Career Decision. NEED INPUT PLEASE!!!

[irconfused]

While it does vary depending on what area you are in but there are most definitely jobs out there where you will be able to make much more than a ups driver.

At your age I would suggest just trying to learn as much as you possibly can, by taking jobs in different fields and industries, taking online community college classes, internships, etc, you would be amazed how quickly you can build a very impressive resume without a college degree.

An important thing to keep in mind is most people have many different careers they go through in their lives, when times change so do industries. Certain jobs that were awesome careers 30 years ago no longer exist and it is the people who did not have foresight on this are now unable to make a decent living.

Realistically if you do buckle down and get a 4 year degree, it will always help you make more money, and in general just opens up far more options that will otherwise never be available to you. I for instance got my degree, and despite it contributing virtually nothing towards what I now do I would not have even gotten an interview without that degree.


Another thing to keep in mind is what will you enjoy doing for the next 40+ years. A college degree will not only allow higher paying jobs but also more enjoyable ones. I am very lucky to work at a small company of awesome people, if its a nice day the boss will gather us all together and take a vote on weather to stay and work or take a trip to the beach and spend the rest of the day surfing and eating bbq. I don't make as much as I probably could, but more than enough to have a house, some toys, and be in an area where with my mmj rec can legally grow and smoke marijuana.


Just food for thought.

 

[Rockin_Da_Ganja]

i really would like to attend school. not only for a better career but to be around people my own age which i never get. im afraid ive already become dull. i cant really relate to people my own age personally because there all out getting drunk and partying it up and im sitting at home saving gas money every weekend.

my parents constantly nag me if i wanna go out because ill be "burning gas" or "spending money". But i dont even really enjoy going and hanging out with the people i used to anymore because i just sit there and listen without anything funny/interesting to add to the conversation. ive become one boring dude.

think i might be in the process of getting a cheaper car/payment and attending a community college because i feel if my spirit hasnt already been broken, it will be in the next 2 1/2 years were ill be socially reclusive from always being broke/ not having any friends.

thanks guys ya'll gave me some great ideas. i wanted to hear opinions from older people besides my parents who are greay as all hell at the age of 45. there little "work first, play later" philosophy on life has landed them in a state of mind were, yes they have nice house, nice cars, top of the line everything. But there soooo boring and have no friends. i never see them smiling and the few times a week we do talk... its about finances.

 

[Collie Man]

my biggest paycheck was almost 90,000 USD for 9 weeks work on an opie boat.

thats no lie.

i made about 5 grand a week for a few months fishing halibut and black cod in the gulf of alaska.

halibut runs like 9 months now since the IFQ, and crab season is longer too, but its still run like a lottery.

...im supposed to be thinking about moving to texas...now u guys got me goin back to alaska

DAMN! $90,000!!!??? for 9 weeks? 5 grand a week for a couple months!!! Damn I really underestimated fishermens pay till now...Why do you want to move to Texas when you can be making $$$bank$$$ in Alaska. You could work a couple months out of the year and just chill and do shit you like. Thats my perspective...Are you allowed to take breaks like that? Whats a opie boat?

 

[NOKUY]

DAMN! $90,000!!!??? for 9 weeks? 5 grand a week for a couple months!!! Damn I really underestimated fishermens pay till now...Why do you want to move to Texas when you can be making $$$bank$$$ in Alaska. You could work a couple months out of the year and just chill and do shit you like. Thats my perspective...Are you allowed to take breaks like that? Whats a opie boat?

man i quit fishing because my GF didnt want me to anymore after we had 2 realllllly good friends die when their boat caught fire. just outside kodiak harbor.

it is dangerous...and im fearless, but cant say that it isnt scary sometimes.

i have a good friend from soldotna that recently died fishing too.

there are some cxrazy IDGAF fishermen these days....still a good way to get up out of sum bullshit

...keep in mind

once hired u have to be up on child support or u wont ge a liscence, and they will find any warrents. (all part of the commercial fishin lisc.)

i just helped a really good friend get a job on a halibut boat out of seward

 

[subrob]

I spent over a decade working 5 months a year, and going to school, or travelling or partying for the other 7 months. Like they say, its more then a job, its a lifestyle. Not everyone has the internal fortitude to work alaska style, or live in alaska for that matter, but everyone should try at least once in thier lifetime, if for no other reason then to test yourself!

opie's are a type of crab.

 

[NOKUY]

yep opies since the ifq u can almost count on 40 grand in 3 months-ish

king crab u can get that same moneyi n a few days

 

[flubnutz]

you sound like an intelligent man, what about college/university? think about something that really interests you, then pursue an education in it. university is expensive, but there's a lot more variety of people than in college and trades. start with general classes, you can specialize later. trade down with your car, you'll be hanging with tons of people your age, LOTS will have shit in common with you, meet new types find new iterests, you'll be po' drinkin cheap bear on a beat up couch smokin roaches, but almost everyone else will be too, shit it's the great leveller. you will rock partying like never before but that (and too much thinkin bout the opposite sex) can be your doom, but the payoff can be satisfying ... and it's all up to you what you do. if you can do it, you will love it.

 

[panopticist]

Ditch the new car. I know you love it, but face it, the payments are breaking you...

Taking on new expenses without having the finances to keep it up is a bad move for anyone, but it's a horrible move for someone just leaving the nest with a limited scope of responsibility.

You should also reconsider your decision to not attend a college or university. Sure it's alot of time, energy, and money, but without a degree, you stand a much lower chance of earning what you are actually worth. $10.50 an hour sounds sweet, but when you've got a life to run it doesn't add up to anything worthwhile in the end.

Like another poster said, there are opportunities out there for people without degrees, but they are few and far between and you have to work much harder to prove your worth at a job interview.

I'm one month shy of graduating with a BFA, and I can't wait to pay off my student loans so I can go back for my MFA in a few years...

 

[RetroGrow]

I have to repeat what previous poster said: "ditch the car".
The worst investment the average person makes in their lifetime is buying a car on time. You are paying interest on something that is depreciating. By the time it's paid off, it isn't worth crap. If you drive used cars your whole life, you will have a quarter million dollars more at retirement, twice that if you marry. Think you won't want that when you reach retirement age? Think again.
As far as what to do with your life? I say, do something you love. The money will come. If you don't know what that is, go to school. Broaden your horizons.
Why pigeon-hole yourself as a UPS driver forever. Not knocking it, but damn, forever is a long time. You will get sick of it. Lots of money in healthcare, and lots of money in computer stuff. Think outside the box.
And drive a hoopdee!

 

[sunnyside]

If you are a consumer...the money is never enough my man. Whether you are making minimum wage or 100k a year...bill will always be apart of your life. If you consume...you spend money. The 'American Dream' is centered around consumerism, buying things...like mustangs and houses and clothes and baby clothes and on and on.

One of the keys to being happy is doing what you love. If you are unhappy with what you do with the majority of your waking day you will be unhappy no matter how much you make. If you love what you do...you have half the battle already won. You still have bills...lol but you are happy.

Anyone can do anything...if you put your mind to doing it. Nothing is impossible. Dream big and make it happen. Your the only one who can do it...

 

[LiLWaynE]

start out by reading a few books:

rich dad poor dad - kiyosaki

the millionaire mind - thomas stanley

7 habits of highly effective people - stephen covey

these books are key.... especially if you are a naive 18 year old... or whatever the fuck age you are...

and also always remember: if you fail to plan, plan to fail . 18 is young as fuck and the earlier you get a head start on your finances, the better. eventually one day you will be preaching what i preach... "dont work for money. let your money work for you"

 

[Guest]

I say go to school for something you really love. You will get paid bank for what you like to do.

 

[flubnutz]

many good thoughts here, noddin my head alot
from an old teacher of mine: "do what you really love to do, then be the best at it. cause theres always room for the best"

 

[elevate]

Optimally you need to educate yourself highly. Lock yourself in your room with a lot of good books. Not books you think are good, but books you have to struggle with. And in doing this you will drop the car, and no longer have an insurance payment or gas to pump. Grow your own to supply for the weed habit. All other surplus needs* need be dropped but that of smoking cannabis and things needed to cultivate cannabis.

*Surplus needs are those needs not necessary to man's nature. All commodities are surplus needs.

If you have a cell phone and are paying monthly for a plan, you need to drop that as well. Sell the phone to a private buyer for cash. Sell car to private buyer for cash. Sell other commodities to private buyers for cash. Spend cash as needed for the cultivation and smoke of cannabis.

Struggling with texts from the classic period will allow for the further advancement of experience with other philosophers. Plato and Aristotle (350 BC) are the two primary philosophers of the classic period. Socrates did not write anything down, but his student, Plato, authored Socrates' dialogues. We do not start with Nietzsche for many reasons, one being that a basic understanding of the classics is necessary for all more advanced philosphy reading.

Writing notes and essays on material that has been read and basically understood is highly recommended.

Recommended readings:
Plato's The Republic
Aristotle's Politics or Nicomachean Ethics

Transcend.

 

[elevate]

start out by reading a few books:

rich dad poor dad - kiyosaki

the millionaire mind - thomas stanley

7 habits of highly effective people - stephen covey

these books are key.... especially if you are a naive 18 year old... or whatever the fuck age you are...

and also always remember: if you fail to plan, plan to fail . 18 is young as fuck and the earlier you get a head start on your finances, the better. eventually one day you will be preaching what i preach... "dont work for money. let your money work for you"

These are not good books. These are books on how to get rich. These are not the books I would recommend. This is a recommendation at an atypical life, in typical America. We are so far off the map that I sound ridiculous to all of you except maybe one, while in Europe I would get a response like, "What are you stupid? Yes, and the sky is blue my friend...what are you trying to say that already hasn't been said a million times?"

You get rich, you go on a lot of business trips all over the country in major cities, hardly ever seeing your kids, and you die with an Escalade in the driveway having never contributed to the goodness of anything, not understaning anything good, true, or beautiful.

c'mon guys, you like Bob Marley so much, but do you listen to what he says? "Life is more important than gold." - Jammin

 

[LiLWaynE]

These are not good books. These are books on how to get rich. These are not the books I would recommend. This is a recommendation at an atypical life, in typical America. We are so far off the map that I sound ridiculous to all of you except maybe one, while in Europe I would get a response like, "What are you stupid? Yes, and the sky is blue my friend...what are you trying to say that already hasn't been said a million times?"

You get rich, you go on a lot of business trips all over the country in major cities, hardly ever seeing your kids, and you die with an Escalade in the driveway having never contributed to the goodness of anything, not understaning anything good, true, or beautiful.

bro, clearly you have not read the books i have listed. none of them are about getting "rich"....

if you only knew... most millionaires dont drive escalades.... maybe you should take the time to do research before you start coming up with your soft ass " never seein your kids" bullshit, and for the record, most millionaires drive economical, used vehicles... If you want to know the exact makes and models most millionaires cruise in, take a look at "the millionaire mind." Yes, you DO have to actually read more then the cover of the book.

most successful people in fact DO contribute alot to society, and have the GREATEST understanding of EVERYTHING that is good, true, and beautiful.

and also...

These are not the books I would recommend.

bro, in response to this line... dude...

the books you listed suck for this topic... they were good when they were first published.. and much was learned from them... but will they make you money? no

 

[StickyJJ]

Move to a island and dont care about anything..TRY THAT

 

[LiLWaynE]

Move to a island and dont care about anything..TRY THAT

ya you move to an island... we'll see how much you dont care about..

 

[StickyJJ]

The books you listed are S### anyways so its better to do what i say and you sound like my grandmom... Its a joke DUDE

 

[LiLWaynE]

The books you listed are S### anyways so its better to do what i say and you sound like my grandmom... Its a joke DUDE

14 year olds arent allowed on this website