Sort Your Life Out

[Ashley]

We've all been there. The kinda drifting, not sure about direction or purpose in life period.

 

Experiencing it now. I think its a combo of finishing Game and not knowing what to do for my dissertation. Plus speaking to one of my friends and he has a fairly concrete plan, or at least aspirations. I have to keep reminding myself he has three years on me. (Plus hes doing social work, which seems rewarding and useful and makes me feel like my degree is kinda...trivial)

 

I know my backup plan, lecturering. But that seems like something you do when you're 40, not straight out of uni.

 

But anyway, my moaning aside share with us now on a journey through time and space your experiences of directionlessness and unsurity (I swear Jay, I am going to make that a word :p).

[nightwolf]

Oh dear, I think recently it's all been about uni. I was never sure about uni I didn't want to think about it, then I decided I'd go.

 

Everybody else it seems has had an easy ride with uni, getting no interviews, getting the course they want...yet I sit in the background panicking because I just don't know whats going on and wondering if I'm going to make the wrong choice.

 

I wonder and worry if I'll be sat in halls and upset because I've wasted money and made the wrong choice and ruined time.

 

I just wish college was over I just sit there in a daze wondering why I ever wanted to go to that college in the first place. Anybody who gets conned into thinking college is fantastic is a bullshitter. I prefer high school.

 

<_< and even that was wank.

[The fish]

My advice is this - the day after tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life: that way, you've always got a couple of days in hand.

[Oxigen_Waste]

We've all been there. The kinda drifting, not sure about direction or purpose in life period.

 

I've been stuck there since... birth. I've never actually had any feeling of purpose or direction... I always feel like a wanderer.

[Slaggis]

I always feel like that. At the moment I'm unsure as to whether I'm going to get the grades I need for Zoology at uni. I have no idea what to do if I don't. But over the past few weeks, I've been thinking "Why bother worrying? Whatever happens will happen". I feel so much better in myself, and it feels great to actually be enjoying life.

[Guest Stefkov]

In High school I was like this. So I thought College would be it for me, new friends, people can get a new image of me. Somehow the image from High School carried on over and I don't know how. I can't wait to go to Uni but then I'm stuck. Stuck between two courses because of the long run. I'd even considered not doing either of them and just doing another course instead. All of this is having no effect on my college work whatsoever but I'm just lacking this year so I have no idea what is actually going on right this instance.

[M-PG71C]

Everyday I'm wandering somewhere, sure I have goals but there is no set road in getting that accomplished. I just make each day the very best and set out to accomplish something to ensure I am moving forward. There are only two things that matter at the end of the day for me:

 

1) Financial security. I can't do what I want if I am in debt to something or someone. When I decided to go to a university, the first thing that was on my mind was to ensure I can pay for every bit of it without loans. Now that I have that taken care of, the only thing I have to do is live within my means.

 

2) Spirtuality. I have to be content with my physical as well as my emotional self. If either of those are problematic, then obviously I can't move forward. You can't think clearly if you have other things in mind.

 

As long as I have those two secured, where I go is of little concern. It is what I do that matters.

[Eenuh]

I'm constantly unsure about what I will do.

I know what I -want- to do, but I know that goal isn't an easy one to get to and certainly won't be easy to hold onto once I reach it. =P

 

But I have decided to try not to look into the future too much, as it's only scary anyway.

 

 

By the way, what's the difference between college and uni over there? I thought I had it figured out but after seeing you guys talk about it I think I got it wrong. D: (sorry for the off-topicness)

[Supergrunch]

I was hoping this thread would just say inside "you heard me"...

 

Anyway, yeah, I don't get this so much, because I've always had some kind of direction. I do get the wanting to change my image thing, if only a little, and I pretty much managed it. Life's a lot easier at university anyway, most people are fairly accepting as they've actually grown up.

 

Regarding lecturing straight after leaving university: I see no problem with this, though academics get terrible pay.

[Gizmo]

I guess I kinda have this now; I know what I want to do in the future, but I'm drifting along through high school waiting for the oppurtunity to get on and do it. Right now nothing is exciting or fun. The highlight of my school week is getting to play Football in PE on a Friday. It's all so dull, so I'm too much of a pussy to do anything about it. I hate familiarity, yet I cling to it, because I'm an idiot.

[Rummy]

Fuck it all in the ear! That's what I say! As long as you're alive and well, that's what matters. Just take each day as it comes for now, My 'plans' as it were for now, are getting through this degree, then getting very bloody drunk, and seeing where I wake up in the morning.

 

Oh, and getting a car is in the plans, but certainly for after the whole drunkage thing.

[tapedeck]

God this is me all over. I recently split up from my fiance only to get back together as I promised I would try my best to get my life back on track. After leaving uni due to my eyesight deteriorating massive amounts from heavy monitor usage everyday, I'm just working at my local ASDA. Having had previous management experience working as a leisure club manager I hate being treated like a skivvy. Soul destroying. I'm looking at doing career Guidance yet they recommend a degree (but exceptional cirumstances get you on the course). If I get that I'll be happy as it's something I would love.

 

Yet I always wanted to be a journalist (preferrably writing for the games industry) yet I was always told in school my writing was poor (and I got a D at A-Level). Indeed, I just contribute here as I feel it's probably the closest I'l get. I'm an arty person who writes great songs and writes good, solid English yet I'm too soft and not at all pushy. Thus I drift. Maybe one day I'll grow up! It's my birthday tonmorrow...I better hurry up!

[jayseven]

Well I think that there's a sort of person who knows what they want to do with their life, and will focus on that, somehow having the drive to get to that point.

 

Then there's... well, us. Some people have a sort of aged-25-finished-uni-become-airplane-engineer sort of plan... My plans generally consist of the rest of the week. Not knowing anything about your future is depressing, and having some security taken away from you really sucks. I had it with my ex -- I mean, when we were together I just thought "ok, finish uni, get a job, live with her, have kids.. sorted", but as soon as that went I was just like, looming over this pit of the-rest-of-my-life.

 

When all you can see ahead of you are challenges and no goal, it's real hard to find the effort to hurdle them. Sometimes looking at the past, and seeing how you've accomplished so much already can help... but sometimes it just reminds you of how much better things were then, or how much older you are (and thus closer to being UNCOOL and not 20-something anymore)...

 

I'm going to give educating myself a shot. Give myself a two-year plan, then see what happens. It's a crapload of work and I'm a wuss at working ahead of schedule, but, as The Fish said, there's always the day after tomorrow.

 

I don't know the solutions. I don't think I ever will. All I try and do is make sure there's something in the near, intermediate and far future to look forward to, to drive towards. Currently there's tuesday night (yay no more essay), then easter hols (yay drunkenness with Ashley), then summer (yay meet-up, and yay job).

 

Things to sort out? Hair, beard, fat, money, essay, module choices, find a girl, make more friends.

 

Ashley; you're just dazed by all the free time. More free time = more time to think and wallow.

[The fish]

One of my closest friends is going through a similar thing right now - after failing his chemistry retake, he know doubts the value of staying on another year to do it all again.

He also reckons he will fail biology, so both biochemistry and evolutionary biology as possible futures have gone out the window in his eyes, and now he has no idea what to do...

[Supergrunch]

One of my closest friends is going through a similar thing right now - after failing his chemistry retake, he know doubts the value of staying on another year to do it all again.

He also reckons he will fail biology, so both biochemistry and evolutionary biology as possible futures have gone out the window in his eyes, and now he has no idea what to do...

If it's any consolation, though I applied for biochemistry I now hate it. Also: he should be able to cope in biology if he just learns the textbook really well.

[ipaul]

At the minute I just really want to do well in my course (IB) and get into my uni of choice. Not sure what that is yet, but Durham is looking like a good bet. I think the course is going alright at the minute, but it could definately be better. Although I was pretty bad at my subjects in year 10 and much better in year 11 so I am taking that as a good omen if you will.

[tapedeck]

At the minute I just really want to do well in my course (IB) and get into my uni of choice. Not sure what that is yet, but Durham is looking like a good bet. I think the course is going alright at the minute, but it could definately be better. Although I was pretty bad at my subjects in year 10 and much better in year 11 so I am taking that as a good omen if you will.

 

Durham is just up the road from me. It is so full of pretentious posh sods that

I hate going to Durham at all. The uni has a great reputation though.

[Hellfire]

I've been stuck there since... birth. I've never actually had any feeling of purpose or direction... I always feel like a wanderer.

 

Not wanting to sound emo or generic but I feel pretty much the same.

My life had many different and weird fases, the last 2/3 years were incredibly hard, but they're better now, thanks to my friends, my family, doctors and myself (eh). But it's still hard, I hardly find the will to study, I'm always troubled by a myriad of little things that don't let me rest and my IBS, while under control, still is a wild card in my life that ruins so much of it. In 3 uni years I acomplished nothing (academically) and I still don't know if this is the right thing for me, but I can't see myself going to any other course. However, I really don't feel like a programmer-to-be. I just feel like a slacker without backbone and with some minor (I'm thankful that they're minor, there are people much worse out there) health problems that limit my lifestyle a lot.

For example my friends are going to Japan this summer, which is a dream I've had for so long, but for all these reasons and some more, I doubt I'll go. This just fucks me up, I can't even sleep right when I think about it lol

Add that to the fact that I think I'm turning into a compulsive buyer, I'm a failure at school, social life=0, girlfriends/prospects=0 and you pretty much can guess what goes on in my head. A clusterfuck.

[Aimless]

I know exactly where my life's going. Down the drain.

By the way, what's the difference between college and uni over there? I thought I had it figured out but after seeing you guys talk about it I think I got it wrong. D: (sorry for the off-topicness)

Basically, education up to and including secondary school is compulsory. College is the next step for 16- and 17-year-olds that want to continue with education after taking their GCSEs.

 

College, or "further education", is where students get a real choice of what to study — this concept is first introduced for GCSEs, but with those there are certain mandatory subjects that you must do, such as English or Mathematics. Students study A-levels during college, and the subjects available are far more specialised than during secondary education, ranging from Electronics to Graphic Design, or Critical Thinking to Dance. Most people will take further education for 2 or 3 years.

 

University, or "higher education", is the final voluntary step. Whereas GCSEs are about getting into college, and A-levels into university, this is where you'll be studying to earn a degree. The subjects available can be ridiculously specific; whatever you want to specialise in, chances are you can find a uni to teach you. There all kinds of degrees, but the principal remains the same: you have to earn a degree if you wish to be employed in highly specialised fields such as medicine, engineering, or other high-qualification (and high paying) jobs. Some people just go for the experience or taste of independence, though.

 

That's a simplification of how things work, but I don't even know all the details, let alone want to foist them on you. It's complicated, and the government likes to change things to confuse everyone even more.

[Letty]

My life is pretty sorted at the moment - I finish high school in May, and have an unconditional offer at Shetland College for the NC Art and Design course.

Also have a job with goos and steady hours, which fit around my education (kind of), and the pay is great

All Ive got planned is one year later, Im moving to Sctoland/England/anywhere but here to go to an Art school, hopefully Glasgow >.<

 

Im hopeful that it will be great.

[Oxigen_Waste]

Not wanting to sound emo or generic but I feel pretty much the same.

My life had many different and weird fases, the last 2/3 years were incredibly hard, but they're better now, thanks to my friends, my family, doctors and myself (eh). But it's still hard, I hardly find the will to study, I'm always troubled by a myriad of little things that don't let me rest and my IBS, while under control, still is a wild card in my life that ruins so much of it. In 3 uni years I acomplished nothing (academically) and I still don't know if this is the right thing for me, but I can't see myself going to any other course. However, I really don't feel like a programmer-to-be. I just feel like a slacker without backbone and with some minor (I'm thankful that they're minor, there are people much worse out there) health problems that limit my lifestyle a lot.

For example my friends are going to Japan this summer, which is a dream I've had for so long, but for all these reasons and some more, I doubt I'll go. This just fucks me up, I can't even sleep right when I think about it lol

Add that to the fact that I think I'm turning into a compulsive buyer, I'm a failure at school, social life=0, girlfriends/prospects=0 and you pretty much can guess what goes on in my head. A clusterfuck.

 

You'll always have the Tata for comfort, Don. That'll always be there, so help me God.

[killthenet]

I'm just going to drop out of my degree half way through the second year, go to Berlin with the rest of my loan and die six months later after a too big heroin binge.

[Supergrunch]

I know exactly where my life's going. Down the drain.

 

Basically, education up to and including secondary school is compulsory. College is the next step for 16- and 17-year-olds that want to continue with education after taking their GCSEs.

 

College, or "further education", is where students get a real choice of what to study — this concept is first introduced for GCSEs, but with those there are certain mandatory subjects that you must do, such as English or Mathematics. Students study A-levels during college, and the subjects available are far more specialised than during secondary education, ranging from Electronics to Graphic Design, or Critical Thinking to Dance. Most people will take further education for 2 or 3 years.

 

University, or "higher education", is the final voluntary step. Whereas GCSEs are about getting into college, and A-levels into university, this is where you'll be studying to earn a degree. The subjects available can be ridiculously specific; whatever you want to specialise in, chances are you can find a uni to teach you. There all kinds of degrees, but the principal remains the same: you have to earn a degree if you wish to be employed in highly specialised fields such as medicine, engineering, or other high-qualification (and high paying) jobs. Some people just go for the experience or taste of independence, though.

 

That's a simplification of how things work, but I don't even know all the details, let alone want to foist them on you. It's complicated, and the government likes to change things to confuse everyone even more.

To clarify: many secondary schools also have a 6th form (consisting of two years, upper and lower sixth), which takes the place of college. So I never went to college - I stayed at school for that bit.

[Aimless]

As I said, it was a simplification. I was trying to demonstrate the separate roles of each stage of education as opposed to getting into the minutia — hence the lack of NVQs and such.

 

Plus if I got any more in-depth I would have had to accelerate my descent down the drain for the good of us all.

[Emasher]

Have some fantasies you can think of when life gets you really down. My imagination is one of the biggest things keeping me sane during the hardest part of my life.

 

Also, before you finish a game, try to find something to play after.