I get out of high school in like 8 days.I have no idea what im going to do.Should i jump right into college and risk not having insurance? Should i just work and try to find a band? Im just looking for some general advice and stories on what you guys did after high school.Thanks in advance

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You've got the summer to think it over.

I suppose thats true but if i cant figure it out then im screwed prolly

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Why is that?

By the way, there is already a careers/jobs thread.

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I picked up a construction job after I got out of HS, partied like hell Chris Farley style for a year... then I joined the Steamfitters union. Learn a trade. That way you'll always have a job, you'll be making ~30 bucks an hour, plus your skill will actually be useful, compared to some desk job where you're not really even... useful


The world is FULL of opportunities, it just depends on how bad you want to find them

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i went to college after high school and didn't have any health coverage after some point. haven't had it for a while until i joined the navy..well still in the process of that technically.

sounds like you have some time to figure it out..just make a balance of what you want to do and what you need to do. generally the first job you get isn't going to be the one you stick with forever..and will probably suck to some extent. sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

i go to college this autumn in anthropology, i have to pay 116$ tomorrow to finalize my inscription!

go to college, you always end up with something

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Back in the day, I had no intention of going to college. I got hired at the bakery my family frequented and worked there until after I got married which was a little over a year later.
If there's something you'd love to do for a few years then try to learn as much about that as you can and try to find a job doing that. I have a good friend who studied music all her life and went to several colleges in pursuit of a music teaching career. One job she had was offering sample foods at grocery stores, but she dabbled back and forth to college while she did the odd job thing. She also gave various music lessons as a side job. She's a semester away from having her degree in music education, but felt it unneccesary to get that since she didn't want to teach in a school anymore. And now at almost 50 she's thinking of going back to college and studying physical therapy.

You don't have to make a rash decision about anything as long as you have access to a roof over your head and food that's not out of a dumpster. Try a few different things and see what you like. I heard the average job lasts 5 years now as opposed to 40 when I was younger. One thing I have noticed is that people seem to really do well in things they used to do when they were kids. Nose picking and paste eating not included in jobs.

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First off you really don't have all summer to think about going to college if you wanna go to college this fall.. If your gonna go to college start applying to schools right this second, a community college and or a close university should do just fine. Hopefully you have already taking the SAT or ACT test, if not look it up right now and try to get a date to take it. After this go to that school when your accepted get all the information from them about filling forms out for financial aid which if you fill out your financial aid early man you get way more money back then someone who fills it out a week before bills are due. Also you get a change check back as well around 2,000 dollars a semester for me so that helps a lot especially while working a part time job and living with my parents. A refund varies from person to person i get an ass of scholarships for doing fairly well so thats why its so much, but people who don't get scholarships still get around 1000 here. Also the reason i say close to home is because really if you don't know what you wanna do then go to one close to home in case you decided its not for you. College will give you something to fall back on in case a music career fails also. In College man you meet hot bitch's, get to go to parties, and your life doesn't completely end as I've seen some of my fellow peers from high school who went straight into the work force(Not all but it seemed a majority from my area had it happen). Also you will meet a lot more people who are into music, it least i did. I say go to college I've had one hell of a fantastic time since going. Since you don't know what you wanna do you can always not declare a major until you get your general education requirements in.


Most of us are not lucky enough to live up North where MetalThrashingMad is from and be able to get in with a Union making big bucks for something we get paid 13 dollars for down South.

Let me also add taking time off between Highschool and College man to me hurts you, you can forget so much in 1 year. Go to college man do the thing if you don't like it just say fuck it and leave, but give it a chance before you do that it least 1 year.

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Always have something to fall back on. You can try the whole band thing even with a job. You can also use some of your income to help out with things you might need.

But college is always a smart move. It makes things easier in the long run.

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i dont agree with that, its not because things didnt go in her way that college isnt worth it...and you can change your mind before 50 years old.

Seriously, do something in your life that you like to do, not something you feel obligated to do because you need to pay your roof and your food.

prozac is right, try it before you forget everything, the best thing to do is TRY, you are young you can change your mind.

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College (in the United States) is overrated if you're doing it for more than buying a diploma to get a higher paying job or partying. There is so much you won't learn that you want to and so much that you will learn that is essentially useless knowledge.

your problem sounds like a perfect reason to take a year off; half a year of working and saving money for the other half of travelling. During that time, figure out what subject you want to study.

but most importantly, go with your heart and keep your future in the back of yer head

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It allows a check in the box to be able to get a foot int he door with most jobs. Negatively complaining about the lack of knowledge gained in college is dumb. The purpose of college is to help guide you towards a path of what you might want to get a professional career in, but its not to limit you. If you get a masters degree thats another story.

All bachelors are basically he same. Do extended amounts of work and give you some basic responsibility that those who don't go to college often don't have. Its not hard to get through college, but it sure as hell puts up an easy filter for people to stupid too get through it...

Anyways, a college degree takes place of work experience. And like mentioned by Proaz but i'll go one further, unless you go to a community college its pretty much too late (if i remember rightly) to go to a university (next fall).

I agree with doc. Most people jump into college way too early before learning even the tiniest bit about what the "real world" means. Granted unless you get a pretty good job you too won't have a clue what the real world is, cause living at home while you work at a food place or some box store isn't the real world, (unless you want to be a poor fuck your whole life.)

There is always a small stent in the military. That will definitely broaden your horizons more than most think it does.

Also college doesn't guarantee you a job or even a well paying job at all. Its the biggest fallacy ever. Best thing you could learn to is how to represent yourself and show presence, so if you apply to a job even without a degree you get them. There are plenty of people that graduate college and don't have "careers" even though they've "tried," but i assure you those that know whats going on and how to make an impact get jobs no problem.

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Thanks a ton to everyone for replying and giving me advice.I was thinking about going to community college in the spring of 09 and working most of this year(and hopefully touring).Hopefully in that time and some new experiences might light my way.But dont stop with the suggestions!!!

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Thats a solid idea. It'll give you time to get your shit together.

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That's an ironic sentence

Anyway, why is it dumb to complain about what I'm not learning? I went to a school with a $33,000 tuition, I now go to a school with a $35,000 tuition. The idea of what college has become in the United States is bull shit honestly. Pay exorbitant amounts of money for an education you have little say in for the prospect of having a larger pay check in whatever field you enter. I'm double majoring in Biomedical Engineering and English. Everything I learn in Engineering is basically useless, courses such as Physics, Literature, Math, Philosophy, etc are interesting, but I'll be damned if I have any say in what material I want to learn in those courses. As anti-establishment or rebellious as this sounds, most of what you learn is what the corporation of society deems appropriate or germane.

Or you can just party like a fuckin' rock star in college!

Now i will agree with you one the fact SOME college's are expensive, but i go to a school man where tuition a semester is only 3,500. Sounds to me you're going to a real upper school like Duke University which is mighty expensive. The school i go to has been accredited and highly recognized as a good place to earn a degree and to me thats all that matters and its cheap. Also if i went to a school with that high of a Tuition and I'm guess your talking about yearly tuition at 33,000 i would find another spot to go too, you can go to my school out of state for 6,000 even. Hell i dont know if your from the U.S or not, but dude way cheaper schools are out there who offer those degrees and you are going to that school by choice.

Also i would like to add some more advice there all always Tech schools man people put them down but most local universities and tech schools work together to let people go to tech at a WAY cheaper price and if they feel they wanna earn a degree the university will allow for a certain amounts of credits to switch over. Don't stay too long tho, i think only a minority of credits switch over.

But it seems you have a good plan just follow your heart and what you feel you have to do economically, emotionally, and mentally(what ever order feels right). But right now i would highly recommend you take one of the college placement test if you haven't the SAT or ACT the scores you get last along time i think over 2 years, do this since high school math and English are still fresh in your head.

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Its not an ironic statement. If you're too stupid or uninclined to take any kind of furthering your education then employeers can screen you out without having to interview the person.

I could go on a tangent to the gay shit universities do and some of the lack of education you get. But thats another time and another thread. This is about what he should be doing, regardless of the legitimacy of how much you learn and blah blah blah. If thats what you have to do and its such an easy obstacle those who DON"T do it, are fucking stupid, (unless they got a legitimate reason why it doesn't matter for them which is few and far between). End of story.

I've been around people that don't have a degree nor any desire to get one, i'll get the fucking degree just to not have to be around them. Also i don't feel like doing manual labor my whole life. In fact i don't want to do it at all. I'd much rather sit back as a management or whatever business/contract/whatever and do more talking to people than actual "work."

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Hmm, it seems like there's quite a few HS seniors here.

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Perhaps.

Join the military.

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dont do that, haha

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Got something against joining the military?

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+1

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Any real reason why?

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well, in my opinion, there is more in life than joining army, nothing against army itself but, i think knowledge is way more important than obey of what your country told you...i know there are actually more than ''obeying'' but, its my opinion

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Trying college is a good idea, but in that time you should actually make a commitment to giving it all you have while you're there.

I would highly recommend trying most of the ideas listed here (looking for jobs, giving it some time) but the army is not a good thing to look at out of high school. There is so much more that you can give a try, really.

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I think anyone who doesn't know what they want should join the militay, instead of being a waste of life living in your parents basement hogging all their funds...or working a low paying job that really won't get you anywhere anyway... or go to college and don't take it seriously and end up dropping out and wasting thousands. Go Military. That'll put ya on the right path. Don't listen to Bob, he's Canadian. Haha

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join a cult

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i was talking about this with a friend, just last night. one of our good highschool friends is in the army right now. he joined because he didnt know what to do after we graduated, and he hated/hates school. apparently hes "finishing" his term soon. he said he doesnt have much of a choice now, and is expected to go to school. i dont know all the "benefits" of joining, but other than those, it seems like he wasted his time. hes back in front of the school doors, and doesnt want to walk in, anymore than he didnt, 3 years ago. IMO, his brothers situation is worse. his brother went for a term in the navy, then he came back to live with his mom. he works at a local call center, making little more than my other friend did when he took a temporary job there. i think the problem (if seen as such) is that sooo many fucking people are joining now. im assuming the benefits arnt even half of what they used to be. and finally, i have a different friend that joined the navy too. he said that one of the biggest mistakes hes ever made, was listening to that random recruiter that told him everything he "thought he wanted to hear".

i have absolutely no patience for the recruiters ive had the discomfort of conversing with. do they not know the meaning of harassment? i literally had to tell this guy (on like the 6th call he made to my house) "im not joining the fucking army. EVER. dont call. dont ask. and i cant stress this enough: fuck off. *click*" it worked.

this is what little ive picked up on, over a few years. and i think there is a significant difference in joining the army because you want to fight for your country, and joining the army because you dont want to go to school... which is exactly what was just suggested, above.

Thats the army.

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you know, its only a matter of time, thats why i think there is more than joining military.

Exploring, working with a low paying job are 2 important experiences to try, so college is.

Instead of doing what your governement want you to do, do what is more important for you, ill try the job, traveling and then college.

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Ok unless you are in the military go ahead and assume you have no idea what it is about or teaches you.

My dad was in the marine corps for 20 years and until i joined i didn't know anything about it. (even though i most certainly thought i did, and all my friends in similar situations thought as well.)

The military teaches you so much about living a productive life that to say "it teaches you to do what your country asks" is about as fucking stupid as it gets.

It teaches you responsibilities, discipline, people skills, team work, compassion and comradery just to name a few. It doesn't just teach you them you are forced to learn them. But not even just learn them but to understand their value.

The vast portion of the population fails to learn these things as they start their careers and its very apparent that college doesn't teach you these at all. Maybe tiny bits of some of these but hardly like the military does.

The military forces you to grow up and see the world as it really is. You afraid to follow orders? Do you really think that when you get a real job you don't abide by the SAME rules as you do in the military? Appearance, timeliness, cooperation, and FOLLOWING orders given to you? Hell its even more difficult in the civilian world cause alot of times your performance is much higher in evaluation than a government job.

I can tell you from both worlds cause guess what i've been in both, you learn more about life in 1 year of the military than all 4 years of college.

There is a reason why active and former military looks down at the general populace. Because they're nasty, stupid, and ignorant. Its not too common to find people who pick up good habits over time.

This isn't the appropriate thread to be discussion personal afflictions with these choices. Hes looking for things that are going to positively move him forward in life. Why limit him? Thats the same stupid fucking attitude california seems to have with this extreme liberal stance of removing recruiters from college campuses. Give them all the options, their pros and cons and let him decide. Stop fucking deciding for him.

Community College
4 Year university
Getting a basic entry level real job
Military
Union jobs

Any others?

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Probably the best advice on here

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true. it still is an option that is good for some, and better for others. it just so happens that i know a few who it wasnt so great for, but they chose it anyway (and then shortly after, came complaining to me about it).

two weeks after that highschool friend joined, he told me that he had said to himself "holy shit, theres a war going on". like he hadnt even considered that, before getting in... which is pretty ridiculous because did he not just ignore the sole purpose of the army? i said "i could have reminded you of the war, but i thought you had that much covered...".

in my last post, it possibly looked like im just trying to bash army/military/navy or whatever, but im really not. ive just never really vented on how irresponsibly hasty some of my friends were about it.

and TM, im sure there are some great personality benefits that i wasnt considering, and many people really do need that. im not so sure about that whole 1 yr of military>4 years of college, life business. you learn about THAT life. "life" isnt the same for everyone. and that life certainly is not for everyone.

The post i did wasn't intended for you so much, rather venting on anti-military ideas based off of bs information.

You are absolutely right. There are definitely people, ALOT of people who jump into it without the information of what they're going to be doing and end up hating it.

Its not for everyone. It is an OPTION, a very good one that shouldn't be thrown out without proper information.

I agree with your last statements, but i there are alot of good civic and responsible personalities that are gained via military that you just simply won't get in college.

The only reason i get heated over this is I personally know what happens in the military and i know how that some people find it great, and others not so much.

Needless to say having military background on your resume is very big. It in alot of ways is equivalent to a 4 year degree, especially if you know how to swing it that way. (this is one of the things you learn about the real world, that you don't learn in college, and thats how to really represent yourself and give presence in a job interview)

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lol exactly.

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fixed that for you.

tm is right about the military. it will teach you a lot of valuable things that you can and most likely will carry on with you into the civilian world as well as your personal life.

part of the reason i decided to join is because i was doing the post college office job thing and it wasn't really doing it for me. not only was i just getting by..i wasn't really moving forward all that much either in a number of areas. the sad part about it was that i was comfortable enough that i didn't really push myself to make any big changes.

now i'll be making more money than i ever have before, i'll have full health insurance..something i haven't had in years, i'll learn about all kinds of things that i can apply to later jobs after i get out or retire, and also will be able to do and see things that most people never get to experience.

it's definitely not for everyone, and i'd have even laughed at you if two years ago you'd say i'd be doing what i'm doing now. it's up to the individual to decide..i'd be lying if i didn't say i miss how my life used to be. as of right now, i've sacrificed a lot of freedoms i had just under a month ago. fortunately, it's only temporary and i'll regain many of those freedoms once i'm out of the initial training.

If you don't know what to do, i'd go to college and figure it out from there.

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This is absolutely what you should do.

If you don't fancy traditional university education, do something vocational.

If you are academically minded then go to uni and do something useful like training as a scientist, or at least do a scientific subject which actually qualifies you to do something not everyone else can.

My (horribly biased) opinion is don't waste your time doing something that will set you up for nothing. Unless you are passionate about, and shit-hot at, an artistic subject I would forget it for university study as the only degree-relavent career is school teaching. Most school teachers I know hate their jobs, but it is your call.

If you want a high fliying desk job in *dubious job title* with companies like *snappy acronym* in the city earning $ridiculous, then do any degree at a top university right ASAP - they want young blood.

One last point - you can go to university whenever you like, there is no mystical 18-21 window of oppertunity. If you're unsure, save your money until you know you want to spend it.