After high school..

[Xalioniaf]

Seeing as I'm a senior in high school, all the teachers are pushing for their students to apply to colleges, take them SAT and ACT, etc.
I'm taking the ACT in October, but thinking about life after high school bothers me.
Every time a discussion on the topic comes up, I always feel weird for not having at least vague ideas like my friends.
"I plan to go to an art school", "I'm pretty sure I'll do something in writing", etc. etc.
I don't even have an idea on what I want to do. It's kinda depressing.

 

[Allegretto]

get gen-eds over with and go from there. Grats on graduating this year! ^^

 

[Makelith]

I was in the exact same boat as you last year when i was a senior in high school. Everyone else had already applied and been accepted and i still had no idea what school i even wanted to go to.

The absolute worst thing you can do, is go to a college just to be with someone else (girlfriend/bestfriend/whatever). Other than that, there isn't really a wrong thing to do.

Since i didn't have an idea, i decided to go to a community college here. Its about 1/3 of the price of a private university and state colleges, but you learn the same stuff. Freshman english is freshman english weather you are at harvard or a community college. Get your generals out of the way, and take some electives. If you find an elective you like, take another course in it. If you like it even more, you will probably be able to transfer to a 4 year college by this time to be able to major in that field if you like it.

Don't let high school subjects you don't like deter you. (I despised HS chemistry, but now i'm a chemistry major going into pharmacy. I'm the next peregrine...)

Just go at your own pace and don't be ashamed to tell people that you don't know. Rushing off to a decision you aren't ready for could be *alot* worse than taking a year off of school all together to work full time or something. (My grandpa did this and is now a millionaire, when everyone said he would never ammount to anything after taking a year off of college.)

But most of all. Have fun in college. Don't let your teachers scare you too much, because they are most likely wrong, but at the same time don't get too caught up in having fun.

Thats my advice. Have the time of your life.

 

[Neisan]

I was like that in a way; everyone else seemed on top, heading out to an overseas college/ community college, and I was moping about worried about if I was even going to graduate. I wound up working on the back of a trash truck for about 6 months.

6 months later I'm a Supervising Marine Engineer in training when I had no fucking idea how I was going to get anywhere in life. Go figure. If you feel you just need to step back and work for a while, go do that. College will still be waiting for you when you find out what you really want to do.

 

[Zhaoyun]

I'm in the same boat.

 

[Mistra]

In all honesty, you're completely normal. Your friends, even though they have a seemingly solid idea of what they are going to do, really don't. They will change their minds. College after highschool is in fact a great step. It's one you should probably take. But it's not a step you have to take, don't ever make that mistake.

Namely, if you are unsure about what you want to do, it's for a reason. You probably feel you have talents talored for more than one specific thing. That's just fine. Life is a lesson, a life-long lesson at that (duh). You'll find yourself eventually.

My particular path was to join the military to get my foot in the door in the way of electrical and mechanical engineering, things I have a serious passion for doing, and really get some good inside knowledge. Now that it's over, I'm also tailoring myself to another long loved activity, and that's writing. You never have to limit yourself, but you need to maintain your desires in a steady way. Do some checks and balances with yourself and your own inner-government. Discover what you like best, and what you don't. Take your time doing it, it's all up to you.

The biggest key thing many people forget about, and this goes for the general public as a whole, is that if you, individually, as a person within yourself, strive to maintain a higher level of knowledge, have an insatiable thirst for success, and more than genuinely want to succeed, but rather, have the drive to succeed, then you generally will be a success.

Time and time again, especially working right now in the insurance industry, do I see people get comfortable in their respective jobs. I see people working in the assembly part of the business (I.E.: being a paper bitch) and they do it for years. And years. And the next thing they know, they're 49 years old, they have no higher education, no higher level of knowledge, and they're making 29k per year. Because they got comfortable. I see it time and time again, and it makes me sad every time.

Always remember this when you start your career. No matter what, there is no instant key to the top. There never will be, unless you have family in the industry and they leave things to you in effort to keep it in the family. That happens, but not commonly. You're going to start from the bottom, or from a lower tier, the faster you accept that, the faster you are going to have a rewarding experience and career. Don't ever get comfortable. That's the philosophy I live by, and always will. I want more knowledge, I want to apply it to life and help myself and others. But more than just wanting these, I strive for them. It's my goal, master plan. It's written down, and it stares at me every day. It's a document on my desk, both at work and at home. It sits there every day. Corny or not, it's the application of my efforts, what I strive for. It's what I live for. I apply the rule to everything. Work, my writing, raising my puppy, Buddy, interracting with friends, learning, exercise.

It has one word on it, in nice bold print, italicized, big.

Excel

 

[Romper]

I was in the exact same boat as you last year when i was a senior in high school. Everyone else had already applied and been accepted and i still had no idea what school i even wanted to go to.

The absolute worst thing you can do, is go to a college just to be with someone else (girlfriend/bestfriend/whatever). Other than that, there isn't really a wrong thing to do.

Since i didn't have an idea, i decided to go to a community college here. Its about 1/3 of the price of a private university and state colleges, but you learn the same stuff. Freshman english is freshman english weather you are at harvard or a community college. Get your generals out of the way, and take some electives. If you find an elective you like, take another course in it. If you like it even more, you will probably be able to transfer to a 4 year college by this time to be able to major in that field if you like it.

Don't let high school subjects you don't like deter you. (I despised HS chemistry, but now i'm a chemistry major going into pharmacy. I'm the next peregrine...)

Just go at your own pace and don't be ashamed to tell people that you don't know. Rushing off to a decision you aren't ready for could be *alot* worse than taking a year off of school all together to work full time or something. (My grandpa did this and is now a millionaire, when everyone said he would never ammount to anything after taking a year off of college.)

But most of all. Have fun in college. Don't let your teachers scare you too much, because they are most likely wrong, but at the same time don't get too caught up in having fun.

Thats my advice. Have the time of your life.

This is a good starting point.

On top of enjoying college enjoy your senior year. It's simple and you can get away with practically anything.

 

[Kotsu]

After high school, my legacy only became greater and greater. Since then, I've made a lot of money in business with an outstanding ability with money, people, and proposed business strategies. I'm 22 and doing great in that aspect. Flip side of that is that my life is work and it's tough to hold down a relationship and all that shit. Y'know, future of starting and family and all. of course, you're 18 and not concerned with that. In my time, I've learned that all you need to succeed in life is dedication and a solid work ethic. The old saying "where there's a will, there's a way" is most definately true. Look at what inspires you to become a better person, then do it. That'd be my recommendation to you.

 

[Mattaru]

Very few people really know what they want to do at the end of high school. As Mistra said even people who think they do really don't because very few people have had enough experience in what they think they want to do to really know what they want. So just take it easy get your cores out of the way, find something that isn't easy and is challenging but you love doing it anyway and thats a good start.

As much as I agree with the second half of Kotsu's sentiment, but really "your legacy". God, masterbate the old fashioned way and not in public like that.

 

[Antor]

The absolute worst thing you can do, is go to a college just to be with someone else (girlfriend/bestfriend/whatever). Other than that, there isn't really a wrong thing to do.

Although I do agree that it's a bad idea to go solely based on that it certainly isn't a bad reason when you're weighing multiple different schools. I know for me it was a deciding factor between two different schools I was accepted to.

 

[Lyrai]

I just graduated high school in June, but I'm not going to college yet. Because of money troubles and not really having the best grades, I didn't enroll. I do know what I want to do, and that's study psychology. All of my friends are in college now, off in various places and here I am, still here. I tried to start community college this fall, but I lacked transportation.

I don't like the fact that I'm still here, and it didn't help when my "friends" told me that I wasn't as smart as I thought I was. So what if I'm not going to some big name college? My friends might be, but that doesn't make them better than me.

If you can't get into the college you want to, or can't decide what you want to do, spend some time reading up on things you're interested in. Do what I do, even though I can't go to college yet, I have plenty of Psychology textbooks that I read, and try to learn things that I would be learning in college. I enjoy it and after struggling over various career paths, such as teaching, language study, and art, I've found something that would fit with my life.

What do you enjoy? What are you passionate about? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 20 years? Don't think too much about the money that you would get from a career, because by the time you're out of college, the most wanted jobs when you started, won't be in demand anymore. It's better to take the time to figure out what you want to do, so you're not miserable for the rest of your life, doing a job that you hate.

I'm also always here if you need someone to talk to or vent to, so don't hesitate.

 

[Sharpe]

In all honesty, you're completely normal. Your friends, even though they have a seemingly solid idea of what they are going to do, really don't. They will change their minds.

Agreed it took me 2 years doing a history major to realise what it was I really wanted to do.

 

[Stouter]

I'd suggest that you get a job after you graduate and take the basic math/speech/english/history/etc and any other classes you think sound good at a community college while you stay with your parents. You'll be able to pay for your college without taking out loans, and have some money to go out and enjoy yourself on weekends, while still having some left over to save up.

The credits will transfer to a real college if you decide that's what you want to do and get at least a B in them, and if you decide the blue collar life is for you then you've got a decent start at it.

The worst thing you can do is nothing. You'll never realize what you want to do with your life by sitting on your ass or hanging around with your friends.

 

[Kotsu]

As much as I agree with the second half of Kotsu's sentiment, but really "your legacy". God, masterbate the old fashioned way and not in public like that.

lol but it es moar funner :crazy: I was just kiddin' around with that. Truth is, no matter what decision you make you're always going to second guess yourself if you don't have the confidence to push forward. In personal opinion, if you and/or your family have the money, I'd say go out and experience more of the world. You're only young once and time doesn't wait for anyone. Do what makes you happy, but keep in mind the responsibilities that will develope over time. Once you know what makes you happy, pursue that goal.

Also, I completely agree with Mistra's goal setting. I was taught a while ago that with goals you have to write them down. I've gone a different route in actually making a depth chart for my goals. I keep 5 goals at a time and number them by priority. From there, make a depth chart that further breaks down the path(s) to obtaining that goal so that you stay on course to your accomplishment. Everyday, wake up and look at that goal chart and evaluate yourself. Obviously, make sure that you have set yourself realistic goals. Lower priority for goals that are long term because you need to spread your focus around. The final thing that I do is I keep a small piece of paper with all 5 goals in my wallet. I do that because at any point if I question my goals or don't feel like doing what's necessary to obtain them, I have written down a reminder of why I'm doing this. With all 5 goals comes the reasons I do it. Whether it's for someone else, to better my life, more money, health, to make a difference somewhere at sometime. It doesn't matter why you do what you do to anyone else but you. In the end, be confident with every decision you make and never ask the question "what if" because you'll never be able to change what you already have done. Whether you go to trade school, college, or straight into the working force. It's a decision that you make and the time you spend in it is by your choice. You can always change your mind later, but there's no sense in regretting the choice you make today.

 

[Tristam Green]

After high school, I was going to go to college on an NROTC scholarship, graduate with a degree in Aerospace Engineering, fly F/A-18s for a few years as a Naval Aviator, then go to work for Boeing.

Just after I graduated, I had a mandatory physical just to join the ROTC program with the Navy.

It was discovered I had a heart condition known as Atrioventricular Nodal Re-entry Tachycardia; not life-threatening, but life-altering in more than one way. It effectively nixed me from flight, and thereby removing any other interests I had in military service.

Since the surgery to repair my heart, I found myself no longer certain about my course in life. I had prepared myself to be a pilot, and to attend those schools, that I hadn't known anything else.

As a result, I went to four different colleges over the past seven-year span, half-majoring in Physics, Computer Science, and History, and finally graduating from a 2-year college with an Associate of Science in Network Systems Management.

In retrospect, I had a great plan for my life. However, I would not trade a single day of the life I've led or the man I've become for a fraction of any of my old plan.

 

[Sorrowfulturnip]

I waited 3 years after high school before I finally got settled with a community college which is what I'm currently doing now. During the 3 years I just worked and saved. Had no real plan for my future. I had dreams but the colleges that were required was to expensive and they would never accept my GPA so I was kind of stuck. I struggled some in high school. I was never much of a partier or got into trouble so I don't blame that. School just isn't my thing plus I just found it to be difficult. Yes I do try too. I've always struggled through it since day one.

I used to work as a stock worker for an electrical contracting company in a warehouse that stores electrical material. I started there during my senior year part time and moved to full time a few months after I graduated. During the 3 years I was there, people at my old job told me that if I waited this long to go back to school then I'm never going back. Told me not to waste my time. Told me I'd be stuck at that warehouse for the rest of my life. Reason I didn't go was because I didn't no what to do or what college to go to. Plus I didn't make a whole lot of money and my parents always struggled with money so they couldn't send me to school.

Now heres where high school paid off. I took 4 years of drafting/architect classes learning ol school board and pencil and computer drawing such as AutoCAD which some of you may have heard of. This was something I always enjoyed doing but for reasons mentioned earlier I felt I couldn't pursue it. Because of that experience alone, someone I knew hooked me up with a job at an entry level position for a civil engineering company as a CAD tech. They provide on the job training plus I'm getting CAD experience which is what I enjoy doing. They even recommended me to go to school as a way to move up in the company. Currently now I'm going to a community college to get my general studies in arts and sciences. Yes 3 years later after being told that I'm not going back. After that there is a engineering certificate program that I'm going to take for CAD and drafting classes. I still live at home since I can't afford rent plus school and vairous other bills I have. I'm just saving a little at a time during a semister then when next semister comes around I use the saved money to pay for it. No loans to deal with. Its worth it to me.

I'm hoping now to get a good career in this field between the degrees and my current job experience. Plus I hear its easier to get accepted to large companies with job experience over a 4 year degree with no experience (I could be wrong here but thats what I heard). My main dream is to be a CAD tech for an residential architectual company since thats what I truely enjoy designing.

So yeah college will always be there. Theres no rush. Its good to go to a 4 year college but its not required. Just take your time and figure out what you want to do.