College and Life After The OB

[Crazy Ace]

Lets face it, most of us are teenagers who are in high school. There may be some exceptions but I think you all would agree with my assessments on the situation. This brings me to think about our future. I was wondering about what some of you guys want to do after this. There will be a time when we all will some time drastically or gradually cut down on our OB time. I would like to know what are some of the paths that you will choose upon completion of high school and leave the OB. Stuff like what colleges that you want to go to and what majors you are going to pick up and what careers that you would like to pursue. You may even have a job waiting for you when you finish. Maybe you will never leave the OB or you don't plan to. The future has many possibilities and we should all have some plan or another.

[PrinceGranger]

That's a legitimate concern CrazyAce. Let me tell you all a little about myself, that way my perspective will be put in... well perspective. I'm 23 and I graduate college a few months ago. I know what a person is talking about when they mention the anxiety that one can feel in a situation like graduation. You're whole lifestyle is about to change, whether we want it to or not! There's no doubt about that people like highschool friends are going to be disappearing or seperated by a distance or changing. But that's ok cause we're gonna change and grow too :) College is a great plan if you have that option open to you, I highly recommend it. But I'm the educated type, I like to think and learn and all that business. But let's not forget, that college is great for lots of other reasons too. There are the babes, let's not tip-toe around that topic, babes galor in college and they're all getting they're learn on as well. Same thing holds true for you ladies out there, lot of smart guys in college, but a warning to all, the rich go to college just like the smart. Some of these people aren't cool, some are. Try to be fair and open minded. Plus, college opens up career doors. Hands down that's important, especially as college is becoming highschool part II, stop and take a moment to think about work. What does your dad do? Your mom? what do their friends do? family? neighbors? Specifically. What kind of training did they need to get that job? (But also keep in mind the older the person we're talking about the more times have chnaged, people with hands on computer skills were invaluable in the 80's but now official training and degrees are becoming more important.) The one thing I do know, is that it's POSSIBLE to make big bank with a college degree, but not necessarily easy. And it's damn near IMPOSSIBLE to make money (Or perhaps more importantly, get the freedom at work and respect that we desire) WITHOUT a college degree. Assembly line work, retail stores, fast food, phone answering, these are the kinds of things you can expect to do if you don't go to college. Not that there's anything wrong with this stuff! We need these functions for society ot work as it does, but I wanted to be honest and mention it since it's something that I wouldn't be comfortable with. So... heads up!
As for the OB (OtakuBoard) you might find this a nice constant in your world of new change. And I'm on here more now then I was before because I spend so much time at the office :mrt: . You're right to think about it though. As I've gotten older I've grown out of a lot of stuff I used to love as a child. I still really appreciate the experiences and memories, but for some reason I just don't feel the need to tune into digimon this week. I'm sure the shows good, but I've got other stuff to do. With a lot of people things come in phases and deeply delving into anime can be that for some people. I'll never turn my back on Cowboy Bebop, and I'll forever remember the story of the 60 billion double dollar man, that humanoid typhoon they call Vash The Stampede, so I guess in my case my tastes are just different, and yeah, I have a little less time to spend on this kinda thing.

I'm definitely less in the business of 'killing time' like I used to when I was young. Society, or your job or your own boredom will demand a certain ammount of activity from you in your day to day life. It won't be the same as living in your families basement eating the food they bought and cooked for you on their tv with their electricity. So my one word of advice there is to spend a little bit of time with your family and enjoy it, you'll really appreciate it and the attitude you had when you look back on these days from a time when you don't have the freedom to spend such luxury time with them.

As for after college, man that's tough. For one thing it's almost impossible to know what you're gonna do after college when you're first going to college. And if you're not going to college you gotta figure out what you're doing for a job and a life and future, like RIGHT NOW!! But if you're going to college, yes you do have some time to decide, but not forever, think about now. And think about it later, what have you learned? Do you're old thoughts still hold true? Lastly, life is not a movie. Life is not a tv show. Life is not a song or a novel or anything like that. But it can be. Once you get out from under your parents wing you're gonna find out that there's no one out there looking out for you. You succeed and you can fail and the only people who are gonna know the difference are gonna be the friends you make, your family, and creditors. You want to live a life of adventure and excitement? Then you have to be adventureous and exciting. Anime situations don't fall into your lap like a girl out of the bathhouses. Adventure and excitment... I've been there. It's great and it's lonely. Adventure comes with danger. Excitement comes with sadness. And noone comes with you. You get all the good without the bad? You're luckier then me.
More likely you'll want a normal job and to be a normal person. You may decide you want a family. You may decide you want a wife or a husband. Maybe not, that's fine too. But if you are going to be a normal person (WHICH YOU WILL!) then keep your head on your shoulders straight. Don't entertain these fantasies about being a professional athlete or a comic book artist or a video game designer. Hobbies are hobbies and careers are careers. Very few people have the passion, the drive, and the luck to have a career in their hobby, or a hobby they can make a career of. And far too often I hear and see people who have 'decided' on these things more to avoid a real decision later. Think about things in college that can make you employable without limiting you or over specializing you. Or do the opposite :) and become a badass in the field of your choice. 5 years ago the anesthesiologist (guy who gives patients all the drugs they need) was one of the highest paid professions in the medical field. But if you're trained as an anesthesiologist, you're probably not gonna being doing too much pediatrics are you now? Communications are good and broad, journalism, advertising, publishing. Engineers are need almost everywhere, as are software people. Just use common sense and ask people. Fire eaters clean car windshields on the corner, but well trained business administrators can work their way up the velvety corporate ladder. Lord knows we of the 'youthful' persuasion (AKA youngsters, kids, whipper-snappers, ankle bitters, rugrats, cereal conosuiers) have a tendency to think we know everything. Talk to other people.
2 big reasons for this, one they know stuff we don't and if you'd don't learn by asking you learn by making mistakes and those can cost you time and money, and the passage of time is accompanied by the shutting of the doors of opportunity. For instance, unless your 5 years old chances are that your destiny as a professional golfer is probably set in stone. Same holds true in real life, but dont let that scare you either!!! You're only two old if YOU think you are. Just cause it may take you a while to figure out what you want doesn't mean it's too late. Doctors can start med school at 30 and novelists can drop out of practicing law at 45 :)
The other reason to talk to people is network. If you're anime fan like me most of your friends are too. People who can introduce you to other people and people who can give goood recommendations or letters of reference or tell you about a job oppening or tell you about a cheap apartment they know about... there's a million reasons to network and if you don't do it you're gonna pay more for everything, have less opportunities and be lonely to boot! You'll hear this a lot as you go into these formative years, 'it's not what you know, it's WHO you know'. Cliche for a reason!

I recommen college, don't be afraid to meet new people or try new things. And don't be afraid to talk about what you're going through growing up, it helps and there are smart people out there that can give you advice better then mine :) Drugs and alchol, fun but dangerous, keep your stick on the ice. Living away from home, fun :) Going to classes 5 hours a day and then having the rest of the day to yourself? fun :) skipping classes :) fun! Taking finals, you'll complain, but hey, they'll still be the great years! Do that stuff you always wanted to do and some of the stuff you didn't, and don't be afraid to change your mind! I was wrong once... there was this time I thought I had been wrong about something from earlier, turns out I was right after all, but then that me wrong about thinking I had been wrong....

[KarmaOfChaos]

[SIZE=1][color=deeppink]Well, I'm going to college to get a degree in animation and CG, then I'm either going to work for someone (I'll go to Disney and show 'em how it's done! XD) or start my own company.

Rough draft of my future, lol. But why should I have to leave OB? If the creator, who is a college student, can find time to actually run the place, why wouldn't I have time to participate?

-Karma[/color][/SIZE]

[Queen Asuka]

[color=crimson][size=1]Well, I'll tell you what has cut down on my OB time: getting a job. I've been in college for almost a year now and that hasn't really hindered me, but when I got a job, I found myself never getting to a computer even to check my email. I am so tired and ill after work all I want to do is go back to my apartment and sleep. Last night I actually went out dancing at a club, but that's the first time I've been "out" in forever. I have so many friends now to keep me company I don't NEED to get on the computer every waking hour. (Which is good, seeing as I don't HAVE a computer). But yes, I go to college at the University of Georgia and I'm a genetics major, so I should be spending a lot of time doing homework and studying, but I don't. And that's where I messed up in my first two semesters and where I plan on fixing this coming up fall. My summer class is pretty easy, so I'm just getting prepared as possible.[/color][/size]

[Corey]

[size=1]I don't see why I should have to leave OB just because I no longer have time. It hasn't been a problem yet.

As for my plans, I believe I want to become a teacher. Definitly a teacher of some kind of science. Probably Biology or Chemistry. I went through a bunch of possible career choices earlier, but almost being taken by that hooded figure with the scythe kind of puts things in perspective. I realized that I'd rather do something I like, than something that I would only partially like but would be more lucrative.

I definitly would like to stay constant, but I'm not too sure it will happen. I will stay though.[/size]

[Fyxe]

[size=1][color=darkblue]I still don't know what will happen in my future and I still have a while before I need to really worry about college and my life afterwards. I do know what I am interested in and good at. I will probably pursue a career in the arts of some type, such as writing, drawing, acting and even web design/graphics.
As for me still being here at the OB and having the time for it... I am not sure. After a few years I will move on, no longer be with the OB. But I am sure that younger generations will continue to flood in to keep the OB prosperous.
These are merly thoughts, I have no idea what the future holds for me... nor does anybody.[/color][/size]

[ChibiHorsewoman]

[color=darkviolet]Aside from the obvious things like having a job, a kid and a few other outlets to bide my time with I don't see how being or not being a college student would affect my OB time any more than it already is.

I know come the end of September until I actually figure out how to do a schedual will be a bit of a hassle, but other than that, look forward to the same biting reality that comes with the political posts and the comic relief that I dole out the rest of teh time.[/color]

[Sui Generis]

[COLOR=Indigo]Well I've already cut down my OB time drastically. I'll tell you it wasn't planned though.

I'm going to be an incoming Junior for next year's school year and I've been here for God knows how long. (6th grade?) However, I've been pulled away from this place almost every summer for one reason, baseball.

Now I know you hear this all the time, but truly I want to become a baseball player/coach. I just want to be able to play or be apart of the game for as long as I possibly can. So each summer I go from medium amount of posting to virtually none.

Where do I want to go to College? There are a lot of places I am looking at. Everyone from KU to ASU. I want to major in Language Arts and become a highschool english teacher. I love English and I'd love to spread that love with "the youth" of our nation. Not only that becoming a teacher opens up the possibility of being able to coach baseball for that highschool.

Thus I could do both of my dreams at the same time.[/COLOR]

[Cyriel]

Frankly, I find this site to be highly addictive and draining of my time. I mean, we're talking about if college and such will pull us away from OB? Why can't I? I can't seem to get away from it. Even away, and doing other such nonsense, I find myself thinking about various threads, and wondering who's replied to which posts... So for the moment, I'm actually working at cutting down on my time here. Not to mention, I really should be studying for SATs and such...

But really, at college, even if you focused on a really demanding major, why wouldn't you have time for OB? I mean...yes, there will be so many other things to do and focus on, but still, spending some time on the boards isn't going to kill you...although it may provide a fatal distraction..:) Hopefully, I'll be able to focus once I get there. For now...I'm being lazy, even though I don't have the time for it.

Intended major: dentistry. Actually, orthodontics. And hopefully I'll still be on even then. I'll be the lunatic, old, fanatic orthodontist that haunts the OB with a spare set of braces in hand. But first, I need to conquer my last year of high school.

[Shi no Tenshi]

I come on here if I have spare time. Being in college has given me more free time than I can handle. But I'm always hanging around with my friends or doing some form of work. My university course is based around the internet so I'll probably spend a lot of time in online communities. Or making them.

[Crazy Ace]

My obligations to school and my other activities have already messed up my OB time. I didn't think it was going to happen but it did. This is my seconf summer on the OB and will probably be the only time in a while I will be on. As for next school year I have my BGCSE exams to do and I will do my SAT's . That's alot of work and will lock up my time. When I finish high school I am looking to go to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to get a degree in Aerospace engineering or Software Engineering. I also want to get a Phd. in physics. I know its going to be hard and will cost PLENTY of money but it will be worth it. I want to open up my own firm of consultants that deal with engineering and advise and supervise construction projects for different types of companies ( airlines, buildings, factories).