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Gerto · 11-27-2006, 08:09 PM

First of all, I wasn't sure which forum I should post this on, I posted it here, because it seems to be a bit in line with values, integrity and finding and living a your purpose.Sorry if it should be on another forum. After writing this post, I see that it's actually waaaaaay too long, I'm sorry for that!

So, right now I'm 18 years old and I'm in my first semester of university (studying economics). I've never liked going to school at all.I remember that when I was in kindergarten, I once bit the teacher in my arm when she tried to prevent me from running back to my mom crying

. Well , that didn't improve in high school, I was always looking forward to the time school would finally be over.

I studied Latin, so everyone assumed I'd go to college. But in my spare time I used to make websites. And I wanted to start doing that full-time after high school. But, every single person I met always said that it'd be stupid to do that and that I'd really need a diploma etc. etc., I've heard it 10.000 times already. Also, because my mother has a handicap , she receives quite a lot of financial support from the government, now a big part of that would disappear if I started working (I calculated and all together it would be between 500 and 1000 $ a month difference), so it'd probably bring my mother in problems as well (she doesn't want me to take that into account when making a decision, but I feel like this is important as well). Anyway, so because I figured that it'd be much easier to go to college first and only after that have a business (than the other way around), I decided to go to college (once I made that decision I was completely sure about it and really wanted to go to college.

But after a few weeks, I felt really bad about my choice and really regretted it.I felt like I was wasting my precious time here. Now, I have talked to a study counselor, and decided I'd stop going to classes and study by myself (this motivates me much more, because I have much more control over when I study what and it'd also give me much more free time), and that was working quite well. But still, every 2 or 3 days, the doubts return whether I want to keep doing this FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS

.

Sometimes, I can really motivate myself to study, but often that motivation only comes from trying a new technique that'd make studying go faster, or reading how Steve finished college in 3 semesters. So basically, most things that motivate me are just ways to help me finish college with less time and effort.

Now, when I read all that, the conclusion seems quite logical to me: I should stop going to college. Then again, there are a lot of things I enjoy about college: living semi on my own (on my own during the week, but at home during the weekends), meeting loads of interesting people, sometimes learning interesting things. And I also know having your own webdesign business is not easy at all. There are really many people doing this, and also, it's not always fun either, when I'm doing something else, it seems like heaven. But I know that when I actually do it, it won't always be fun, it will really be different when my income depends on it. And if I'd make the switch, my family would probably kill me , they're all always so proud of me going to college and things like that. They'd think I'm throwing away my life (my mother does understand me though). I know I should live my own dreams, not someone else's , but still, it's something I should take into account I think.

Well, so now I really don't know what to do, should I continue going to college or quit? I know it's something I have to decide for myself, but I hope some people here will be able to provide me some interesting views I haven't thought of myself.

Thanks,
Gert
(Sorry that the post is so long, I hope some people will take the time to look at it,I felt I needed to describe the complete context first

)

11-27-2006, 08:09 PM	#1 (permalink)
Gerto Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 68	Should I continue going to college? First of all, I wasn't sure which forum I should post this on, I posted it here, because it seems to be a bit in line with values, integrity and finding and living a your purpose.Sorry if it should be on another forum. After writing this post, I see that it's actually waaaaaay too long, I'm sorry for that! So, right now I'm 18 years old and I'm in my first semester of university (studying economics). I've never liked going to school at all.I remember that when I was in kindergarten, I once bit the teacher in my arm when she tried to prevent me from running back to my mom crying . Well , that didn't improve in high school, I was always looking forward to the time school would finally be over. I studied Latin, so everyone assumed I'd go to college. But in my spare time I used to make websites. And I wanted to start doing that full-time after high school. But, every single person I met always said that it'd be stupid to do that and that I'd really need a diploma etc. etc., I've heard it 10.000 times already. Also, because my mother has a handicap , she receives quite a lot of financial support from the government, now a big part of that would disappear if I started working (I calculated and all together it would be between 500 and 1000 $ a month difference), so it'd probably bring my mother in problems as well (she doesn't want me to take that into account when making a decision, but I feel like this is important as well). Anyway, so because I figured that it'd be much easier to go to college first and only after that have a business (than the other way around), I decided to go to college (once I made that decision I was completely sure about it and really wanted to go to college. But after a few weeks, I felt really bad about my choice and really regretted it.I felt like I was wasting my precious time here. Now, I have talked to a study counselor, and decided I'd stop going to classes and study by myself (this motivates me much more, because I have much more control over when I study what and it'd also give me much more free time), and that was working quite well. But still, every 2 or 3 days, the doubts return whether I want to keep doing this FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS . Sometimes, I can really motivate myself to study, but often that motivation only comes from trying a new technique that'd make studying go faster, or reading how Steve finished college in 3 semesters. So basically, most things that motivate me are just ways to help me finish college with less time and effort. Now, when I read all that, the conclusion seems quite logical to me: I should stop going to college. Then again, there are a lot of things I enjoy about college: living semi on my own (on my own during the week, but at home during the weekends), meeting loads of interesting people, sometimes learning interesting things. And I also know having your own webdesign business is not easy at all. There are really many people doing this, and also, it's not always fun either, when I'm doing something else, it seems like heaven. But I know that when I actually do it, it won't always be fun, it will really be different when my income depends on it. And if I'd make the switch, my family would probably kill me , they're all always so proud of me going to college and things like that. They'd think I'm throwing away my life (my mother does understand me though). I know I should live my own dreams, not someone else's , but still, it's something I should take into account I think. Well, so now I really don't know what to do, should I continue going to college or quit? I know it's something I have to decide for myself, but I hope some people here will be able to provide me some interesting views I haven't thought of myself. Thanks, Gert (Sorry that the post is so long, I hope some people will take the time to look at it,I felt I needed to describe the complete context first )