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I don't know what to do with my life...

C

CityEscape

Jul 1, 2009
304
7
South Pasadena, California
#1
I'm entering my junior year of high school this fall, and everyone around me seems to know exactly what college they want to go to, what they want to major in, and what they want as a career.

Me, I have no idea what do to. As far as a career, the things I'm interested in would make for a rough and likely low-paying (if I could even get work) job. (Music, film.) I want to be realistic though, but on the other hand, I don't want to get a job just because I get a big check.

Help?
 
#2
CityEscape said:
I'm entering my junior year of high school this fall, and everyone around me seems to know exactly what college they want to go to, what they want to major in, and what they want as a career.

Me, I have no idea what do to. As far as a career, the things I'm interested in would make for a rough and likely low-paying (if I could even get work) job. (Music, film.) I want to be realistic though, but on the other hand, I don't want to get a job just because I get a big check.

Help?
Click to expand...

Good luck kid. I'm 33 an still trying to figure out what I want to do with my life.
 
#4
Advice from an old guy who has been down that road...

What you will find out in a few short years is that a large percentage of those people who seem to know what they want to do will change their mind, or will end up in a career far removed from their college degree. You have a lot of growing and living left to do, there's no reason you NEED to put yourself into a particular box at this point. After high school, continue classes at one of the local community colleges (Pasadena or Glendale are both great choices). You'll find your way soon enough.
 
#5
EricF said:
Advice from an old guy who has been down that road...

What you will find out in a few short years is that a large percentage of those people who seem to know what they want to do will change their mind, or will end up in a career far removed from their college degree. You have a lot of growing and living left to do, there's no reason you NEED to put yourself into a particular box at this point. After high school, continue classes at one of the local community colleges (Pasadena or Glendale are both great choices). You'll find your way soon enough.
Click to expand...

Thanks, but I'm planning on a 4-year university for several reasons. For 1, CC's are incredibly crowded. A friend of a friend has been trying to get a certain class at PCC, and after 6 years of trying, he still can't get it.
In addition, I want the full college experience. I've heard enough amazing things about college from adults and current students that makes me just want to fast-forward through these next two years.
 
#8
I feel your pain; I went through the same exact thing when I was in high school. The truth is, the vast majority of your peers at school that think they know exactly what they want to do, actually have no idea what they want to do. And the ones that do know will change their minds four times by the time they are in their twenties.
It's just human nature; we don't fully develop as individuals until well after high school. I will answer your question based on my experience:

I had a chance to either go to Berklee, Grambling, or keep my grades up and go to UCLA. I didn't know whether to pursue academics locally, go to a southern college, or keep going with my music. I goofed off junior and senior year, and as a result my grades eventually were not good enough for UCLA; that was one less thing to worry about. I got audition tapes, recommendation letters, etc. for Berklee but never sent them in out of indecisiveness. I got accepted to Grambling, but never went; again due to indecisiveness.
I ended up at Cerritos College, thinking that I could figure it all out in the two years there. I changed my majors from Anthropology, to music, teaching, to Psychology, and back to music before getting married and entering the workforce full time. The vast majority of the kids I went to school with that went off to college ended up right back in the neighborhood a year or two later.
Fast forward to 2009, I'm 26, and I know for sure that I should have gone to Berklee.

My advice? Ask yourself what is more important to you: being happy and broke (but still surviving), or being financially OK and pursuing your dreams as a hobby. That's all it boils down to. If you can't figure it out right now, there's no shame in sticking around locally until you do.

EDIT: wow, 6 posts all saying, pretty much, the same thing. Worth a listen.
 
#12
CityEscape said:
Thanks, but I'm planning on a 4-year university for several reasons. For 1, CC's are incredibly crowded. A friend of a friend has been trying to get a certain class at PCC, and after 6 years of trying, he still can't get it.
In addition, I want the full college experience. I've heard enough amazing things about college from adults and current students that makes me just want to fast-forward through these next two years.
Click to expand...

There's no shame in going to a CC until you figure it out. The risk of going to a 4yr college and dropping out after a year or two with debt up the arse and your parents pissed at you (if they're paying) doesn't match up to the reward of chicks and beer in college.
 
#13
As much as I would LOVE to turn my bass playing or musical talent into a career, in today's world, it's next to impossible to make a living. To quote my teacher, "Everyone of my musician friends is SCREAMING, I mean SCREAMING at me that there is no work." And his friends are legends. Incredible people, and musicians. Now, I'd put myself at "pretty good." My cousin attempted the industry, and he can't pay his rent. Yes, I love bass. And yes, I love music. But I just think its wishful thinking to think that I can do this to pay the bills.
 
#16
CityEscape said:
Thanks, but I'm planning on a 4-year university for several reasons. For 1, CC's are incredibly crowded. A friend of a friend has been trying to get a certain class at PCC, and after 6 years of trying, he still can't get it.
In addition, I want the full college experience. I've heard enough amazing things about college from adults and current students that makes me just want to fast-forward through these next two years.
Click to expand...

I would bet that you will find a place to focus your attention sometime between now and the first couple years at a university. Stop worrying so much about it.
 
#17
One thing that I've found out in my own life experience is that some of the things that we enjoy doing and consider "fun", cease to be fun when we are forced to have to do them.
In retrospect, I think it's better to have a job that you can tolerate and that pays the bills, and leave the fun stuff for your own personal fulfillment.
I also agree that a CC is a great place to go while you figure things out. There's no way that's going to hurt, it'll only help.
 
#19
Honestly 4 year college isn't that great, living in dorms sucks for a plethora of reasons, It's expensive as all heck and its really hard to switch majors and you usually HAVE to have a major. Community college is a lot better IMO. You can live where you want, eat what you want when you want to and CA community college is really cheap. If you're having a hard time in SO. Cal come up here the CC's are full yeah but not as bad down there. You're a junior anyway, when I was junior in HS I didn't give a crap about college but I don't know about now people put a lot more into HS then they should these days
 
#20
CityEscape said:
As much as I would LOVE to turn my bass playing or musical talent into a career, in today's world, it's next to impossible to make a living. To quote my teacher, "Everyone of my musician friends is SCREAMING, I mean SCREAMING at me that there is no work." And his friends are legends. Incredible people, and musicians. Now, I'd put myself at "pretty good." My cousin attempted the industry, and he can't pay his rent. Yes, I love bass. And yes, I love music. But I just think its wishful thinking to think that I can do this to pay the bills.
Click to expand...

Yes, it is wishful thinking. It's not impossible, but the chances are extremely slim. Being in So Cal only makes the odds worse.

I know a handful of "professional" musicians (guys whos only income is derived from music). Every one of them struggles financially. For example, the last teacher I worked with gigs regularly, does session work, teaches privately, and is on the staff at a local music school. He lives in a converted garage. Not my idea of a good time for a 40+ year-old. This is more common than you might want to believe.

I'm much more a fan of having a good job that allows me to live comfortably, take care of my wife and kids, buy the gear I want, and enjoy music on my terms.
 

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