Mine too, Jody...

Although I recognize we are talking of different realities (Brazil, emergent country vs. USA, the number one), but to study was always pleasant for me.

BelewsBrother wrote: I'm only half-way done with my first semester of undergrad, but the courses in my program of study don't look promising or even interesting. I've always wanted to own my own record store, so I'm thinking of picking up two part time jobs--working 50 to 60 hours a week between the two of them, and then leasing a place to start up a store. What do you guys think?

Let me be honest with you: DON'T RUSH.

I have a lot of very successful friends who left the University and they regret today.

Maybe you will never use your career, but at least you have a title, it's worth, not only for the rest of the world, but for you.

You can't imagine how good it feels when you recieve your diploma, it's something you earned by yourself. If you still want to own a record store, go on, but after you finish your career.

And remember, with all the piracy, MP3 and illegal sharing, owning a record store is not very promissing, if you add the big chain stores that will try to destroy you, it will be at least as hard as College.

I don't want to destroy your dreams, but the real world is hard,  give yourself a chance.

But at the end is your choice, I only ask you...THINK IT WELL!!!!!

Iván

Just another thing, we don't have College, but in my University we have to study two years of many other subjects.

My first semester I had to study:

1. Math 101
2. Language
3. Sociology
4. World History 101
5. Methiodology

I asked myself: Why in hell do I have to study this cr*p if I want to be a fu**ing Lawyer????

Do I need to know in what year the Roman Empire fell to defend a client or where to place a comma and and an accent??? (Of course everything was necessary, but only understood it later).

But after I finished this first semester things changed, I had more freedom to choose electoive classes and activities, and then in Laws Faculty it was even better.

Don't quit before you reach the interesting stuff.

Iván

Do what you want to, but REALLY think it through.

I can't really add anything that no one has said already, but all I know is I am going to college this August and I am scared out my mind. However, I work a job I hate and puts me at wits end every day. I know I would like to have a career, and not just a job in the future.

Besides it really is a hard world out there...my parents remind me. I dont even want to imagine what itll be like when its time to actually live it, and a college diploma can't possibly hurt you out there.

BelewsBrother wrote: It really comes down to the reality that I don't know what the f**k I want to study. It won't be a science of any kind (Bio, Chem, Engineering, Psych) and it won't be a profession either (doctor, dentist, Lawyer). I'm trying to decide whether it will be journalism, English, or History. I just don't f**king know.

Let me tell you something very honestly:

Stay in the f**king College until you decide what f**king career to study.

If youwant take courses you like more until you decide what to do with your life. it's normal to have doubts. But remember once you leave College, it's harder to come back, so stay because changing just a word you may use what Cat Stevens said "You will still be here tomorrow, but your doubts may not".

Iván

Ivan_Melgar_M wrote: Maybe you will never use your career, but at least you have a title, it's worth, not only for the rest of the world, but for you. You can't imagine how good it feels when you recieve your diploma, it's something you earned by yourself. If you still want to own a record store, go on, but after you finish your career. I don't want to destroy your dreams, but the real world is hard,  give yourself a chance.

I find myself agreeing with your posts far too often - kind of creepy quite frankly.

Anyway, it's probably none of my business, but since I just finished shelling out several hundred dollars (U.S.) on SAT, ACT, and placement tests for the first of three sons I will be putting through college, I do have some opinions here.

The quality of anyone's life is heavily determined by the choices they make.  An education gives you options.  Lack of education limits your options.  Like Ivan says, you may never use the degree, but you will undoubtedly learn or experience something you will find of use once you do figure out what you want to spend your life doing.

I sat through 7:00 am Latin classes my entire first year of college, and I can honestly say about 80 percent of the courses I took were of no use to me, other than that they were required to complete that first degree.  So be it - I did it, and another degree to boot.  Now I'm in my mid 40's and working on a third.  Once you stop learning you're just marking time until you die.

If you don't like what you're studying, study something else.  Take an art class or a writing class for God's sake.  I once took a Protestant theology course at a Jesuit college - talk about an interesting experience! 

Ivan's right - life is hard.  But it doesn't have to be hell on earth.  One of the reasons colleges make you take a variety of courses is because educator's know young people don't usually know what they want out of life yet.  So concentrate on those courses and don't try to shoe-horn yourself into a specific major at this point.  Just enjoy the ride - you won't get these days back.

Best wishes in whatever you decide though.  Hope it all works out.

Ivan_Melgar_M wrote: Ivan, I find myself agreeing with your posts far too often - kind of creepy quite frankly. Anyway, it's probably none of my business, but since I just finished shelling out several hundred dollars (U.S.) on SAT, ACT, and placement tests for the first of three sons I will be putting through college, I do have some opinions here. The quality of anyone's life is heavily determined by the choices they make.  An education gives you options.  Lack of education limits your options.  Like Ivan says, you may never use the degree, but you will undoubtedly learn or experience something you will find of use once you do figure out what you want to spend your life doing. I sat through 7:00 am Latin classes my entire first year of college, and I can honestly say about 80 percent of the courses I took were of no use to me, other than that they were required to complete that first degree.  So be it - I did it, and another degree to boot.  Now I'm in my mid 40's and working on a third.  Once you stop learning you're just marking time until you die. If you don't like what you're studying, study something else.  Take an art class or a writing class for God's sake.  I once took a Protestant theology course at a Jesuit college - talk about an interesting experience!  Ivan's right - life is hard.  But it doesn't have to be hell on earth.  One of the reasons colleges make you take a variety of courses is because educator's know young people don't usually know what they want out of life yet.  So concentrate on those courses and don't try to shoe-horn yourself into a specific major at this point.  Just enjoy the ride - you won't get these days back. Best wishes in whatever you decide though.  Hope it all works out.

I guess you are right, I'll do it because if I use it---well then I use it. But if I don't, it is just another notch on my belt. Personally, I don't see how some people can do 12 years of grammar and high school, then 4 years of undergrand, then four years of law or med school. It's just insane in my eyes. But I guess a bachelors or masters will suffice for me. Plus I'm still young, I might not even know what I want yet.

BelewsBrother wrote: I'm only half-way done with my first semester of undergrad, but the courses in my program of study don't look promising or even interesting. I've always wanted to own my own record store, so I'm thinking of picking up two part time jobs--working 50 to 60 hours a week between the two of them, and then leasing a place to start up a store. What do you guys think?

record stores in the uk are on the decline, even the majors. HMV were only recently saying how much money they were losing to ebay, amazon, and other online sellers (i'm not surprised at their prices). as for the used market, i guess you could do it as a sideline as you'd only scrape  a meagre living from it even if you go online. as for quitting college, you'd be a fool to do that! in today's highly competitive job "market place" qualifications are everything - without them you'll end up digging roads or stacking shelves for the rest of your life, and end up on the scrapheap. be warned!

At the risk of getting flamed big time, I'm going to share with you the same advice I recently shared with my nephew.

Complete the year of college you are in even if it seems gruelling, pointless and dull. Then.... 

TRAVEL.

Some only see their situation clearly if they get away from it for a while. You seem to be searching for direction, I think time in Europe (at least two months) would be worth your while. You sound young enough to get a student work visa (I forget the actual name of the visa, you can do research). You can work for several weeks in one area then travel for a while and work when your cash is getting low. The key is to save up your cash and do it on your own because if someone else is funding your college they won't like funding your European fun. In my opinion, travel is as important as your first year of college (and just as scary). 

The problem you will have is your location is the US and Americans, unfortunately, are not universally loved (to say the least). You'll have to realize how others prejudge you and learn to conduct yourself so as not to come across as "a typical American tourist".

By the way, if the thought of Europe does little for you, there's Australia or New Zealand but that will probablly be more money (but more than worth it if you can swing it). Again, you should go on your dime, not that of a loved one.

You can always go back to college. In fact, if you are clearer on what you want to do, it may be easier knowing what your goal is.

Not to mention you'll impress the babes if you can start a story with "I was standing in the rain just outside a Dutch town I wasn't sure how to pronounce... "

By the way, this comes from a guy who was working in a funeral home, went to Europe and is currently working in television and part time as a freelance writer and photographer.

I'm doing a APPLIED COURSE in I.T. at the College I attend.

I've seen people dropping out of College, I think it's best to remain in College at least you have something to lay back on if the something goes wrong.

Opening a record store seems very risky to me. CDs/records are going to vanish in the coming years ... they'll be completely replaced by online services & subscriptions. Of course there'll always be collectors and vinyl maniacs who will continue to buy records, but the number of people who do that will diminish and eventually disappear.

BTW: Dropping out of college ... seems like a very bad idea. Can't you just change subjects like some others already suggested ... like sound technician or something like that?

Trouserpress wrote: [QUOTE=BelewsBrother] PS - I'm also in my first year of college and I'm finding the course challenging and I've been asking questions about whether or not it's what I want to be doing. I very much doubt there's a single student out there who doesn't go through similar thought processes at some point during their first year. Don't worry.

That's true! I also doubted during my first year in law school. Many, many people doubt in their first year.

I finished doing something completely else (in the theology field) but I did work to get my my law degree and now it turns out that I have a fair chance of using both degrees (law & theology) in the end! I didn't know that on beforehand.

So be vary careful before you quit. And indeed, running a record store is a very difficult job these days.

I know it sounds corny but whatever you do, you need to believe in it, i mean really be passionate about it, or else you're going to be in hell the rest of your life. But do not open a record store, at least 2 closed down in my city this year alone because they weren't selling anything. If you really want a job where you're surrounded with music, find something else, because in a few years, people will only be buying mp3s, and merch off ebay.