Wanderlust, my fellow weedguru friends

[Weedguru_Falkon]

Thinking more and more about what I want to do in life lately.. Been in college at least part time since spring 08, working towards trying to get a major in... well, i don't even know yet. I need to decide before this next spring semester. But, one of the reasons I find it hard to choose a major is because, I think, that living in America, and doing what most people do (college, off to the "real world" [lol, is pre-college graduation not real?], off to a career for the rest of the life while serving a false country) doesn't seem too appealing to me. A guy started working at my work probably about 6 months ago who has pretty much turned to be one of my best friends, and throughout his adult life, has just been moving from place to place, very little on his back, few possessions to hold him down.. it would seem like that kind of lifestyle is far more enjoyable than staying in one place most of your life. It seems to beget stories and anecdotes, tales of harrow and hilarity.

But.. alas, i cannot bring myself to just up and get rid of nearly all my shit and just go. It sounds enticing, but also frightening.
Most recently, i've considered just blazing through school, get a degree in whatever I might finally choose, and THEN hit the road. I'd love to wander europe and or asia (mostly japan), but I'm not sure I could get the confidence to do something so incredibly different.. but it seems so much more fulfilling!
So I turn to you, weedguru. There are quite a few different backgrounds and continuing sagas and such on here so.. let me hear what you must say

[andriaSRH]

Um..I'm not getting exactly what you are asking..but I'll take a crack at it anyways lol.

For the picking majors thing...I'm just as in the dark as you are. I picked Dental Assissting because the people who work in the field make a nice salary. Also it won't take me very long to get a degree. It's not something I'm interested in...but somethig I can tolerate learning about.

i've considered just blazing through school, get a degree in whatever I might finally choose, and THEN hit the road. I'd love to wander europe and or asia (mostly japan), but I'm not sure I could get the confidence to do something so incredibly different.. but it seems so much more fulfilling!

Sounds like a good idea to me. You don't have to go all "give away my world possesions and live off the land". Give yourself some time to save up, plan your trip out and mentally prepare yourself for your journeys.

Mate might have some pretty good insight on this. I faintly remember him saying he travelled Europe for his chess stuff.

[JTP]

I faintly remember him saying he travelled Europe for his chess stuff.

It's more common than you think. I've been in more countries than I have fingers, so my method of counting them has been foiled.

As far as your major, I haven't a clue. Packing up your shit and leaving where your wallet takes you is a good idea if you have the money. I don't think I've ever spent less than $5,000 on a vacation and that was in the states. Japan's kind of overrated (shitty weed, super-high prices, place was crowded unless you were in an area that had nothing to do), but Holland was everything I imagined (cheap weed and tripping on shrooms while boating down the canals at night is a good time!).

[Weedguru_Falkon]

I don't really care how good/bad weed is wherever I go. it's a secondary convenience to me.. when I spent a month studying abroad in spain, i only smoked cannabis related things a few times. the rest of the time I was so high on life and having a good time anyway that it didn't matter.

No, see what I'm more interested in is.. cultures, really. japan seems to know how to party like they coined the term. the history of europe is fascinating, as is the variety of land.

andria, i agree with the prep deal. it's a lot to think about, and i have for a while but still takes courage, especially when the ordeal is within reach!

[SToNeR ChRiS]

Well I just had a well written post out that got deleted, how fucking frustating.

To sum up what I said, coming from someone who recently graduated with a bachelors of arts (major in psychology, minor in history), graduating with a bachelors degree won't necessarily net you that perfect job upon graduation. Sure if you study law you'll most likely become a lawyer and if you study business you'll most likely get a job in that field as well. When it comes to arts however, this is not always the case. There are many people who study one subject in university and then work in a completely different field. Personally I feel as though there is a misconception that university is strictly an institution with a means to an end. University is a place to enrich the mind and learn something that you value highly. So with that being said, my main point is that you should study something you thoroughly enjoy, not necessarily what you think will net you the best paycheck in the "real world" upon graduation... because that's not necessarily how it works. Whether it is psychology, philosophy, architecture or geography, major in something that interests you. I just graduated with a bachelors degree in April and am looking to go back for a masters degree in a year or so. Although I am leaning towards continuing my studies in psychology, I am not entirely sure so I want to take some time to free my head and see what I really want to do with my life. A masters degree is a lot different than a bachelor's though in my mind because this is really when you need to be certain you're doing something that will benefit you in the long run. Just my two cents.

Not exactly what I had written before which sucks but the main sentiments are still there!

[Weedguru_Falkon]

Ah that sucks, i know how that goes
I've been trying to find something to study that I enjoy.. my interests are too fleeting, nothing ever stays to grip me, but I'm interested in a ton of things, which makes choosing something really hard to do. At some point or another, i've thought about quite a few professions, but not many can stick with me. taken classes related to architecture, psychology, lots of astronomy (which does continue to interest me...), business, computer sciene/programming, art/design... i get way into something for a while then,. lose interest and wander on.

but i need to settle on something so that I might start completely full time next spring and get the next two years done..
I've heard the point about people not working in a field they get a degree in.. I could see that, and will probably help influence my decisions soon..

i mentioned liking astronomy a lot.. Currently i'm considering a minor in astronomy, the reasons I haven't considered going all the way with something related to it is.. the incredible difficulty in studying astronomy and astrophysics, plus the lack and demand of jobs.. makes it a highly unrealistic goal, especially when the primary principle is math which i have struggled entirely too much with. I'm going to put my 'full effort into the astronomy minor maths though.. go from there and see how it all goes. physics.. quantum physics... electromagnetism.. stellar mechanics. yeah..
if a god exists, he one seriously determined and skilled mathmetician.

[weedguru_animal]

falkon...the world is running shorter and shorter of untreaded paths. a decade ago, I would have advised you to save/steal/loan gold nuggets then head to india...that still holds some value...but...India has changed. So now, in the modern world, I would suggest a path towards ANY realm you can research, travel to, be safe-ish, and feel, think, hear, sense NOTHING of everything you have previously known so damn well, that it has become second nature...Bhutan? Syria? Sri Lanka? my most memorable experiences, in terms of travel have come from inserting myself into places where I had nothing but a guidebook for direction, traveled with, ate with, lived amongst, the natives...and not once did I find myself focused on my homeland.

[KaiLytham]

Honestly, I feel that college is a big waste of time. I was only in school from 1st to 2nd grade, I was home schooled after that. I taught myself until I turned 16 then at 17 I went to a shit business school for computer programming. My one class the teacher would flat out give us the answers and people would still fail. I was going to school with a bunch of retards. I also put myself into debt for about 10 years. I only attended one year before I decided to transfer, and ended up not being able to. Now I just teach myself again.

Granted this was a shitty school, but I realized that I can teach myself better then anyone else. We shouldn't have to pay people to teach us. Nor should we have be forced to work for money. Money has just enslaved the human race.

My plan in life is to run my own company some day. More then one actually. I'm not really sure what else I want to do. I'd love to change the world but I'm not sure how possible that is.

My advice is do not just blaze through school. If you are going to waste your money do it on something you truly care about, and get a job that allows you to travel.

And I'd like to close this post off with a quote.
"The optimist sees opportunity in every danger; the pessimist sees danger in every opportunity." - Winston Churchill

Hope it helps...

[SpRi7e]

You also went to a bad school because that sounds like a horrible teaching environment just giving out the answers. From the sounds of it, you went to a low credibility tech school since your credits wouldn't transfer.. the HUGEEEE upside about going to public schools and college though is that they are also meant to teach you social skills, something you barely learn by living by yourself and self teaching your way in life. I learned how to speak with a really big audience, confidence in a professional manner, and how to bullshit while on the spot in a high stressed environment.

Unless you are born with great social skills, you will NOT learn that on your own, especially not interacting in front of the people you will be dealing with in a real work force. Sure, learning things on your own you will know a LOT more information, especially with something like computer programing, but in the US, where soft skills accounts for 80% your ability to get a good job (if you don't start your own business) it gives you lots of valuable information. Not only that, college is meant to give you an experience of peer to peer social experiences that are priceless if you attempt to go have some fun and you get to meet a TON of new people and connections in the process. I've learned more about social settings, professionalism, and grew the most while being in college (not even a university, a highly credible tech school so it was cheap) as an individual and it gave me way more motivation for success than I had before I went. College isn't as bad as you make it out to be, I guess you just got the short end of the straw..either that or didn't optimistically look at it in the correct view as your quote puts it lol. Good thing with your line of work, you don't need much of social skills since most computer programs are half crazy, and you can do your own work.. although I don't think you'll be changing the world much with it

Find what you love, learn to exploit it, and make the best that you can out of it, make bank off of it. JTP can agree with that line I'm sure of it

[SpRi7e]

Nor should we have be forced to work for money. Money has just enslaved the human race.

I am a bit confused about this statement though..how do YOU think we should earn money without 'working' or earn the possessions we get if there is no money? Not a smart ass question (sorta) but, I've every time I ask this, I always get a great response

IMO, if you are doing what you love, it shouldn't be considered 'work'

[KaiLytham]

You also went to a bad school because that sounds like a horrible teaching environment just giving out the answers.

Yes I said it was a shit school.

since your credits wouldn't transfer..

Not the problem, my credits can transfer. Its other issues with family. I could either go back to the shit school or just wait till one of the four following things happen:

• My parents die
• I get married
• I have a baby
• I turn 24

the HUGEEEE upside about going to public schools and college though is that they are also meant to teach you social skills, something you barely learn by living by yourself and self teaching your way in life. I learned how to speak with a really big audience, confidence in a professional manner, and how to bullshit while on the spot in a high stressed environment.

There are a LOT of ways to socialize without going to school. I was horrible socializer. It wasn't until I met my fiancee that I learned how to socialize. I didn't need to pay $5,000 or more a semester to learn how to socialize, that is something I could do for free.

although I don't think you'll be changing the world much with it

With programming? Well, it could in a small way. But that's not what I was getting at. If I have a job that makes me enough money I can change the world somehow, Im sure of it. Although I really don't know what I want to do in that aspect. Perhaps I'll buy a country and run it the way I want. That'd be the shit! Is that possible to do?

I am a bit confused about this statement though..how do YOU think we should earn money without 'working' or earn the possessions we get if there is no money? Not a smart ass question (sorta) but, I've every time I ask this, I always get a great response

I dont think we should have to earn money. I dont think it should be about earning shit. I think it should be the community doing what they can together as a team to survive. Like humans used to do before we created a form of currency. Currency created greed and teamwork died. We don't actually need to be nice to anyone any more. If you have money you're set for life.

[SpRi7e]

I didn't mean to pick out your post too much, it was more of a little late night drunk ramble..

I'll go back to it since I already started it though, but socializing in a day to day environment with friends is way different than in a work type environment dealing with their stuff (although as I stated, programming is a tad different as it'd be a complete rarity to not be half crazy in the first place) also with that, you can freelance your own work way more in that field.

I wasn't saying going to college also wasn't the only way to do it, it's just a GREAT way to get to know a lot of people, and a lot of DIFFERENT people at that. If you have a fiance though that already does that, great... all for you, he's doing a great job in getting you out their in the world. The whole thing with that though, is you aren't paying FOR the socializing, you're paying for the work, the professionalism and prep work to go in a high up work place and meeting all the different types of people is just a given as long as it's the school for you.

" My parents die
I get married
I have a baby
I turn 24"

I'm confused with that though, are you waiting for an inheritance, wait for your husband to pay for the big things, or until you 'don't need to work'...I'm not even going to try thinking about the 24 thing though lol.

I hear you definitely on the thing with changing the world once you DO get a lot of money, even though you must put lots of work and financial planning to keep it all.. I'm planning on writing a few books when I'm older and have the time, energy, motivation, and a real strong subject to write about that will hopefully change some peoples' lives for the best.

The whole money thing though, when there was no select form of currency, we didn't progress as a society, but believe it or not, people worked WAYYY harder to earn a life and had to struggle way more (along with the average life expectancy of 30 years old) to get by. You were a hunter, farmer, swindler, or was born with mass amounts of wealth. The first three, they had to work their asses off like no other to keep a sustained 'comfy' life as the farmers worked from sunrise to sunset (and still do). The people who aren't nice to other people aren't just because they have shit parents who didn't raise them correctly.. I treat my friends with the most respect possible, and strangers almost just as much. Trust me, people weren't as nice, caring, and giving as you say they were back in those days.. there were a few societies that did, yeah..but they struggled to live way more than we did still. Along with that they had absolutely no commodities like we do (internet, TV, cars, phones, video games, great/cheap food, etc. etc..) and even though since they since they didn't know what they were missing, it didn't bother them... they had extremely boring lives compared to what we do now (as long as you don't sit in your room all day playing with your fingers or something). We experience more things in a week, than most people did back then in their whole lives.

As I said, I wasn't trying to pick you apart or anything (even though it kinda happened), I just wanted to get your view point more to clarify stuff you said in your first response that had power/emotion. People who were home schooled their whole lives usually have a completely skewed view on reality compared to people out in it every day (not always for the worse either) and a really interesting look on the world.

[Bubbles]

i dont know why i read this.. i really dont care.