I would love to drop out of school. Seeking words of wisdom

[zeeko]

I'm 21 with above-average intelligence, a fairly creative mind, and I'm slightly-to-moderately disenchanted with post-secondary education. A degree is certainly an investment in something, but I, quite frankly, am bored to tears. I'm studying architecture and urban studies and have a near-4.0 gpa, but.. but yeah... I think I've just about had my fill. I'm tired of- absurd amount of pressure for high marks, high cost of school, lack of real world application, shitty professors, poor future career/salary outlook, etc etc. The thought of toiling at a desk in one building in one city for long periods at a time does not excite me in the slightest. There has to be another way.

Secretly, I think I would like to be an electrician (My dad is a master and I have a slight amount of experience in the field), but I feel like my parents, including my dad, would say I'm making a poor choice (and would surely imply that I'm not using my brain to the best of my ability), and maybe it would be a poor choice; trades intrigue me and experiential learning pleases me much more than textbook. I have two or three years of college left, and I've already accrued 15,000 in debt and I'm at this horrible, horrible juncture. I feel that staying in school and "sticking it out" goes against everything I believe in, but, at the present, I lack any real marketable skills. Fuck.

Choosing a major/pursuing one single career freaks me the fuck out. I've already transferred schools once. I want to someday have some skill I can use to help people/non-profits- possibly around the world. I will pull out all of my teeth before I work a job that I don't enjoy that pays well. I live/plan to continue living a fairly frugal lifestyle and happiness/daily enjoyment matters more to me than monetary wealth.

On a side note, I'm currently working for Delta and am able to fly anywhere in the country for free and just about anywhere in the world for ridiculously cheap whenever I want and I feel like there Has to be some mother f'ing way I can work for the airline part-time and utilize my traveling abilities to earn a living. Thoughts on this?


I need some third party input. Stat. Rip me apart, assholes.

[LawL]

[plained]

ur young ey so the low ight cycle takes a long time to kick in

as u get older ur hormonnes unpeak sooner and sooner after the summers goen and the winter lowlight blues kickin

so u may think u have "urgent" feelings u have to act on

u sound like u have quite an ideal setup!

i would finish up the degree and then hey wtf u can work with pappy with a degree and have both

ey also money is a good thing really if u like to help others u urself need stability and money can providesome of that giving u a level head of helpothersness

15k? pppfft drop in the buckett !

its an investment u wont ever regret imo!

in closeing dont do anything drastic but after a wile after the winter low light blues levels off, if u still feel the same, maybe take a fair amount of time andconcider a diff major

hehe hope that help!

oh yea go get weenwrung youll prolly feel better!

[4days]

what plained said, i think.

I want to someday have some skill I can use to help people/non-profits- possibly around the world. I will pull out all of my teeth before I work a job that I don't enjoy that pays well. I live/plan to continue living a fairly frugal lifestyle and happiness/daily enjoyment matters more to me than monetary wealth.

that's a nice idea and a good way to live, but however frugal you want to be, you need money - and without a degree or a real idea of what you want to do, the NGO's won't be interested. if i was in your position (family backing, inconsequential debts, effeminate, no real ambition) i'd probably stick at the degree.

employers don't really give a shit what a degree is in unless you're doing some specific sciencey thing, they just want proof that you're intelligent, dedicated and capable. your parents will probably be really pleased when you graduate, there's all that college fanny to score the gooey goal with and you'll have another couple of years to decide what to do.

[Plan B]

I don't know how much time you have left finishing your education.
If it's less than a year, and you're not going to kill yourself in the process, I'd suggest you stick with it and finish it.
Even if you're not necessarily interested working in the fields you study anymore, it would be a fucking shame to piss the time you already invested away.
Also, having finished your education looks so much better on a resumee.
I should know, because I flunked out of two, and have to explain myself about it on each job interview.

You say you have an interest in being an electrician, but that may very well only be because that's what you've been exposed to, because your dad is.
Do you really want that?
I'm trying not to get too Freudian here, but maybe eagerness to please your dad by validating his career by chosing the same one plays a role.

Then you say you want to help people, non-profit.

It sounds to me like you're at a juncture in your life where you just don't know what the fuck you want.
And I perfectly understand; I'm still a jack of all trades and master of none.
But, although it took me a lot of time, I finally have a clear picture of what my qualities and skills are, and what I want out of a job.

So, time for some reevaluation and contemplation, and defining what you're really good at and enjoy doing.
But don't get frustrated if that process takes a lot of time. Just try not to be too miserable in the mean time; getting there is half the fun.
Find solace in the fact that very few 21 year olds know they are where they're supposed to be at, or even where they should be going.

[scared?]

lol careers...

[Dr_Watson]

i'm also of the type to live cheap and just enjoy life; I hate working and don't chase money, but it's a necessary evil.
that being said... fact: finishing my degree doubled my income and removed the ceiling on potential.
even though I have no idea how to even start spending the huge pile of money being thrown at me when I graduate in may (already accepted an early offer). I know I'll be able to pay off my debts quickly and if you're not spending like a maniac it means you can save like one. 20 years of frugal lifestyle with college money means you can probably retire early and do whatever-the-fuck-you-want for the rest of your days.
alternatively, i can tell you from experience, living paycheck to paycheck will make you want to murder your wife/gf and eat a bullet.

[Jackal]

Get your degree and remember you're not as smart as you think you are.

You're looking at a career in your field as this one giant "thing" that you'll have to deal with for the rest of your life. It isn't like that. Every day will be different and you will progress in your career - it will be boring some days, and exciting others. Other things will also happen in your life - it's not only about work.

Hell, even if you get your degree and end up working for a few years you can still change your mind. At least you tried.

[Duhard]

college was the best time of my life...it was a good 8 years...

[+JuggerNaut+]

get your degree.

[werldhed]

zeek, if you're not interested in working in the same building in the same city all the time, why study urban design? Have you thought about changing your emphasis to something more like sustainable architecture? There are programs that let you do a lot of field work, designing and building at the site, while you finish your degree. And with that sort of focus, you may have more freedom to focus on the type of work you want to do, instead of being constrained by jobs in the city. Just a thought.

As more general advice: stick with it. Two more years is nothing. If you drop out, you'll see how quickly those years go by, and then you'll be kicking yourself because you don't have the degree you could have achieved by that time. And really, perfection will be expected no matter where you work -- unless it's a union job -- so dropping out of school isn't really going to change that.

EDIT: zeek, you should have just received this email from Jerry Rinehart. It looks like it applies to you.

How to Approach a Student You are Concerned About

Results from a 2007 Boynton Health Service survey indicate that 25% of U of M
Twin Cities students have been diagnosed with at least one mental health
condition
during their lifetime. In addition, 44% of students report experiencing stress
related to personal relationships, the death or illness of someone close, or
parental conflict.

We know that the additional pressure of final exams and the holiday season can
lead
to diminished academic or job performance, or reduced participation in the
classroom
or other activities. If you encounter students whose behavior raises concerns,
there are several things you can do. If you are comfortable in doing so,
talking
privately to the student about your concerns and observations can be a helpful
first step. For specific suggestions regarding how to approach a student who
you
are concerned about, please go to
http://www.mentalhealth.umn.edu/facstaff/HowTo.pdf

If you are concerned about a student who displays behaviors that may harm the
student or others, you should report those concerns to your direct supervisor.
Most
situations are best dealt with at the local level, but assistance in dealing
with
extreme situations is available through the University’s Behavioral
Consultation
Team (BCT) by calling 612-626-3030. If the situation of concern is an
emergency,
call 911.

For additional information for assisting a student in distress please go to
http://www.mentalhealth.umn.edu. This website, developed by the Provost’s
Committee
on Student Mental Health, is designed for students, their parents, faculty, and
staff who are looking for student mental health information and related
resources
at the University of Minnesota.

[Eraser]

Don't stop your education. Sounds like you need some other past time. Go find a hobby, get a job for the weekends or get a girlfriend. Being "bored" doesn't constitute as a good reason for dropping out to me. In fact, if you stop your education, you'll be even more bored because of all the time you suddenly have left to fill in.

[HM-PuFFNSTuFF]

zeek, if you're not interested in working in the same building in the same city all the time, why study urban design? Have you thought about changing your emphasis to something more like sustainable architecture? There are programs that let you do a lot of field work, designing and building at the site, while you finish your degree. And with that sort of focus, you may have more freedom to focus on the type of work you want to do, instead of being constrained by jobs in the city. Just a thought.

As more general advice: stick with it. Two more years is nothing. If you drop out, you'll see how quickly those years go by, and then you'll be kicking yourself because you don't have the degree you could have achieved by that time. And really, perfection will be expected no matter where you work -- unless it's a union job -- so dropping out of school isn't really going to change that.

EDIT: zeek, you should have just received this email from Jerry Rinehart. It looks like it applies to you.

How to Approach a Student You are Concerned About

Results from a 2007 Boynton Health Service survey indicate that 25% of U of M
Twin Cities students have been diagnosed with at least one mental health
condition
during their lifetime. In addition, 44% of students report experiencing stress
related to personal relationships, the death or illness of someone close, or
parental conflict.

We know that the additional pressure of final exams and the holiday season can
lead
to diminished academic or job performance, or reduced participation in the
classroom
or other activities. If you encounter students whose behavior raises concerns,
there are several things you can do. If you are comfortable in doing so,
talking
privately to the student about your concerns and observations can be a helpful
first step. For specific suggestions regarding how to approach a student who
you
are concerned about, please go to
http://www.mentalhealth.umn.edu/facstaff/HowTo.pdf

If you are concerned about a student who displays behaviors that may harm the
student or others, you should report those concerns to your direct supervisor.
Most
situations are best dealt with at the local level, but assistance in dealing
with
extreme situations is available through the University’s Behavioral
Consultation
Team (BCT) by calling 612-626-3030. If the situation of concern is an
emergency,
call 911.

For additional information for assisting a student in distress please go to
http://www.mentalhealth.umn.edu. This website, developed by the Provost’s
Committee
on Student Mental Health, is designed for students, their parents, faculty, and
staff who are looking for student mental health information and related
resources
at the University of Minnesota.

This man is very wise. Education isn't everything but learning something like architecture is immensely useful. Look into green architecture. I'll post some links for you if you want. It's very interesting stuff. edit: an architecture degree would be very useful in your desire to do work with non-profits

[surgeon62]

employers don't really give a shit what a degree is in unless you're doing some specific sciencey thing, they just want proof that you're intelligent, dedicated and capable...

Yeah, don't get hung up on the major... I have a BS in Personnel and an MBA in Marketing. Currently I work as a Business Analyst, which is part time IT and part time management babysitter. No way I would've thought I'd be doing this when I graduated.

[Tormentius]

Finish what you've started Zeeko. The degree will give you an advantage no matter what career you go for in the end.

[seremtan]

yeah, finish that shit off. then you can choose to be an unemployed bum instead of life choosing it for you

[axbaby]

looking back i would have gone to school to be a geophysicist.
i kick myself everyday for not having that stupid diploma.

sacrifice your time now and reap the rewards later.

[mik0rs]

Don't quit now, yeah you're 15k down, but if you leave now you'll have accrued the debt for nothing. At least give yourself a chance of paying that and the rest of it off more quickly later by finishing up.

Just because you get a degree in one thing doesn't mean you'll have to do it for the rest of your life. You could even go back to college and learn something else, or set up your own business later on, there are plenty of options.

Unless you've got a fuck of a good idea just stick with the conventional route for now, and if you decide you want to take a different path, you'll always have the degree and the experience to fall back on later if you need it.

[feedback]

Get a degree unless you want to be a loser forever

[Foo]

Finish what you've started Zeeko.

This.

Also, stop thinking about it and just do it. The more you dwell and consider the 'should I or shouldn't I' thing, the more chance you have of eventually twisting things up until they're so fucked, that quitting looks like your 'only' option.

Don't.

[R00k]

You're very fortunate to have the opportunity you have. Don't be a quitter, and don't set yourself up for wondering "What if...?" later in life.

I didn't finish college, and it's a lot harder to go back later, which is what I'm going to have to do.

Don't be a dummy, use this chance to give yourself a leg up. Like others have said, it's not a decision that you can unmake if you change your mind. But if you finish, you haven't removed any opportunities for yourself, you've only opened more.

It's a no-brainer. Sure it's easier to say that with hindsight, but aside from complete morons, the percentage of people who leave early and don't regret it is pretty minuscule.

[YourGrandpa]

You're 15 grand in. You might as well keep rollin. The odds of not crappin out get better as time passes.

Be cool, stay in school.

[Turing]

May as well drop out since you seem to be pretty committed to being a loser.

[Plan B]

stfu, negative nancy.

[Bilirubin]

The degree demonstrates to employers you are able to carry a project from start to finish. BUT, that is not to say architecture isn't boring. The green route is one possibility. But...

You say you are interested in electronics. How about an EE degree?