What to do after High school?

@Locke phil,

Ah, man, that's a tough one. But go to college if you can. 17 is young. It takes time to know who we are.. Just learn the basics and wait for inspiration. English and Math and Science, right? Can't go wrong there.....

Enjoy your youth! The time will come when 17 is almost unimaginable, and I'm only in my early 30s. Still seems like another life...

1 Reply

@Reconstructo,

Although Math used to be my best subject, I don't think I want to do that. It is starting to get a bit complicated, and I have found it to be less interesting over the past year.

Social Studies is probably my worst subject, but mainly events and locations. I like the mind part of it, and how people react to things. I like people's opinions. They are interesting.

English is my second best subject. Mainly because people's opinions on characters and events in books.

Science wasn't my best.

So I don't know... Maybe something with Psychology, Theology, or Philosophy? I don't know.

1 Reply

@Locke phil,

Locke;110807 wrote:

Yeah... I am 17... Senior year in High school... For a long time I have been trying to figure out what I want to do after high school, and if i go to college, what I want to study. But I can't seem to figure out what I want to do.

Any suggestions?

Go to college. You don't have to know "what you are going to do". That is partly why you go to college. To find out what interests you, and what you are able to do (which may not be at all the same thing).

"Youth's a stuff will not endure".

1 Reply

@kennethamy,

kennethamy;110857 wrote:

"Youth's a stuff will not endure".

Shakespeare! Yes indeed. One of the great foolosophers.....

1 Reply

@Reconstructo,

Reconstructo;110861 wrote:

Shakespeare! Yes indeed. One of the great foolosophers.....

But at my back I always hear
Time's winged chariot hurrying near;

0 Replies

@Locke phil,

Andrew Marvell, yes? Another good one. You know me. I started with poetry. Immortal Poems of the English Language. Went thru six copies.

0 Replies

@Locke phil,

Many teens go to college knowing precisely what they are going to do or want to be, and end up discovering completely different subjects, interests, and paths. The lively interchange of ideas and perspectives, both in and outside of class, the time to explore different areas and to try on different masks in an atmosphere of freedom and acceptance of the unusual and different, the stimulation that encourages growth---these are the gifts of the "soul mother" of an university, and gifts that are treasured throughout life.

From a more practical standpoint, not having a college education (the skeptical among us might say not having the "official stamp" of a framed degree) drastically limits what you can do in life, and thus how you can live. Despite a certain natural bias we all have for the Romantic vision, the amount of practical freedom one has is more often than not a function of the income earned each year---La Boheme is a beautiful opera, but nevertheless only an opera.

1 Reply

@jgweed,

jgweed;110899 wrote:

Many teens go to college knowing precisely what they are going to do or want to be, and end up discovering completely different subjects, interests, and paths. .

Not "knowing what they are going to do", but believing they know what they are going to do. If they did know what they were going to do, they would have done it. This is still a philosophy thread, after all.

0 Replies

@Locke phil,

Locke;110812 wrote:

Although Math used to be my best subject, I don't think I want to do that. It is starting to get a bit complicated, and I have found it to be less interesting over the past year.

Social Studies is probably my worst subject, but mainly events and locations. I like the mind part of it, and how people react to things. I like people's opinions. They are interesting.

English is my second best subject. Mainly because people's opinions on characters and events in books.

Science wasn't my best.

So I don't know... Maybe something with Psychology, Theology, or Philosophy? I don't know.

how about anthropology? wish i could do that...

but from a practical standpoint, you have to think about the job market and what you choose as to whether or not it will be able to support you in the future. i didnt want my son to end up like me, working in a mortgage bank (oh, ethics out the window) because my choices were so limited. but unfortunately times are way worse now and it is even less chance that anyone can actually have the luxury of doing what they want to do and make a living from it.

the world needs big changes-maybe the day will come and you will see it.
good luck!

0 Replies

@Locke phil,

I'm having the same problem as you, my man. I have no doubt that I will graduate from high school, but with at least a 3.0-3.5 average at best. I played football freshman year, but that's about all the sports so far. I haven't done much college prep, so I'm not even sure of my chances of getting into a good college.

My two favorite subjects are English and Music. I'm quite talented in both of those areas. My friends even ask me to bring them stories, which are a minimum of ten pages usually. So, when it seems like there isn't much to life, that's what I look back on. But you know the truth? I really don't know what I'm gonna do after High-school. I would philosophize, but unless you're Aristotle or something, that doesn't make much money at all. Writing is a brave thing to do, for the chances of you getting published are...... Damn. Well, they're low.

So, I'm about in the same position as you man; Best advice I can give you is to just stay optimistic about your future, and work as hard as you can in the present.

2 Replies

@Quinn phil,

Quinn;111102 wrote:

So, I'm about in the same position as you man; Best advice I can give you is to just stay optimistic about your future, and work as hard as you can in the present.

I think you got the right idea Quinn. Here's some confirmation from William James.

There is a lot in the writing of William James that I wish someone had pointed out to me when graduating High School.

Especially this little bit that emphasizes developing good habits and not worrying so much about the end result.

Quote:

"Let no youth have any anxiety about the upshot of his education, whatever the line of it may be. If he keep faithfully busy each hour of the working day, he may safely leave the final result to itself. He can with perfect certainty count on waking up some fine morning to find himself one of the competent ones of his generation, in whatever pursuit he may have singled out."

There is a lot in James about making decisions and developing good habits. But it is all in a very philosophical and intelligent tone. It is not preachy. It was not written as an advice book for young people it was written as philosophy/psychology for the general reader.

Finally, these are troubled times. I don't want to be apocalyptic but the future is very uncertain. Good habits will serve you well no matter what happens.

Maybe you have already read James but if not I recommend it. Good luck Locke. Good luck Quinn.

0 Replies

@Quinn phil,

Quinn;111102 wrote:

I'm having the same problem as you, my man. I have no doubt that I will graduate from high school, but with at least a 3.0-3.5 average at best. I played football freshman year, but that's about all the sports so far. I haven't done much college prep, so I'm not even sure of my chances of getting into a good college.

My two favorite subjects are English and Music. I'm quite talented in both of those areas. My friends even ask me to bring them stories, which are a minimum of ten pages usually. So, when it seems like there isn't much to life, that's what I look back on. But you know the truth? I really don't know what I'm gonna do after High-school. I would philosophize, but unless you're Aristotle or something, that doesn't make much money at all. Writing is a brave thing to do, for the chances of you getting published are...... Damn. Well, they're low.

So, I'm about in the same position as you man; Best advice I can give you is to just stay optimistic about your future, and work as hard as you can in the present.

philosophy tend to lead to law, naturally. Justice Administration. I'll clarify one thing that has two concepts; Doing what you love, and doing what you have to do.

Doing what you love as a job, is not necessarily the best. You love to make and play music? Just wait until you have to listen to and even make music you don't like by a due date. Now what you love to do is what you dread. and just wait until your life depends on your ability to make music... try to keep what you love, as something you do at your convenience. sometimes getting a job that allows you to do what you love is a job worth keeping.

ps i was in biochem major for 5 years (first year i was planning on becoming an architect) and now, i HATE everything that has to do with science. or should i say, i hate how the education system teaches science.

Things change, you have the right idea, work as hard as you can in the present, you will soon, or later find out who you are.

0 Replies

What to do after High school?

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know