Tomorrow, I'm on my way to my home sweet home. College wasn't a good experience after all. It was fun at first, then things went haywire. Some students became jerks. Some teachers became jackasses. No girl wanted a romantic relationship with me (they just thought of me as a funny friend and nothing more). I started to miss my family and friends. I started to miss my hometown (I never thought I would miss it). Besides that, my computer has no Internet service due to my not knowing how to plug in the wires even with the help of a picture diagram (I'm writing this message from a computer room on campus), my phone is dead, I can't hook up my TV and I have a nasty head cold. When I get home tomorrow, I'll still have the new computer I got, and it'll replace our old home computer.

Here's my grand plan for the future! Part 1: For the next week or two: Sleep in, watch Comedy Central in my boxer shorts, and eat. After that time is up, then Part 2: I start my job hunt. With any luck, I hope to end up back at the Greenwood Lake Public Library. If not, then does anybody near Orange County in New York know of a job that would require a guy with a complete high-school education and only a month of college? Finally, part 3: I work the job for a year and a half...maybe a little more or maybe a little less, and then I'll move down South to Orlando, Florida. I'll get a job with one of the theme parks, hopefully, or at least get a job near them.

In summary, college was an eye-opener. Now I want to go back to sleep.

Sincerely,

John "outofplacechild" Kilduff

John I'm so sorry College is not working out for you. Yeah teachers definitely can have their egos - I don't know about the girl thing but it can be very hard.

Go home and relax and keep coming to us for some cheer :)

Hugs to you :)

I'm sorry to hear about all this. :( You got lots of friends here! :) I sure hope things get better for you!

Lots of luck to you! ;)

{{{HUGS}}} for my twisted brother! :p LOL

Good luck with life OPC. :) It's a shame your dropping outta college. :( IMO That wasn't a good idea........but whatever makes ya happy is the thing ya gotta do.

I plan on going to college for eight years......HERES TO HOPIN'! :)

(((hand shakes))) for the most twisted friend one can have. :)

No one ever said life was easy...as Morpheus said in The Matrix...welcome to the real world :eek: I've had my share of pain in the arse professors in the past too, but for the most part, it hasn't been too bad for me. Then again, I never had the experience of living on campus...don't think I could either...lol :p

At least ya got a plan from here...college isn't for everyone and isn't even necessary for some to succeed :) Good luck OPC! :D

You may want to try going back after a year, for myself, I took a year off to work and attended University a year a late, after all my friends had partied and flunked out. In my situation I'm glad I waited the year

Here's part 4 for your plan John....

End up not getting any jobs because of your lack of college degree and no experience, then end up working menial bullshit labor jobs until you can land a public service job.

Trust me, I know. I'm living it now. I quit college even though I ranked in the top 10% of the nation because I was sure I would "make it" in music. That was 18 years ago. Try to stick it out dude....you'll be happier in the long run.

OPC!!! You have to do what's right for you, but I hope you will give college another shot in the future.

You are going to find, as all of us do, that there are @ssholes everywhere, John. They are not exclusive to your area, and sometimes (although no one wants to admit it), to find the @sshole we have to look in the mirror. None of us are always 100% perfect and nice.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. :)

Sorry college didn't work out for you OPC. Sometimes it doesn't all fall into place like you think it should. Enjoy your time off and let your brain relax.

I'll add my two cents too that maybe you can try it again in a year or two and things will be different. College isn't for everybody, but depending on what you want to do when you grow up (as if any of us really know), that degree can make a lot of difference.

Whatever you end up doing, I wish you a lot of luck and you know you've always got plenty of friends here! ;)

Sorry to hear about your college woes, John. I hope that, after taking some time off, that you decide to return to school. College isn't easy, and nothing at all like high school. But I'm confident that you can stick it out. I had my own share of butt-headed professors and fly-by-night "friends", but I wouldn't exchange my college experience for anything in the world. Enjoy your time off, however, and do a soul search to find what it is in life that truly makes you happy. You've got lots of friends here that will support your decisions, no matter what they are!

MDC: Official Stalker of DD86 :D

Sorry to hear about your troubles, John. Just a piece of advice though from someone who didn't go to college. Do not drop out! I would do anything to have that chance to better myself. I made some stupid decisions within the last 10 years and now I am paying for them. It is so hard to find better jobs with better pay without some kind of schooling.

Do this at least, think about enrolling in a different college. If not a college, then a trade school. Believe me, it will pay off later.

I'm sorry you're having problems, but I really think you should reconsider things. Trust me here. I'm 30 and thinking about going back to school to get the skills needed for a better job. I don't want to spend my life working retail. Plus I've lived in Orlando. Hope you realize how expensive things are there. It's a tourist town and you need to be making good money to survive there. I know this from experience. JUst hate to see you give up all the oppportunties college has to give you. You need the education and the experiences while you're still young.

I agree with Pagan and everyone else that said to stick it out.
I tried college and it was hard at first. Especially when I have kids. LIfe is hard it is never going to be easy.
You have to try and better yourself and you should do it while you are young. There is always time for fun but for right now you need to go back to school and better yourself. You will regrett it when you get older trust me.
If you need a break that is fine we all need a break from time to time. But don't make it years.. just take a break for a semester.

John, sorry to hear about your bad experience. Maybe next semester you should try a Junior College. The reason I say this is because at major Universities part of the teachers job is to weed out some of the freshmen. I have found the Junior College teachers to be much nicer. But as puleeze said, "there are @ssholes everywhere."

Don't get me wrong, I don't think college is for everyone. I didn't finish myself. You don't need college to make good money (if that is important to you.) It is needed for a lot of jobs though. Just do what makes you happy, that is what is important. If that job doesn't require college, then don't go. But you owe it to yourself to give school another shot. That way in 10 years you won't wonder what if. :confused:

Hi John,
Sorry to hear you're down in the dumps. Sometimes heading homeward is the best thing. Moving away, starting a new school, making all new friends...it can just be too overwhelming all at once. Maybe once you get home and setteled and back to your old friends you can think about a trade school or a city college. That way you won't have all the stresses on you at one time. Trade schools can be great, much quicker and offer really well paying jobs. I hope things work out for you whatever you decide. Just don't give up on whatever dream took you to college in the first place. Maybe there is a different route to take you there. Oh yeah, and sometimes when girls think you are a funny friend they have a way of working into something more in the long run. That's not such a bad thing all the time. Good luck John! ;)

Have you tried to join any of the campus clubs? Sometimes you can meet a whole network of people. A pool league, a photography club, a movie club etc. I've had some really shirkers, some real losers but once you weed those out you can find some really great people. The profs won't change - they have an ego a mile wide but there may be a few. Don't stay out of school too long. I went back at 25 and it wasn't easy but it can be done. It just gets harder when you start making money even from a menial job to go back and be very very broke :)

Good luck!

Jon,
I grew up in Atlanta and tried a university (dorm life) too. UGA. I partied so much just to get away from the dorms. Needless to say, I didn't finish. But some schools aren't as bad as others. Smaller colleges in different places, etc. might be an option. I know, living arrangements can suck. If you check with different schools, universities as well as community colleges, they offer online classes. I'm taking one now. Some colleges offer a full degree program online. And financial aid pays for it just like regular classes. You can mail in your homework, so it's pretty cool. :)
Contact different colleges if you're interested.

Jon,
Is there a community college in Orange or Rockland counties? The only reason I ask is that I agree with Pagan. Stick it out, ask for help at school, do something, anything but give up. Maybe finding a school closer to home would help you out. You could go home on weekends or even live at home and go to school.
Unfortunately in this day in age, companies are looking for people with some kind of degree or technical trainning (depends in what type of work you'd like to do in your career) just to get an entry level job. Now that the economy is so shakey, I'm hearing people getting let go from their jobs weekly. It's more important these days to know what you want to do in life and set your course. A high school diploma or an equivilant narrows your career ideas so much, it's not even funny.
Just think about it before you quit, you may be happier in the long run. :)

Sorry to hear that, OPC.

Well, it took me 12 years and 3 trys until I finally made my first successful examination.
I know also how it feels when you´re away from home, and everything turns against you. That´s no easy situation to deal with, and I can only congratulate you to your courage to call it quits instead of dragging yourself through the whole ordeal.

Take a break and find back to yourself. Maybe you will find a new task during it, something which will be more satisfying in the end. It´s never too late to make a new start - I was 29 years old when I´ve started my third business training.

I´ll keep my thumbs pressed for you. ;)

Sorry to hear about your problems at school OPC. I've read all the posts, and you've got lots of friends here who have given you their advice on going to college or other options that you have, and you're going to have to decide on whether you're going to follow that advice.
Giving up may be what you want to do now, but definitely don't wait too long.
I went to a junior college to learn printing at the age of forty, and took a correspondence course in commercial art for three years after high school. I don't work in either field today, but I make decent money.

My daughter did not want to go to college, but knew that she wanted to be in a graphic arts or drafting field, so she now attends ITT and is very happy with her choice. I was always interested in the same type of field as she is, but I never went to formal training for them, so now I support her in every way that I can, so that she can have that dream job in the future. I'll live out my dream through her success, and knowing that I helped her reach her goal.

Whatever you do Jon, don't just hang it up. Take a break if you have to, but don't just give up on all the options you've been given. Professors can be jerks, but in real life you're going to find jerks and a$$holes wherever you go.
A degree won't guarantee you a great paying job, but the odds are much better than not having one.

Good luck in your quest.

John.....I had probs at University, too...ended up dropping out...then, I signed up at a community college and was much more happier!!! Maybe that's what you should consider. Please, don't give it up! We're here for ya!!

I don't know how it slipped my mind, but as some suggested already, definitely give community college a try. That's the route I took and I think it prepared me well to getting me where I am now...getting my bachelors in May :D Not only is it A LOT easier at that level, the classes are much smaller and most professors really put an effort into helping you get through. I'm glad that's the route I took...I changed my major 3 times, so it took me 3 years to get through it, but better to find your way there than at a major state college or university ;)

hey....i've been meaning to reply to this.

I remember going through extremely difficult times during my first year of college. I wanted to quit, and had everything planned out on how I was going to just waitress and work at other small jobs to get by. I was all set to drop out, but then a couple of *very* good friends of mine talked to me about it. They reccommended taking a few classes (classes that I really liked) part time for a semester. They said, if I still wanted to drop out after that, that I should.

Well, I did what they said. Figured I'd just make them (and my parents) happy by taking 2 - 3 classes for a semester. I also went to see a career counselor who said I should take a class in something that interested me, didn't matter what it was. I chose Art History....and after that semester, I was hooked and ended up majoring in the field and graduating at the top of my class. :D

It may be best for you to take a break right now, but I would think about it again in a while. Maybe give another school a try, or some different sorts of classes.

Whatever you do....good luck. I'm sure you'll succeed in your decision. :)

Well, I an't think of anything else to say that the others haven't. I do hope you get your problems sorted and you really should look into a community college. They can be a great way to ease into the whole college scene. Good luck.

With all the sound advice you've been given it's hard not to sound repetitive, but here's my piece anyway. I only have my thesis to go and I'll finally have my MA. This is my third attempt and I'm proud to have come this far. Was it easy? Absolutely not. Is it worth it? Yes!

Sometimes when you're in a new situation things can seem overwhelming. Most people can deal with one or two challenges at once, but sometimes they seem to add up and become too much to deal with. This is going to sound banal but make a list and deal with one issue at a time. There will be things you cannot change and that's where you need a change of attitude.

Remember to make your choices based on what's best for you. Not by what others expect of you. I wasted 2 years studying something that was wrong for me - simply because I thought that is what was expected of me. Argh! I nearly gave up getting a degree after that until I realised that I DID want an education - I just needed to choose something that was right for ME.

Life will always deal you challenges - running away will not change anything but the kind of challenges you're presented with. Change your attitude and find your inner fighter and will to succeed. :)

Good luck :)

alright...Alright...ALRIGHT, I GET IT, DAMMIT! I'LL GET MY EDUCATION SOME OTHER WAY! YOU CONVINCED ME! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH! (outofplacechild drops to the ground in exhaustion. After getting kicked in the head with a leather boot by Pagan, OPC comes to.) Okay, sorry for snapping. I was just questioning the advice, but then I realized you just want what's best for me. Okay, I'll restructure the plan so that I don't end up with a more miserable life, as Pagan implied:

Part 1: Relax for a few weeks.
Part 2: Get a job.
Part 3: Work the job for a year and a half-maybe a little less and maybe a little more.
Part 4: Find a film school about midway to where I wish to be (maybe the school is in Virginia or one of the Carolinas.)
Part 5: Learn the film lessons.
Part 6: Graduate, then head to Florida where my work will count for something. I'll set aside money during the years beforehand, so I'll have some coinage for living, food and other things.

No muss, no fuss, and I'm going to give myself that happy ending after all.

Sincerely,

John "outofplacechild" Kilduff

I am so glad to hear that .. don't you feel better now that you listened to all of our advice?
It is nice to see you have some goals.. now stick to them!!

I know I am a little late in chiming in on all of this, but there is another option you may not have considered. The Military. I know, you probably wont want to hear that, since we are heading into a conflict right now. But hear me out.

Lets say you are pretty sure what you want out of life, job wise. How can you pay for the training, without getting into a LOT of debt? The Montgomery GI Bill pays a LOT of money for college expenses.

You are what, 18 or 19? Ever been to Japan? Italy? France? South America?

Ever been paid a grand and a half a month while getting your house and food and medical and Dental insuace paid for? Plus job training, while getting paid? Plus, you would be going through a common experience with 30 or 40 people, depending on your class/job who are about the same age, from all across the country, and with all kinds of unique perspectives on life.

You will never meet a more diverse group of people than you will in bootcamp.

Plus, being in the military, you can take advantage of Tuition Assistance while on active duty. That pays for 3/4 of your tuition, as long as you pass your class.

Plus, you will get valuable experience, both professionally and personally. You will forever have a bond with all other people who share your chosen branch of service. You can NEVER understand what it is like to meet somebody who was also in the service, perhaps having the same job, or had been at the same duty station. YOu will meet so many people, make so many connections, and be able to basically find your way into anything you may want to do in life. I know people who are now lawyers, doctors, cops, firefighters, nuclear engineers, musicians, animal trainers for the circus, chefs, electrical engineers, CIA officers, to name a few.

Think it over, a job, paid tuition, a lifetime of experiences. And you will get paid for it! If you need more info, email me at the addy below.

It's nice to see you've given things some more thought. That sounds like a really good plan you've come up with. I hope everything works out well for you. :)

See how many people care about you and your future, John? That should make you feel great, knowing that so many people are concerned about you! I have faith that you will find what it is in life that you truly want to do. The best of luck!

MDC: Official Stalker of DD86 :D

Originally posted by MDC:
<STRONG>See how many people care about you and your future, John? That should make you feel great, knowing that so many people are concerned about you! I have faith that you will find what it is in life that you truly want to do. The best of luck!

MDC: Official Stalker of DD86 :D</STRONG>

DITTO! :D

I'm so glad that you at least thought about all of our suggestions. It's just most of us in here are a bit older and have been through a lot of tough experiences already. By no means is it easy. Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

It's good to know that you will at least look over your options.
From you're last post it sounds like you're really interested in the film industry, and I don't know if you know it or not, but you might even contact Disney World here in Florida and get information about the Walt Disney College.
College students work in the parks and go to the college for their field of choice. They also have dorms for their students to live in while attending school. You might want to look into it.
It might be just the thing you're looking for.

Wow, that sounds like a cool deal Sarge! Good advice.