Need some opinions dudes...

[ericjosepi]

Alright, here's the deal. I'm still figuring out what I should do with my life and I might take another year off and teaching English in East Asia. For a while anyway. I was talking with my cousin who has had a student ID number for 14 years and was thinking... you know what? No ****ing rush, dude. Why should I rush into shit and then **** my life up by being tied into a career at 24? He's seen so much and so have his brothers (about 19 years up on my and my ilk but nearly identical familial structure) and I want to do some shit like that. I want to travel. I want to see more of the world. I've been to 8 provinces, 10 states, and 4 countries total.

So what do you guys think, should I go for it or not?

[comhcinc]

beening that i just got around to choosing a career myself i say take your time and do what you want to


and for the love of god get out of canada that like living in disney world your entire life:D

[phatlip12]

Go for it man, it's your life and you only get one. Have some fun!

[tokenuser]

Pick the right career and travel can be included.

Advantage of picking a career early - you are building stability that will help you out when you hit 60. At 18 - who cares, at 24 - its a long way off, at 30 - panic starts to set in, at 40 - its almost too late.

Sure take some time, but you should have a pretty good idea of what you want to do with your life by your mid twenties, and hopefully the choices you made with Uni/College will get you there, so the decision process really starts a lot earlier.

[acidburn]

If you have an opportunity to work overseas you should go for it. Sounds like a great opportunity.

It is always good to do something constructive while deciding what to do with your life. It will look better on a resume when you come back and start school again, or whatever you choose to do.

I took time off to change careers. I went back to school for more training. During that time I worked at a ski mountain to learn to ski and snowboard.

Have fun, see the world and you may just figure out what you want to do while you're at it.

[alexsk8ca]

I have a friend who is thinking about doing something like this, and I think it's a great idea. I get so pissed off when people start telling people they need to go to school right out of high school and immediately get a job. I say do what makes you happy, but make sure you have a back up plan.

[tokenuser]

I went to Uni part time while working full time.

My mates thought I was mad - they were at school, living at home (technically I was as well, but that another story), picking up part time work, partying.

Meanwhile, I had a good job a a trainee software engineer, my employer was paying all my tuition and giving me the equivalent of 1 day a week to attend classes. Part time, my degree took 50% longer than a FT load. BUT in the mean time, I was saving money bought a junker, sold it bought a nice car (myself - my parent didn't give me a car, no help from grandparents - got a regular loan from the bank to buy the thing), went on vacations (cruising, skiing), could afford concert tickets, dates at nice restaurants, etc. I was also able to pull in experience on the job to my degree and relate what I was leanring back to the job - which anchored the degree and gave subjects many other students though were useless a lot of meaning.

When my friends graduated, some of them doing the same course I did joined our company, and found themselves on the same pay grade I was on, and one guy got pissed that the day I graduated, I became his supervisor, and had an immediate pay increase above his level. Why? Because degree + 6 years experience trumps degree + 2 years experience.

Its not for everyone though. My wife went through the same program I did (trainee software engineer), except she enjoyed the academics an research more - so kept going and is now a professor. Our jobs have carried us half way around the world, and as an academic she publishes papers in journals and conferences and presents at those conferences. What does that mean for me? Last year it was a trip to Barcelona (she also did a trip back to Australia for a conference), this year it is Rochester at the end of the month and Prague over summer. We are also both financially secure enough that we can travel where we want to (last year it was a month in Europe). Not too bad for mid 30's.

Point is - its your life. Take it where you want to take it. You'll hear all sorts of advice along the way, your friends will take different paths, but in the end you need to be happy. Sometimes you need tomake sacrifices early on for the big win later though, so don't leave making decisions on your career too late.

[ariastar]

When making your decision, remember that it's harder to return to college than it is to go right out of high school.

[rabidbadger]

So what do you guys think, should I go for it or not?

Yes. Yes you should...

[rabidbadger]

I went to Uni part time while working full time.

My mates thought I was mad - they were at school, living at home (technically I was as well, but that another story), picking up part time work, partying.

Meanwhile, I had a good job a a trainee software engineer, my employer was paying all my tuition and giving me the equivalent of 1 day a week to attend classes. Part time, my degree took 50% longer than a FT load. BUT in the mean time, I was saving money bought a junker, sold it bought a nice car (myself - my parent didn't give me a car, no help from grandparents - got a regular loan from the bank to buy the thing), went on vacations (cruising, skiing), could afford concert tickets, dates at nice restaurants, etc. I was also able to pull in experience on the job to my degree and relate what I was leanring back to the job - which anchored the degree and gave subjects many other students though were useless a lot of meaning.

When my friends graduated, some of them doing the same course I did joined our company, and found themselves on the same pay grade I was on, and one guy got pissed that the day I graduated, I became his supervisor, and had an immediate pay increase above his level. Why? Because degree + 6 years experience trumps degree + 2 years experience.

Its not for everyone though. My wife went through the same program I did (trainee software engineer), except she enjoyed the academics an research more - so kept going and is now a professor. Our jobs have carried us half way around the world, and as an academic she publishes papers in journals and conferences and presents at those conferences. What does that mean for me? Last year it was a trip to Barcelona (she also did a trip back to Australia for a conference), this year it is Rochester at the end of the month and Prague over summer. We are also both financially secure enough that we can travel where we want to (last year it was a month in Europe). Not too bad for mid 30's.

Point is - its your life. Take it where you want to take it. You'll hear all sorts of advice along the way, your friends will take different paths, but in the end you need to be happy. Sometimes you need tomake sacrifices early on for the big win later though, so don't leave making decisions on your career too late.

What a wonderful journey. Sounds like happiness was you avocation and everything else just a vocation to get you there...

(PS: did you find a place to stay in Rochester? Gonna have time for a homebrew? Got a new Czech pilsner (pretty good) Our wonderful English bitter, and should have our first Bock by the time you get here...)

[tokenuser]

What a wonderful journey. Sounds like happiness was you avocation and everything else just a vocation to get you there...Yeah - its been a fun trip :)

(PS: did you find a place to stay in Rochester? Gonna have time for a homebrew? Got a new Czech pilsner (pretty good) Our wonderful English bitter, and should have our first Bock by the time you get here...)I am trying to keep Thursday night open (my wife will hopefully have a dinner with colleagues - and that many academics around a table talking linguistic features bores the crap out of me). As for the rest of the time - Friday night is no problem for accom, but Saturday night in any of the lakes areas is a pain --- something about last cheap weekend before peak season being popular for weddings. Everything is booked on Saturday night ... so we might end up staying in town and just hitting the wineries during the day.

As an Aussie, I have a taste for bitter beer (Australian tend to drink either bitter or pilsner style beer - hadn't tasted Bock until I got to the US ... we turn Bock into Vegemite).

[rabidbadger]

Yeah - its been a fun trip :)

I am trying to keep Thursday night open (my wife will hopefully have a dinner with colleagues - and that many academics around a table talking linguistic features bores the crap out of me). As for the rest of the time - Friday night is no problem for accom, but Saturday night in any of the lakes areas is a pain --- something about last cheap weekend before peak season being popular for weddings. Everything is booked on Saturday night ... so we might end up staying in town and just hitting the wineries during the day.

As an Aussie, I have a taste for bitter beer (Australian tend to drink either bitter or pilsner style beer - hadn't tasted Bock until I got to the US ... we turn Bock into Vegemite).

Which thursday? what dates will you be here? We do the beer making/podcast thing on friday nights usually. You guys are welcome to join us. It's very informal.


Vegemite. Yummmmmmm... miss it. So hard to find here...

[ariastar]

Which thursday? what dates will you be here? We do the beer making/podcast thing on friday nights usually. You guys are welcome to join us. It's very informal.


Vegemite. Yummmmmmm... miss it. So hard to find here...

What is Vegemite?

[rabidbadger]

horse poop and yeast. On toast. (http://www.vegemite.com.au/)

[ariastar]

I know weird people.

[rabidbadger]

OK. Eric, sorry this important thread got hijacked.

Like I said. Yes. If you want it, if you can. Yes. Do it.

And if you really want it then don't let any one anyone dissuade you. Parents, lovers, friends, rev3ers... the hot date you may be boning at the time...

It is your life, and as far as empirical evidence allows, your only one.

You will never be twenty again. I went back to college at the age of 39. Best thing I ever did. Finally got a degree. But the starving, exciting, creative, decade of my twenties was something I will never regret.

Except I didn't plan for my thirties and beyond... T'was OK, but should have been better if I planned a little... So do what you will now, but always have that, "yeah, but I'll be an old fart like Badger someday, what will I do then?" in the back of your mind.

Some old PBS Masterpiece Theater show had the late great John Gielgud on it, an old bachelor with a penchant for life. The young mother that got tangled up in his life insisted on coasters on the table. He said something along the lines of: "Tables are for putting drinks on."

I don't know why that popped into my mind here. But it seems to fit. At least in my head...


"Follow Your Bliss."
-Joseph Campbell
(also late, also great.)

[ericjosepi]

Well, looks like a lot of yesses... I'm really thinking that it's something I should do. I want to get the country for a while and I think if I can do it and makes some money while I'm at it, life will be shiny. I'm' really great ful to all who posted.

And Aria, I never went straight out of high school. I took a year to work. Mostly, I'm inspired by my cousin who has had a student ID number for the last 14 years and is finally becoming an MD.

[rabidbadger]

Well, looks like a lot of yesses... I'm really thinking that it's something I should do. I want to get the country for a while and I think if I can do it and makes some money while I'm at it, life will be shiny. I'm' really great ful to all who posted.



Well, we also suggested you post your nair story world wide. :D



... my cousin who has had a student ID number for the last 14 years and is finally becoming an MD.

what does "had student id for 14 years" mean?

[ericjosepi]

what does "had student id for 14 years" mean?

Essentially that his med school, which usually takes about 8 years took him 14 to get through and that he's been enrolled in the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon for the last 14 years.

[rabidbadger]

Essentially that his med school, which usually takes about 8 years took him 14 to get through and that he's been enrolled in the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon for the last 14 years.

They make doctors there? :eek:

Run!!!!!

:D