I want to do something unexpected.....am I crazy?

[Rosie]

In april I'll be done my college program, and recently I've felt really restless. I've had this desire to just drop everything, and do something completely unexpected. When I graduate, I want to go to some far off country, volunteer, and just dedicate a few months to helping others. Am I completely out of my mind? I feel like I need to do something important, and different from the norm. I don't have some fancy degree in science or anything, so it's not like I'll be able to go there and make a huge impact, but I just want to help someone other than myself. I've wanted to do this for a long time, but I've never thought about it this seriously before. It's not like I'd go live there the rest of my life. I'd go for a few months, and then come back and decide what it is that I want to do for a living. I don't know, I feel like I'm losing my mind for even considering this, but for some reason it just feels right. Am I crazy???

[openyourize]

i dont think you are crazy at all. i think you should follow that desire. i think a lot of people have this desire and decide they ARE crazy, never follow it, stay sane and normal and end up being ordinary. i say, GO FOR IT!!!

[sbdiane]

You say you have wanted to do this for a long time. I think you are excited because you just realized you can finally do it. Maybe you are mistaking the excitement for craziness. When else would you be able to do it but now? You have the time, the health, the freedom. You'll come back having learned so much and be better prepared to know where to go next.

[Mind Institute]

Indeed, you are crazy!! Of course, in my book that is compliment....

I went to University in Switzerland, 4,5 years for a business degrees. Loads of work, stress, and all the rest. 1 year before the end, I realized that I really wanted to learn more about hypnosis and NLP. Once I finished my degree, I became an NLP and hypnosis trainer. All my friends now work for corporate chains, I have my own little business. At first, they all said I am crazy, now they all say I did the best thing possible and are jealous.

if your gut tells you its right, then it will most likely be. Enjoy the trip and don't be too surprised if it is even more than you expected...

[jtracy]

I don't think you're crazy. Unless everything significant that has happened in the world was done by crazy people. I think you are trying to grow to live up to your potential. You were, after all, meant to go out there and help people; and how you choose to do it is something only you can decide. Maybe while you are doing it, and because you are doing it, it will become very clear to you what you do want to do with the rest of your life. Sometimes real clarity only comes that way. It is true too that if your gut tells you it's right, it probably is.

You might say that the definition of being crazy is wanting to step out of your comfort zone. Until you do that, things aren't going to change, and you aren't going to feel better or grow into a better person. So I say being crazy, when your intuition tells you it's right, is a very desirable thing!

[Trezker]

You don't have to wait 'til you're 40 to do your midlife crisis.

The ones who are crazy are all the people who don't do what they want. Just go! Help people, enjoy yourself, live life. You can always do boring stuff later if you really want to.

[Boreas]

You are not crazy and should definitely go for it, adventure and great memories is what is waiting for you.

What might be crazy is to go work in a cubical job for years and years, and never really live.

That said, it isn't just about traveling and doing far off things, but finding what truly matters to you in life and pursuing it to the fullest. That means:

1. Making sure your finances are under control
2. Planning your actions and preparing yourself a bit mentally

There are tons of good web resources out there, but I recommend:

Portal for Work Abroad, Study Abroad, Cultural Travel and Living Overseas.

at least for ideas.

The Four Hour Work Week is also a good book, as is Vagabonding, by Rolf Potts.

Good luck!

[funchy]

Not it's not crazy. And now is the time in your life you can do it, before you're locked into a career and a family.

Check out the Peace Corps, as one idea.