How to figure out what do with your life?

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Yupa
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13 Oct 2009, 3:48 pm

Age-old question. Almost twenty, in community college, taking classes I'm not sure I want to take, unemployed, no job, no reliable transportation (except the city bus, which I have to take but would like to avoid: too many randomly irritating and belligerent people), no source of income.
This is something I'm struggling with right now. I don't want to be an isolated unemployed shut-in forever, but I'm not sure where or how to find a job that's right for me. I know what I like to do, and I know what my past hobbies have been (writing and acting) but trying to find a career that ties into those interests (especially locally) is pure bewildering hell, especially to a young man with no degree. I really want to do some kind of voice work for radio, animation, games, etc. but audition opportunities are very few and very far between not to mention extremely competitive.
I'm also really mentally clumsy and disorganized, which I'm trying to fix by leading a more strictly regimented, self-disciplined life, but I'm not sure if that's helping or harming. All I know right now is that I need to get a job and get my life in order, and one definitely leads to the other.
What do I do?



Homer_Bob
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13 Oct 2009, 5:42 pm

I'm in the exact same spot as you, the only difference is I have a part time crappy job and I transport myself by my car 20 miles a day. Nevertheless, I'm hoping to find out what I can do in college because right now, I still don't have a clue. I'm just in school to take General Studies right now because I don't know what else to do yet. I'm not sure what else you can do to be honest; you could find an entry level part time job so you can save some money. However you can't go wrong with college because it's much better to spend your time in college instead of spending all your time working full time at a dead end entry level job. I only have an entry level job right now because I have no degrees yet and it gives me something to do.



zer0netgain
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14 Oct 2009, 9:24 am

After years of trying to find success, I found a top 10 list that summed it up best for me with the #1 entry.

The list was "Things you wish you could say at work, but shouldn't."

"I thought I wanted a career. Turns out all I wanted was paychecks." :lol:



blastoff
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15 Oct 2009, 9:02 am

I guess I'd try not to worry right now about what's "right for you" in a longer-term sense, and try to look at what you can do right now. I think you've started down this path by getting a better grip on your life. For the moment, find a job or some other pursuit that brings you happiness even if the pay is lousy. Don't try to live your whole life at once, and don't worry that you're doing something that you a) hadn't planned on previously, or b) that you absolutely can't see yourself doing in 20 years. At your age and in your position it's really hard to not aim for the Big Picture, but if you can take a step away from that, you'll probably be better off for the time being.



Shebakoby
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15 Oct 2009, 12:36 pm

I'm 36 and I still don't know what I'm going to do. There's several options I'd like to pursue but I don't know which one.

I'd like to be a voice actor, or a cartoonist (like for newspapers).



Asmodeus
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16 Oct 2009, 9:32 am

Yupa wrote:
Age-old question. Almost twenty, in community college, taking classes I'm not sure I want to take, unemployed, no job, no reliable transportation (except the city bus, which I have to take but would like to avoid: too many randomly irritating and belligerent people), no source of income.
This is something I'm struggling with right now. I don't want to be an isolated unemployed shut-in forever, but I'm not sure where or how to find a job that's right for me. I know what I like to do, and I know what my past hobbies have been (writing and acting) but trying to find a career that ties into those interests (especially locally) is pure bewildering hell, especially to a young man with no degree. I really want to do some kind of voice work for radio, animation, games, etc. but audition opportunities are very few and very far between not to mention extremely competitive.
I'm also really mentally clumsy and disorganized, which I'm trying to fix by leading a more strictly regimented, self-disciplined life, but I'm not sure if that's helping or harming. All I know right now is that I need to get a job and get my life in order, and one definitely leads to the other.
What do I do?


Build a reputation. If you're into voice work, it might be a good idea to check out radio stations, some are online, there's a volunteer one where I live, they don't pay but the experience looks good on your resume, and it's fun. Similarly writing for local papers or magazines is a possibility, you could start by applying to them, or to ezines to do columns. If you don't need work to live off immedietly, I suggest volunteer work to get an edge over other applicants later on.



Space
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17 Oct 2009, 3:12 pm

I think you have to try things, and be flexible. Trying working in one area, if that doesn't work out, try another. But, try to persevere long enough in each to actually gain something. I never knew what to do. I went to university, tried a bunch of stuff, changed my mind a few times, got out with a degree I don't know what to do with. Now I'm in a trade, and it's a great job. Maybe some day I'll do something else again, or maybe even go back to school for another degree. I just live life one day at a time and things are working out fine so far.



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17 Oct 2009, 3:23 pm

Why do you think adults ask kids "What do you want to be when you grow up?", we are fishing for ideas of what to do now that we've grown up.


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