The WTF are u doing with your life thread

[broken_dubz]

i fear that i won't be able to find that "compromise" my (totally gay japanese) accounting professor told me about

he wanted to be a writer, his parents said no, he graduated with an accounting major, worked at a big 4 (and hated it), and now has found that "balance" as an accounting professor (loves his job)

dude i went to school with basically ate shit throughout high school for being studious, ended up at an ivy league studying econ. Before he graduated, ibanks and companies were all over his dick with some (fucking sweet) offers which would have made him easily a high income earner for the tender age of 23. Instead he said no, went to stanford to study for a post grad business major and plans to go into education. This guy has life figured out, and has become a fucking cool guy to chill with.

me, i'm sitting my med school finals next week (fuck). I seriously advise anybody thinking of going into it to reconsider. Once you get past a certain stage, its too late to turn back cos of all the time, money, emotion and health you've invested in it. this shit eats youth. I hope starting work is better cos 5 years of being a student is getting tedious.

[surrender]

I posted here last year about my suckass job in the suckass suburbs of Houston

Now I'm in grad school at Texas A&M for international affairs, and despite my trepidation about living in a small town, it's the best thing that's ever happened to me. I'm studying what I love, surrounded by like-minded people, and finally getting the real college experience that I didn't have at my commuter school in undergrad. Despite the crush of term papers at the end of the semester, life is really fucking great

[TTM]

About to graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering in a week and a half... I plan on pursuing a MS in mechanical engineering at the university of wisconsin-madison.

[broneck]

CONGRATS TO ALL WHO GRADUATED

I JUST GRADUATED ALSO

(fucking finally)

[narwhal]

a while ago i read through all the pages of this thread because when i saw the title i thought 'oh i will find good suggestions for university/career path from people with somewhat similar sensibilities as me'

i found it really really discouraging, very few people actually seemed satisfied with what htey're doing and that post homi made about being well-read, worldly, etc. and unsure of career path sounded way too familiar to me.

i realised for too long i was searching for something (marketing came to mind for a while) that would be the imaginary perfect balance spot between something i could make a comfortable salary at while finding it personally satisfying.

i decided i needed to go balls out one way or the other instead of looking for perfect middle spot so first year university i'm 100% doing exploratory first year in hopes i can find two arts subjects i wanna major in. i decided i'd rather pursue something i find completely gratifying instead fo something where i make dat bank, like the idea that three classifications of attitudes towards work are job, career, and calling and 'do what u love and let the money take care of itself' concepts

[asher_roslynn]

i decided i needed to go balls out one way or the other instead of looking for perfect middle spot so first year university i'm 100% doing exploratory first year in hopes i can find two arts subjects i wanna major in.

You hit the nail on the head for me on this- that is something I need to accomplish I think. Though for me personally, it's between one of two roads- one) going to college for nothing I'd truly enjoy the rest of my life or, two) going for something in the music business (which you don't need a college degree for). So it's either hate my career, but better money, or love what I do, and be practically homeless (looking at the extremes). But that kinda goes without saying.

I already have two associates degrees though because of indecision- anyone else have two degrees likewise? I met a man who had three once, and he ended up going into the service because of such indecision.

[surrender]

a while ago i read through all the pages of this thread because when i saw the title i thought 'oh i will find good suggestions for university/career path from people with somewhat similar sensibilities as me'

i found it really really discouraging, very few people actually seemed satisfied with what htey're doing and that post homi made about being well-read, worldly, etc. and unsure of career path sounded way too familiar to me.

i realised for too long i was searching for something (marketing came to mind for a while) that would be the imaginary perfect balance spot between something i could make a comfortable salary at while finding it personally satisfying.

i decided i needed to go balls out one way or the other instead of looking for perfect middle spot so first year university i'm 100% doing exploratory first year in hopes i can find two arts subjects i wanna major in. i decided i'd rather pursue something i find completely gratifying instead fo something where i make dat bank, like the idea that three classifications of attitudes towards work are job, career, and calling and 'do what u love and let the money take care of itself' concepts

honestly, the best advice i can give you is to keep your grades up - not only to find a job, but to keep your options open in case you find what you love and decide to go back to grad school later. i switched majors three times before finding what i liked, but my gpa was utter shit by that point, which made it impossible to find an internship in my chosen field, let alone a job after graduation. i had to work a crappy dead-end job for two years before getting into a grad program in my field of choice - even then, i only got in due to a huge gre score and a few fortunate connections. don't leave things up to chance.

[jdemotion]

Graduated two years ago with a degree in Business. Worked at a respectable investment firm for several months and was sick of being either super bored or extremely stressed. Moved out of the suburbs and I am now the manager of a small cafe in Boston. Life is great, keep things simple and saving money to move to NYC in two years.

I'm also the assistant sales rep for Enjoi, Globe, Quiksilver, and Lib Tech/Gnu for the east coast. It's a part time gig, mostly in the winter months during the tradeshows.

[Baeyer-Drewson]

Trying to finish my PhD thesis... urghh... this is me most days;

[dismalfuture]

a while ago i read through all the pages of this thread because when i saw the title i thought 'oh i will find good suggestions for university/career path from people with somewhat similar sensibilities as me'

i found it really really discouraging, very few people actually seemed satisfied with what htey're doing and that post homi made about being well-read, worldly, etc. and unsure of career path sounded way too familiar to me.

I think a quick comment I can make on this would be that, a) guys who are satisfied with their lives might be biting their tongues and not divulging their side of things only because it's a bit asshole'ish to walk into this commiseration thread and say 'hey guys, I'm actually really happy with my life and it's unfortunate you guys are not' and also that lost feeling, the indecision that people feel during the later years of college and when they embark on a working life, that is very real, and while it may seem bad at the time, it usually works itself out, sometimes very nicely.

[RandR]

I think a quick comment I can make on this would be that, a) guys who are satisfied with their lives might be biting their tongues and not divulging their side of things only because it's a bit asshole'ish to walk into this commiseration thread and say 'hey guys, I'm actually really happy with my life and it's unfortunate you guys are not' and also that lost feeling, the indecision that people feel during the later years of college and when they embark on a working life, that is very real, and while it may seem bad at the time, it usually works itself out, sometimes very nicely.

I like that this optimism comes from someone named "dismalfuture". I also agree with what you are saying, man.

I'm actually really happy with where I am right now. I went to wall street straight out of college and had a terrible two years of trading. Money was good but everything else was really stressful, and doing a job that is literally "making money" is not fulfilling in the slightest. The sex/drugs/rock and roll aspect of NYC burnt me out badly, to be honest.

I moved back home, and now work in finance/accounting for my family company. I have way more free time so I can actually keep playing music and doing photography and sailing and all my other hobbies. I got back into writing and am about halfway to my CPA. Everything is great, really.

The key is that I have a job where I know what I am doing affects things in a positive way. Knowing that your job means something and contributes to society changes the game, I think. Ironically I am now doing a lot of work that I used to do in NYC (due diligence, cost benefit analysis, etc etc), but since it's for a company that is important to me, I actually look forward to it.

Also, entry level jobs are menial and shit for a reason - they let you understand how a process works. As you get promoted, you'll find that your knowledge of those processes helps you inestimably. So, just plug away at the shit job, but LEARN something from it. Never stop learning, really. That's the only advice I can give.

[azn8oi]

You are welcome to join Kerni, Ant, Winq, and myself when the time comes.

[red120]

a while ago i read through all the pages of this thread because when i saw the title i thought 'oh i will find good suggestions for university/career path from people with somewhat similar sensibilities as me'

i found it really really discouraging, very few people actually seemed satisfied with what htey're doing and that post homi made about being well-read, worldly, etc. and unsure of career path sounded way too familiar to me.

people that are in satisfying position ended up taking a nontraditional path, i think.

its a bit of catch 22.. working corporate, i find that pretty much all my peers had some kind of thing they wanted to do when younger, but gave it up because of being practical.. most people past college never really are passionate in what they're doing, they either hate it or they tolerate it. work to maintain. you won't starve, but money is a strange beast. you can be making high 5s or low 6s, and look back to college days, and realize your life is not really materially different from earning more. to become "rich" in this country is very hard.

the alternative is all or nothing.. most people going after passion either starve or manage to grab what they wanted.. the latter is good.. but a lot ends up in the former.

a lot of the time, there is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. there s no 'hidden point' that everything turns from bad to good. the grind is the reward. depends if that's what you want.

[dismalfuture]

I like that this optimism comes from someone named "dismalfuture". I also agree with what you are saying, man.

I'm actually really happy with where I am right now. I went to wall street straight out of college and had a terrible two years of trading. Money was good but everything else was really stressful, and doing a job that is literally "making money" is not fulfilling in the slightest. The sex/drugs/rock and roll aspect of NYC burnt me out badly, to be honest.

I moved back home, and now work in finance/accounting for my family company. I have way more free time so I can actually keep playing music and doing photography and sailing and all my other hobbies. I got back into writing and am about halfway to my CPA. Everything is great, really.

The key is that I have a job where I know what I am doing affects things in a positive way. Knowing that your job means something and contributes to society changes the game, I think. Ironically I am now doing a lot of work that I used to do in NYC (due diligence, cost benefit analysis, etc etc), but since it's for a company that is important to me, I actually look forward to it.

Also, entry level jobs are menial and shit for a reason - they let you understand how a process works. As you get promoted, you'll find that your knowledge of those processes helps you inestimably. So, just plug away at the shit job, but LEARN something from it. Never stop learning, really. That's the only advice I can give.

Bolded the realest of the real. You and I must be about the same age and of relatively equal life experiences, because we share some views on work that I think dus perhaps even only 5 years younger may not be able to appreciate, that is to to say real work, and work ethic, the ability to suck it up sometimes to get some work finished and done... and the appreciation for working for your own good, for the feeling that you get when your job isn't whittling hours away anonymously behind Outlook Express or feeding your 'work' through the intertubes, never to be seen again, unless someone catches it and it pisses them off.

You are welcome to join Kerni, Ant, Winq, and myself when the time comes.

If winq is living, that would be an accomplishment.

work to maintain. you won't starve, but money is a strange beast. you can be making high 5s or low 6s, and look back to college days, and realize your life is not really materially different from earning more. to become "rich" in this country is very hard.

a lot of the time, there is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. there s no 'hidden point' that everything turns from bad to good. the grind is the reward.

This shit too, is also the message. Unless you're making your money on a string of luck or via illegal means, and you'll know if you're eligible for that kind of draw, all those purple M3's, jetskis, the west indies, all that stuff means you're gonna feel it before you get to have it, and it's commensurate with every single penny you make. That is life. Money is hard to make, otherwise everyone would have it.

[Bona Drag]

The key is that I have a job where I know what I am doing affects things in a positive way. Knowing that your job means something and contributes to society changes the game, I think.

dunno if i agree with this completely - i think that can be its own source of pressure/stress if you're constantly wondering if what you're doing really "matters" or whatever

case in point - i worked corporate right out of college, hated it at first but after a couple years i found my level

switched to nonprofit sector for a few years - wanted some more experience before getting a grad degree, and wanted to do "something that made a difference"

vice versa: i loved this job at first and hate it now

i realize you're not talking about the nonprofit sector, and anyway that term obviously encompasses a huge range of things; i'd also argue what i do now is uniquely stressful in a couple important ways

but anyway the best advice i ever got on all this came from one of the most influential old dudes in my life besides my dad: all that really matters is do they treat and pay you well?

wall street definitely pays well but is one of the most high-stress white collar enviroments in the world and a magnet for psychos

sometimes i think our generation thinks too hard about this stuff - if a job is just a job, thats fine, as long as you're paid and treated well

respect to those with the balls and resourcefulness to chase their dreams; i'm not one of them and i've made my peace with that fact

[Hocus Pocus]

Update on my life:

I was on academic probation the last year due to a couple years of depression and not giving a fuck at UofT. This year I did considerably better, except I tried to hand in one of my major assignments in late, during the exam period, and now I have to petition the faculty, so I might be getting suspended for a year. I find this ironic because I actually got better at school this last year, and I am actually enjoying it now (the suspension exists to apparently allow students to reflect on why they are at university). It's also ironic, because I only took this course because it was supposed to be incredibly easy. This doesn't really bother me, however.

At the same time, I'm starting a men's jewelry line with another bus boy from my work who is a qualified goldsmith. Even though it's easily the best place I've worked, both of us are like "Fuck it". He doesn't know shit about fashion or business, yet has the skills. I think it will work out, and at least make us better money than busing does.

Also, I've thought of the best idea I've had for a screenplay, so I am spending the summer researching that, as well. If I can write interesting, believable, dramatic dialogue, then I think this could be very successful.

I am the happiest I've been in some time. I am learning to trust myself more. Also, I've learned that winter fucks with me hard, and that I need to spend as little of my future as possible with a wind chill.

[Bona Drag]

Also, I've learned that winter fucks with me hard, and that I need to spend as little of my future as possible with a wind chill.

yeah, for some people (me included) this makes a huge difference

life is better in the sun

[Spaghettini]

where i'm at now:

i work in a wholesale company selling a couple of clothing lines for the past 2.5 years (since i graduated college). one of my lines has been massively successful the past couple of seasons due to the extraordinary amounts of time and effort i put into it, but due to the vendor's incompetence, i've lost a LOT of customers and lots of money too. i'm paid reasonably well, but my bosses are crooks, and i am bitter because my hard work is lining the pockets of those crooks. they are ungrateful, unreasonable, and downright disrespectful.

i'm grateful for the connects i've made, my account list is pretty impressive, and it has transformed me into a hell of a salesman, but am completely burnt out at this company. i'm trying to make the leap from account executive to brand manager, but it's difficult and not a lot of people are hiring right now....

any tips for those trying to transition their careers?

[silence_kid]

Update on my life:

I was on academic probation the last year due to a couple years of depression and not giving a fuck at UofT. This year I did considerably better, except I tried to hand in one of my major assignments in late, during the exam period, and now I have to petition the faculty, so I might be getting suspended for a year. I find this ironic because I actually got better at school this last year, and I am actually enjoying it now (the suspension exists to apparently allow students to reflect on why they are at university). It's also ironic, because I only took this course because it was supposed to be incredibly easy. This doesn't really bother me, however.

At the same time, I'm starting a men's jewelry line with another bus boy from my work who is a qualified goldsmith. Even though it's easily the best place I've worked, both of us are like "Fuck it". He doesn't know shit about fashion or business, yet has the skills. I think it will work out, and at least make us better money than busing does.

Also, I've thought of the best idea I've had for a screenplay, so I am spending the summer researching that, as well. If I can write interesting, believable, dramatic dialogue, then I think this could be very successful.

I am the happiest I've been in some time. I am learning to trust myself more. Also, I've learned that winter fucks with me hard, and that I need to spend as little of my future as possible with a wind chill.

sounds like a year off school would be good for you anyway. What's your major?

[silence_kid]

dunno if i agree with this completely - i think that can be its own source of pressure/stress if you're constantly wondering if what you're doing really "matters" or whatever

case in point - i worked corporate right out of college, hated it at first but after a couple years i found my level

switched to nonprofit sector for a few years - wanted some more experience before getting a grad degree, and wanted to do "something that made a difference"

vice versa: i loved this job at first and hate it now

i realize you're not talking about the nonprofit sector, and anyway that term obviously encompasses a huge range of things; i'd also argue what i do now is uniquely stressful in a couple important ways

but anyway the best advice i ever got on all this came from one of the most influential old dudes in my life besides my dad: all that really matters is do they treat and pay you well?

wall street definitely pays well but is one of the most high-stress white collar enviroments in the world and a magnet for psychos

sometimes i think our generation thinks too hard about this stuff - if a job is just a job, thats fine, as long as you're paid and treated well

respect to those with the balls and resourcefulness to chase their dreams; i'm not one of them and i've made my peace with that fact

That was beautiful. This thread never ceases to comfort and/or scare the shit out of me.

[narwhal]

dismal and randr i get what you guys mean, honestly i change my mind about this shit every 1-3 months so it's gonna come down to wherever i'm at at the end of may when i have to finalize the university offer i accept

for example sometimes i'm bummed i won't be taking biology or any sciences again because i find with subjects like that i have to put in tons and tons of work copying notes, making myself drawings, teaching myself the lessons but when it actually sticks with me i find the work really rewarding.

my plan is basically first year taking courses in english, psych, studio art, history and film studies and whatever i decide to go with, especially if it's something like studio art i will combine with english which is something i enjoy but also consider a 'safe' major so like somebody else said as long as i keep my grades up my options are open i hope

[tyang]

Got an internship at a local recording studio and got accepted into Drexel's Summer Music Industry program. After that's through I'm going to do an early application to Drexel for their Music Industry major. Only 1/10 gets in, but hopefully with real-world studio experience and their own name already behind me at (I will be) 18 I'll make it in. Then the summer co-ops will help me find connections in the industry and get my name out there. At best, I'll get signed for production after that and work on an album or something, but with the degree I'm hoping to get I could be a studio engineer, producer, mastering engineer, product specialist with one of the big companies making gear (UAD, Waves, Ableton) or a prof or something.

I've decided to just go for it and not question myself because I don't really see anything positive coming out of that. I'm sure there will be some jobs I have in the feild that I don't like, but eventually things will click for me.

As for all of the other aspects of life, I'm scared out of my head. I think I'm going to end up compulsively working so I don't have to think about it.

i'm working towards a similar industry (film) and i can promise you it isn't that easy. you mentioned a summer program, so i'm assuming you're still in high school. My roommate was a music industry major at USC and the reality of that industry is even worse than mine. Your degree won't do anything for you. If you're lucky, you'll be hired as some kind of assistant and they'll treat you like shit for 2-3 years and grill you. They'll make ridiculously complex sandwich orders to test your attention to detail among other ridiculous shit. Unless you're a super talented dude with connections no one is going to sign you to work on an album out of college. There are not very many people that will go out of their way to "put your name out there".

As for my life, I am just interning the fuck out of LA and trying to get hired as an assistant to a producer or as a reader at a studio by the time i get out. What dude said earlier about menial work is x2 in the film/music industry. A lot of times they wont' even pay you because they know you'll work to the bone just for that spot. If you can't take it there are 100 dudes waiting in line behind you. I'd do more research more into this before you invest your money, hopes, and emotions into this. It's rough. If you decide to go through, do know that you need to go above and beyond what you're degree requires.

[lostinthesupermarket]

Sadly the post above me is correct. A degree is worth absolutely nothing in the creative end of the music biz (or what's left of it). There is no such thing as a structured career path in this field

If you are really interested in recording then stick with your gig at the studio (if it's a good shop) and get as much experience as possible with different types of music. Work hard, keep your mouth shut and your eyes and ears open and always be available and pleasant. The pay, conditions and hours will be terrible, but after about four or five years you might be ready for an engineering gig.

That's the way it's done. They can't teach you the shit you will need to know for this in college.

If you want to work in the administration/ management/ marketing end then it's a different deal and you would probably be better off getting some general business related qualification. I wouldn't know.

[RandR]

dunno if i agree with this completely - i think that can be its own source of pressure/stress if you're constantly wondering if what you're doing really "matters" or whatever...

I agree with this. I just found working for nothing but money to be sort of soulless. I'll give you an example.

My boss, when he first started at our company, lived in Jersey City. He was coming over on the ferry with his boss when 9/11 happened and they watched the plane crash into the twin towers. The ferry still landed, and as my boss is standing there aghast at what has just happened, his boss starts to run off into the smoke. My boss says "where are you going", his boss replies "I need to find a terminal so I can short as much stock as possible".

This is the mindset you have to acquire in order to be a good trader. Nothing else matters but money - but I knew it wasn't true. I came from an intensely artistic background, and studied philosophy with my dad all my life. I was deluding myself that making money was the greatest thing in the world, and all the while I swore I would never become like that guy.

Fast forward two years later, when I hear about a fedex plane crashing on the runway, and I immediately short their stock, all while praying that people died so that the stock falls another 5% from where I initially predicted it would go.

Nowadays I fight hard to give my employees better health care, a great 401K, and keep the company accounting clean. Leaving wall street made me realize that a company owes something to its employees - as long as we stay in business, our employees can send their kids to college, and try to be healthy, and maybe get the same chances in life that I had. I also feel like growing up really poor gave me a good perspective on this shit, rather than being a trust fund baby who embraces communism to bone white girls with dreadlocks.

Sorry, this is a topic I could go on about all day. I know this is a wall of text, guys. My bad.

TL/DR: the plot of wall street.

[Stylish Pilot]

Graduating tomorrow, but I have to take one summer course to be officially done.

Looking at Moving to Alaska and doing some flight instructing/ bush type flying for now. Plenty of jobs to be had up that way. Absolutely no one is hiring in the lower 48. Put in a couple of years up there, get some good experience and flight hours, and then come back down here to see what airline or corporate jobs are available.

I got a degree so I could have a non flying job to fall back on, but after looking at different jobs and applying for all kinds of stuff, I realized that I'm going to be happiest when I'm flying. No desk job or 9-5 is going to give me that peace.

[RandR]

Graduating tomorrow, but I have to take one summer course to be officially done...

I just want to warn you about commercial piloting in the USA. A lot of the guys we hire are army aviation dudes, who come out of the army with like thousands of hours in the air. Some of them get jobs for the major airlines(southwest is the best, but only by a small margin), and the starting salary for a pilot is:

25K-30K annual, regardless of your hours in the air. For the first two years you will sleep in a little room at airports shared with two other guys on cots. After your second/third year, you get promoted and make 60K...which is nice, but it's not great. It's because the unions here are very rigid with their payscales.

You should try to use your time in Alaska to pick up some references for private jet service stuff - those pilots are paid way more because they are non-union.

Good luck, and if you end up piloting flights up to Kodiak for salmon fishing, you might me see during the summers!

[Hocus Pocus]

sounds like a year off school would be good for you anyway. What's your major?

Double major in sociology and philosophy. I wouldn't disagree with you in some way about taking a year off, because I know I would have fun, and probably learn a lot about the craft I want to pursue, but I'd also rather graduate when I am 24, rather than 25. The year off would be so much better for me once I am done with school and have put it out of my mind.

[Stylish Pilot]

Graduating tomorrow, but I have to take one summer course to be officially done...

I just want to warn you about commercial piloting in the USA. A lot of the guys we hire are army aviation dudes, who come out of the army with like thousands of hours in the air. Some of them get jobs for the major airlines(southwest is the best, but only by a small margin), and the starting salary for a pilot is:

25K-30K annual, regardless of your hours in the air. For the first two years you will sleep in a little room at airports shared with two other guys on cots. After your second/third year, you get promoted and make 60K...which is nice, but it's not great. It's because the unions here are very rigid with their payscales.

You should try to use your time in Alaska to pick up some references for private jet service stuff - those pilots are paid way more because they are non-union.

Good luck, and if you end up piloting flights up to Kodiak for salmon fishing, you might me see during the summers!

Thanks for the heads up. I've done a lot of research and know what I'm getting into. Which is why I'm trying to stay as far away from the airlines as I can. Oh and try 17-21k your first rather than 25-30k. It's crazy industry and a lot of times it doesn't even make sense to pursue it, but most people accept all the poor wages and crappy lifestyle just so they can fly. Kind of sad really.

I've always told myself I'm smarter than that and if it doesn't make economical sense to do it then don't, but I guess I'm falling into the same trap a lot of guys do. Getting caught up in the allure of flying rather than having a decent lifestyle.

[brohymn]

Finishing undergrad this summer and then straight on to grad school.

gg nextmap

[rungo]

dismal and randr i get what you guys mean, honestly i change my mind about this shit every 1-3 months so it's gonna come down to wherever i'm at at the end of may when i have to finalize the university offer i accept

for example sometimes i'm bummed i won't be taking biology or any sciences again because i find with subjects like that i have to put in tons and tons of work copying notes, making myself drawings, teaching myself the lessons but when it actually sticks with me i find the work really rewarding.

my plan is basically first year taking courses in english, psych, studio art, history and film studies and whatever i decide to go with, especially if it's something like studio art i will combine with english which is something i enjoy but also consider a 'safe' major so like somebody else said as long as i keep my grades up my options are open i hope

This may sound counter to what others have said to some extent, but do NOT fuck around too much with that "I'll take some classes and find a major in what I like", you will get screwed over, pretty badly in some cases. Thats basically what I ended up with, halfway between degrees, then had to play catch up to fill out a major that I picked probably with about as much certainty as I could have 4 years ago. Basically, if you can't figure it out after year one, get a dart board, complete major then it you decide you want something else, it will actually be faster to take a post-grad or masters or whatever. It will take me 5 years for degree 1, then if I want to, 6.5 to get degree 2 due to how badly my courses got screwed up. Degrees would be BioSci specialization and Economics respectively.

Like others have said, GPA rules all, but picking wisely the first time will save you a lot of time effort and money.