trading in?

[mrothwell]

Just take one step at a time - you'll find your way. The key is to just start stepping.

You don't have to know all the answers

Get that degree. I made up my mind that I was going to get a degree. I changed majors 3 times, but most of my classes could be applied to my final degree. Make sure you take courses that most degrees will require, and eventually you will realize what your "calling" is. As Troy said, many times it just doesn't matter what your degree is in, most companies just want to see the dedication to get the degree.

[jetskipro550]

School sucks! Professors are rude, classes are hard, finals are hell, and its not fun...but when I get that little piece of paper it will all be worth it If I could do it all over again, I would start off at a community college and spend my first two years there. The classes are easier, smaller, and its more like high school. Plus the first two years the classes are the same no matter where you go. When I was graduating high school I didn't think it was "cool" to go to a community college and when people asked me where I was going I wanted to be able to say University of Oregon or Oregon State University. Looking back, I was foolish to think that way and I really could have benifited by going to a CC for 2 years cause its a small step not a huge leap from high school.

[Big Dubya]

Work sucks! Clients are rude, Bosses are hard, submittals are hell, and its not fun...

[jetskipro550]

Work sucks! Clients are rude, Bosses are hard, submittals are hell, and its not fun...

...but you are making money, not paying money

[Malibudude]

Thing is you’re making a decent wage now; many just don’t want to go back being poor to get a degree. A degree is better than nothing but ultimately unless you’re interested and committed you’ll probably drop out.

Work sucks! Clients are rude, Bosses are hard, submittals are hell, and its not fun...

The real world stuff, get out there and face it. Knowing you have a degree and therefore could go elsewhere is comforting.

[hyperlitenerd]

Thing is you’re making a decent wage now; many just don’t want to go back being poor to get a degree. A degree is better than nothing but ultimately unless you’re interested and committed you’ll probably drop out.

Work sucks! Clients are rude, Bosses are hard, submittals are hell, and its not fun...

The real world stuff, get out there and face it. Knowing you have a degree and therefore could go elsewhere is comforting.

Being poor is not holding me back from school. I just cant get motivated to go to school, and if I do get motivation, it is hard to maintain it.

[SacRiverRat]

Sorry you're having a hard time HypNrd

[Big Dubya]

Me too, HLN (and JSP).

my tongue in cheek comments were to try and shed light that the grass may look greener, but it isn't always what it seems.

My days in college are arguably the most fun i've had in life.

oh, and btw... i'm still paying for my education (will be for a few more years)

so, that's to say: HAVE FUN while you're seriously pursuing your degree/career

Edited January 19, 2007 by Big Dubya

[jetskipro550]

Me too, HLN (and JSP).

my tongue in cheek comments were to try and shed light that the grass may look greener, but it isn't always what it seems.

My days in college are arguably the most fun i've had in life.

oh, and btw... i'm still paying for my education (will be for a few more years)

so, that's to say: HAVE FUN while you're seriously pursuing your degree/career

Don't worry about me. Although I don't like class I am still having a great time down at school. Almost all of my friends are down at school with me, my fiance lives only 3 blocks away, there are 5 bars all within a 5 minute walk of my apartment, I don't have to work, I get to waste all sorts of time on the crew, I will be done in 2 more terms, and during the spring time we steal our parents boats and keep them at a lake 20 minutes away. I may b***h a little (or a lot ) but I really do enjoy this time in my life

Now, if I could only figure out what I am going to do after school....

Edited January 19, 2007 by jetskipro550

[WakeGirl]

Thing is you’re making a decent wage now; many just don’t want to go back being poor to get a degree. A degree is better than nothing but ultimately unless you’re interested and committed you’ll probably drop out.

Work sucks! Clients are rude, Bosses are hard, submittals are hell, and its not fun...

The real world stuff, get out there and face it. Knowing you have a degree and therefore could go elsewhere is comforting.

And if you don't drop out, odds are that you'll never use that degree. Even if you do, the odds are that you won't use it for more than 5 years. That's not true necessarily across the board, but the statistics in general don't lie. Yes, employers look for it, but most of the time you don't use that knowledge.

[jetskipro550]

Some stats...

Forbes

High Beam Research

Street Insider

These are just averages and there are lots of other factors that go into them, but you get the point

[hyperlitenerd]

Thing is you’re making a decent wage now; many just don’t want to go back being poor to get a degree. A degree is better than nothing but ultimately unless you’re interested and committed you’ll probably drop out.

Work sucks! Clients are rude, Bosses are hard, submittals are hell, and its not fun...

The real world stuff, get out there and face it. Knowing you have a degree and therefore could go elsewhere is comforting.

And if you don't drop out, odds are that you'll never use that degree. Even if you do, the odds are that you won't use it for more than 5 years. That's not true necessarily across the board, but the statistics in general don't lie. Yes, employers look for it, but most of the time you don't use that knowledge.

Thats a hard pill for me to swallow. Most of the new people at my work with a degree don't know anything about what we are doing.

[WakeGirl]

A fact of life unfortunately. There are exceptions, like the skilled professions (docs for example). But yeah, in many cases the degree is a symbol & not necessarily something that you'll use beyond getting the job.

Tell dad to keep the boat, he'll end up losing way too much to get something smaller. The only way it makes sense financially is if he decides to buy a gently used VLX or Vride. With the way that Cali's tax laws are written, even that may cost him money, I don't know.

[hyperlitenerd]

A fact of life unfortunately. There are exceptions, like the skilled professions (docs for example). But yeah, in many cases the degree is a symbol & not necessarily something that you'll use beyond getting the job.

Tell dad to keep the boat, he'll end up losing way too much to get something smaller. The only way it makes sense financially is if he decides to buy a gently used VLX or Vride. With the way that Cali's tax laws are written, even that may cost him money, I don't know.

Yeah I think there are loop holes, but he is too honest.

[stewart]

HL,

I tried college right after school and didn't like it. So, I worked here and there for about 6 months and then decide to go into the Coast Guard. Once, I did my first tour I knew what I wanted, so I went back to college and did pretty well.

While I was Cal Poly, I met a few classmates who had started at Poly right out of High School. Many had hihg GPA's in HS but were just average GPA's at Poly. The reason being, many of them partied it up the first couple of years and drifted and thus ruined there GPA's.

Meanwhile, classmates in general that took a break between, came into college hungry and eager. They had seen some of the real world and wanted more. I flew through college with a 3.8 overall and 4.0 in the business school. Plus I had the time of my life

Once out in the real world, I have had several different jobs, and now run my own company. I don't thinkk I would be here to day if I didn't go to college, but at the same time had I jsut struggled through college out of high school I probably wouldn't be here either.

Not saying you need to go in the military, just saying keep your head up, work hard and one day you'll know when to make the right decision.

As far as Wakegirls statistics above. Spot on with everyone I know who graduated college, including myself.

[jjackkrash]

If I could chime in, being a newby to the site, it looks like you are from northern cali. Why not look into a state school with a good ski team (my guess is they have boarding teams now)? I went to Chico when I was at a cross roads and skied for the ski team. I met some great people and it kept me moltivated to stay in school. It was one of the best times of my life. Plus, tuition wasn't that bad. And, I personally think I got a great education with a lot of opportunities when I got out. The key is balance. I wouldn't trade my time there for anything.

[SacRiverRat]

I would agree that much of the actual "work" that you do in college isn't very well applied in the work-world... it is the softer skills, like working with people, studying/preparing for exams, responsibility when no-body is making you go to school etc.. All that adds up to something.

[SacRiverRat]

Yo Krash -

What year were you at Chico... I was also a chico grad, but didn't make the ski team..

They didn't have a wakeboarding team, and since I ski like MalibuDude, they didn't really need me on the ski team

[jjackkrash]

Yo Krash -

What year were you at Chico... I was also a chico grad, but didn't make the ski team..

They didn't have a wakeboarding team, and since I ski like MalibuDude, they didn't really need me on the ski team

88 to 92. (wow, that was along time ago). Chico was traditionally a pretty competetive team. I squeeked on because they were weak on jump that year.

[NorCaliBu]

They didn't have a wakeboarding team, and since I ski like MalibuDude, they didn't really need me on the ski team

Ouch!! You gonna let him talk like that Justin? I say we have a slalom contest at WoW between Dude and the Rat.

Oh man...that could be entertaining.

[hyperlitenerd]

HL,

I tried college right after school and didn't like it. So, I worked here and there for about 6 months and then decide to go into the Coast Guard. Once, I did my first tour I knew what I wanted, so I went back to college and did pretty well.

While I was Cal Poly, I met a few classmates who had started at Poly right out of High School. Many had hihg GPA's in HS but were just average GPA's at Poly. The reason being, many of them partied it up the first couple of years and drifted and thus ruined there GPA's.

Meanwhile, classmates in general that took a break between, came into college hungry and eager. They had seen some of the real world and wanted more. I flew through college with a 3.8 overall and 4.0 in the business school. Plus I had the time of my life

Once out in the real world, I have had several different jobs, and now run my own company. I don't thinkk I would be here to day if I didn't go to college, but at the same time had I jsut struggled through college out of high school I probably wouldn't be here either.

Not saying you need to go in the military, just saying keep your head up, work hard and one day you'll know when to make the right decision.

As far as Wakegirls statistics above. Spot on with everyone I know who graduated college, including myself.

Thanks!

I did not know you were in the coast guard, that's pretty cool.

[Mike00LXI]

A fact of life unfortunately. There are exceptions, like the skilled professions (docs for example). But yeah, in many cases the degree is a symbol & not necessarily something that you'll use beyond getting the job.

Tell dad to keep the boat, he'll end up losing way too much to get something smaller. The only way it makes sense financially is if he decides to buy a gently used VLX or Vride. With the way that Cali's tax laws are written, even that may cost him money, I don't know.

True.... but a necessary symbol. I couldn't hire someone without a college degree even if I wanted to. If you want to make a salary in the 6 figure range or above, there aren't a lot of jobs out there where you can do that without a college degree. In California, even that's not a lot of money to raise a family.

[kwold]

hyperlitenerd

What are you looking at doing? I am working in Santa Clara, right across from Great America for Foundry. I live in Los Gatos.

Also if you are willing to brave the cold waters of Anderson, my Friends and I go pretty regular to the Dam.

[hyperlitenerd]

hyperlitenerd

What are you looking at doing? I am working in Santa Clara, right across from Great America for Foundry. I live in Los Gatos.

Also if you are willing to brave the cold waters of Anderson, my Friends and I go pretty regular to the Dam.

I am currently doing IT, just because I am good at it. I want to do something that is really challenging, maybe working with my hands, or making something physical. Some sort of engineering.

I think I know where that is. Im off of lawrence and benton. How warm has anderson been recently? I've got my 3/2mm full suit. I went last febuary right before it rain for a few months, and it was awesome, im still talking about it.