Today...

[Kalphite]

Bonez, nobody ever reaches a final decision about that kind of thing, even after they establish a career. Just keep studying what you're interested in and take the most appealing options that you have available.

 

As cheesy as the title may sound, this book offers excellent practical advice on how to find a career that you enjoy. Pdf here, summary here.

[Guest Rob]

.

[Arceus]

They say "you get what you pay for."

Well, "you get advice you asked for" in OT, it seems...

[Bonez899]

I could try, if you could elaborate more on what options you are considering and what you are interested in :).

Well, to sum up the options I keep coming back to, in order they would be:

[spoiler=long part here]Medical Doctor- Pros: Good pay, I like helping people, good pay, I like employing skills such as those that would be needed, love learning and soak up knowledge like a sponge

                         Cons: 8 years of uni, 2+ years of residency afterwards, cost (although socialist Canada FTW)

Firefighter - Pros: I love the activities, nothing is more fun/bad ass, I like helping people and the community, could get skills for essentially free, I know I would enjoy the job

                    Cons: Next to impossible to find a job in this anywhere! I would have to work my ass off to find a job let alone land it

Soldier (grunt infantry) - Pros: Little education needed, I'd get to shoot lots of guns, I already know I enjoy many of the required activities

                                      Cons: a cop out, I would feel like I was wasting my skills to a certain extent

Paramedic - Pros: Like a doctor I can help people and use skills similar, easy to get knowledge on (father has been one for ~25 years), pretty good pay for education needed

                    Cons: very few actually, just not something I can exactly see myself doing for years on end

Numbers persno of some sort - Pros: Decent money, computer use

                                                 Cons: I would be bored out of my mind.... Just can't see myself crunching numbers all day

Gain skills, start own business - Pros: can learn skills for little money, starting business means a flexible schedule, earnings are up to me

                                                            Cons: Probably hardest path, a lot of work needed to start, most dangerous idea listed.

 

 

Drinking water is very important, I recommend you continue to do that. 

Thank you Steve, I have been and will continue to drink water each and every day.

 

Dude youre young as shit. Go to a tech school for plumbing. That business is going to explode soon because everyone wants to be a desk junkie these days

Hmm, taking a trade does interest me (see Gain skills, start business above) and that is an option I have thought of. Only issue is, really it is peer pressure and I know better than to let it in, that I am a person who does really well in school without trying and have friends who at least do well in school and preach the uni is the only way. Along with (read: because of) that I almost feel like I would be wasting my time if I didn't do something that would be going to uni and wasting my potential mostly.

 

 

I'm currently contemplating what I want to do after school. I have 2 years before I finish high school but I would like it if I could make a final decision as to what to do....

 

So many options of what to do, especially since I get relatively good marks, so I just can't decide. I've narrowed it down to just a few options, but even now I can't decide. Doubt I will decide ever though, just pick one and hope it gets me where I want it to get me...

 

Any advice on this matter oh wise OT'ers?

 

If you still have two more years of high school then you're in an awesome position. Expand your interests, try new things. Try and take a variety of subjects next year in high school and find something you like doing, and try to learn things on your own. Eventually you just might find something that you're especially interested in and you can go from there.

 

On another note, I just received a $8000 scholarship ($2000 per year for four years) so I'm a lot less stressed out about finances than I was an hour ago. Today is a good day.

 

Only issue is that I have found many things that I am interested in and have a passion for. More or less anything that involves working with your hands, creating something, or helping somebody I am interested in doing. From the list above I am interested in and have tried out/learned skills about something listed there.

I have my First aid, soon to be upgraded. I am working towards my level 1 firefighter (NFPA 1001). I have helped my dad out with carpentry/mechanic/plumbing-ish work before and know how to use tools. I probably know the ambulance lay outs around here better than some paramedics due just because of exposure. I was in cadets for many years and am now joining the reserve force.

TL;DR I have done a lot of stuff and found many interests.

 

They say "you get what you pay for."

Well, "you get advice you asked for" in OT, it seems...

Hey, most of this advice has been useful. Even replying to this advice has been useful at this point.

[Hedgehog]

Shit dude you're too young to worry about what you're going to do with your life. You'll figure it out sooner or later. Just don't worry about it.

[Arceus]

Medical doctor is not bad, although I personally wouldn't be as interested...I'm more into math.  And as you say it does require a lot of education and cost, but if you love learning and can memorize enough for the tests as well, it should be doable.  I'm planning to teach math myself but it isn't for everyone of course :P.

[Kimberly]

The advice I wish someone gave me when I was in your shoes feeling the exact same way:

 

Go to community college for two years. Take classes that will transfer to your goal school but will also allow you to explore your interests while satisfying your general education requirements. Get an internship as soon as you transfer if you can in the field you pick. Internships are short and give you a taste of what you're doing. If you end up transferring, at worst you'll 'lose' a semester's worth of credits. Pursue clubs and honor societies whne you can for practical experience in volunteering to also aid your choices.

 

If you do decide to do a trade instead, go to trade school part time while you're still in high school. Most schools do allow you to do both via partnerships with local tradeschools. But be careful, even though the training is valuable and helpful you're still might have to continue your education post-trade school. Look for apprenticeships and network within your trade school with your teachers, they often know the industry you're working in and have contacts you can use.

[Bonez899]

The advice I wish someone gave me when I was in your shoes feeling the exact same way:

 

Go to community college for two years. Take classes that will transfer to your goal school but will also allow you to explore your interests while satisfying your general education requirements. Get an internship as soon as you transfer if you can in the field you pick. Internships are short and give you a taste of what you're doing. If you end up transferring, at worst you'll 'lose' a semester's worth of credits. Pursue clubs and honor societies whne you can for practical experience in volunteering to also aid your choices.

 

If you do decide to do a trade instead, go to trade school part time while you're still in high school. Most schools do allow you to do both via partnerships with local tradeschools. But be careful, even though the training is valuable and helpful you're still might have to continue your education post-trade school. Look for apprenticeships and network within your trade school with your teachers, they often know the industry you're working in and have contacts you can use.

I'd have to check into the community college transfer stuff. I'm not sure if it works the same in Canada as US.

As for trade school, with apprenticeships and connections I already have quite a few be it by relation or what not. But the networking part of your advice is something I should do regardless of what I choose and what I do. I don't think networking has ever hurt anybody.

 

 

Shit dude you're too young to worry about what you're going to do with your life. You'll figure it out sooner or later. Just don't worry about it.

 

I hear what you're saying, and understand it. Only issue is that I would like to know so I could plan out what actions I'm going to take/what I plan to do. I really don't want to just sit here (in time, meaning present) just doing what I can to be generally healthy and prepared without some set plan or at least vague end goal to be working towards.

[muggiwhplar]

I'm currently contemplating what I want to do after school. I have 2 years before I finish high school but I would like it if I could make a final decision as to what to do....

 

So many options of what to do, especially since I get relatively good marks, so I just can't decide. I've narrowed it down to just a few options, but even now I can't decide. Doubt I will decide ever though, just pick one and hope it gets me where I want it to get me...

 

Any advice on this matter oh wise OT'ers?

 

Go read The Millionaire Fastlane ASAP! Should be mandatory reading for every high school student. Hell, EVERYONE should read that book.

[Guest Rob]

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[Kimberly]

Sorry, I should've realized you lived in Canada. :/

[Nekyia]

 

Dude youre young as shit. Go to a tech school for plumbing. That business is going to explode soon because everyone wants to be a desk junkie these days

Hmm, taking a trade does interest me (see Gain skills, start business above) and that is an option I have thought of. Only issue is, really it is peer pressure and I know better than to let it in, that I am a person who does really well in school without trying and have friends who at least do well in school and preach the uni is the only way. Along with (read: because of) that I almost feel like I would be wasting my time if I didn't do something that would be going to uni and wasting my potential mostly.

 

 

I did really well in high school and was always planning on continuing my education to become a vet or something animal-related.  The summer after I graduated I worked road construction and absolutely fell in love with construction.  I ended up working road construction for 3 years and continued to do new things within it (flagging, driving heavy equipment, etc.) and I was extremely happy with my job.  Then someone I barely knew invited me to move to British Columbia and said they were leaving in 2 weeks, so I packed up my car and left.  I was never 'ticketed' back in Saskatchewan so I couldn't find the same type of work out here, but I worked as a day laborer on a huge construction site and that only made me want to try different types of trades because they all seemed so interesting.

 

Next thing I knew I was going through school for welding and eventually ended up with a job in an aluminum boat building shop.  I have to say it is an awesome job.  And as much as people like to consider trades people to be 'stupid' or think that only people who don't do well in school go into the trades, that is so far from the truth.  While I'm sure people who don't do well in school go into the trades because they don't want to continue with their education with 'traditional' type schooling, you really can't be an idiot when you're working in the trades.  Well I suppose you can be, but you probably wouldn't get very far.

 

Basically just really try not to let 'peer pressure' or whatever deter you from considering a trade.  Although if you end up consider working with metal, do not, and I mean do not become a welder.  They are a dime a dozen and you will have an easier time finding work as a fabricator instead and they have to know how to weld anyways.

 

 

And speaking of career advice, I actually got word from workers compensation that they have decided my hand is officially [bleep]ed and I'm basically looking at retraining.  So if anyone knows of good careers that don't involve using your hands and that have a short schooling time, let me know :P

[Noxx]

One of my best friends was dating a guy, for almost 2 years. About a year into the relationship he started beating her, cheating on her, taking money from her. He threatened to kill her several times, he had several connections with the Police and threatened to make her life a living hell if she left him. They did eventually break up, about 10 months ago. I don't know why, i guess he got sick of her. 3 Months ago i heard that a girl he was dating for only a month or two fled the country and went back to Spain because he was beating her too.

Today i found out that he has a son with a Filipino girl. She also left the country (3 years ago more or less) because he abused her and she didn't want to raise a kid with him. Actually, i knew this for a while now, but what i found out today was that his kid went missing last week some time when there was a flood in their village. I hate saying this, i really do (especially because it's a tragic event), but Karma has a way to catch up with you.

None of the people he thought was his friends are willing to help him out with money to go to the Philippines, no one is showing him any sympathy. 

 

I'm probably a bad person for saying this. I guess Karma will catch up to me too, eventually.

[Hedgehog]

 

Shit dude you're too young to worry about what you're going to do with your life. You'll figure it out sooner or later. Just don't worry about it.

 

I hear what you're saying, and understand it. Only issue is that I would like to know so I could plan out what actions I'm going to take/what I plan to do. I really don't want to just sit here (in time, meaning present) just doing what I can to be generally healthy and prepared without some set plan or at least vague end goal to be working towards.

 

There's not really a whole lot that you can do to prepare for your future right now aside from not doing drugs, taking the hardest classes you can, and doing a bunch of extra curriculars.

 

During 12th grade (the last year of high school, I don't know if you guys follow that system in Canada), you'll have to decide between going to a trade school and going to a university, but usually your grades and whatnot will decide that for you. Most universities won't make you pick a major until after your second year and you'll have everything figured out by then.

[obfuscator]

@bonez: if youre canadian and like the military, don't forget about RMC. You can get a degree for free, and get paid for serving at the same time. I'm sure they have some kind of medical program as well for military doctors. Biggest risk is the mandatory service period but i think it's only 3-5 years so totally manageable.

[Bonez899]

@bonez: if youre canadian and like the military, don't forget about RMC. You can get a degree for free, and get paid for serving at the same time. I'm sure they have some kind of medical program as well for military doctors. Biggest risk is the mandatory service period but i think it's only 3-5 years so totally manageable.

Looked into it. Only thing on that is you can't RMC if going for MD, but regardless it is an option I will most likely pursue or look into regardless.

 

 

 

 

Shit dude you're too young to worry about what you're going to do with your life. You'll figure it out sooner or later. Just don't worry about it.

 

I hear what you're saying, and understand it. Only issue is that I would like to know so I could plan out what actions I'm going to take/what I plan to do. I really don't want to just sit here (in time, meaning present) just doing what I can to be generally healthy and prepared without some set plan or at least vague end goal to be working towards.

 

There's not really a whole lot that you can do to prepare for your future right now aside from not doing drugs, taking the hardest classes you can, and doing a bunch of extra curriculars.

 

During 12th grade (the last year of high school, I don't know if you guys follow that system in Canada), you'll have to decide between going to a trade school and going to a university, but usually your grades and whatnot will decide that for you. Most universities won't make you pick a major until after your second year and you'll have everything figured out by then.

 

 

Yes we do use grades in Canada, regardless one of the biggest issues I have is wanting to duck out on university but thinking I'd be doing something wrong by doing so. At the same time, meh. I do everything except the extra curriculars now and that is mostly because my school offers very few extra curriculars that I am actually interested in. That being said, I do partake in activities outside of school.

 

 

 

 

The advice I wish someone gave me when I was in your shoes feeling the exact same way:

 

Go to community college for two years. Take classes that will transfer to your goal school but will also allow you to explore your interests while satisfying your general education requirements. Get an internship as soon as you transfer if you can in the field you pick. Internships are short and give you a taste of what you're doing. If you end up transferring, at worst you'll 'lose' a semester's worth of credits. Pursue clubs and honor societies whne you can for practical experience in volunteering to also aid your choices.

 

If you do decide to do a trade instead, go to trade school part time while you're still in high school. Most schools do allow you to do both via partnerships with local tradeschools. But be careful, even though the training is valuable and helpful you're still might have to continue your education post-trade school. Look for apprenticeships and network within your trade school with your teachers, they often know the industry you're working in and have contacts you can use.

I'd have to check into the community college transfer stuff. I'm not sure if it works the same in Canada as US.

As for trade school, with apprenticeships and connections I already have quite a few be it by relation or what not. But the networking part of your advice is something I should do regardless of what I choose and what I do. I don't think networking has ever hurt anybody.

 

 

I just graduated high school in Ontario and I'm going to an Ontario university next month, so I may be of some help here. (I'm assuming you're from Ontario, since most of our population resides there  :P)

 

Community colleges aren't really a thing in Canada. You can switch to a university after being in college*, but you won't be able to transfer into one. The difference here is that you'll still take four years to graduate from the university, so you don't really gain anything by attending college first.

 

If you're uncertain about how the application process works, you can PM me and I can try to help  :)

 

* For those unaware,  a college is Canada is like a trade school in the USA, while a Canadian university is more like an American college. For example, you would go to a Canadian college to learn to be a plumber or carpenter, and you would go to a Canadian university if you wanted to become an accountant or study a science.

 

 

 

Friggin Ontarion-centrics! There is a Canada around you :P. I live out on the east coast in Nova Scotia.

 

Other than that, thanks for the clarification on that matter Rob.

 

Sorry, I should've realized you lived in Canada. :/

No problem, I tend to think everyone on the internet lives in the US so....

 

 

 

 

Dude youre young as shit. Go to a tech school for plumbing. That business is going to explode soon because everyone wants to be a desk junkie these days

Hmm, taking a trade does interest me (see Gain skills, start business above) and that is an option I have thought of. Only issue is, really it is peer pressure and I know better than to let it in, that I am a person who does really well in school without trying and have friends who at least do well in school and preach the uni is the only way. Along with (read: because of) that I almost feel like I would be wasting my time if I didn't do something that would be going to uni and wasting my potential mostly.

 

 

I did really well in high school and was always planning on continuing my education to become a vet or something animal-related.  The summer after I graduated I worked road construction and absolutely fell in love with construction.  I ended up working road construction for 3 years and continued to do new things within it (flagging, driving heavy equipment, etc.) and I was extremely happy with my job.  Then someone I barely knew invited me to move to British Columbia and said they were leaving in 2 weeks, so I packed up my car and left.  I was never 'ticketed' back in Saskatchewan so I couldn't find the same type of work out here, but I worked as a day laborer on a huge construction site and that only made me want to try different types of trades because they all seemed so interesting.

 

Next thing I knew I was going through school for welding and eventually ended up with a job in an aluminum boat building shop.  I have to say it is an awesome job.  And as much as people like to consider trades people to be 'stupid' or think that only people who don't do well in school go into the trades, that is so far from the truth.  While I'm sure people who don't do well in school go into the trades because they don't want to continue with their education with 'traditional' type schooling, you really can't be an idiot when you're working in the trades.  Well I suppose you can be, but you probably wouldn't get very far.

 

Basically just really try not to let 'peer pressure' or whatever deter you from considering a trade.  Although if you end up consider working with metal, do not, and I mean do not become a welder.  They are a dime a dozen and you will have an easier time finding work as a fabricator instead and they have to know how to weld anyways.

 

 

And speaking of career advice, I actually got word from workers compensation that they have decided my hand is officially [bleep]ed and I'm basically looking at retraining.  So if anyone knows of good careers that don't involve using your hands and that have a short schooling time, let me know  :P

Thanks for the advice Nekyia.

[Sbrideau]

@bonez: if youre canadian and like the military, don't forget about RMC. You can get a degree for free, and get paid for serving at the same time. I'm sure they have some kind of medical program as well for military doctors. Biggest risk is the mandatory service period but i think it's only 3-5 years so totally manageable.

 

It's not actually for free, if you get out of the military before the mandatory period that comes with RMC ends, you still have to pay for your classes. And the mandatory period is 10 years. Both my brothers went through RMC. That 10 years include the years you're at the RMC.

[obfuscator]

 

 

@bonez: if youre canadian and like the military, don't forget about RMC. You can get a degree for free, and get paid for serving at the same time. I'm sure they have some kind of medical program as well for military doctors. Biggest risk is the mandatory service period but i think it's only 3-5 years so totally manageable.

It's not actually for free, if you get out of the military before the mandatory period that comes with RMC ends, you still have to pay for your classes. And the mandatory period is 10 years. Both my brothers went through RMC. That 10 years include the years you're at the RMC.

Yeah thats what i meant, free if you finish your army time. And 5 years after graduating isnt bad at all, especially since minimum salaries for commissioned officers are like 50k a year

[Noxx]

My girlfriend left today - three months PARTY begins now.

FTFY

[Guest Rob]

.

[Sbrideau]

 

 

@bonez: if youre canadian and like the military, don't forget about RMC. You can get a degree for free, and get paid for serving at the same time. I'm sure they have some kind of medical program as well for military doctors. Biggest risk is the mandatory service period but i think it's only 3-5 years so totally manageable.

It's not actually for free, if you get out of the military before the mandatory period that comes with RMC ends, you still have to pay for your classes. And the mandatory period is 10 years. Both my brothers went through RMC. That 10 years include the years you're at the RMC.

Yeah thats what i meant, free if you finish your army time. And 5 years after graduating isnt bad at all, especially since minimum salaries for commissioned officers are like 50k a year

 

Pretty much. My brother makes 60k and his wife that also went to RMC makes 40k. I make nowhere near that, to the point that I'm going to start looking for a second job. My current job doesn't pay enough for me to spend on more than food and stuff like that (bills, appartment, etc). The oil change on my car will prevent me from eating for a few days. Not that I'm going to let that happen, I'll probably easily find something to make some money under the table (like fixing a computer for someone or something).

[Low Levelled]

The goodbye tour began today. Leaving for school again soon. Easier than I remember it being last year. Strange how different my friends at home are from the ones at school.

[Kalphite]

One of my best friends from school is coming to my hometown to visit for a night, so I tried planning a bonfire so she could meet some of my other friends... aaaaaaaaaaaand of course it ended up being a night where every one of my friends that she would have known there and the people I really wanted her to meet are going to be out of town for various reasons and only people on the farther edges of my friend group that don't really know each other said they could come. ;_; i'm just hoping it doesn't turn out awkward as shit at this point lol

[champion]

-

[RpgGamer]

Chvrches is one of the best shows I ever went to. and I saw them before they blew up. Like last November or the one before that I forget. I actually went to see xxyyxx, they just happen to be headlining lol.

 

Went to the bar for 90s night. Drank 11 beers, spent $4. Good deal.