Life plan at 19? Ridiculous

Capt.Flannel

Capt.Flannel

Active member
Anybody else think that the whole go to college, pick a major that you want and with that, figure out what you want to do with your life (all at ages 18-22) is ridiculous? Some people that pick basic liberal studies majors are lucky because with that, you can pick whatever job you want (in a general sense) and get trained in that job when you graduate. But for me, the only things that look interesting are pre-professional programs that pretty much set up your life's plan and I'm only 19. How am I supposed to know what I want to do with my life? So many adults I know hate their jobs or are still trying to figure it out, but it's not too often that somebody will make a 180 degree turn in their life as an adult to switch career paths. Anybody else frustrated with this stuff?
 
I guess, I really want to be a history teacher but they get paid shit and I promised myself I'd explore some places before I died (which takes alot of money)
 
I'm 18 and I'm getting fed up with trying to figure it out, and my parents won't get off my back. There are so many options, and I don't feel strongly about any of them, so I have no idea which ones the best for me.
 
ya man, I feel the same way. One of the things I had considered was education/history but for the same reasons as you, I'm not sure it would be a conducive career for what I want to do in my life. And then beyond that, I thought "why do I like history?" and the only reason I could truly come up with was because it was easy for me and I can't help but think that I'd be cheating myself and wasting 4 years of college (plus my masters) doing something just because it's easy.
 
I've already switched majors twice and in the fall I'll be coming up with a third. It's easy to keep changing majors for a while, but then I have to start considering the whole graduation thing and everything. Boo this.
 
And I could easily get a job as an Investment Banker once I graduated because of family connections and I'd make a ton of money and have a successful career but I just can't get myself to take the easy route.
 
Cool thread and you're absolutly right! Don't know how the schoolsystem works in the US but here in Belgium you've kinda got to decide what you want to do at the age of 15, I got trough couple of years in school that would make me an engineer, then went on to be a car-mechanic realising in my last year (that's when I was 18) I don't give a fuck so quited school and signed up in the army, not going anywhere with that since I didn't wanted to be an officer (2 more years of school) like they wanted me to be.

So here I am, 21, and all I do is do some (shitty) jobs that pay well, travel as much as I can, being away from home about 4-5 months a year, longer if its work related. And slowly but surely getting together my qualifications/expierence to dive instructor. Gonna get my CSIA level 1 & 2 next winter. Started skydiving about 2 years ago, in-actie now, but would like to go to instructor in that some day...

You see, from possible-engineer to adrenaline-junk in 6 years. No regrets!
 
as long as you do something that you love, something that you can see yourself 50 years from now looking back and saying "I did something", then thats the job you have to take. Dont take a job because it is convienent or easy or you make alot of money. because you wont be able to look at yourself in the morning and say that you love life.
 
my best friend is like this. shes been through sooo many majors, and is gettin into her third year. still no clue. it sucks, but its a chance to explore everything. if you dont have a clue, make sure you attend a big campus that offers lots of options.

and to make you feel a lil jealous, im finishing my second year as an Industrial design major, and ive known i was going into this field for about 6 years now. there wasnt even a question.
 
Ya, that's my problem; I don't want to take the easy jobs but the whole 'do what you love' thing is also a problem for me - I have no idea what I would love doing. There are too many things that I MIGHT like doing, but nothing jumping out at me that's amazing, except medicine, which I can't figure out whether I could withstand the lifestyle of a med student/resident/doctor.
 
I'm 16 and I've only begun to think about what I want. I want to go to college but not right after I graduate. I want to see the world, live on my own and just be able to do what I want when I want. I know I want to be a photographer or graphic designer because I already have experience with it and I know I don't want to be like my dad and get stuck in the family business. He went to RIT to become an engineer and never used it.
 
I've lucked out though - all three majors were allied health, so I at least know what general direction. I started off as a pre-PT major then switched to pre-med and Athletic Training and in the fall I'll be going to a new school and am deciding between Occupational Therapy and medical biology, and I hope that my mind doesn't change again and I find 4 more majors that I find interesting.
 
I would advise you really take a step back and ponder the paths you are about to take. Would you be happy with your self if you were an old man and wondering if you should have chosen a different path or would you say hell yes i went for it and i conquered life on my own terms. When I was 18 i knew what i wanted to do, now i am 28 and i can say that i am happy with my life path so far. I may be lucky but i think anyone can really do what they please if they truly go for it. That may sound cheesy because of course we all can't be pro skiers, rock stars, or astronauts but wouldn't you feel much better if you attacked life on your own terms? It is a shame if you ever choose a career based purely on the money. look inside yourself and realize life is fucking out of control as is, make it your own personal bitch and live with no regrets. Choose something that sounds like a good time that will allow you to pursue your life as you see fit.

now that I said all of that i realize it sounds like a self-help/motivational speaker bullshit, but i fell for it when i gave myself that speech.

cheers
 
but sometimes what you really want to do does not seem very realistic, like i would absolutely love to own a ski shop, but i don't know if this would really work, buy yeah, i am super frustrated because i can't think of anything else i want to do
 
Why not go for it? As tough as it may be to do, you have found something you love and it isn't unrealistic because other people have done the same thing, so I say go for it man. I WISH I had something like this that was clear to me, because if I had something that I truly wanted to do, I wouldn't have to worry about this.
 
That´s the life I want to live atleast aslong as I´, physically able or untill I get fed up with it.

What are these "shitty" jobs that you do that pays so well?
 
dude you need to stop worrying about fucking education, you have all your life to worry about that shit, but you only have 4 years to party your ass off with hot babes
 
yeah i feel ya man. I got out of HS and didnt want to go, but got pressured by everyone to go to college so i went anyways (waste of $7000). school is good for some people, but i find that most kids do it, because they're told too. its an american mold, that society wants and almost requires you to do. Intelectually and based on Maturity i'm doing more than most people i know at the age of 22, and i'm 18. I quit school, and since then i've had a visit to a very respectable studio, 2 internships, and 2 interviews/sitdowns with respectable film companies.

The worst part about it is that everyone tells you to go, your coneselor, all your friends, and they all say you need it to be successful. Which is bull shit. My uncle never went to school and he's one of the highest paid workers at boeing. Life is about self respect for yourself, and your personal drive to be successful and your dreams.

Life is what you make of it. Everyone tried to get me to stay at college and said it would change, and layed out this timeline of how things would go, and when they'd get better. All i learned is that i'm wasting alot of money to listen to professors and there opinions, eat shitty food, and sleep in a room with a friend i lost because the close quarters. So i said fuck you to everyone and left and have done so much more. Most people will be doing what i'm doing now at the age of 22 and fresh out of college with a 50,000 debt, unless they're rich and have their parents completely pay for it.

So i say do what you see best fitting to your life. People change their minds so often in their lives, why go to school 5 or 6 times. I've learned that when i work hard i'm rewarded. I dont have a degree, but people see my drive and my ability to learn, and its gotten me places i wouldve never thought i could reach!

Enjoy your life and dont ever do what other people want to make you do. Do what works best for you and decide what you need to do when you need to do it! Most importantly as said before have a killer time doing it! And do what you love!
 
Though I find no interest at all in 'partying my ass off' and am actually going to college for the purpose that colleges were founded for.
 
yeah when i was 16 everyone was telling me i needed to decide what i wanted to be, i'm not even close to what i wanted to do than! imagine going to school for 7 years to be some business guy and actually end up wanting to be in the film industry...what a waste eh?
 
I'm kind of worried about going to college. I have to pay rent, car payment, insurance, GAS (for a truck), food, ect. all with a part time job trying to keep my grades up.
 
Production work or hard labour (construction etc) are the best ways to get money fast, construction doesn't pay that well but you get to do alot of hours to compensate that. Production being physically the easy one. And on days of I do some of this and some of that over here and over there, it all adds up you know.

They don't pay SO well, but I always try to seek more then avarage. To bad they closed, I used to have a job that got me +- €2500/month when they had alot of work, which they had for 3 months. But that ment working 7days a week at night, weekends 12h a night for 3 weeks minus the last weekend, so I didn't realy had a social life, or any life that time.

Problem with a life like that is getting things started, nothing you've learned in school will really help you. And getting all the qualifications, financially, isn't easy either. Not to speak about the time and effort you'll put into it to become a good professional, it takes more then just the requidered qualifications.

But anyway, if you want to do it just go for it! I still laugh with my classmates who laughed at me when I dropped out of school and now are jealous of my lifestyle.
 
xtakewarninx dude, you hate college so much. basically every thread you make is about how much college sucks. DROP OUT AND SELL CRACK
 
In my school, we have freshman seminar class (were 15) and we choose a major, what college, go on monster.com and choose an actual job, figure out how much money we will make at our job compared to how much we will spend (rent, car, food, etc.) and how much money to put away till retirement.
 
i have 2 career goals in my life. first is to be an air traffic controller, aviation really interests me and im pretty good with math and problem solving those kinds of things so i think i could do it. they make a good bit of money as well((i know its not a good reason but i dont want a job making $40,000 a year or something)) and after i do that for a good while. id like to take my chances in opening a ski shop somewhere on a mountain....hopefully that will all work out hahah
 
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