After High School

[joshua74133]

Read this loll because it’s been a rough road.
High school then tech school then joined a friend in building Homes, made WAY too much money as a 20year old bachelor, invested all into stocks, made even more money! Then 9/11 and lost my butt in the stocks, lost the rest trying to keep the building business afloat, after five years of fighting I let it go.
Started trading Forex Market with only $200.00 bucks and in 6 months I built it into 30k making over $500.00 a night WOOT! WOOT!
In 2008 the FX market fell to hell when countries started talking about going bankrupt…. after losing, losing and losing again I had to stop when the account got as low as 16k, Opportunity knocked so I invested it into a remodeling business and I scored a BIG Job!!!! Job so big it was going to put me back on the map, I met a girl and got married then we got Prego… Went on my honeymoon!!! turns out while I was gone the business went bankrupt and the bank reposed all materials (all money was lost) with now only 8k the bank account I said screw it and invested all 8k into building a lawn and landscape business... made it big and got approached by a company that promised to remove my everyday stress and supply me with a SWEET F250 truck and pay me a great salary WOOT! all I had to do was merge my business with his (without saying the name of the business they are the sheriffs of lawncare here in Tulsa lol) after only 2 months I got hurt and he took my clients and fired me (freaking stupid WOOT)
So only 2k in the Bank and a bunch of loyal clients that wanted me back the wife and i moved in with my mom and dad so I took the 2k and started my business back up…. today I work my Butt off mowing and fighting to make every dime so my wife and kids never have to worry.
I’m not trying to be rich, I’m just trying to make a living for my family, I don’t focus on nice trucks nice cars and all the extras of the world I turned all my focus on my family and GOD.
If your not going to go to school then be open to the fact that life COULD be hard.
Thankfully my business is growing and I now do the landscape and lawns for some big commercials here in Tulsa

 

[streak]

Go to a 4 year college, chase a LOT of women, drink some beers, smoke some cigarettes, dip some snuff, chase more women, drink more beers, go to EVERY class, Study, and pass the class.

Rinse and repeat for the next 4 years then quit the tobacco.

 

[Coded-Dude]

Virtually all the jobs I have had I got because of who I know not what I know. That doesn't mean I didn't have to show some proficiency in what I was being asked to do. Most skills can be learned outside of college even though a degree really helps a resume and is even required in some cases.

Transmitted Via Tactical Telecommunications Device.

 

[AKguy1985]

well, lets see here. I started working at KFC when I was 16. I worked there until 6 months after I graduated then went to work for walmart. Did a 2 year stint there and then got a job with Bama. Seven years later here I am. I havent been to college a day in my life. I hated school by my senior year.

 

[poopgiggle]

What did you do after High School?

I went to 4 year college. I got a degree. Then I stayed for another 2 and got another degree. Now I'm working on degree #3.

How did it work out for you?

My desk looks like this:

A couple months ago I did this:



In a week I'm going to the biggest nerd party in the world as a work trip.

Maybe if I could have figured out how to do all of this and get paid actual money for it, it would be perfect.

 

[retrieverman]

I went to college because it was expected of me, and my grades reflected the fact that I had no business being there. After two years, I married my childhood sweetheart, and after another couple years, we were going to be parents. My wife graduated, and I got offered my first "real" job and took it with one class left to graduate. For the next year, I worked nights at my primary job and ran a Brangus ranch during the day, and after a year, I was offered another job and took it for more money, and we were able to move back closer to home to the baby sitters (grandparents). After another year, the company I was working for offered to pay for me to take my last college class, and I finally graduated. It only took 7 years from start to finish.

My oldest son is going the 4 (or maybe 5) year college route, but my youngest son is finishing up taxidermy school this week and is going to give that a try for a while. He had intended to start EMT and fire school in the fall, but he is only 19 and wants to try making taxidermy a career first.

After spending several years punching someone else's clock, I started an ag service business and have been at it for 14 years, and the business has grown every year.

My advice to the OP is to explore your options. Don't do ANYTHING because someone else thinks it is a good idea.

 

[daytomann]

I moved out if the house immediately. Got a "college" job and a room mate and an apartment. Started my college career at OSU tech. School was all paid for so I didn't have to worry about tuition. I was sick and tired of school. I fluffed off and partied like a rock star while just barely passing classes. After awhile, I kicked my room mate out, moved a girlfriend in....not a wise move. Took a semester off here and there. Messy breakup with girlfriend. Continued floundering in college. My father passed away, so I moved back in with mom for mutual benefit. Partied more. Lol
Over that period, I met a girl along the way that would eventually become my wife. We dated for a long time but never lived together...very wise move. I lucked into a better "college job" that I've been on ever since and has turned into a very fulfilling career. After a good five years of free college, I dropped out without finishing and I am lucky that I can say I do not regret it. Not many can say it.

After finally getting married my wife and I worked hard on our careers. I grew at a good pace. My wife got her nursing degree. We enjoyed each others company, traveled, partied and had an excellent adult childhood (with plenty of big boy and big girl toys) for 15 years then we had this unstoppable natural urge to stop and have a child. We had our wonderful daughter almost 4 years ago. A new chapter in life has started for us and life us good. There's been bumps along the way but we never lost sight of what's REALY important and we got through them.

Its hard to say what id do now. I feel blessed that my wayward azz ran across a few opportunities and that I was smart enough to recognize them and make the most of them. The only thing I would say that I might do differently would have been to join the military. I always wanted to be a fighter pilot for as long as I can remember. That was "the plan" starting out of HS. I figured I'd start college since it was paid for and then join the Air Force after my I got my degree. The path just didn't lead in that direction.

Good luck Been! Life is starting! Be as wise as you can and try to make good decisions.

 

[daytomann]

This plus 1000. been, you might be too young to even think about kids...but put this part in your brain.

About 2/3 of the way through my military career, I went to a retirement ceremony for a tough old Senior NCO. He babbled and sputtered like a little girl, crying about not being there for his, now grown, kids. I vowed that when I started a family, it would be different. I was lucky in that my kids didn't come until much later. I still had kids in diapers when I dropped my retirement paperwork after coming home from Afghanistan...but now, in my second career, I pay heed to the image of the crying old Sarge. I use my leave, I don't bring work home, and I realize that my wife and kids need a husband and dad.

#1 on the Last sentence.

 

[Toujours Pret]

I took a job that involved going to foreign countries, meeting interesting, exotic people ,and killing them.

 

[Waltherfan]

24 years Air Force. Had a great career.