What should i do???

kidkononen · Dec 12, 2006

ok, i will start off saying that i am 17 years old, i live in Sedro-Woolley Washington, and i am a senior. I have a 3.4 gpa, and play baseball. I want to play baseball for at least 2 years out of high school at community college. I am really into hunting and fishing, and the outdoors. I wanted to know if any of you would give me some advice on what you would do if you were in my situation. you all know more than me on what jobs are out there, and what it takes to get one of those jobs. I have asked people before and they have told me to travel, take time off from school, and do stuff. Have some fun for a couple years before i settle in and not have time for it anymore. I would love to go to alaska, i went up there last year to visit my sisters and absolutely loved it up there!! Everybody i met were awesome and i loved the landscape and the laid back feeling. Being a fishing or hunting guide would be fun, i know it is a lot of work, but i would be willing to try it out. What other careers are out there? What would you do...What should i do?

Thanks, kidkononen

larrbo · Dec 12, 2006

Hi Kid,

I think you need to ask yourself what your goals in life are. At this point in time if you are just enjoying each day that comes along with not many goals of your future, I would say go to Alaska and do what you want for a few years. You will never get your youth and freedom back when you are 50. On the other hand when I was your age, I was pretty focused on my future with a steady girl that I have now been married to for 32 years. I made the decision to not play football in college, get my degree in 4 years and go to work in the field I am still in today. I made the choice to pay now play later and have never looked back. Good luck on what ever direction you go.

Larry

Zigga · Dec 12, 2006

Larry has it figured out. With your gpa you need to stay in school. Maybe travel around for a year just to figure out what you want to do and not do, but get back in school. You will get more enjoyment out of playing when you are a little older. Nowadays financial security is more important than ever so don't waste too much time when you are young.

TripleK · Dec 12, 2006

AND...if you can get a scholarship or get any of your schooling paid for by playing baseball...DO IT. College is SO MUCH FUN. It'll be the best time of your life. And being a part of college sports makes it that much more fun. There will still be time to hunt and fish, but you will never get your youth back and you will NEVER get the chance to even TRY to play baseball post high school. Your window of opportunity to play baseball is limited....your time to play and figure out a career isn't as limited. At least get your generals and basic education out of the way while you play baseball and check out what opportunities await you in Alaska during the summer or something like that.

How cool that you have your whole life ahead of you. I remember being in that very position once. I couldn't wait to move out and get on w/my life and I loved college and college sports(I played college softball and while it was like another job, it was still fun). I still went home to hunt an it actually made hunting with my dad that much more special and fun.

GOOD LUCK!

Jenn

Bigbuck9 · Dec 12, 2006

If you want to get a college degree I strongly sugest you go right out of high school. Everyone I know that said oh I want to work for a few years and then go to school never did it. If you go to college chances are you will not be sorry, it is a lot of work to do good, but it is so much fun and you will never forget the friends and memories you make while there. That being said follow your heart because if you do something you don't want to do you will not be good at it. Good luck in your decission.

JACKELOPE · Dec 12, 2006

16 years ago i decided to take a year off between high school and college. i must have forgotten about going back. if your plan is to go to college, then go right away. don't take time off. depends on what your goals are in life. i really wish i didn't take that year off now looking back...but i did. i wish i had a degree so i could get a job and make more money than i do now.

TFinalshot · Dec 12, 2006

If even for a moment you could stand college, GO!!!!!!!!!! Get your education and travel at the same time. Go to school in an area that has it all. You can join clubs, and travel, and work and go to school and hunt and fish all at the same time. I used my guide wadges to go to college and I left college with zero debt and fished and hunted my ars off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Get that education and then you can decide if hitten the hills is for you.

lve2143 · Dec 12, 2006

And if you go straight into college out
of high school, don't go a while and decide
to take a semester or two off. You'll end up
with the same results as mentioned above.
Get in straight off the bat and don't stop
until you've finished.

spotnstalkID · Dec 12, 2006

I gaurantee you that if you go to school, stick it out and get a degree, you'll never be able to look back and regret the decision you made. If you don't, time will only tell where you end up and you may regret THAT decision. There are a lot of things you can do if you don't go to college to find out "who you are" and what you want to do in life, but I also believe college is just as good of a place to find that out about yourself as anywhere. If you are looking at going to a community college first off, there's none better than the one right there in your backyard (I played basketball for Skagit and got my 2 year degree there before going on for my bachelor's so I'm a little bias) plus you have several options for hunting, fishing, etc. right there. No matter where you end up, stick it out in school if you can. Play ball if you can and enjoy it!

Jaxon

Cornhusker · Dec 12, 2006

Remember you usually have to pay to play. Hunting, fishing, traveling are all expensive. College usually equals a job with more money which can equal more disposable income to play. As far as sports in college I did it and it cut major time out of hunting but it did pay the tutition bills, but the time investment in sports at most colleges is much greater than high school. Good Luck!

Chef · Dec 12, 2006

LAST EDITED ON Dec-12-06 AT 08:33PM (MST)[p]An education will open a lot of doors for you. You will also have the time of your life at college. Memories that will last forever. Plus the girls are cute there.

You could always hunt to your hearts content after you make the big bucks. Remember...the girls.

On a more serious note, you will experience a lot in college and if you do your research and go to a good school in a great place, you could still enjoy the outdoors.

Chef
"I Love Animals...They're Delicious!"

locofife · Dec 13, 2006

Go to college and play ball if you have the opportunity. Work on general education credits (it will probably take you a year or two to finish them) while you figure out what you want to do. If you want to travel, do so in the summer or do study abroad. Once you start, don't quit. The opportunities available to you with a degree far exceed those available to you without one and you will most likely receive a much larger paycheck. If you do decide to go to college, study and go to class. It's much easier to skip class when no one forces you to go, but if you skip your grades will suffer. If you manage your time well there will still be plenty of time for hunting and fishing, and as Chef said, there are a lot of beautiful ladies at college.

JimNv · Dec 13, 2006

I had a chance to play football in College 1-AA. Not a conversation like this goes by that I regret I didn't jump at the opportunity. I wound up getting married too early, going in the military (not a bad thing) and earning my trade that way. It has served me well and I've been married to the same gal for a couple of decades. All that said....

If I had the chance to do it all over again, I'd a played ball and got a degree in something. You will have lots of time to hunt and fish and slip into a 9 to 5 grind for the rest of your life. If you have the ways and means, take advantage of your youth, smarts and athleticism.

You have the time, but be AWARE of the time you have. You can't horse around forever, but I think you can work both ends to the middle.

Good luck.