Dudeness after high school.

[FuckItDude]

Hi Dudes, Im finishing High School soon and boy do I have no idea what I want to do with my life. I keep getting asked that damn question and its a real bummer. I want to live a Dude life, but still have to pay the bills you know? Any suggestions for an easy going but fulfilling job? I have the marks for university, just unsure of whatever it is that I want to do...man. Im all into the philopshy stuff, maybe I could take a philosphy major just to learn stuff, and see where it goes from there. I dont know dudes what do you do for a living?

[DigitalBuddha]

Hi Dudes, Im finishing High School soon and boy do I have no idea what I want to do with my life. I keep getting asked that damn question and its a real bummer. I want to live a Dude life, but still have to pay the bills you know? Any suggestions for an easy going but fulfilling job? I have the marks for university, just unsure of whatever it is that I want to do...man. Im all into the philopshy stuff, maybe I could take a philosphy major just to learn stuff, and see where it goes from there. I dont know dudes what do you do for a living?

Welcome to dudetopia, mang! Good to have you on the lanes. Abide, dude!

[Hominid]

Ah you know, occupy various administration buildings, smoke a few Jays...

If you have the marks for university and the means to do it, then DO IT. Higher education opens SO many doors. I know - I had too many slammed in my face 'cause I didn't have any, you know, letters behind my name.  I luckily rode the high-tech wave of he 80s and 90s with a knack for programming. It's harder these day - you have to make your own opportunities.  Then again, natural-born entrepreneurs and hustlers always find a way to make a buck.  If that's not you, and you're not a trust fund kid, my opinion is to hit the books in a discipline that's in demand.  Us retiring baby boomers are leaving some big holes in the skilled trade world, professional services, upper management...

Pay for a good aptitude test and figure out where your strengths and weaknesses are.  That's a good start.

Keep us in the loop dude.  OH! and welcome to our little beach party. Pull up a rug, grab an oat soda, and find a lane.  It's after the 10th, so rent's due.  

[Leninrocks244]

Me? Ah well, I spend most of my time occupying various administration buildings, smoking a lot of Thai stick, breaking into the ROTC, bowling..... Going for my Bachelors in Electrical Engineering with a concentration in Robotics. Probably not gonna graduate for another year because of transfer bullshit, but it's something I'm into, and I feel like it'll pay off when I graduate. If you've got the grades for college and you know what you wanna major in, I say do it. It'll pay off in the long run because in this world economy, you won't get a job worth of shit without some kind of degree, Dude.

And again, welcome to the beach party, man!!

[Landshark]

I am in a similar boat as you Lenin. I graduated with an AAS in Electronics Repair, but I found out that an AAS is worthless if you want to transfer to a 4 year. I had originally gone for an I.T. degree, but found out too late that it wasn't for me. Now I can hardly sit through the boring gen eds it would take to even begin thinking about an EE degree. I think I will take a break from school and get a job; I am actually looking in to medical equipment manufacturers to see if they are hiring for field techs.

FuckIt my advice to you would be to go to a community college and get a general AA or AS. If you go to a community college you won't have to blow so much money, if you go through a summer semester you can get your degree fairly quick, and after you graduate, if you choose to go to a 4 year, you will have your first 2 years of B.S. out of the way. If for some reason you decided the military might be a good route having an associates means you can join as an officer instead of having to go through the enlisted ranks.

[meekon5]

FuckIt I never knew what I wanted to be.

So far I've been an accountant, run Pubs, and Restaurants, also done so many little jobs just to get by, I am now finally where i enjoy being as a DBA (Database Admin, and developer).

I've worked factories, off-licenses, warehouses, rose nurseries, hospitals, I'll turn my hand to almost anything.

I first studied for an HND in Business and Finance, took the ACCA qualification, then went back to University at 29 (where I was finally diagnosed as dyslexic) where I got a 2:2 in European Studies and German (which qualifies me to study Europeans, particularly Germans).

I believe it was John Lennon who said "Life is what happens to you whilst you are making other plans!"

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life the most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't.

[milnie]

nice quote M5

FuckIt, I would support Hominids view. A good education can allow you to do most things. I understand the college system is a bit different in the states where you have a few years of  general learning followed by a couple more specialised. use that time to find out what you want and can then make a better choice.

for my part, it was always going to be engineering. i think it was genetic! however, i did find a sheet in my high school folder of all the jobs i have also done after university when i was less enamoured by the business and it runs to 2 sides of A4 so there are no guarantees even when you think you know what you want.

[BikerDude]

IMHO get over the idea of finding something that makes your heart sing.
If you do and it makes you happy then good. But mostly it's illusion.
I know people who are happy and people who aren't.
Most of those that I know that are the most happy decided on something and went for it.
You know like Doctor, Lawyer, Engineer etc.
Don't let yourself burn time. Go for something that buys you options up the road.
Otherwise you'll get painted into a corner. Philosophy might spark your interest and it might even make you a better person. (I'm a philosophy minor in fact with a major in Lit. Later Electrical Engineering and computer science.) Take my word for it this idea of "being true to your heart and not selling out" is a bunch of nonsense. Don't let people waste your life over childish nonsense.
Work hard and set your sites on something that makes loads of money.

It might not be Dude like but a single doctor or engineer does more to make the world a better place than 1000 dreamers.
Try that first and see where it leads you.

[meekon5]

FuckIt, I would support Hominids view. A good education can allow you to do most things.

Actually I agree with this as well. a good education gives you far more choices. It's fine to be the worlds best educated bar man, because the choice to be a bar man is yours, ranther than the choice to be a barman is your only choice.

[Hominid]

What Biker dude said...  good advice man.

[the d]

Indeed, I still don't know what to do for a living, except live. I too have tried (and  failed) lots of job types and yeah, my career has slowed down somewhat, but fuck it mang, the way I see it, I have lots of experience in areas I would not have had if I had been tied to a desk working for the man or whatever. A good friend says, life should dictate work, not the other way round. Far out. Take 'er easy dudes, D.

[Caesar dude]

It doesn't matter what you do Fuckitdude...it doesn't matter what you decide and which path you follow as long as you remember three things:

Be as happy as you can be.
Be nice.
Do no harm. (CCK)

Every choice you make and every direction those choices take you will lead you to either a set of circumstances in which you are pleased with those decisions or are regretful for what might have been.

I regret nothing in my life because some beautiful things have happened to me that may not have occurred if I had made different choices.

Enjoy the adventure dude.

[Leninrocks244]

Indeed, I still don't know what to do for a living, except live. I too have tried (and  failed) lots of job types and yeah, my career has slowed down somewhat, but fuck it mang, the way I see it, I have lots of experience in areas I would not have had if I had been tied to a desk working for the man or whatever. A good friend says, life should dictate work, not the other way round. Far out. Take 'er easy dudes, D.

Fuck it, you're young. People change careers all the time. It don't matter, dude. Just put on your shades, walk out and take the paraquat's rug.

[FuckItDude]

Thanks for the advice Dudes! I'm still thinking a lot about what I want to do in university/college, but I take comfort in the fact that whatever happens, happens and the best I can do is abide! 

[Judd Dude]

Man, don't put so much pressure on yourself. I went thru that same crap when I got out of HS and all it did was create more stress. Tell people you wanna be a fucking circus clown, laugh at their reaction, and meanwhile consider your life and direction. Most of all have fun with you life(within reason) and plan a bit. You'll figure it out man, and you don't need some reactionaries to tell you what to do with your life. As long as you're not 30, jobless, and living with the 'rents, or if your landlord says "Dude, tomorrow's already the tenth..." you're doing ok.