What should I do with my future?

[CallumD]

I have 3 options.

First, about me:
17, Male, unreliable, lazy, wreckless, not that bright
Year 11, Below average to average grades, It takes effort to get high grades, not intelligence, and the effort I put in is literally nothing.

Option #1:
-Quit school
-Get a job in IT (4 year apprenticeship)
-Work in IT for ages
-Buy shit that I enjoy

Option #2:
-Continue school
-Hate myself
-Get in trouble continuously, hate most the people around me
-Possibly go to uni and get a shitty degree to waste 4 years

Option #3
-Become missing person
-Go into forest and live
-Actually have a challenge
-Enjoy life

I want option 3 the most but.. It probably isn't the best.

 

[snafupants]

I say stockpile money with option one then, if you become bored, segue to option three.

 

[CallumD]

I say stockpile money with option one then, if you become bored, segue to option three.

I want to skip straight to 3 but if my job interview on tuesday goes well and there is a job for me, ill go option 1.

 

[redbaron]

If you're certain that you'll enjoy a trade/IT job, then go ahead and quit school. Certain meaning, you could see no way in the next 40 years that you'll get bored and want to do something else. Otherwise stay in school, because not having at least high school education is a nightmare if you want to get a halfway decent job or enrol in a course if you do eventually want to. Also not sure if you're in Australia (I'm assuming you are, because I don't think many other cultures refer to it as 'year 11/12', but most TAFE (if not all) have dropped high-school equivalence courses, so getting an ENTER (or whatever the fuck it's called these days) will be borderline impossible.

Another alternative is military. Good pay, pretty easy, cheap housing, free medical.

 

[Proletar]

Option 1, obviously.

You can always quit the job if it turns out it's not what you want. And if life really sucks, there is always cheap rope at Wal-mart.

 

[snafupants]

I want to skip straight to 3 but if my job interview on tuesday goes well and there is a job for me, ill go option 1.

Sure you do but I'm giving you the best long-term option.

 

[The Gopher]

Oh so you are the 17 year old I only ran into the 25 and 22 year old, unless you lied about your age when you were younger :P

The only problem I see with option one is you might realise you don't actually enjoy it. Option three is probably way harder than you imagine. The possible "realistic" version of it would be to go live in inner city in the same style as the Forrest.

Would getting high-school into option one be a good idea with a backup plan into option three?

Well it would be a good idea if you could stand highschool... Maybe you could do part time Tafe in highschool with less subjects giving you both options?

Just brainstorming
Edit: 1616 posts!

 

[CallumD]

If you're certain that you'll enjoy a trade/IT job, then go ahead and quit school. Certain meaning, you could see no way in the next 40 years that you'll get bored and want to do something else. Otherwise stay in school, because not having at least high school education is a nightmare if you want to get a halfway decent job or enrol in a course if you do eventually want to. Also not sure if you're in Australia (I'm assuming you are, because I don't think many other cultures refer to it as 'year 11/12', but most TAFE (if not all) have dropped high-school equivalence courses, so getting an ENTER (or whatever the fuck it's called these days) will be borderline impossible.

Another alternative is military. Good pay, pretty easy, cheap housing, free medical.

Yeah, I have thought about the Navy however It just doesn't seem like something that would last with me. I am not that good with authority and constantly break rules.

Option 1, obviously.

You can always quit the job if it turns out it's not what you want. And if life really sucks, there is always cheap rope at Wal-mart.

The rope option sounds like the easiest way to fix everything.

Oh so you are the 17 year old I only ran into the 25 and 22 year old, unless you lied about your age when you were younger :P

The only problem I see with option one is you might realise you don't actually enjoy it. Option three is probably way harder than you imagine. The possible "realistic" version of it would be to go live in inner city in the same style as the Forrest.

Would getting high-school into option one be a good idea with a backup plan into option three?

Well it would be a good idea if you could stand highschool... Maybe you could do part time Tafe in highschool with less subjects giving you both options?

Just brainstorming
Edit: 1616 posts!

Well Option 3 might not be that realistic, I could come back every 2 or 3 weeks, stay a few days at my parents house and then go back.

Problem with combining highschool with option 1 is (via TAFE or whatever), the IT apprenticeship is a 3-4 day a week job with a TAFE course on 1-2 days of the week.

Is that possible? Part time high school through TAFE?
I go to a boarding school and will choose pretty much any option other than going back to school

 

[redbaron]

The rope option sounds like the easiest way to fix everything.

If you go option 3, definitely.

Edit: 1616 posts!

Congratulations!

1616 is not typically considered a milestone number, but I for one am ecstatic that you reached it nonetheless.

 

[CallumD]

If you go option 3, definitely.

Thanks for the link, hahaha

 

[Architect]

Ur, is there a choice here? You'd be stupid to do anything other than #1.

Think of it this way, if you do 1 you can do 2 and 3 also, just not full time.

If you do 2, you can't do 1, maybe a little of 3.

If you do 3 you can't do either 1 or 2.

 

[CallumD]

Ur, is there a choice here? You'd be stupid to do anything other than #1.

Think of it this way, if you do 1 you can do 2 and 3 also, just not full time.

If you do 2, you can't do 1, maybe a little of 3.

If you do 3 you can't do either 1 or 2.

I suppose, I just want a push really. Well, I hope my interview goes well and there is a job available.

 

[SpaceYeti]

You could also float through life and work at a grocery store until you're 60.

 

[BigApplePi]

Option #2:
-Continue school - gut it out.
-Hate myself - forget your present self. You are after the future.
-Get in trouble continuously, hate most the people around me. - If they deserve it, ignore them. Don't trouble yourself with troubling yourself.
-Possibly go to uni and get a shitty degree to waste 4 years - the degree is worth something. Study enough to get by and play if any spare time. Do what you want afterward.

.

 

[Cognisant]

As long as you don't grow up to be John Conner I don't care.

 

[Nick]

Looks like I'm the only one who voted... #3

What do they say... "do what you love and the money will come naturally."

 

[SpaceYeti]

Looks like I'm the only one who voted... #3

What do they say... "do what you love and the money will come naturally."

It's not actually true, though.

 

[CallumD]

You could also float through life and work at a grocery store until you're 60.

You don't know how tempting that sounds.

As long as you don't grow up to be John Conner I don't care.

Will you be my Kyle Reese, father?

Looks like I'm the only one who voted... #3

What do they say... "do what you love and the money will come naturally."

So you're saying if I completely detach myself from society and everything in it (money), I will earn money. I hope so.

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

If you have no idea what to do, the last thing you should do is go to uni.

Get a job. Any job will do. Become proficient at it. Arrive 30 minutes early and leave 30 minutes late. Do more than what is expected of you and ask for nothing additional for it. Do this from the beginning and show some initiative. A good manager will notice this and promote you to better positions. If they're the mentoring type, they will probably do what they can to let you rise the ranks.

If you can't get a job, work somewhere for free. Work experience and competence is worth more than a degree these days.

Alternatively, you can totally fuck up your life by studying philosophy at university.

 

[Nick]

I change my mind, Follow Proxies advice.

And if you don't want to do that...

TREE HOUSE LIFE TREE HOUSE LIFE TREE HOUSE LIFE

 

[walfin]

Since you are not in uni yet, I hope you don't quit school quite so soon. You don't have to go to uni but quitting school before that is a lousy idea. I've no idea if you've got examinations at the end of your final year of school but they shouldn't be particularly difficult to pass (if you don't want/need good grades).

Why don't you get a part-time or freelance job? Then you can combine options 1 & 2.

 

[joal0503]

Option #4:
-Quit school
-Commit life towards building a time machine
-Complete time machine, get babes and money
-Travel back in time and repeat

 

[Affinity]

Option 3 because you're young. Go appreciate mother earth.

 

[Puffy]

Since you are not in uni yet, I hope you don't quit school quite so soon. You don't have to go to uni but quitting school before that is a lousy idea. I've no idea if you've got examinations at the end of your final year of school but they shouldn't be particularly difficult to pass (if you don't want/need good grades).

Why don't you get a part-time or freelance job? Then you can combine options 1 & 2.

This ^

Sounds like you're already set on not finishing school, so if you get the job fair play to you. But school seems like it would have been a waste of time if you at least didn't get the qualifications from it, and the likelihood is that you'll need to go back to get them at some point depending on what kind of position you want. Like Proxy, I think University is a bad idea if you don't know what you want though.

 

[CallumD]

This ^

Sounds like you're already set on not finishing school, so if you get the job fair play to you. But school seems like it would have been a waste of time if you at least didn't get the qualifications from it, and the likelihood is that you'll need to go back to get them at some point depending on what kind of position you want. Like Proxy, I think University is a bad idea if you don't know what you want though.

Boarding school.

 

[snafupants]

The advice of the dealer in NL's Las Vegas Vacation: buy a bullet, and rent a gun.

Haha, take out some fat bank loans if you eventually plan on going to Walmart for rope and liquor.

 

[Kenny]

School is cool, option #2.

 

[Meer]

Finish high school. Don't get into debt unless absolutely necessary. Don't waste your money on shit.

Freelancing is good, especially for padding your resume. Proxy's advice is fairly good. I would describe myself as unreliable and lazy, but sometimes I am astounded by how good of an employee I am.

 

[The Gopher]

Problem with combining highschool with option 1 is (via TAFE or whatever), the IT apprenticeship is a 3-4 day a week job with a TAFE course on 1-2 days of the week.

Is that possible? Part time high school through TAFE?
I go to a boarding school and will choose pretty much any option other than going back to school

It's like three/4? subjects at school and 1 day a week at tafe. (or something) but yeah it's possible.

If you go option 3, definitely.



Congratulations!

1616 is not typically considered a milestone number, but I for one am ecstatic that you reached it nonetheless.

Thanks! I forget all the other milestones so I thought I would grab this chance.

 

[SpaceYeti]

You don't know how tempting that sounds.

It was a joke. Don't do that.

 

[CallumD]

It was a joke. Don't do that.

Don't worry. I have already promised myself that if I get to that point, I will become skilled with a rifle and assassinate religious figures.

I know that assassinating religious figures will not stop spreading the cancer that is religion, however it will bring me a personal satisfaction that nothing could match.

 

[joal0503]

Don't worry. I have already promised myself that if I get to that point, I will become skilled with a rifle and assassinate religious figures.

I know that assassinating religious figures will not stop spreading the cancer that is religion, however it will bring me a personal satisfaction that nothing could match.

ive alerted the pope, and justin bieber.

 

[CallumD]

ive alerted the pope, and justin bieber.

No alert will stop me from wiping clean the earth from the scum that is the pope.

Justin Bieber gets any woman he wants and smokes pot, never got on the Bieber hate bandwagon, although I hate his music.

 

[SpaceYeti]

Don't worry. I have already promised myself that if I get to that point, I will become skilled with a rifle and assassinate religious figures.

I know that assassinating religious figures will not stop spreading the cancer that is religion, however it will bring me a personal satisfaction that nothing could match.

I always promised myself that before I got to that point, I'd either commit minor crimes and spend my nights in jail, or join the military.

I look fly in my dress uniform, yo.

 

[Lot]

As magical as option 3 is, it's not likely to be all that worth while. There is a reason why we live in cities. That being said, I like to dream about living in the woods, living off the land and finding a woman raised by wolves, and making babies with her. Oh and having a glorious beard down to feet and a bear pelt for clothing (a bear I killed with a large knife).

Option 1 could work out well. I had a friend that started building his portfolio at 15, for web design. He may have graduated a year late, mostly for getting kicked out of school twice; computer tampering and giving his ADD meds to a fellow student. But here he is now. Well lets forget where he is now. Last year he was working for two large companies doing Web security, and doing freelance work on the side. Just don't start doing heroin, and you should be fine. You could just stick it out through school passing with the lowest grades you need till graduation. Then really jump into IT work.

 

[walfin]

Boarding school.

Gah forgot about this.
Then it's either change school or freelance if possible and wait it out.
A year or so is not a long time.

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

You could always finish high school at tafe.

 

[Cavallier]

I basically did what Proxy advised...while simultaneously fucking up my life by studying philosophy at uni. I don't think I slept for 4 years. I still ended up in IT and now I buy shit I enjoy.

Somehow I don't think it matters what you do. However, I did get my high school diploma first.

 

[Nezaros]

Option 3 if you don't give half a damn about long-term, which I assume you do. Elsewise, Option 1 if you're just about absolutely sure you can do it, Option 2 if not. In my not-quite-uninformed-but-hardly-expert opinion having at the very least a high school diploma is good for job-hunting, while the efficacy of college degrees really depends on the field.

 

[CallumD]

I went for a job interview at MIGAS (They just refer you to employers and handle paperwork), my resume is pretty good because of work experience and using computers since I was young. I nailed the aptitude test and the interviewer gave me good feedback.

Problem is, there are no jobs in IT available from MIGAS. Goodbye society.

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

I went for a job interview at MIGAS (They just refer you to employers and handle paperwork), my resume is pretty good because of work experience and using computers since I was young. I nailed the aptitude test and the interviewer gave me good feedback.

Problem is, there are no jobs in IT available from MIGAS. Goodbye society.

Have you finished high school?
How intelligent are you?

I initially thought you were in the US but now realize you'rein Australia.

 

[CallumD]

Have you finished high school?
How intelligent are you?

I initially thought you were in the US but now realize you'rein Australia.

I haven't finished high school as of yet, 1 more year sadly.

I am fucken stuped, I don't mean to insult you but I really don't know how intelligent I am, I am above average, that is all.

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

I haven't finished high school as of yet, 1 more year sadly.

I am fucken stuped, I don't mean to insult you but I really don't know how intelligent I am, I am above average, that is all.

Firstly, finish high school. You can finish high school at a tafe. I suggest you look into it. I believe it is called a Senior Studies Program. It is a self-motivated learning environment. No uniform, you don't have to be there when you don't have classes, teachers treat you like a human being and are genuinely interested in your welfare.

http://msit.tafe.qld.gov.au/courses/senior_studies.html
http://msit.tafe.qld.gov.au/resources/pdf/senior-studies-overview.pdf

Study the ATP courses such as biology, chemistry, physics and pure mathematics. You can also do a vocational course in IT at the same time. I was given a scholarship to attend something similar over 6 years ago. I can not recommend this program more.

Edit: Hell, I am willing to slap your parents silly to make you attend.
Another Edit: I may go back there for a visit and see if my teachers are still around. Thank them for turning my life around.

 

[CallumD]

Firstly, finish high school. You can finish high school at a tafe. I suggest you look into it. I believe it is called a Senior Studies Program. It is a self-motivated learning environment. No uniform, you don't have to be there when you don't have classes, teachers treat you like a human being and are genuinely interested in your welfare.

http://msit.tafe.qld.gov.au/courses/senior_studies.html
http://msit.tafe.qld.gov.au/resources/pdf/senior-studies-overview.pdf

Study the ATP courses such as biology, chemistry, physics and pure mathematics. You can also do a vocational course in IT at the same time. I was given a scholarship to attend something similar over 6 years ago. I can not recommend this program more.

Edit: Hell, I am willing to slap your parents silly to make you attend.
Another Edit: I may go back there for a visit and see if my teachers are still around. Thank them for turning my life around.

I think I'll have a problem with the self-motivation thing, is there in class or one on one work?
I did an IT Course at TAFE last year, I did barely any course work but when the tests came around, I topped.

My thoughts on the subjects you selected:
Biology: Sometimes boring, but relatively easy
Chemistry: Extremely hard (Seemingly) Don't have the motivation to grasp concepts.
Mathematics: After a history of annoying teachers that put me behind pot plants, yelled at me, confiscated my possessions and constantly called my parents because I questioned them, I have been discouraged by mathematics and never took the time to understand some things, I quit it at the start of year 11 and replaced it with IT. I could probably get 100% in the general maths test though.

If you start Senior Studies, do you start from year 11 again?

 

[Oblivious]

I would suggest programming video games. There are a few reasons:

1) You learn programming, which is awesome in general
2) The math you learn (mainly linear algebra and trigonometry) is directly applied, allowing you to do powerful and awesome things
3) It's almost impossible to get bored
4) It's always changing
5) If you go indie, you make your own rules (You have to be really good though)

I am in a degree program where I do mostly game development. Anything else in the program generally just makes me better at this.

In my second year game project, I ditched a four man team, disregarded much of the advice of my lecturers, and still got a B+ because I made an awesome game on my own. It was probably my favorite year because I basically just programmed/designed whatever the hell I wanted and did not have to care about other people.

This semester I have to work with people though. I could have pulled another solo project but lecturers said I needed to learn to work with people, which would be intellectually dishonest to deny.

Its a downside, but I suppose you'll have to work with people where ever you go.

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

If you start Senior Studies, do you start from year 11 again?

You don't have to do year 11 again. If you're not doing too well and don't understand concepts, it could not hurt repeating year 11.

 

[CallumD]

I would suggest programming video games. There are a few reasons:

1) You learn programming, which is awesome in general
2) The math you learn (mainly linear algebra and trigonometry) is directly applied, allowing you to do powerful and awesome things
3) It's almost impossible to get bored
4) It's always changing
5) If you go indie, you make your own rules (You have to be really good though)

I am in a degree program where I do mostly game development. Anything else in the program generally just makes me better at this.

In my second year game project, I ditched a four man team, disregarded much of the advice of my lecturers, and still got a B+ because I made an awesome game on my own. It was probably my favorite year because I basically just programmed/designed whatever the hell I wanted and did not have to care about other people.

This semester I have to work with people though. I could have pulled another solo project but lecturers said I needed to learn to work with people, which would be intellectually dishonest to deny.

Its a downside, but I suppose you'll have to work with people where ever you go.

I have really enjoyed learning Java, making programs, sexy guis over the last week, thoroughly enjoyed it, even though I ignored some boring stuff when looking through video series on Java programming.

But I don't know if you live in Australia or not, but the gaming industry is pretty much just Sydney here,
I would definitely enjoy being an indie game programmer, however I want to get some experience in the industry first.

I have thought about this before, but it never seemed like a viable thing to do.
+ I have attention issues when it comes to learning programming languages, any tips?
How did you make your first proper game?
What languages do you know?

You don't have to do year 11 again. If you're not doing too well and don't understand concepts, it could not hurt repeating year 11.

Well, if I could magically transport into a position where I am in year 11 again, I would.. However I am too lazy to physically get myself into that position now. I am a fuckbag.

 

[Oblivious]

I have really enjoyed learning Java, making programs, sexy guis over the last week, thoroughly enjoyed it, even though I ignored some boring stuff when looking through video series on Java programming.

But I don't know if you live in Australia or not, but the gaming industry is pretty much just Sydney here,
I would definitely enjoy being an indie game programmer, however I want to get some experience in the industry first.

I have thought about this before, but it never seemed like a viable thing to do.
+ I have attention issues when it comes to learning programming languages, any tips?
How did you make your first proper game?
What languages do you know?

Industry experience would definitely help. I intend to get at least 3 years before I think of going indie.

About language learning, its all about learning by doing. I would recommend getting into a standard computer science course, learning what you can, and then applying it to personal projects. Nothing really beats programming for your own purposes. Lots of programmers program for work, come home, and then program for personal projects.

Language progression is really a matter of preference. Some people recommend higher level languages like python or java before progressing to lower level languages like C/C++.

I was an engineer in mechatronics before going into games software, so I knew a bunch of low level languages like Logic Controller Mnemonics for industrial automation, and x86 Assembly for direct processor control, before progressing to C/C++, lisp and Python. This is the old school way, since it somewhat follows the evolution of programming languages.

I've only dabbled in the last two, C/C++ is the industry standard for games, so it's my main language. Although, concepts from the other languages really help you shape how you use your main language.

I was pretty bad at math when I started on this course, but once I started applying what I learnt to graphics and physics, its power became pretty apparent. It helped a lot that I was able to directly see the results of the math in action.

As for how to make your first proper game, there are many resources you can use:

http://www.script-tutorials.com/tag/html5-games/

html5 is great for beginners as all the basic engines like sound, and image display are all already integrated into the api, so you don't have to build the framework on your own.

http://nehe.gamedev.net/

If you are serious about game development, you should look into using either direct x or opengl and write your own graphics renderer. You'll need a lot more then graphics later on, and have to integrate the individual components on your own.

It's all out there on google, you just have to go get it.

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

Have you considered a career in one of the Engineering disciplines?

 

[Valentas]

In my opinion, you could take a year out but to do really what you described in option 3. However, I think you won't pull through whole year. Nature is harsh, y'know? I just ran 10km through snow and wind, fully clad in warm clothes. Yes I do run in winter too

I ran and thought that I could never ever pull through this for a year or so...and I've been dreaming about it a lot...you know, fuck civilization and let's back to nature. I now fully comprehend why American indians have always lived in communities...it's lonely, it's cold and it gets very very boring...

I'd say choose the option 1 because you may tolerate the job which is interesting enough to have some moneh to buy stuff you need. From your option 3 declaration, I comprehend you don't need crap all rich idiots buy to show off. Me too. I'd say the best thing is to earn a lot of money and then retire..considering the idea that you're lazy and like nature, you could then live comfortably somewhere in the forest not far from city. I highly doubt the idea that you'd hunt food for yourself with option 3. As Architect has stated, option 1 opens the opportunity to enjoy all 3 options combined.

Also, what would you do in the woods alone? If you're INTP, I can't imagine you not learning something new you find an interest in...

Also, I encourage you to get the best grades as possible because you may change your mind about living in the woods. I have several friends who are older than me, like 23 and now they realized how much time they wasted and the world actually demands some skills and knowledge. I think one thing that needs to be put into every human being mind is that we live in information age. Knowledge is everything. If you can combine up-to-date knowledge with the ability to deal with people...I'd say you will go far. Earn money. Have a nice life. Don't be naive that you can live alone somewhere in the woods. I thought so when I was your age but now I actually miss interaction with a few great minds. That makes my day happier. I would not be happy alone in the nature.