Advice Request - School Future

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR="DarkOrange"]Oi. It's been quite a while since I've come to the members of OB for help, but I figure you're the best source for a problem like this.

Okay. Last year I signed up to take a special course where each day I would take two regular classes and then be bussed to a college where I will take a specialty class. I signed up for A+ computer repair cuz I thought it looked interesting, and I ended up getting accepted. I didn't really may much attention to the specifics or anything.

Near the last week of school, I remembered that I was supposed to show the acceptance letter to my guidance counselor, and that day I was going to the cafeteria to pick up my summer assignment for Advanced English 11, so I decided to head to the guidance counselors office afterward. She told me that if I wanted to make 'advanced track' I would have to take summer school next year for one of my classes. This is because to go to the college I will only have 4 open class blocks, and one of them has to be Japanese 3 for me to make advanced, so one of the core classes would be pushed to next summer.

Unfortuanetally, when she kept saying 'advanced track' I thought she was talking about my English class, so I gave the OK for that schedule, only realising later what she'd meant. School ended before I got around to correcting that.

I didn't give it too much thought. Earlier, I believe in June, I had started to accpet the idea of having a lot more stuff to have to do next year. I thought maybe since I hadn't really done much this summer, it wouldn't have much of an effect to loose some of next summer. Plus I was thinking about how maybe it was time for me to grow up and start achieving, and how I might get into a good college or something and start my way up to being responsible.

Fast forward a month and a half later. I had given it absolutely no thought since then, instead enjoying my summer to the fullest (gotta say, best summer in years), and consiously ignoring my summer homework. (there's no way to last-minute it either, since I was supposed to email the teacher every 2 weeks with stuff and I haven't even started reading either of the books yet :animeswea). Then my dad came home with the mail and was saying how he'd gotten a letter from that college place about how their students had to wear dress shirts and crap.

After spending so much time without thinking about it, I'd basically forgotten all about that responsibility I'd talked about. And now, all I have is fear for this next year. Now, if I don't feel I'm ready for the whole summer-school thing, I don't think it'd be hard for me to get rid of, especially since I almost failed Japanese one and two, and it's a mistake in the system that I keep getting put through. But at the same time, I have no idea what the right choice to make is.

Will I be missing an opportunity if I dump my advanced track? Will I regret not having had the college experience in high school?

But more importantly, am I ready for any of that stuff? I mean, last year I slacked off as much as humanly possible the entire year. I didn't do but a tiny ounce of homework the whole year. I was only .5 points away from failing one of my classes. I slept in at least one or two classes every single day, or talked through them. There were actually a couple times when I went a whole week or two and in most classes simply didn't do any work. I got by on luck and being able to half-*** my way through just cuz I'm smart.

Hell! I didn't even do my freaking summer assignment! What does that tell you?! I can't think that I'm ready for all of this, but at the same time, is it worth it to skimp out and spend another year wasting my time in school thinking about how much I hate being there and ignoring everything? Shouldn't I at least try to grow up? I'll have to some day, right? I can't just keep counting on everything to work out for me, right?! ARGH!

On the one hand, I don't want to sit around and do nothing or fail and live a **** life wit no opportunities, or end up doing a job I hate like my dad, or miss an opportunity to work my way up. But on the other hand I don't want to spend my youth trying to look to the future knowing it all comes to **** in the end. I don't want to not enjoy myself and regret that either, and I most certainly don't want to put on a ****ing dress shirt every day and go do some hard-*** work that may never pay off!

Then again, in the first place, I signed up for that class out of general interest, but it must've been more of a fad. I couldn't care less about it at this point....... not that I can change what college course I'd be able to take at this point.

What say you? Am I at the age already where I need to work for my future, or do I still get to be a kid a while longer?[/COLOR]

[Konata]

It really depends on you, but yes, this is definitely a difficult question to answer...

So this may be bias, because I'm in high school too, but I am a college student as well.

I would personally say that it's never to early to start working towards the future. I mean, the earlier you start, the more doors will probably open to you, I should say. And just because you didn't do too well in the past, it doesn't mean you can't change and become successful. It's if you don't change that it will affect you more horribly. As one of my teachers says, "You can get it if you really want it". Almost anything, you can get if you are willing to put forth an effort to obtain it. The only thing that you can't get more of, even if you want it badly, is time. So I would start now, before it's too late.

Edit: Hope that helped at least a little bit >_>

[2010DigitalBoy]

[quote name='Konata']"You can get it if you really want it". [/QUOTE]

[COLOR="DarkOrange"]What I really want is a girlfriend/wife with a good job who'll let me stay at home with the kids and freelance work :animesigh[/COLOR]

[Goodbye, Face]

[font=arial][size=1]I went through a really tough senior year in high school. I took a whole bunch of honors and AP classes, core and elective, to get college credit hours and to prepare myself for college.

When I went to my college's orientation, I found out that my weighted GPA and my AP creds meant ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, the credits went to elective classes that i really don't have any interest in. I was really bummed out.

So it's important to consider what will ACTUALLY BE USEFUL to you in college. Not everything is.[/font][/size]

[Retribution]

[font=Arial]Work hard now, because the effort you put in now pays off later in a massive way.

Don't fool yourself into thinking your actions right now don't impact your future -- high school is an enormously important period in your academic career. Real life isn't too far off, no matter how it feels right now. Don't live your life with regrets... after all, what's to lose from working hard and doing your best?[/font]

[Aaryanna]

[COLOR="goldenrod"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"][quote name='2007DigitalBoy'][COLOR="DarkOrange"]What I really want is a girlfriend/wife with a good job who'll let me stay at home with the kids and freelance work :animesigh[/COLOR][/QUOTE]*poke* Figures. :p

Anyway, as others have said, it's always a good idea to work hard since you can't go back and redo things. But at the same time I'd make sure the classes will even do you any good. Otherwise, other than to learn, there's no point in taking them. Though I like learning so I'd probably take them. I've taken college classes where you simply audit them and don't get a grade, just because they were fun. It's too bad I can't afford to simply go to college, otherwise, I would. I don't like High School. >_<

So basically, take the time to find out if those classes will help or not, once you know that, making your choice will be easier. :catgirl:[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Delta]

[COLOR=#35425e][FONT="Palatino Linotype"]"Nits make lice so you gotta kill 'em soon as you spot 'em."
Or so the old saying goes.

You're old enough to see these problems before you. Why not take care of them [b]now[/b]?

[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Rachmaninoff]

[quote name='2007DigitalBoy'][COLOR="DarkOrange"]What say you? Am I at the age already where I need to work for my future, or do I still get to be a kid a while longer?[/COLOR][/QUOTE]The fact that you are even asking this means you need to move on, getting into the mode of thinking I want to be a kid longer, even though I can see all these things before me that need to be done... That's not a good mindset to get into. If you do that, next year you'll feel even worse for putting things off.

If you have any idea of the possible colleges you might attend, then find out of those extra classes will do you any good, if not, then there's no reason to take them. As for skipping out on homework and barely getting by, that needs to stop. You're not doing yourself any favors by barely getting through your classes.

You don't have to instantly become super responsible overnight, but if you start making a point of doing so much homework a day, before you do anything fun, in no time it becomes a habit and later on you'll be glad you did it. Trust me, having fun is more enjoyable when you have the satisfaction of not having unfinished tasks like that hanging over your head.

[eleanor]

[font="trebuchet ms"] By the time you're a junior/senior in high school, it's time to buckle down and take harder courses. If you're going to aim for a good college, you should get the ball rolling now. Don't think of taking AP courses or college courses as ways of getting credit, because most of the time it doesn't work out. They're things you do so it looks good on your transcript (and if you're "genuinely interested" :p).[/font]

[John]

*reads the first two paragraphs and skips the rest* High school is your last chance to enjoy a lot of freedom from responsibility until you retire, and then there's all the bustle about whether social security will even provide enough for you to ever retire, so I say enjoy it while you can. Not "coast through classes and flunk out" enjoyment, but don't waste every hour of your day, and especially not every hour of your summer, working towards someone else's arbitrary idea of a "successful life"--i.e., a life validated through financial security. If that does sound good to you, then fine, but make sure it's your own brain making that decision.

[Korey]

Wow DB, what a long winded way to say "HELP ME! I Don't know what to do!" All kidding aside, I can feel your pain. As a junior in High School, I was fooled into thinking that having a lot of extra classes would help me towards my goal of doing journalism in college. I had clubs, a girlfriend and wrestling to deal with as well...all of them also required a lot of attention. As a result, I didn't enjoy my Junior year as much as I possibly could and that was a shame. Now as an incoming freshman to college, I realize the importance of not overloading yourself with classes. You only suffer in other parts of your life (home, realtionships and such).

My advice to you is to find out what you REALLY want to do. What feels right for you. I'm not going to tell you "Hey DB, do this or do that" because that isn't my place. All I can say is, do what is going to make you the happiest. Don't worry about "oh man I miss out on an oppourtunity" because another one will ALWAYS come up in the field you are looking into. You just have to be patient.

My ultimate message is [B]DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY[/B]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[quote name='Korey'] [B]DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY[/B][/QUOTE]

[COLOR="DarkOrange"]Well, I could have told myself that, really, cuz that is the way I live anyway, so in some ways I was kind of wanting people to direct meIn the end, though, I can't bring myself to do something I don't want to...

I don't know how things will go. Really, in some ways, it actually will work itself out, because I'll find out whether or not I'm happy with the way things turned out the minute I start all these classes. After all, if I suck at it, I'm sure it won't take long to get kicked out, XD.

My biggest worry is in the fact that I am very easily overwhelmed. I spent the whole of my last school year completely depressed and I don't want to possibly make it even worse >_>[/COLOR]

[Korey]

If you know what gets you overwhelmed, then take steps to go against that. Cut down on things, whether it would be clubs or other organizations....that would lighten the load a tad. Even though it sucks to tell those people in charge, you are doing what's best for you...I'm sure they'd understand...if they don't then it's not your problem.

[2010DigitalBoy]

[quote name='Korey']If you know what gets you overwhelmed, then take steps to go against that. Cut down on things, whether it would be clubs or other organizations....that would lighten the load a tad. Even though it sucks to tell those people in charge, you are doing what's best for you...I'm sure they'd understand...if they don't then it's not your problem.[/QUOTE]

[COLOR="DarkOrange"]^^;; I wasn't in any clubs or on teams or anything las year. Most of the trouble I have is emotional. I get what you mean, though. I will definitely try my best.[/COLOR]

[KingEarthEater]

[quote name='2007DigitalBoy'][COLOR="DarkOrange"]What I really want is a girlfriend/wife with a good job who'll let me stay at home with the kids and freelance work :animesigh[/COLOR][/QUOTE]

Cut off the "and freelance work" part ;)

(back on topic though)

Well, as long as you do what you want too, with all you can, going to your full potential, then you should be fine. There are two ways of life. One is that your life will go the way it wants to or you can take it over and accomplish what you want to in your life.
Life is about choices and barriers. You make choices and if its a bad one, you overcome the barrier and learn from the mistake. You know the outcome of that bad choice, so you don't so much avoid all mistakes, but you learn from them. There isn't one human being on this planet who hasn't made a mistake. So, you might as well try your hardest at what you want and if you do make a mistake, then just shrug it off.

Hope that helped some,

David