I dont know what to do

I dont know exactly were this goes or whatever, I just feel like I need to get some advice and let all this out. or something.

Anyways, im 19 years old. When I first finished High School I didnt know at all what I wanted to do so I just was social for awhile but then I realized I wanted to work towards an education of some sort. Well I live with a single mother, so we donthave much money so all I can really realisticly think about is a community college. I tried to get into it last semester but first I needed to apply for Financial aid, or rather, my mom needed to for me. But she wouldnt for some reason, everytime I'd bring it up shed just sigh and say she didnt feel like talking about that crap right now. This would always happen and eventually I'd jsut be afraid to ask out of her getting mad at me.

But even so I dont know what I want to do. I think im gonna try again next semester, and Im sure there are ways I can convince my mom to stop procrastinating, but even so, what do I do? I dont even know if I wanna go to school because I was looking up being an Electrician and it said you need to be an Apprentice for usually four or so years. Now I dont really now how that works because I know we have a bad economy right now but Im not into all that stuff so I dont know the exact situation, like is it possible Id go through all of that and not even become an Electrician? I dont even know if Id be able to get to be an apprentice because of my Algebra grades, i dont remember them exactly but I know they werent good.

Anyways, Id feel a lot better about things if I alteast had a job, I cant even get a job flipping burgers. And the real catch I dont even have a license, my mom refuses to teach me because she doesnt want me driving her car. 19 and 1/2 and still not even driving. I guess that wouldnt matter anwyays because I wouldnt be able to afford a car.

Which is another reason why I need a job.

Everything just seems like a mess to me right now and I have no idea what to do. I feel like such a loser sitting around all day, hanging out with friends who are all ahead of me in the 'doing something with there lives' department.

Sorry if theres a bunch of spelling mistakes, IM using google chromse and for some reason the spell checker just kinda doesnt work soemtimes.

the 'doing something with your life' is a crock.. noone know why we're here so noone knows what the point is.. it's not a race and not a competition, move at your own pace and do what you want to do.. you don't have to be completely sure what that is either, doing anything will give you more insight into what you want as you gain more experience, so you can't lose

your mom doesn't sound very supportive or involoved, you have my sympathies..

keep pushin' on bro

Hey I feel for you, know first hand what it feels like to be left behind. Get the financial papers so you can get your Mum to fill them out, if she's a procrastinator then you'll physically need to get her moving along. Get her to fill the papers out when your there that way you can ensure that they're done. She'll probably need bank statements to prove that she is on a low income, that's the tricky part getting her to get them. Have a heart to heart talk with your mum explaining why you want to go back to school, this may motivate her to do something.

Finding a job is hard I know I was jobless for 10 months, but keep applying. As for driving you'll probably need 8 - 12 lessons and they cost about $50 each, expensive I know, maybe then you'll mum will let you drive.

Good Luck

To answer your question about an Electrician's apprenticeship... Being an electrician is a TRADE, something that requires a certificate or a completed apprenticeship, not necessarily a "college" education or diploma. An apprenticeship is simply working as an underling (sometimes for pay, sometimes not) to an actual practicing electrician...going on jobs with him, learning the trade, etc.

Electricians can work in a surprising variety of areas. Hell, this is an electronic world, right? Some work alone doing house calls, some work for hotels or apartment complexes, some even work for the government in maintenance positions. So chances are, if you went to the trouble of getting the certificate, then you'd be able to find a job somewhere...even if you'd have to move to do it. Like I said, this is an electronic world.

I hope some of that helped, but if you were a good self-motivator you would have Googled all of that already instead of asking. That's one skill that will help you if you really want to get moving with your life. You gotta know how to find stuff out on your own.

I'm confused as to why you have to have your mom sign the stuff or get the financial assistance stuff done. You're 19, so you're a legal adult, right? You can do everything on your own, without the need of your mother's signature or anything...even if you're a dependent under her insurance plan (if she has one). If it comes to it, you could always move out on your own...and THEN you would SURELY apply for some financial assistance of some sort.

Well, I hope some of that helped, and I hope things get better for ya! ^_^

----Steve

Ok. First off, there's a post I wrote some time ago to try and help people figure out what they want to do, and I think you need to read it: http://alonelylife.com/showthread.php?tid=7263 .

Secondly, we are in a very rough economy as I'm sure you've noticed. Money has to come from wherever we can find it. Go wash windows at the gas station if you have to, check payphones for change; but you need to be able to earn some money somehow. And you need to find someone, preferably your mother, to teach you how to drive. You need to make it clear to her that you cannot do anything productive if you can't drive anywhere.

You're starting from rock bottom; it's time to claw your way to the top like a mean ************, and fight tooth and nail against anything that tries to push you back in.

Transportation is your priority. If you can't manage to get your mom to teach you to drive, then get a bike, even if it's a $45 Wal Mart special. That'll get you around. Once that's taken care of (one way or another), keep trying fast food joints and other typical 'first jobs'. You need to set yourself out against the backdrop, so to speak, when you get to an interview. Be enthusiastic and show them that you're not just another snot-nosed kid looking for some place to do as little as possible. Because employers get 500 of those people in their offices every week and none of them are worth minimum wage. Show them that you deserve a job. Dress respectably. A good pair of slacks and a collar shirt/tie should be your next priority after transportation! And eventually, a suit. And get some good shoes that you can shine. Show them that you actually care how you appear and you've already beaten half the competition. If you don't know what to buy, go in to JC Penny or something and have them dress you. It shouldn't be embarrassing because that's what they're paid to do and they should be doing their jobs. I am a firm believe that every man should have three things in his closet: A dress suit, a set of business-casual clothes, and a good pair of work boots. They are all a well rounded investment and part of an indispensable arsenal that will pay for themselves over and over if you use them right.



If you absolutely can't figure out something to do by 22 or so, you should probably go with something good to do until you grow in to the world a bit more. Personally I would suggest the Forest Service or a branch of the military like the Navy or Air Force (some college helps with those). You can't go wrong with any of those options. The Forest Service would have you working out in the woods; preferably fighting wildland fires. There's pretty good money in that and you might find you like it. Either way, it toughens you up, earns you money, and builds your work ethic, so you can't go wrong with it. And it's not always as dangerous as it sounds, especially if you stick with it and move to an Engine Crew. But that's a whole 'nother topic.


Community College is not a bad thing. You'll read it in that post I linked you, but life does not end without a 4 year degree. There's a lot of good jobs you can get with just a 1 or 2 year program; I know I've been eyeballing some things in the medical field I could do at my local community college and the programs have very good job placement rates. And all it'd take is a couple years of work to learn a new field.

If you do the college thing and aren't really sure what to go for, then just do some general education stuff. You can't go wrong with that at all. English, Math, some Science...basically every program requires you to get those out of the way.

And Jedidude is pretty spot on about the electrician stuff. My step brother is currently becoming an electrician through an online self-study program. I think in a year or so he should be able to get his Apprentice credentials and look for work. Trades, like any job, start from the bottom. It takes patience to work up to the bigger stuff; patience a lot of people lack nowadays. We talked a little about having advantages over other job seekers; patience is another. Just by being patient in my line of work, not being in a hurry to Get There Now and skip the ride and getting frustrated when I can't, I've watched multiple would-be fire candidates drop out of the game and vanish back in to nothingness. But back on topic; you can make good money and have interesting, varied work as an electrician or a lineman.


Now. The day after you read this I want you to remember it. And take action in some way to go start kicking some ass. I have faith in you. And remember, there's this forum here if you need support along the way or run in to a problem. Together we are stronger than we are alone.


Cheers,
Brian



Also, just some job ideas to throw out to maybe help you get the ball rolling (remember to use the BLS Handbook mentioned in my other post):

-Lineman
-Emergency Medical Technician/Paramedic
-X-ray Technician
-Cardiovascular Technician
-Aviation Mechanic

And remember not to tell yourself you "could never do" something. When I was a snot-nosed kid, I never would've thought I could be a firefighter, even in a volunteer capacity. Turns out it's not so hard to open and close the bale on a fog nozzle or pull down sheet rock with a hook and cover yourself in insulation. We can do anything we want to learn to do as long as we are physically capable. I am convinced mental capability, barring developmental disability, is purely adaptive to what we apply ourselves to.

You could always go Army Reserve or National Guard. Be all you can be!

----Steve