College... if you could do it over again...

[Crazier]

Over the weekend I had a talk with my dad.

For those of you who don't know me, I'm 25 years old. When I was 19 and in college I got my girlfriend pregnant. So, I stopped going to school and started working full time to support our family.

Currently, I draw building specifications for industrial buildings such as hotels, schools, and hospitals. While the job does allow me to surf the net about 7 hours a day... I don't like it. It's boring, and it doesn't give me the personal satisfaction from a job that I need. I mean damn fellas... I've got what, 40 more years to work??? It's gotta be something I have passion for.

The thing is, in the past year's I've worked up to a pretty nice salary for a high school graduate at 25 anyway... $50,000 a year.

Anyway, I feel like I'm in a self inflicted prison from 7am to 5pm Monday through Friday... so I want out.

My dad told me he would pay my ASU tuition... and also help me with rent while I'm in school. Therefore, I could quit my $50K job and go back to school full time, and just work some shit job to pay for my daughter's private school and the $$$ I give her mom.

I didn't think I would have this opportunity again. I thought I may have to work a job I hate for the next 40 years.

I have passion for helping people. I don't like to deal with money, I don't like selling shit... personal development and relgious studies is all I have interest for.

I don't want to go to school for the next 4 years, only to get out and make less than I do now. Obviously, starting out I will, but in the long run... I want to make over $80,000 a year.

So, psychology, counseling, and religious studies are my interests. What kind of job does one attain after majoring in religious studies? I've heard psychology is one of the most unused degree's that exist.
While I certainly have some time to decide what I want to major in... I'd like to hear some of your ideas.

If you had it to do over again... what career would you choose? With my interests and the money I want to make... what would you choose? Also, at 25, would you take dad up on his offer... or is it time to be a big boy and hack the next 40 years working at this shithole?
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[WODIN]

If you are unhappy with your current work situation and have a way to change it then change it. How shouldn't be an issue. Plus if you have a good relationship with your Dad this would probably help make it stronger.

You can always join a cult. It sounds drastic but I understand cult babes are easy.

 

[gymtime]

This will come down to a matter of what you want. You have to decide that. You have a couple problems to work out:

1. Your interests do not translate into an $80k/yr career. Given that, you'd be lucky to top out at what you're making now. Are you willing to sacrifice the money to do something you enjoy?

2. Consider your situation now. You're doing VERY well for someone with little formal education. How miserable are you at work really? Most people get through life just fine without loving their job. For me, fulfillment is not found at work, but in my life beyond that. I neither love nor hate my job. I like it ok, but it will never be a source of fulfillment for me. But it does what it's supposed to do, finance my life, which is what I make of it.

3. Consider also this opportunity. A free bachelor's degree at a good school? That is an incredible offer, one that 90% of the world would trade their mothers for. However, don't assume that a BA/BS is a ticket to a fulfilling career. Once you graduate, you'll almost certainly end up with a career that you enjoy better than the one you have now. But you'll likely make less money. Will that work for you?

At your tender age, it's unlikely that you'll stay in your "shithole" for the next 40 years. Other, better jobs will come. Just depends on whether that path works for you or not.

 

[Train Harder]

I'm 28 and about 1 1/2 years away from finishing school. I say go back to school. I wish i had finished sooner but that's the past. A college degree is pretty much needed to get your foot in the door most places today. Good luck

 

[the nature boy]

1. Your interests do not translate into an $80k/yr career. Given that, you'd be lucky to top out at what you're making now. Are you willing to sacrifice the money to do something you enjoy?

2. Consider your situation now. You're doing VERY well for someone with little formal education. How miserable are you at work really? Most people get through life just fine without loving their job. For me, fulfillment is not found at work, but in my life beyond that. I neither love nor hate my job. I like it ok, but it will never be a source of fulfillment for me. But it does what it's supposed to do, finance my life, which is what I make of it.

both of these are excellent points.

 

[Test boy]

If I had college to do over again, I would bang more babes.

 

[john937]

That's why they call it work: you wouldn't do it for free.
A psych degree + $1.50 will get you a cup of coffee.
The jobs that pay in excess of 80K are usually either technical, managerial, sales, law or medicine.

Shot in the dark - considering your current job:
How about building on your current experience, and become an architect or architectural construction contractor/consultant.
Maybe helping people build homes/hospitals ?
Once you get your grounding/pay your professional dues, you can specialize in projects you find more fullfilling - environmental green buildings, free clinics, low income housing etc.
But in every profession, the first couple of years, you are always doing the jobs nobody else wants.

 

[Dogballs]

there is no law that says you need to be in the first job you take for the rest of your life. take the experience you have gotten fropm that job and look to upgrade your situation.

trust me, a lot of times I feel I would have been better off not getting a degree and instead gettin work experience. college education is nothing special anymore, they are a dime a dozen!

 

[Crazier]

Shit. Thanks for all the posts above guys.

Sometimes I just take the job I walked into for granted. I started in the wherehouse and have wound up as an inside salesman.
Right now I'm trying to learn building quotes. It's freaking complicated, I get frustrated... and then I get paranoid. What I am learning is definately the hardest part to the job. I get paranoid because if I got canned... I'd be screwed!!! I'd lose about 50% of my pay.

Once I land the quotes, my next step would be outside sales.
In about 2-3 years, I'd be outside at job sites, speaking with contractor's and engineers... making about $80K with a full business expense account.

gymtime - Excellent points...

1. That sucks those jobs don't pay higher. To top out where I am now at age 25, after a degree, that would bother me.

2. The real reason I'm miserable is because I've been struggling the past few months learning new shit. I suppose I'd get that way at college too, minus the $25 an hour. I suppose if I had a family to go home to at the end of the day, rather than tunes and a bong... I wouldn't have to find fulfillment at work to make me a happy person.

3. It is an awesome opportunity to have. But like you said, it's also not a guaranteed ticket to a successful/happy career. Rather, it could be 4 years of hard work to graduate, start at $30,000... or stick it out here, learning as much as I can... and in 4 years be outside of the office, which would make the job 100 times better, and be making $80,000 a year.

Thanks for the slap of reality.

I suppose it isn't very promising that I'd end up as Dr. Crazier, the enlightened writer who transformed millions of suffering people to enlightened, aware people.

Well... back to specs...
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[gymtime]

At 18 or 19, you can go to college without knowing what you really want, and still get some benefit from it. At 25, when you're already making good money, the only reason to go back to college would be to pursue a career that you REALLY WANT. "I want to learn A so I can do B." If you're thinking about going back simply because you're uncertain about your current situation, hell, we'd all go back.

It's a great opportunity and I'm not knocking it by any means. And hopefully it would be available down the road if you found a career that you really wanted to pursue. But for now, just consider what you have. Think about what will make you happy. It's all a trade off little brutha.