No clue what I'm doing with my life

[keithy_19]

I was out the other day with my two best friends and it dawned upon me that both of them have graduated from two very good schools (Rutgers, Boston College) and both have good jobs. And both are talking about businesses and stocks and shit like that. And I'm sitting there, not adding anything to the conversation because I have nothing to add. And that's not a bad thing. Everyone is different and you shouoldn't judge yourself based off of others.

But I'm looking at myself. I'm 22, dropped out of college (mostly because I had no idea what I wanted to do). Have an awful part time job that pays shit and cuts the few hours I have. I take this EMT course to maybe find myself a career and find out that it's not for me at all. I'm just so lost right now. I have my dreams that I want to pursue (and do) but they aren't the kind of thing to rely on. Especially when you desperately need benefits.

I'm seeing people I grew up with starting to settle into their careers and I'm nowhere close to any of that. And I really don't know what to do about it. It just sucks.

[One Dead Fred]

I feel for you man. You sound like you want to pursue something in the art field or performing arts. That pays shit until you find your audience. Even then you still might struggle financially. I do art. I don't have benefits, I'm pretty happy with my life.

2 things. You might as well pursue your dream. What else are you doing?
Second, Sometimes you realize what you really want to do once you begin something you aren't as sure about.
And three, I've been drinking, so double check anything I say. Good luck!

[landarch]

Definitely agree with Fred. Follow that dream. You'll find your way. Good luck.

[keithy_19]

I feel for you man. You sound like you want to pursue something in the art field or performing arts. That pays shit until you find your audience. Even then you still might struggle financially. I do art. I don't have benefits, I'm pretty happy with my life.

2 things. You might as well pursue your dream. What else are you doing?
Second, Sometimes you realize what you really want to do once you begin something you aren't as sure about.
And three, I've been drinking, so double check anything I say. Good luck!

I want to be a writer. I would also love to act. I've been in a few NYU student films and apparently someone from LA who has some name that is known in the acting world (I don't know he is) said I was great in the stuff I did. But that was coming from the people I acted for, though I guess it's good that they kept asking me back to be in their stuff. The one guy is actually a pretty big media guy in Turkey. So I guess I got that going for me.

[Contra]

Keep at it buddy, plenty of time, BUT DONT SLACK!

[Chigworthy]

One of the biggest misconceptions about art is that it is some innate talent. While there are people who are more creative than others, the successful artists exercise their art like athletes do their bodies. I'm not saying you don't, but a lot of people get caught in the trap of thinking that they are born with it, and that is all they need to do. Unfortunately, it's very difficult to make a living as an artist. A lot of the "critically successful" musicians whose art I enjoy have real jobs and music is more of a hobby than a living. I am going to disagree with those who say to put everything aside and go for your dream. I feel that you need to work for your bank account as much as you need to work for your soul. And usually, working for those two things is done separately. The good news is that 22 is not too old for anything. It's ok to find a job that is not glamorous, but paying the bills and enjoying what you do for a living at least some of time are worthy goals. I have a feeling if you look into the histories of your favorite authors, you will find that most of them were not published until they had struggled and worked "shit jobs" for many years.

[keithy_19]

One of the biggest misconceptions about art is that it is some innate talent. While there are people who are more creative than others, the successful artists exercise their art like athletes do their bodies. I'm not saying you don't, but a lot of people get caught in the trap of thinking that they are born with it, and that is all they need to do. Unfortunately, it's very difficult to make a living as an artist. A lot of the "critically successful" musicians whose art I enjoy have real jobs and music is more of a hobby than a living. I am going to disagree with those who say to put everything aside and go for your dream. I feel that you need to work for your bank account as much as you need to work for your soul. And usually, working for those two things is done separately. The good news is that 22 is not too old for anything. It's ok to find a job that is not glamorous, but paying the bills and enjoying what you do for a living at least some of time are worthy goals. I have a feeling if you look into the histories of your favorite authors, you will find that most of them were not published until they had struggled and worked "shit jobs" for many years.

While I agree with you, I also think that some people really are born with something special.

I don't think I'm one of those people. I look at the things that I write that people like, and the things I've acted in that people have really enjoyed, as just stuff that I did. It's weird. I don't see the 'art' in the things I do. But I do love doing them. And some people seem to like them and see something in it and that makes me happy.

I'm smart enough to know how hard it is to really make a living based on art. And I know that people have jobs and their art is often just something done in their spare time. And that's really what I'm doing now. But I need to find a career not only so I can support myself as a human being, but also so I can support those things I love doing.

And as of now I'm just lost at what I should be doing to further that process along..

[Willmore]

I was out the other day with my two best friends and it dawned upon me that both of them have graduated from two very good schools (Rutgers, Boston College) and both have good jobs. And both are talking about businesses and stocks and shit like that. And I'm sitting there, not adding anything to the conversation because I have nothing to add. And that's not a bad thing. Everyone is different and you shouoldn't judge yourself based off of others.

But I'm looking at myself. I'm 22, dropped out of college (mostly because I had no idea what I wanted to do). Have an awful part time job that pays shit and cuts the few hours I have. I take this EMT course to maybe find myself a career and find out that it's not for me at all. I'm just so lost right now. I have my dreams that I want to pursue (and do) but they aren't the kind of thing to rely on. Especially when you desperately need benefits.

I'm seeing people I grew up with starting to settle into their careers and I'm nowhere close to any of that. And I really don't know what to do about it. It just sucks.

Try things until you're doing something that makes you happy. Or, if you're not too picky, something that won't make you shoot your coworkers eventually.