix.
 
13076615:TheBigApple said:
I never did move to B.C. I stuck it out and did a 6 year undergraduate degree. I ended up finding a program I liked, started getting A's instead of C's, dated a lovely girl for a while. Currently going to graduate school in a professional program, have published a couple research papers and make a boatload of money now as I also have a job.

Life is so simple. Be your best to yourself and to others, and have as much fun as possible! Started back country skiing finally and realize that living for the weekends isn't all that bad! Plus there is plenty of time in the evenings to pursue other activities. I can still explore nature and ski plenty enough for my aging body to get its fix.
Click to expand...

good for you man!
 
13076617:TheBigApple said:
Haha i didn't realized I had already bumped this two years ago. Just needed a pick me up... move along...
Click to expand...

You didnt bump it 2 years ago that was someone else.
 
i think about stuff like this all the time but I'm not even in college. theres two sides of me. one side is work hard in school, get a good job, become somewhat wealthy and enjoy a somewhat easy life. The other side is don't work hard in school, party, and enjoy life because we only have one. I often become conflicted with these thoughts when i think about being an adult. Because one side of me wants to live in a mountain town skiing and being outside everyday, and the other wants me to become successful in life so I can be stress free. but theres flaws to both sides. the side of blowing off anything important and becoming a ski bum doesn't really work too well past the age of 30-35. i mean if i follow the ski bum route ill be lucky to be able to ski hard by that age. and then ill be screwed when it comes to getting a real job, but the years from college to that time will probably be some of the better years of my life. but if i choose the hardworking path, i won't be able to enjoy life until I'm much older. who knows though. I'm still young enough to choose. I hope at least one person takes the time to read this.
 
5490379:triebby said:
Well, first off on the topic of school, it is not for everyone. Obviously it depends on what you want to do with your life, and for better or for worse YOU are the only one who can make that choice because you know yourself, your ambitions, your goals, and your passions better than anyone else. So maybe you take a little time off from school to re-evaluate things and look at what you really want to do (because at the end if the day you need to bring in money but you also need to love what you do) and then go do it. Living on your own, independent from a college for example, can be difficult for someone recently out of highschool, but it can help you more clearly discover who you are and what you would like to do in your life's future as well as teaching many valuable lessons along the way. You might not think you are ready, but I am willing to bet you are. That doesn't mean that it won't be difficult, or scary, or intimidating, but i am sure you are capable if you believe you are and if you want it bad enough.

The bottom line is at the end of the day the choice needs to be yours, not your moms, not your dads, not your friends but yours. And you can choose to tough it out going through a shitty program just to get to a well paying job that you don't really like and then live for the weekends, or, you can find something that you love to do, whether it pays 40,000 a year or 240,000 a year, if it requires a degree or doesn't require a degree. I know that for me personally I would rather make enough money to live a modest life style and love what I am doing than make bank but loath going to work every day.

As for the whole philisophical thing as far as "What is the point? We are all gonna die sometime." well, what if everyone took that same approach? Nothing would get done in this world. Henry Ford wouldn't have started a mighty car company, Michael Jordan wouldn't be the greatest basketball player in the world, hell we would probably all still be living in caves if we had no ambition.

The fact is, we have all been given the gift and opportunity of life, It is a limited amount of time that we have on this Earth and in this world, infact we do not know how limited, and it only makes sense to use our time to the best of our ability. Sure you can sit around, watch tv, get high, get wasted, go party, but at the end of the day is that really what you want your life to be about (by "you" I mean the general mass, but it could be you as well)? I think we have a great opportunity to live full, healthy, productive lives and to not do so, would be to squander a great opportunity. Sure you are gonna die sometime, but others will live on, for how long only God knows. But why not go out, seek your passions, do what you love, and try to make a positive impact on the world? I am willing to bet that you make some good friends, achieve some great things, and have a damn good time doing it.

And, the final thought, as far as getting behind in school and being years begind your friends, it all dpends on how you look at it. If you are going to school for something you really have a passion for and really want a career in, then I am pretty sure you will mkae it through school. Sure you might not like it at the time, but if you have high goals, it is gonna take some hard work, doing some things you don't want to do, and some perseverance to reach those goals. No one said it would come easy, but if you want it bad enough then you can get it. And once you get out of school (if that is the path you take), then you will be ready to go to seek out that job/career you are so stoked on. In some repects you may actually be ahead of your friends because you are fresh out of school knowing exactly what you want to go do and being excited to do it.

So that is my advice post of the day, actually probably the month or maybe the year, but I feel, at least I hope, I did a decent job in trying to help you out.
Click to expand...

This is the best post I've ever read
 
I stopped reading here:

"I don't want to work and then just be old and retired and die."

george-carlin-group-therapy-bar.jpg[IMG]
 
pic fail-- oh well, didn't realize the thread was super old and irrelevant...moving right along.
 
Literally my exact thought process every time I get too high. I just turned 22 and have 3 semesters of college left (fucked around too much my first year. I just try not to think about the real world after school because it scares the shit outta me.
 
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