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comment by beezneez

I'm temporarily one of those folks. For me, it was either take a bartending job in the city and fret over looming student loans or take a blue collar job in my rural hometown. I chose the latter. It has been a huge lifestyle change, one that has financially helped me, but I've found that my social life has suffered. I'm exposed to less radical and interesting ideas, forced to drive if I want to go anywhere and subject to working a mindless job that currently isn't getting me anywhere near my desired career. To be honest, I'm not sure what my desired career looks like, which is part of the problem.

Next month, however, I will be leaving the country in the hopes of expanding my worldview and finding opportunity elsewhere. No kids, no lovers, no mortgage... it's a precarious state to be in. We should really be more concerned about the upcoming "brain drain" that the US will face if the education system remains on its current trajectory. Foreign degrees are looking a lot more affordable and desirable.

Maybe I already am prepared for grad school. But I certainly feel inadequate. And I most definitely don't want to pay for it.





insomniasexx  ·  3882 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    No kids, no lovers, no mortgage... it's a precarious state to be in.

I think it is a pretty great state to be in, for a certain amount of time. You should try your best to live it up to the best of your ability, learn something new, make new friends and have a couple romances (if you are so inclined.) I am forever grateful for the time I was able to take off before started a real career and starting "my life."

There is a certain amount of self-growth and self-analyzation that can only occur when you are unattached and you should make the most of it. Especially since you mention that you aren't quite sure where you want to go from here in terms of career, this is a great opportunity to do some things you may not normally do. It's a lot hard to take big chances to make big changes when you have personal, work, and financial obligations. When you have people and things around you, the risk that comes with taking chances or making some potentially unwise decisions are greater, which makes you less likely to take the chance.

Live it up.

humanodon  ·  3882 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Be careful of how you spend your time abroad. For a lot of employers, that time is generally time that you simply ceased to exist.

beezneez  ·  3882 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I figure that as long as I maintain a web presence and work on some projects I have in mind, it will ultimately work out to my advantage.

thenewgreen  ·  3882 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Take your time figuring out what your career path is because it will inevitably change several times during your career. If I could impart any unsolicited advice, it would be to get a secondary degree that is either versatile or highly specialized. -The former if you are still indecisive and the latter if you find yourself truly inspired.

Either way, don't stay too long in that blue collar gig. They have a way of ensnaring people for life.