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Mid-life crisis...at 19

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IcePointa
Posts: 1879 - Karma: 19
Yea, I'm reconsidering my goals right now. I'm 19 years old and have 60 credits under my belt at the University of Tennessee on a Pre-Med/Dentistry/Pharmacy school track.

I'm doing alright in my classes and have a 3.2 GPA right now, got a 93% on my first Organic chemistry test this semester, but it's so tedious and I have very little/no interest in any of my classes. I don't think I want to go the proffessional school track anymore, just not what I want to do with my life. Fuck I'd have 6 more years of school to go through and waste my life. Yeah, the money would be nice for sure, but I don't know if sacrificing my life for $$ is a good idea. Hell, I don't even want to finish my four year degree. I'm on track for a Microbiology/Biochem major, but I have tons of bullshit labs and courses to take that I can't force myself to care about anymore.

I hate living in the southest. I can't stay here much longer. Only here now cause In-state school + scholarship = free college. There is pretty good climbing here (short, difficult routes), but the skiing is beyond horrendous, and I can only get out West to real snow like once a year.

Here is my problem: I severely want to move to Whistler, get a bar tending/ski instructing job or something, and eventually try and get in with ski patrol at the resort after a little experience in the area and I'm nice and overqualified. I honestly think I could do that forever and be content. I'm a skier/climber at the core of my being, and I would be in a place where I could pursue my interests to their fullest. I'd look into getting certified as a ski mountainerring/ alpine guide while I'm there, and eventually I could do guiding on the side of the patrol job. Maybe if I can prove myself to be a certified badass I could even get in on some heliski operation eventually (dream job).

Question: Does Whistler actually hire paid patrollers, and is there a 10 year wait list of qualified candidates to get in? Is that a good environment to work in? I know the job involves dealing with broken people that get pwned by the mountain, and I think I'd be well suited to deal with that kinda stress. Any thoughts?
Oct 25 2007 3:41PM
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GatoGordo
Posts: 1496 - Karma: 10
Why don't you finish the 4 year degree, take a year off, and ski, then decide if you want to go to grad school. you have to finish at least 4 years to get a good job. You could also be in the wrong field. It sounds like you hate labs, so that may not be a good major for you. There are more options than just being a ski partoller.
Oct 25 2007 3:47PM
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timmi
Posts: 12874 - Karma: 3,460
im not sure if this is what you want to hear, but try taking a year off. if you have the money, travel, if not get a ski bum job for a year. then maybe go back to school. it seems like you have put too much into it to give up the whole thing.
in the end its whatever makes you happy though.
Oct 25 2007 3:47PM
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Rbamf
Posts: 792 - Karma: 15
if youre willing to work something else for awhile (ie. ski shop, wait tables, bartend)  move to a ski town and find work.  it's really pretty easy (whistler might be harder than u.s. ski towns unless you have canadian citizenship).  ski for a few years, and figure shit out.  stay if you like it, go back to school if you don't.  it's your life, do what you want.  
Oct 25 2007 3:49PM
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moonofendor
Posts: 1484 - Karma: 14
don't drop out cuz even tho it sucks now. remember in 6 years ur gonna have a job that u can start out at 60k get a signing bonus. and work any place you desire. that and college pharmacy classes are 60% female so ur gonna get some pussy too.
Oct 25 2007 3:51PM
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jimmychung
Posts: 6857 - Karma: 25
sounds like fun to me. but at least stick with a 4 year degree that way you have a safety net to fall back on. i'd still recommend not doing that and going through with college, and maybe saving that for retirement?
i'm also a biochem major, i hope i don't lose interest.
Oct 25 2007 3:52PM
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Static
Posts: 8491 - Karma: 4,059
you alreadfy have alot of credits for being 19, why don't you take spring semester off and go live somewhere cool for half a year, then you'll have a better idea of what you want.
Oct 25 2007 3:57PM
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da-bling
Posts: 1145 - Karma: 11
im kinda feeling the same as you are with the whole pick college or what u want to do feeling
Oct 25 2007 3:58PM
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Mezmerize19
Posts: 6475 - Karma: 18
whatever makes you happy man. I mean being rich would be fun but its not for me. Im a more chill guy. AS long as your happy its all good right?
Oct 25 2007 4:05PM
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t-roy
Posts: 4041 - Karma: 52
i feel bad for you for thinknig that you consider getting an education is wasting your life. investing in a college education is one of the best investments you can make in your life. you are absolutely free to do what you want, but most will suggest you stick it out and finish college. dude i'm gonna be 25 before i'm done with school and that was doing undergrad in 3 years. i'll still have plenty of time to do what i would have done after undergrad.

if you aren't happy with college so far, maybe find a different major that you'd be more passionate about.

basically, don't worry about feeling like you are wasting the best years of your life in college and thinking that you will be an old man when you graduate. for example, one of my profs didn't get married til he was 37 because he was in school for so long and travelled around a lot afterwards working. now he's 50 and just adopted 2 twin swedish girls and he is the happiest guy around.

life tends to work out but you gotta make sure you lay down a good foundation.



hahahaha just kidding GO SKIIIIIIIING
Oct 25 2007 4:09PM
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Download-My-Apps
Posts: 5069 - Karma: 1,017
man I felt like that at my first year uni. Take sometime off figure shit out. After my first year, I did the ski bum thing and had the best time of my life. I'm back at school now and actually enjoying it.
Oct 25 2007 4:20PM
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PASKIINGSUCKS
Posts: 9097 - Karma: 777
Stick with it, if you complete it and get a job in your field making buku $$$ then there will be plenty of time to travel and ski.
Oct 25 2007 4:27PM
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AndrewZ
Posts: 759 - Karma: 36
I know where your coming from, I went through kinda of the same thing but I came to the decision just to buck up, put up with a couple more years of school, then move out west to be a ski bum till I get real old and then I have a college degree to fall back on. And as far as paid ski patrol goes, most big resorts have them but you need to volunteer for a couple years first and have a whole bunch of avalanche and medical certifications, and then you still need to be lucky to get the job.
Oct 25 2007 4:33PM
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Static
Posts: 8491 - Karma: 4,059
there won't be plenty of time for anything, there will be 40 hour work weeks with a a couple weeks vacation a year.
Oct 25 2007 4:52PM
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Hedwig595
Posts: 76 - Karma: 6
I agree, I'm in the same boat, college is terrible for me right now, I really don't like my classes and am not motivated at all to do work and it sucks, I think this is a good idea though, even though it seems like 4 years is a long time, but the safety net is a good thing!  Good Luck whatever you choose!
Oct 25 2007 5:01PM
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IcePointa
Posts: 1879 - Karma: 19
This is what I'm afraid of. I could put up with 6 more years in school to be a pharmacist if I thought I'd be making bank AND still have free time. But I think I'd be dragging my way through 40- even 60 (If you're making 90k a year salary theyre gonna milk you for every hour they can, and they do) hour work weeks wishing I was somewhere else. Doctor - no way - couldn't stand being on call all the time and I'm probably not cut out for that huge a responsibility. Multiple lives in your hands constantly. Dentists - have a very high suicide rate - would suck poking around in peoples nasty mouths all the time, and even theyre supposed to be on call for emergencies too.

If I went to proffesional school I'd have to take out some hefty loans, and then If I wanted to start my own practice/pharmacy op, thered be mega loans involved. Then I could consider myself a fully indentured servant to the man. awesome

Anyway, I think I'll definately stick it out for the 4 year degree. I mean it's free and I'm like halfway through. Sucks, I don't think I can take a semester off to go bumming in BC and still keep my scholarship, but I'm gonna check, lol.

And I'm gonna look at my course catalog and see if theres another degree that I could swap into without having to take any/many more classes than I would on this track. We have  a Recreation and Tourism Management major that would probably be alot less work than a micro/biochem major. I don't need to take physics next year if I'm not trying to get into grad school, I just need to keep a 3.0 for free money.
Oct 25 2007 5:59PM
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followCam
Posts: 1907 - Karma: 446
def stick it through or get atleast some degree. Then when you've finished it, take a few years out and do what you want to do, move to Whistler and get a ski job. Then decide what you want in the long term.
Oct 25 2007 6:41PM
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asonUnique
Posts: 361 - Karma: 13
stick it out. get your degree. then ski bum out west for a year and have the time of your life. after that, well, good luck making six figures and all.
Oct 25 2007 7:10PM
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doublexl
Posts: 8407 - Karma: 26
naw dude, if those sre you passions quit school and do what YOU want. if money isnt important to you, it sounds like you know what you want.
Oct 25 2007 7:25PM
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jibsworth
Posts: 1554 - Karma: 12
yeah its soo true, and if actually want to get ahead you should plan for 60 hours weeks. and never using all your vac time
Oct 25 2007 7:41PM
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Tasche
Posts: 5422 - Karma: 99
Money isn't important unless you don't have any of it.

There are other schools, don't throw away all those credits get your degree and stop being a bitch.

People may say they hate work but there is something to be said about going to a job and accomplishing something rather than being selfish and doing what you want to do every day.

You cant have pleasure with out pain type of thing so sack up.

Chang your major change your school.
Oct 25 2007 8:01PM
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BMskier
Posts: 3363 - Karma: 365
look up the fuck life and fuck school thread. its basically the same thing. i get tis feeling of giving up every year right before ski season and then things get a lot better when you ski.
Oct 25 2007 8:15PM
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IcePointa
Posts: 1879 - Karma: 19

Beautiful. I can take a semester off, I just have to be enrolled 2 out of 3 consecutive semesters.

But I've probably waited too long! I'd never be able to find a place to live anywhere near whistler this late in the season would I? Finding a job wouldn't be so bad somewhere always needs at least a dishwasher or night janitor or something, lol. Anyone know how old you have to be to serve liquor in BC?

SOLUTION: I live in my car/tent. Back seat folds down and combines trunk and backseat, making for roomy sleeping area. I wouldn't even need a job if I did this but I'd prob work 1-2 days a week for spending money and I'd need a few rest days to heal my weary and broken body anyway.

Then I just need to make some friends that live in the area so I can hang out at their place instead of with hobos.

Shit I have much research/consideration to do on this matter. I'll have about $2000 in the bank by winter, and I can try and get my parents to take the $1200 they spend on my meal plan each semester and let me put it towards food in BC.

Anyone have any experience with bumming for a semester and the amount of money you went through? Gotta get this worked out immediately.

BALLIN!
Oct 26 2007 4:23AM
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IcePointa
Posts: 1879 - Karma: 19
Moving thread to Whistler regional forums for specific bumming advice. If you have any tips/insight to share you can post it there (or here, doesn't really matter...)

https://www.newschoolers.com/web/forums/readthread/thread_id/327311/
Oct 26 2007 5:04AM
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404404
Posts: 11358 - Karma: 21,033
If this is the first big problem you have had your lucky, get use to not knowing what you want to do. Im done with college and have little to know clue what I want to do other then ski. My parents still dont know what they want to do, and they have both been working in there college grad feilds for 20+ years. Drop what ever you are doing and go ski, live the dream.
Oct 26 2007 12:59PM
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