college sucks

[The_Duke]

Even so, are they paying for accomodation/bills? If so, then $200-300 should be plenty. I spend maybe $30-40 a week on food.

If you want some cheap shopping/cooking guides just ask and I will provide. Alternatively, if your college has a student services/welfare department, they will most likely have a similar sort of guide using services and shops in the local area. $200-300 goes a long way when you don't spend it on booze/video games/pot.

Remeber, Mi Goreng (indomie) is your friend. Costs like 50c a packet and is a good and tasty lunch!

 

[Evisu]

Most definitely if money is tight stick to the essentials.

Cut out any unnecessary spending, like going out to eat etc.

 

[shipship]

I hated college too, so I dropped out last year after 2.5 years of taking classes on a part-time basis. I wasn't happy with college, and I felt like I was wasting my time and money doing something unproductive.

I'm also Asian, which made it rather difficult for my parents because Asian parents are pretty conservative when it comes to education. Eventually they saw that I wasn't getting anything out of school so they were okay with my decision to stop going. Above all they just wanted me to be happy.

I'm lucky that I have poker though. If I had stayed in school I'd still be a long way from graduating and still be broke and unhappy. Instead I'm very "un-broke" and ballin' lol.

 

[Kier]

get real

you said you were a slacker in high school... what the fuck makes you think that suddenly you're going to get your act together and summon the self-discipline to work enough to support yourself? this means food, rent, whatever bills, whatever other costs. the world is a big bad place and you're expecting to dive in with no experience, no real marketable skill as far as i know, i mean i'm all for idealism but you can't make a living on smogon posts and stick figure comic strips.

$200-300 a month is amazing, are you fucking kidding me? you're only paying for food. make a budget. eat less.

and hey, guess what? you're not in class all the time. i'm sure you have plenty of free time (seeing as you don't have a job), why not spend it refining your craft? have you been trying to work on video game concept art? if not, what are you waiting for?

okay i understand you're discontent with your college experience so far. i can relate to that. but you will be way better off if you follow through with it than if you don't, even if you don't go into a career in that field you automatically have that higher level of credibility and worth in the workplace:

A degree is better than not having a degree. Even if you don't work in your field, it shows your potential employer that you are smarter than some non degree holder (even if that's not true, they assume), that you are willing to commit and work through the hardships of said degree and that you are motivated.

It also puts you automatically in a higher pay bracket, even if it's not in your degree. It makes you more valuable as a human being.

my heart went out of this about halfway through the post.

grow up. talk to your parents, they're not trying to "control" you, they want the best for you and they want to help you. (yes i admit some of their parental lurking is a bit obstrusive, i guess you can bring that up when you talk)

 

[DM]

Hi Rob
Dad here
Well I would to like say that I cannot live your life for you or do anything to help you face reality. Life is hard and you can only make it easier by facing up to your own mistakes. I have not forced you to do anything. I have always done my best to try and help you succeed. I will always be here for you and will support you. I assume that you have not done well in college and I am okay with that. I only asked how you are doing, good, bad or okay. I did not think that was too much to ask. So the big question now is: what now? I will support you financially if you are doing something to get ahead either physically of spiritually. I will still offer schooling if you are willing to do something with it. If you are not going to school then what are you planning? Have you saved up some money to set your self up? Do you have a job? Do you want to come home for Christmas? Do you plan on getting a job? Do you have any requests for a change of venue? Both Mom and I want you to be HAPPY and successful but do not pretend that we are forcing you to fail or that any of your problems are our fault. Be real with yourself and remember who you are and that there is a God that loves you far more than anything that I have ever done good or said. He loves you. I told you that you would be challenged and that your faith would be shaken. Hard times are times to really see what you are made of. They are also when we really need God. I love you and will do my best to help you. It is up to you. If you have a request pass it by me and I will let you know. If you want to to be grown up you have to take responsibility for what course your life takes. Being a man means facing a man's world, paying your own bills and making your own mistakes, not making excuses for our problems. Do not blame others for how your life is. Happiness is a choice just like sin or hate or love is a choice. You choose how to feel or act or be. I know I can not pass all these things on to you but I hope that some how you will learn these valuable truths. Growing up I told you I could not make you believe in God or just because you went to church or your parents believed that you would be saved or believe. These are things that you must face and I hope and pray that you will also believe and know that you are loved and were created to love. I am not sure what more I can say but that I and your Mom love you and will always love you and be here for you. Have a good sleep and day doing what you choose.


Love Mom and Dad

Wow. Kudos to you dad, and I mean that seriously. I retract everything I have said in this thread, and I'm also omitting many of the replies I was about to make.

Except about women. Nate made an awesome point, so I hope you took it to heart. I still say to take it while it's easy, because it never hurts to learn how shit works. But don't be a fool; wrap your tool.

DM gives good advice, but I have to starkly disagree with his advice of "just fuck the drunk girls". If you want a meaningful relationship, look for it. You'll find it, quite possibly at college like I have. But you won't find it at a party.

Very true. I concede that that part of my post might not have been the best advice I've ever given, but I stick by it.

College is stupid.

I didn't read anything after this. It just invalidated any opinion you might have.

Don't listen to this. I was in a long-term committed relationship before I even began college, and I'm still with the same girl.

Yay, you're an exception to all the rules!

Unnecessary drama and stress is not what you need right now, and that's all his suggestion is going to bring you. I've lived with my now-fiance for a year and a half, and really only set foot on campus for class. I've pretty much managed to avoid the entire party scene (honestly, never interested me, and I don't feel like I've missed much), which is probably the reason half the people who do so badly in college do so badly. It really helps to not be hung over in class, so you can pay extra-special attention to all the bullshit on a stick your professors will try to spoon-feed you.

A social life is what most people go to college for, you're right. It helps to develop you as a person so that you can actually function in important situations later on in life. I'm glad you've found love, but don't opine on college life when you have absolutely no idea what it even entails. It's almost as bad as someone denouncing a drug they've never tried.

I was going to tell them the whole story a couple of weeks ago but every time I called I couldn't bear to tell them because the conversation would always drift to money and marks and stuff. You all probably have no idea how hard it is to tell your parents that they just blew 7000$ dollars on absolutely nothing... unless you've crashed their car.

I crashed my parents car, it's no big deal. Strangely, they were just happy I survived; there wasn't much left of the car. As for money, my parents signed the loans that I am now paying back by myself. I also owe them over $2k personally. What seems to be the problem here? That's what parents are for, to provide for you. It's not like they're never going to see a return on that, one way or another.

 

[Altmer]

ok this is officially the weirdest thing I have ever seen on the internet in a while

officially

now onto the topic at hand and Altmer's semi-valuable contribution because yeah I go to university too and I argue with my parents a lot because we're all dipshits...

personally I think college is made up stuff that is part useful, part useless. i think college and dorm rooms and shit is also a part of growing up, learning to take your own responsibilities. i mean there's certain stuff you can rely on from your parents but when you grow older you have to learn what you can do when you're more and more self-sufficient. i think that sort of social/financial thing is something you have to learn. i also think that college teaches you how to prioritise: what do you wanna do and be? some people take forever to find that one thing they want to do, some have it written in stone before they were born.

i'm going through some shit of my own, mainly motivational issues because I'm a dipshit, being behind thanks to being ill, and i'm still in a sort of existential crisis, so here's some advice from a fellow doubter: you're gonna have to bite the bullet somehow. life consists of a lot of things you dislike, but you cannot fence life out. no matter how much you wish to, you would become some sort of asocial hermit all alone. so you're gonna have to make a choice what you want to do, and your parents are right in saying that you have to make that choice. what does the trick for me personally (though this depends on the person) is the knowledge that finishing college, I will be able to have a job, a future, and a family. I will never be the most social person, I accept that, but I think I can do what I am in now (even though I might have been better off with something else) and make it work. you're gonna have to think which path in road you're gonna take; the only two ones that aren't an option are "back" and "no choice". you cannot stand at the crossroads forever.

i don't know what you want to do, so you have to figure the rest out yourself.
i like some aspects of college now that I am getting better!

 

[nardd]

I'm not really sure I understand the whole internet/parent relationship going on... but I do know you need to work for yourself and make your own decisions. This is your education, and if you don't want it right now then you definitely aren't going to get anything out of it other than maybe a silly degree if you stick with it. If you really want to be happy and make a contribution to a field you're interested in, then you need to change majors at the least.

As for the girls, good luck. Seems like you've gotten enough tail to know what you're doing in bed so I'm gonna have to agree with Surgo and say to find a good, healthy relationship. Doesn't have to be forever, just find someone you enjoy spending time with. (sober and drunk time)

You don't have to do anything drastic like drop out of uni, but at least spend your parents' money doing something fulfilling and beneficial to you. And make a new screenname or something if you don't like them spying on your forum posts. Kinda silly IMO.

 

[Atlas]

i dropped out of college (due to a number of reasons i dont want to get in to, although failing nearly every class by mid-term seemed to make up a bulk of it) and when i told my parents i was dropping out my dad cried. first time (but not the last!) i ever seen him cry in my life. hooray for guilt++!!!!

now i work in a grocery store with comfortable hours, easy work, pays decent, full medical/dental/vision coverage. its not so bad, payed off my student loans i wasted and my parents within 3 months, and now its just life going on. i still contemplate going back to college but i just dont think its right for me.

 

[Bourbon]

All i can say about this thread is O_O

I didn't want my parents to find out I was having a terrible time here like this... on smogon -_- but yeah, I called them and I got it figured out now... he wasn't angry or anything which surprised me... my dad's cool like that i guess


so yeah... please lock this thread somebody...

 

[Chronos]

College is pretty cool.
It's what you put into it.
And yeah, Engineering is a very lucrative career. Sounds like you're taking Calc and Physics; you could always consider Comp Sci, if you're more into Game Design / Coding.

 

[Doomsday]

please don't lock it since I'm kinda seeking advice on school as well!

I am on my final year of high school. some back story: this is the wrong course. I like writing, I like drawing. so what did I, dipshit extraordinaire, do? i sticked with my friends and got into a science course. So, whatever, I don't really regret this decision (I love all of my friends) and at least i got rid of physics and biology already and now I am only worrying about maths but i think i'll figure it out. Anyway, things on portugal don't work quite like in the USA but i'll try my best to provide explanation! basically you need certain disciplines to get into an uni course. now, as I got in a sciences course, I obviously don't have the disciplines to get into a graphical art course. that's shitty; either I complete a test on that particular discipline (in this case, 'history of arts' and/or geometry) or I can go 3 years back into high school, change school and courses (this school doesn't have an art course).

So here are my two main problems:
1) I can't really get into Graphical Arts because I lack the aforementioned disciplines (there are a FEW unis that only require maths, but they are few and far-between so I need to look closer)
2) graphical arts is my fail safe; i know I will do well since I am good at photoshop, and that kind of jazz (my dad is a photographer, I learned lots of shit from him), but I really have no fucking idea about what I want to do. I thought about getting into something related to writing. Like, I wouldn't mind translating books for a living. what I really would like to do would be comic books though. I have tons, and fucking TONS I mean it, of ideas to write about. fuck, i really would like to write and then pass my text to someone and someone would draw what I wrote. kinda like how it works on marvel comics. but that shit doesn't fly in portugal.

I am a fucking gigantic pussy about this, but honestly i'd love to fly to the USA, try getting in marvel and living the adventure of my life. However I also face reality and see that there's no way I am getting in such a monstrous industry such as Marvel, or dare I say, even DC or Vertigo comics.

I think I am a story-teller. Often I also find myself thinking I'd like to write a book, you know, a normal book. Or a movie script. I like to tell stories.

But in the end I have no good idea on what to do with my future. I think it also has to do wih my ignorance of avaliable jobs out there. seriously i'd like to write or draw for a living though.

then again I know by experience that whenever I turn something I like into an obligation, I mostly lose my will to keep doing it. what's my fucking problem with this? it happens everyfuckingtime i try to do something productive (for a small example check out my loss of interest in the PRSI tournament lol).

also it should be noted that I am a gigantic slacker in high school atm and I have to turn my grades around (especially maths) but I can't seem to find any motivation.

 

[Goodbar]

Motivation has always been a problem for me too, I can only remember one time in my life where I did something out of motivation. Strangely enough it was working out. I guess I was partially motivated by low self esteem and a desire to fit in (I was pretty small and weak) but what really kept me going was a sort of religious devotion sort of thing. I dedicated my work outs to people, I prayed before I worked out, I developed what I consider a close relationship with God... Setting aside religion, what motivated me to take that extra bench press was a love for someone else, whether it was my family, friends, whoever; I felt like I was doing it for them, to prove that I cared or something, and in hope that (begin religious part again) God would understand that I really meant what I prayed for them. So what I'm saying is, if you can't do it for yourself, do it for someone else! Do it for the people who want to see you succeed, or do it for the people who could benefit from you succeeding, if you can learn to synch yourself into that, I think you'll find it to be some good motivation. As for college, you have two years to feel things out, so I've been told, so don't get panicky about it, and just take some general classes you might be interested in and try to formulate a decision from there.

 

[Bourbon]

I think I am going to take a year or at least 8 months off of school, work full-time and figure out what I want to do. I am going to attempt to salvage any classes I can for credits.

I really want to get a job doing something video game related, as I previously mentioned. There is this really sweet gaming university in Vancouver that I keep hearing about, where they give you the education you need to get jobs at places like Blizzard and EA. Normally I wouldn't dream of trying something this stupid but the market for video games is growing very fast, and there seems to be a lot of potential in the field.

 

[Colloquy]

No offense Momma and Pappa Skiddle, but how did you get over 300 posts?

 

[Bourbon]

LOL that's my little brother, they hijacked his account temporarily

he still lives in my old town so thats why we have seperate smogon accounts

 

[Lee]

Gonna throw my hat in here and add my name to the list of Smogon College dropouts.

I get the impression that before you even posted this thread you had gone over this a million times in your head and you'd probably secretly made up your mind before you even posted, hoping that maybe the replies in this thread would reinforce your decision...I do that sometimes too. :)

I don't know what the procedure is in the US but in the UK at least you're expected to know what you want to do for the rest of your life from the tender age of 16, as that's when you enrol in college courses. I can't speak for everyone but when I was 16 I was in no way ready to make such a decision; I was just too young and too inexperienced at life in general. So naturally, I made a choice and stuck by it for a while but by the age of 18 I was thinking "what the fuck am I doing with my life?" Quit college, applied for the army and I've never been happier. You only live once, y'know? I'd hate to be on my death-bed with a regret as large as spending my whole life doing something that I hated every fucking day.

I guess what I'm saying is, don't feel bound to a decision that a younger, inexperienced, immature version of your current self made because he was obviously wasn't equipped to make such a decision otherwise you wouldn't be regretting it now!

 

[mintyfresh7]

@ Doomsday: When looking for motivation, I like to relate things that I need motivation in to my hobbies. That may sound confusing, but let me explain-
If i do my homework on time, and effectively, I will have more time to work out for baseball, rest, or visit this forum and play video games. A simple example, but you could just keep telling yourself you have to do well in school if you want to become a comic book author or whatever.

 

[Bourbon]

Yeah Lee, I do that sometimes, but not this time.

I was actually formulating a plan as I wrote the OP. I still had nowhere to stay when I was writing it, and I had no idea what my marks were either (lets just say I have 18% in Chemistry lol) but I've been wanting to quit college for a long time.

looks pretty legit. This is where I plan to go in one or two years: http://www.vanarts.com/

 

[Scofield]

Most people don't like college at first, but they always get used to it. Engineering is a pretty cool major, I like it. And as for girls, there are always your kind of girl, not just the ones you described, just don't force it and keep your eyes open. And just listen to what everyone else said. Feel free to ask (pm if you need to) me if you have any questions about engineering.

 

[Sanglunaria]

Wow, you mean there are college guys out there that are looking for a relationship instead of just ass???

But seriously, I'm surprised to see a guy complaining about college girls not wanting a serious relationship... since I'm usually convinced that it's the guys that just want to dick around. Interesting. But anyway, I don't know which year you are in, but considering how most freshman and sophomore level engineering courses have class sections of over 100 students, I think it'd be hard to not find a decent girl in there. Granted, there aren't nearly as many girls as there are guys in engineering, but I think your chances of finding a girl that isn't a "sorostitute" (my friend's term for a sorority ho-bag) should be fairly high. Just talk to people in class and get to know then. Aside from the possibility of meeting a girl, this will help later on since engineering assignments tend to be pretty hefty and difficult, so you'll at least have a group of people that you can consistently work and study with.

I can sympathize with the whole unwanted engineering thing. I wanted to go into architecture or industrial design, but my parents (yes, Asian) basically said that they would disown me if I chose a silly artsy major. So here I am majoring in industrial and systems engineering. I can't say I particularly like the all-nighters or being holed up in my room working when my communication/sociology/business major suitemates start their weekends on Thursday but... I think as long as you keep in mind what you'd really like to do, it will all pay off in the end.

For instance, about two years ago, I decided that my eventual life goal is to open a pastry shop/chocolatier. Considering how 90% of newly opened restaurant-like establishments tend to fail pretty quickly (within the first year, I believe), I think having an engineering degree as a back-up plan in case the bakery fails would be a good call. Also, my plan is to work for a while after I graduate (entry level engineering jobs pay notoriously well compared to other majors), save up, and then pursue culinary school. Again, it makes a good back-up plan in case the career of your dreams doesn't quite work out.

The only other thing I really have left to say is try to explore your major outside of coursework. Homeworks, lectures, exams... they may tend to make engineering seem incredibly dry and boring. So look up news articles on the internet pertaining to your specific field in engineering. There are also plenty of professional engineering organizations and magazines out there, so look them up and you may be surprised.

 

[BlakBlastoise]

I feel somewhat the same as you skiddle. I'm in my second year of college and i have come to the conclusion that college is not for me (Even though i am still attending). I wanted to be a veterinarian when i got into college but it turns out I have to get a degree in Biology, then proceed to the animal stuff, which i hate. I didnt go to college intending to learn about some fucking bullshit Calculus or American history, I wanted to learn how to help animals. This is the main factor to why I feel like college is not for me. I simply do not have the willpower to go through 4 years of crap, then finally start learning about the things I am interested in.

I know some of you might say that i should have known about the majors before i started school but I'm the first in my family to go to college, so i had nobody at home giving me advise on what to do and I didn't even know wtf majors were until i started attending. On all my college applications i always put undeclared. If it wasn't for some program called the ETS (education tallent search) I wouldn't know anything about college. I know many people who have succeeded in this country without even a high school education and i feel i can do the same.

Bottom line: I feel that college can be a huge waste of time or a huge help. For those that don't have the urge to learn (like me), it probably wont help as much.

 

[Articuno64]

The way formal education works is kind of silly; lofty professors talk your face off and then request that you write contrived assignments and tests which can be easily gamed. 99% of the useful insight I've gained about software development has been from my own independent learning. My software engineering degree is a big facade. I'm lucky that I didn't realize it at first or else I might not have had the willpower to continue, but now that I only have 1 1/2 years left, I can see some light at the end of the tunnel and I'm planning to tolerate it the rest of the way. I don't expect to need the degree as I plan to work for myself, but it would provide a lot more security in the fallback option of working for an employer.

Anyway... the college experience itself is pretty awesome. Living away from home, meeting people, etc is all very valuable in your personal development.

 

[Firestorm]

VanArts is expensive as hell. Although considering the prices of American schools it's probably not that bad. Remember to thoroughly research what you'd be learning before applying.

 

[Bourbon]

I might not actually be going anywhere... there is the program I need right here at the college, I checked it out

 

[Chill Murray]

This actually reminds me of the kind of situation I'm in right now. I just started a leave of absence for issues with depression, as well as just wanting to reevaluate my life and education in general. I would also call my parents overprotective (although not to the extent you seem to think they are) and I would also admit to having some communication issues with them, but they've really surprised me with how supportive they've been. If you're anything like me you probably don't realize how much your parents love you just because they can be a pain in the ass to deal with sometimes.

You seem to be a little better off than me in regards to changing your life goals, since you at least have a starting point in Art. I have to take courses at my local community college next semester in order to keep my parents' insurance, but at least that will give me an opportunity to see what kinds of things I'd be interested in. I want to try and have a wide variety of courses, maybe try some things I've never done before to see how I like them.