Life after high school

[eleanor]

[color=darkslateblue] Freshmen at Centennial High School [Go Knights!], I actually enjoy high school. But then again my sister tells me that you don't feel the difference until junior year. *shrug* This year, all I do is orchestra [which is [i]very[/i] time-consuming because our orchestra is one of the best in the state and we practice like crazy] but next year I'm planning to join debate team and probably some sport.

All of the colleges I'd like to go to are in New England, but I have absolutely no desire to go to the huge ones like Yale or Harvard. I'm pretty interested in Boston University because I feel it'll be really easy for me to get in, and I could probably get a good scholarship there. My sister goes to NYU [beast of all beastly high-tuition colleges] and so I have to shoot for a scholarship...and NO way I'm staying in Georgia. Colombia University is another school I'm interested in, as well as UBA and NYU maybe if I get a scholarship. I feel like majoring in either Journalism/Communications or English.[/color]

[elfpirate]

Hmmm... I, like Panda, have been out of high school for about a decade... although I couldn't deal with the social ignorance of the school I was attending, and therefore dropped out half-way through my freshman year and got my GED. (Many of the teachers and administrators were both sexist and racist and I was sick of getting detentions, in-school suspensions and the like for pointing out their ignorance)
So then I went to university for a while- psychology major- until some family issues forced me to leave. (I won't get into that)
As a high school student, though, I imagined myself being a writer... specifically, I wanted to travel within the underground punk scene...squatting the world... and write about my experiences and all the other homeless kids I'd met.
Now, I still want to travel some more and I still want to write, but I've decided that fiction is more fun for me to write. I'm currently working on two totally different novels.
For money, though, I want to be a chopper pilot. I'm in the process of finding a flight school to attend.

And Panda- I, too, admire your strength and positive attitude. I've watched my auntie and my grandmother suffer with RA. And I know how difficult it is to stay positive when pain interferes with every aspect of your life. I shattered two of the discs in my spine and fractured the vertebrae (which ended up fusing together). I struggle to remain positive, as well... AND I am a single mom with a special needs child...

[Pumpkin]

I have very different ideals from people in my hometown. I'm a senior in HS right now. Although I dream alot, I know I will probably go to my local Junior college for two years and then (hopefully) transfer to a University. Most of my friends have the same plan, but then also want to live in England after the two years is up. I have yet to decide what I want to do. I've never longed for a family, as much as everyone else has. I guess its because of my parent's bad marriage, or my un-trustfulness when it comes to men, but I've always wanted to be a single mother, and adopt a child from a foreign country. Preferrably places that children are really not taken care of. I also want to have a nice career, I love hollywood with all its glamour and even the bad side of it. If I could be successful in any part of that career area, such as Journalism would be fun. To interview stars, or be on the radio, or I have thought of writing screen-plays for movies. Even if it sounds childish. No drawing for me, all I can do are stick figures. Writing is a passion of mine, either being an author, or articles in magazines, would be a dream job. I also want to live in a city (much to my mother's complaining of me thinking of such a thing) and might move out to San Francisco (its expensive there so maybe not) but it's the city I was raised around. It's not too far away, and most of my friends are going to the college that Box Hoy named. I want to start over, and have a great career and a child of my own. I want to do something that makes a difference or is unique. I know I can do something wonderful if I put my mind too it, but I have yet to decide. I also want to be a professional dancer, and love dancing. Maybe own my own club. Something that makes money, but that I enjoy doing. To me there is only opportunities.

[future girl]

[size=1]I really hoped that by the time fall rolled around once highschool was over I'd be long gone and out of Miami. But I'm beyond poor and while I had the grades to go out of state, I didn't have the cash. I had to opt between applying for a loan that would take me most of my life to pay or going to school in Miami and using my Florida PrePayed Scholarship [free-ness]. So I'm going to Miami Dade College right now. It's kind of like community college, except that if you were going to be a nurse or... something else like that you could do your full 4 years there. I'm majoring in literature and/or art history so I can't. In truth I'm pretty freaking unhappy there. The campus isn't as bad as the others, it's in the middle of down town it's pretty lively. Still, it's just not what I want. Maybe I'm just being a brat, but yea. In the last week or so I've decided that irrevocable debt is much better than being somewhere you definately don't want to be in. So I figure by the time next Spring rolls around I'll be transferring out of state to Chicago. I really have nothing waiting for me out there and I guess that's kind of the appeal. That whole start from scratch make it your own deal. I mean if I totally screw it up I can at the very least say that I tried doing what I wanted to do, you know took the risk etc. etc. ::shrugs::[/size]

[IceWolfEyes]

---------------------------------

[Delta]

[COLOR=#B33D79]A Ph.D would be a nice addition to my CV. I'm thinking a degree in the lines of Volcanology or Seismology. In thirty years, I'll take over the country's Institute of Geology. Whether there'll be a proper induction or a hostile takeover for that position is up to me. :devil:

But, like DarkOtakuBoy, I'm gaining interest in another field--Archaeology, to be exact--and will probably take that one up after I finish Geology. What can I say? I like college.

And yeah, [i]I'd LOVE to move to Japan and become an uber-successful animation director.[/i]

[b]Go Panda![/b][/COLOR]

[ChibiHorsewoman]

[color=darkviolet]Nearly six years ago when I was getting ready to graduate from high school I actually thought I was going to make it through college and get myself a degree. But instead I flunked out and got a full time job (actually I started with a part time and that's how I met Lincoln)

I never thought I'd end up being married at 21 especially to a military guy and then having a baby. But hey sometimes i think your life is pre planned before you're born and everything happens for a reason..even flunking out of college.

School doesn't prepare you for the real world (no matter what happy Bunny says) the only thing that really prepares you for the real world is the real world.[/color]

[Soliel]

[COLOR=GREEN]College life has been a real learning experience for me these past few months. When your living at home with your parents, a lot of things, if not all, are provided to you for next to nothing. I know a lot of Jr's and Sr's in high school who still don't know how to cook or do laundry (luckily, I already knew these things). It's simply amazing how much stuff you learn your freshman year in college, outside the classroom; things like how to get along with people on a whole new level (roommates, dormmates, etc.) and how to manage your money, especially if your financially independand, like me (meaning no or very little money from your family).

As for myself, personally, I kind of figured I'd be supporting myself, since I'd feel really guilty having my mother support me, since she's a single parent who also has to support her elderly, and hadicaped, mother, and money-squandering son (my brother gambles with his friends and expects my mom to pay for his gas) who attends a privet high school. Of course, at the time I said this, I didn't realize how expensive everything would be, but luckily I only have to completely support myself for two years (until my brother graduates). Then after that, she'll give me some help.

Also, up until a year ago, I saw myself going to LSU, insead of LA Tech where I'm at now. I'm majoring in Pre-Vet and plan to go to LSU vet school after I graduate, like I've planned since the 6th grade. I did deside, shortly after starting school back in Sept, that I'd also be minoring in art. I've always loved drawing and when I was really little I wanted to be an artist when I grew up; so I've kind of resurected an old goal.

I think the biggest change I've had to make since entering college is the distance from home. There is a 5 hour or 300 mile distance from my home and school. The first month I was up here, I did get homesick a few times. I do talk to my parents on the phone every week, and I do get mail from home, but before coming up here, the longest time I've ever spent away from my family was two week, and the time between starting school and my first break was two and a half months. That's quite a difference, but once you get through the first half of the year, it gets better. They say if you can make it through your first year away from home, then your more likely to stick it out the whole time instead of transfering to a school closer to home.[/COLOR]

[Sephiroth]

[COLOR=DarkRed][FONT=Times New Roman]Since school I've done a lot of stuff, unfortunately I messed around a lot during school and didn't get the grades I should have had so I had to do some courses in college to make up for it which took a year and set me back 1 year from the course I originally should have been doing had I had the grades in the first place

Since then I've had to hold on to a job, take care of my wife and kid, pay house bills, and study at university all at once, it's been tough to say the least

I have also been around the world playing Tekken Tag/Tekken 4 (yes, video game's) at a competetive level, entering tournaments and stuff, while also taking the time abroad to have a vacation and do a little sightseeing

Now I only have 5 more months of university left and it all seem's like smooth sailing thankfully, I don't have to put anywhere near as many hour's into the course as before giving me more time to relax at home

Whatever you may have thought you'd be doing after high school no matter how much you want it doesn't mean it'll happen, you can't foresee changes, I never thought any of the stuff that's happened would happen but they did, you live and learn and deal with the changes[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Roxie Faye]

[color=#9933ff]First, some response to comments. [b]DarkOtakuBoy[/b] - are you from Jersey? Me too! ^_^; [b]Panda[/b] - I, too, think it's great that you have a positive attitude to everything. That's a great quality to have. ^_^ [b]ssjSolarPrincess[/b] - I admire you for supporting yourself in college! My mom did the same thing (paid for everything), and I've always thought her a great person for that. I think the same of you.


Well, currently, I'm a sophomore in high school, with decent grades (A's and B's - no C's yet!). I don't know what college I want to go to yet, but this summer I'm looking at Tufts and Brown. (I've already looked at Vassar, where my sister went, Wellesley, Johns Hopkins, and I'm going to Princeton soon, to see what it looks like.)

What will I major in? Probably a double major. Something either science related (Biochem/astrophysics????) or political science. I'm so much of a dreamer, I don't think I'll ever really amount to anything.

As an actual life goal, I want to do something that will change the world. Maybe I'll do something with science and invent/discover something great. And sometimes I feel like I want to be the President of the USA (for real!), and sometimes I feel like I want to be a great philosopher for the history books.

Anyway, the basic plan is to earn a six figure salary, get rich, quit whatever crappy job I was in, and then have enough money so that I can do whatever I want (see above) with the rest of my life! ^_____^ And yes, that is my actual plan, not some half-baked scheme.

[quote name='Pumpkin']I've never longed for a family, as much as everyone else has. I guess its because of my parent's bad marriage, or my un-trustfulness when it comes to men, but I've always wanted to be a single mother, and adopt a child from a foreign country.[/quote]
Ohh! Same for me, too! Growing up raised by my mom, I feel that there's a lot of conflict/issues when it comes to raising kids. And I'd have to compromise with my husband (and I cannot see me being married - *gag*), which is too much of a hassle for me. I don't really know if I want kids yet, but if I do, I will be a single mother and adopt a child from another country. ^_^;

Is it just me, or do you all find me crazy, too?[/color]

[Franky]

Well lets see i want to have kids be a jackaroo .... anything where im not on the dole money doesnt matter, and as long as im not working in a naggery or anything like that

[Syk3]

I'm planning on graduating high school this May, so this seems like a good topic for me to reply to, lol. I've obviously been doing a lot of thinking about this topic lately, after all.

[quote name='wrist cutter']For those of you not out of high school yet, where do you see yourselves going, and what do you see yourselves doing after it?[/quote]My plan after graduation is to go on to a four year university, followed by a two year graduate school, and then start working depending on what my major is. The details are kinda fuzzy at the moment, but that's a pretty broad description of what I want to do in terms of studies, I think. I also hope to get married by around 25. :p

[quote][i]What colleges are you looking at, if any?[/i][/quote]I've been looking at two colleges in particular, of which I've applied to both a couple weeks ago, and haven't heard anything from. The one I'm leaning more towards is University of Maryland in Baltimore County (UMBC) for a number of reasons, but most notably the location, which is a suburban area that's on the high population side. My safe school is Salisubury University, which is where I wanted to go for a long time before I visited UMBC; it's a nice school, but more of a low-end suburban that's known as a party school.

[quote][i]Is it near your house or will you be moving?[/i][/quote]UMBC is only 45 minutes or so away, but I'll still be moving into a dorm. You really don't get the full college experience if you commute to college, in my opinion, even though it's admittidly quite a bit more money. If I don't get into UMBC, Salisbury is about 3 hours away or so and is located pretty close to the beach and about the same distance from our beach house as UMBC is from our regular house.

[quote][i]Are you paying for college or are you going to mooch off your parents?[/i][/quote]I'll definitely be mooching off my parents, haha. They'll probably end up making me pay for some of it though, at least, since my dad is pretty cheap. :p My parents signed up for the Maryland pre-paid tuition thing a couple years ago, and that's supposed to provide somewhat of a discount, I believe.

[quote][i]And, once in college, what are you thinking you'll study? Presumably your major will be related to the career you're planning on pursuing.[/i][/QUOTE]Yeah, I.. have absolutely no idea. I plan to take my basic classes my Freshman year and get those out of the way, and pursue a subject that takes my interest from there. It's going to be one of those things where I'll figure it out as I go. And from there, my job after college will obviously have something to do with my major.

[Sara]

[color=#ff6600]I started my second semester at college this week. As people who read myO are aware, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, but I'm sure I'll get used to things in the next week or two.

Right now, I'm looking at persuing a [b]German major[/b]. There isn't really a lot of thought behind this. I'm in my fifth year of German classes--there is no single other subject that I devoted that much time to in high school. (Does that necessarily mean I really want to devote even [i]more[/i] time to it in college?) I wrote down "German" as a possible major when I applied to colleges, and this school offered me a scholarship if I did so (majored in German).

So when I decided to come here (I was accepted at [b]University of Wisconsin--Madison[/b] and [b]University of Minnesota--Twin Cities[/b]) I figured that I might as well major in German and be able to use that scholarship money.

I took and passed the Language Proficiency Exam last semester, and this year I am enrolled in two 3000-level German courses. (The University of Minnesota denotes courses using thousands, not hundreds. Thus, a first-level course in something would be 1001 (ten-oh-one), not 101.)

I'm not satisfied with the idea of majoring in German, but I haven't found anything else to which I am interested in changing my major. (And really, this is all a little skewed, as I don't believe you are to declare a major until you have roughly two years' worth of credits...which I don't.) Especially this week of classes, I've been uncertain about my choice. While I love language, and enjoy learning German (I wouldn't have taken the scholarship if it were for a subject I had no interest or enjoyment in.), I don't know "what I'm going to with it" or anything like that, and people keep expecting me to know, heh.

I'm actually content right now, not knowing exactly where I'm going. I'm a first-year college student, I get decent grades, and there really is no reason that I need to have my life plan laid out before me. I just wish everyone else would see this my way. People assume I want to teach high school German for the rest of my life, which is certainly not the case (at least right now). They want to know if I am going to study abroad. Yes, I probably will. Where? Probably a German-speaking country over in Europe, heh. But I really don't know.

If I were to change my major, I might change it to [b]Linguistics.[/b] That's something else I've been interested in for a long time (I'm a dork; I just love words), and I took an introductory course on it last semester, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I guess, from someone who has always been good at school, looking around at the people in my college courses is somewhat intimidating. In my required German class, for example--I want to know where I stand in relation to everyone else in the class, and I'm worried that I am not up to the level I need to be at. This is silly, honestly, because everyone in that class is at the same level--that is why we are all in that class, heh. We each tested into that level of German knowledge. But it is still something that pulls at the back of my mind.

It's also a little strange to see so [i]many[/i] people who have the same interests as me. My high school was about 220 people (graduating class of roughly 50), and through my years of high school German, my classes shrank from twelve, to seven, to three, to one. I was the only person in my German IV class; the instructor and I ended up meeting once a week after school so we could do different things with out time during the day. Here, there are a lot of people who are actually majoring in German, and it is a new perspective for me.

feeling hot, hot, hot,
Sara[/color]

[Zenriek]

I'm not that old, really. I can't pursue my career dreams for several more years, but here goes (three).

1.) I want to be a manga artist. Wether it's drawing and doing the whole thing on my own, or with people helping me, I want to be able to get at least one manga book out there (a good one) before I'm 28.

2.) I want to be an anime artist! I know this prolly ties in with the manga artist thing, but I think I'd really enjoy it. I know it takes a lot of patience to do these things, but hey, I've got time.

3.) Author (as in, real books with all words and chapters 'n stuff) Being an author is what I've wanted to be since I started writing a few years ago. I know it takes practice to be an awesome writer, and I would love to do that, because I love to write.

I know I'm shooting for the high stars when I want to be all this, but at least I'm trying to do these things, right?

[ChibiHorsewoman]

[QUOTE=Zenriek]I'm not that old, really. I can't pursue my career dreams for several more years, but here goes (three).

1.) I want to be a manga artist. Wether it's drawing and doing the whole thing on my own, or with people helping me, I want to be able to get at least one manga book out there (a good one) before I'm 28.

2.) I want to be an anime artist! I know this prolly ties in with the manga artist thing, but I think I'd really enjoy it. I know it takes a lot of patience to do these things, but hey, I've got time.[/QUOTE]

[color=darkviolet]Not to bust your dreams or anything because I hate when peopel do that to me. But I read in one of the anime magazines a while back that it's very rare and almost impossible for a non Japanese artist to become a Mangaka or an anime artist.

However, that being said with the influx of anime inspired drawing in newer american cartoons I don't see where actually having a goal towards american (yeah, I'm assuming you're american) animation and comics with manga styling...even though the american comics (buldging muscles and huge chests aside) have more realistic looking characters. Maybe you should try that.

As for my college experiance, I know I could have made it if I had bothered to work at it. The college I attended was about an hour away from where I live so I lived in off campus housing since community colleges in NYS don't have campus housing. BUt my parents gave me about $100 a month and I had a job withy the campus works program. They also supplied food and since i didn't have a car yet they drove me to and from Canadaigua.

If I had gone to the college I was accepted to i would have been living on campus at a dorm and would have been about 3.5 hours from home. The college was SUNY (state university of New York) Morrisville about half an hour from Syracuse and higher above sea level than where i live. It's pretty far from the town of Morrisville so the campus store doubled as a grocery store. I would have gotten more of an independant college expericance living there instead of FLCC, but I wasn't quite ready for that yet.

I guess I got it full force though when I got married and moved half way across the country huh? [/color]

[Japan]

[COLOR=Navy]I am going to graduate in June.

As far as what I am going to do after graduate, I have no clue.

My parents keep changing their mind on what they will allow me t do.

They keep changing their mind every week.

One week they want me to go to a community college, another week, they want me to go to Washington State University, and another week, they don't want me to go to college at all, and get a full time job for two years. u_u

Now they are thinking of me going into the Air National Guard.

I am so confused and stressed. >_<

What am I going to do? Gah![/COLOR]

[Syk3]

[quote name='Japan_86][color=navy']My parents keep changing their mind on what they will allow me t do.[/color][/quote]Maybe they need to just let go and let you decide for yourself. It's your future, after all. Such a strong grip spreads seeds for rebellion. ;)

[Sara]

[color=#ff6600]I knew I posted this somewhere. [quote=Sara][b]Career Goals[/b]

I am going to run away and join the circus. My circus troupe and I will travel the world, visiting every country in reverse alphabetical order. I will spend my time performing, learning new languages, and typing letters on my typewriter to my many correspondants.

I will spend many years in the circus, touring the world and accomplishing the things on my things to do before I die list, which I will recompile as soon as I can find the old copies of it. In the years before my death, I will retire to an elaborate antebellum mansion, complete with ballroom, courtyard, phonograph, and other anachronistic luxuries. I will continue to write letters--not only to my original pen pals, but also to the many new ones I will have made on my international forays.

Eventually, these scattered letters will be compiled and made into a book. High school studets will be forced to read excerpts from it, and clueless but enthusiastic teachers will claim to know things about it that are not true. The literature textbooks will have a brief biographical blurb which will say, "all we know of her comes from the letters she wrote faithfully to her many pen pals."

And many years in the future, March 25th will become a national holiday. It will not, however, afford a vacation from school or work. It will be a day when all personal letters can be sent for five cents and under. Long after I am forgotten, the postal service will continue to observe March 25th as a day when odd people visit the post office to send letters, although no one will any longer remember why.

And there will be ticker tape parades.[/quote]Now, if that isn't cool, I don't know what is...unless it's my plan to create havoc throughout Europe, as discussed here:[quote=Sara][b]If I were an evil megalomaniac villain...[/b]

[size=1]I don't think I'm cut out for conquering the world. I tend to plan big projects, start out on them, then get a bit of the way through and move on to something else. So I guess I'd have to settle for conquering southeastern Europe, or some such thing.

And the modern age of weaponry isn't really my thing. Hm.

How about this: I would start out by getting myself a couple allies--friends, hired folks, whatever. I'd tell them about my plan in exhange for their help. They'd agree, laugh and forget about it.

I would journey to my target area (Estonia?) and make myself known as some sort of smart person/advisor/whatever. I would eventually work my way up to being advisor to the king. If they had a king. If not, I'd adjust accordingly.

I would spend some time weilding my influence as the [i]real[/i] power behind the throne. (Or...chair. Or...whatever.) Then I'd call on my buddies from the first step (remember them?) and make them some sort of official ruler-like thingy of some small neighboring area.

Having forgotten me, they woudl be pleasantly surprised by my gift of lands and power. However, their initial satisfaction would give way to greed and distrust.

Not yet possessing a large enough force to battle me, they would each sneakily send out soldiers to conquer neighboring areas. Gradually, their lands would become large enough that they could not hold them on their own, and they would choose certain people to govern the outlying parcels of land for them.

The process would repeat itself, [i]ad infinitum[/i] or, of course, when two people claimed the same bit of land. There would be a battle, things would be grand and glorious and bloody, the victors would rejoice, and some of the non-dead of the losing side would run off into the far countryside, establishing their own rule and slowly plotting revenge.

And with that, having single-handedly re-established feudalism, I would retire to a position as wandering bard/scop/troubador, and comfortably go about writing history. Because when everyone else is scrapping, history is also written by those who bother to take notes.

Rock on.[/size][/QUOTE]

the spice of life,
Sara[/color]

[Doc]

[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray]I've been dreaming about future careers since I was in... lets see.... half way through elementary school, and my ideas/dreams keep changing.[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray]I know that I'm not qualified enough to post here, for I am only a freshmen in high school, but I still have my ideals. [/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray]When I was younger, and still now... in a way, want to work for NASA, whether that consists of me being an aeronautical engineer, or what not, I still hope for this. *I know it's highly improbable*[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray]But now, I'm thinking more to a real job... and from what I see, I think I'll go into the medical fields. I absolutly know I don't want to be a doctor.... (I dislike mass amounts of blood... >_< EWW!) so I'm thinking of becoming a Pharmasist. They are paid well, and have many programs to help through college.[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray]Yes... I plan on going to college... but I'm not sure where. Probably somewhere like ASU (Arizona State University) or... somewhere else like it.... but I'm still debating my majors and what not.:lecture:[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray]------[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray]Off topic[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray]It's been interesting reading what people have hoped of, and what they are currently doing. I'm also sorry for anyone who didn't achieve their dream jobs, and hopeful lives... I guess that has to be a real heart breaker. :( [/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray][/color][/size][/font]

[Redemption]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS][COLOR=Red]1. Working for MADMAN

I'd like to work for the company that brings anime to Asutralia (AMEN TO ALL OF THEM). Something to do with international relations or something in the company.

2. My own anime company - to broaden the anime industry in Australia

A long term aspiration and my dream. To make my own anime company in Australia and produce quality anime for the world. It's along way off since I'm still only 18 and just going into university but it is my dream nonetheless.[/FONT][/COLOR]