Whats a college drop out to do?

The jist of it is, I've dropped out of college and theres pretty much no way I'm going back. I have no degree, no real skills to offer and I'm here in my parents house. I need to move out within the next couple months, and I don't know what the hell to do. I'm pretty much free to move anywhere I want I guess, but where to go is the question, and how the hell I'm going to pay my bills is a bigger one. I just don't know how to begin, all I want is to be able to sustain myself, making something worthwhile out of my life is something tougher that I'll just have to tackle later down the road. Anyone have any advice? It's a lofty question I know, but I'm completely at a loss. I've thought about just moving far far away and doing something completely out of left field (I am free with a clean slate), but damn what could the even be? Or maybe I should just move to the outskirts where its cheap to live and work at some chain store to get by, it seems to work for alot of people. Has anyone else gone through this?

in my experience it is now time for you to learn how to swing a hammer.

Best Buy is an excellent source for discarded boxes. Get there early for the fridge crates though.

Win the lottery.

Our wonderful president would probably suggest you enlist.

"I wanted to meet people from an ancient and exotic culture.... and kill them."

try to find a job that you can grow with, it would be especially good for you to learn a trade as you will be able to command higher wages once you learn and develop skills.

after you find a job, i would recommend that you work and save money religously until your life makes sense.

why DID you quit college?

just out of curiousity. i quit too. for too many reasons to list.

i am currently a self-taught (and professionally employed) graphic designer.

A friend of mine is from Alaska, he has tons of stories about fishermen being dismembered, torn to pieces, and dying horrible deaths.

Pay's nice, though.

Learn how to do some computer design/programming...nobody gives a shit if you have degree if you can get the job done. Good luck.

I hear trucking can be quite lucrative

And the ever popular waiting on tables

*steps on to soap box*

I am a carpenter. I am 21. I attended college for a total of a year and am considering going back next semester because I like to learn new things and a degree never hurt anyone...What I cant stand is the impression that most people have about carpenters and tradesmen in general...We..as a whole..are fairly intelligent people with a talent for working with our hands. I personally could go to school and get whatever degree I feel inclined to...however, I made a choice to become a carpenter and learn everything I could about my trade...I want to start a business building custom hardwood furniture...I have seen/heard far too many people making the assuption that just because someone is a tradesman, they must not have been smart enough for antyhing else...I would challenge any of these people to build a house or even a table of even average quality...

I think Im done now...thank you...

I dropped out too, 3 years ago.

My only advice to you is to get away from home. Think of someplace you'd like to try out, and then go for it. If you are like me starting out is the hardest part. Don't waste much time deciding, in the end it matters less where you are and more who you become.

That's actually one of the first things I did when I dropped out of college. I went to Seattle via Greyhound with a buddy of mine. We didn't get the job, but we stayed for a good part of the summer.

Dropping out is not the end of the world. I did it and spent the next eight years bumming down the east coast. Retail and labor, that's how I did it.

I think Turin meant learn how to swing a hammer and hit rich people over the head and take all of their money.

Am I right? Huh? Am I?

...ok Im all better now

A lot of those deaths have to do with this thing:



My friend worked on a fishing boat in Alaska for a while, and took that photo (and lots of other good ones!). That thing pulls rope in with enough force to lift the weight of the boat, so if your raincoat gets caught in it you probably lose an arm or a life. It's pretty serious business. But he enjoyed it.

Sell drugs.

Granted, you have to build a network of connections and customers to be truly successful, and it helps to have a cell phone or beeper, but at least you don't need a degree, and you get to work from home and be your own boss.

And if you get caught, you can learn all sorts of new blackmarket entreprenurial skills in prison. It's almost as useful as the military.

I dropped out due to a couple of things, namely money and one doozey of a reason, one which I really can't go into without blasting into a huge diatrabe about myself and why things have ended up the way they have. It sounds lame, but believe me when I say going back is pretty much completely out of the picture (I only lasted a semester anyway, and to be honest I never should've gone in the first place). I really don't want to be an unhappy schlub my whole life, but it seems more and more hopeless the more I think about it. I feel like my fates been sealed, like i've been diagnosed with a terminal illness to which theres no cure, and the doctors are looking at me and saying "well, you're fucked". Maybe I just have to accept it and take what I can get (which is pretty much scrubbing dishes my whole life or drowning off the coast of alaska), crushed dreams are a bitch. Thanks for listening, I know I'm being kind of self deprecating about the whole thing which probably doesn't help.

Also I don't mean any offense to anyone who works as a tradesman/in the service industry etc. I'm just being kind of melo dramatic because I really had my sights set on being a graphic designer. My dads a landscaper and he built his company from scratch, not knowing anything about anything, I know I know...

I to dropped out of college, and ended up signing a contract that I shouldn't have signed. I realized I'm retarded and it has set my mind at peace. And now I'm going back to college.

Fuck that you have good friends and good experiences.

Try becoming a Gigalo, it worked for Duce Bigalo.

Look, you do what you gotta do.
If you have a goal, you'll find a fuckin way to get there if you really want to get there.

I've dropped out of college 3 times. 2 of my own will, 1 of not. .On the fourth try I got it done. Now I'm working on something else. And it's a lot of work, but I'm doing whatever I have to do because I've got that goal in mind, and I know what needs to be done to get there.

I've been a dishwasher (free food), a telemarketer (living in Hollywood sucked sometimes), and then I was data entry clerk for the local dump. Good times. And they got me thru. So.. in short- suck it up.

become a paramedic or police officer.

thatd definitely fill your want for accomplishment and meaning
EMS classes from what i know are about 400bucks or so thats including the book and its equal to about 1 semester of college - this is just from my experience it may differ. GREAT step for becoming a RN later in life which is a REALLY good job

police academy is ummm 6months? actually i have no idea but its a good job and a real career with plenty of chance for advancement

these in my mind are much more realistic than suddenly being an awesome artist and computer software whiz and being able to hack the everchanging technology job field

double post



[Edited on Dec 05, 2004 by Testm0nkey]

seconded...the struggles in life are what make our accomplishments great...