How to not die in the world?

[Air tree]

Well, in only 3 or so years, I'm going to be out on my own, and I have no ****ing idea what I'm going to do. I would like to start learning code of some kind, because I would like to get into some kind of development field, but what language do I learn? What do I do to get the experience to even land a job in the field?


I do want to go to college and major in computer science. I'm progressively going mad with the idea that I'll most likely **** up, or just not succeed.


I don't want to end up working a job that has nothing to do with what I'm going to learn in college like some people I know. People who aren't 15, advice needed so I don't become a homeless prostitute.

- Air tree, xoxo

[nubbinator]

Go to trade school.  College is a waste of time and money.  I speak as someone with an M.A. thinking about going back and getting a Ph.D. or a second M.A.

Alternatively, get a gym membership, be good looking, and get a sugar momma.

[Air tree]

Go to trade school.  College is a waste of time and money.  I speak as someone with an M.A. thinking about going back and getting a Ph.D. or a second M.A.

Alternatively, get a gym membership, be good looking, and get a sugar momma.

I still have time for my face to become less ugly and maybe that sugar momma plan might be my best bet.


Or plan B, hope that my lord and saviour Bernie sanders gets elected and he get tuition free college passed through congress.


 

[demik]

just suck artisan **** for the antidote to live forever. that's the secret of youth

[Air tree]

just suck artisan **** for the antidote to live forever. that's the secret of youth

;_;




If I must.

[rowdy]

Make sure you save often (quick save will suffice, but test first to see if you can have more than one quick save or if it overwrites the same slot all the time).

Spend your experience points wisely.

Observe that wisdom usually only comes with experience, hence saving often.

[Jokrik]

I know it's good to have a goal, but don't make the goal to be a burden (that's what I see in your post)
Try your best, but you'll learn from failure

your biggest challenge to maintain financialy until you hit that sweet spot, really manage your expense until you feel that you reach your goal and in better financial state

Find yourself out there, don't be afraid to meet new people and take chances

That's what I did....

[rowdy]

Good point about the goal!

You generally have a main goal, something you can fall back on when there's nothing else to do.

But you can often get side quests from NPCs, some of which can be quite distracting

[fanpeople]

Get a job, a job is better than no job. Some people I know were holding out for their perfect job and that lead to basement dwelling in their parents houses for an extended period of time. They also never found what they were looking for or were rejected from said jobs, I wont speculate why but I am sure a blank working history at age 21-24 probably didn't help.

It is better to show commitment to some lame entry level (if you could call it that) job for a few years than try to explain employment by nil over the same period of time.

I am just speculating here but if you were to get any sort of employment within a company that does what you like then there is a chance of getting to know people/having insiders access to future prospects. We have a procurement person who started out as a cleaner, also one of our admin guys ended up getting a job with the contract company that does our network administration (computer stuff that I don't understand). Knowing people can be handy, it is just finding the right people to get to know that is challenging.

[tp4tissue]

If you don't get married,  you will save yourself SO MUCH TROUBLE...


The majority of the rich people I know tell me they regret getting married.. 


The ones who don't tell me they regret it, are cheating on their wives...


So...  honestly,, why bother....


Buy a high end washing machine and dryer with all them different settings, A truck load of top ramen,  and you've achieved 87% of the functions of a wife..


All you need after that is some saving for hookers and blow on the weekends...

[dante]

I love being married.  I think the secret is ... If after fapping you still want to be with her - then it was meant to be.

[Jokrik]

I love being married.  I think the secret is ... If after fapping you still want to be with her - then it was meant to be.

Seriously,





theoretically, can't agree more
and I'm married

[tp4tissue]

I love being married.  I think the secret is ... If after fapping you still want to be with her - then it was meant to be.

Seriously,





theoretically, can't agree more
and I'm married

This method may be ok for the "girlfriend" stage..

But you certainly wouldn't use it for Marriage...




If you take a step back,  slow your pace,  and look around,  you'll notice a huge number of ugly middle aged females.


In fact, this group of people are almost 100% invisible to you..  Because your brain naturally filters them out..  And you only see the Pretty young girls..


So many people often FORGET the element of TIME, when they make decisions. Pretty girls AGE,  FASTTT..


Females age about 10 years faster than males due to lower hormone levels.



When you marry,  you will 100% for certain be contracted to one of those now (invisible female)..




I think 99% of men are ok with a pretty girl nagging..   but as soon as the pretty comes off,   let's see how long you can take it.

[27]

I'm supposed to do this in less than 12 months    My main concern is how I'm going to pay for everything, because I'm poor as hell.  I know what I'm going to college for, and I already have a job related to it, but I still share that fear of ending up working fast food with an expensive college degree going to waste.

[inanis]

I made my fair share of mistakes in this area, so let me tell you my experiance.

I went to college when I was 17 for no other reason than I thought I had to. I had literally no idea what I wanted to do for a career. I didn't take the SATs or any equivalent, so I ended up taking a "placement" test to determine my strengths. I was terrible in math and great with language. So, my counselor gave me a list of choices, based on my assesment and I picked a Major of Human Serivces (Psychology/Sociology). English was my "minor" subject. This was a terrible mistake since I often lack the ability to connect with people. I also abhore it when people can't take responsibility for thier actions (or lack thereof). Human Serivces was basically the worst possible thing to spend my money on.

So, after almost 2 years I quit school. I couldn't afford it and I was getting nothing out of it. I still had my job though (at KFC), which I eventually quit. I had several more jobs, some good some very bad but ultimately landed a role in IT. That was where I was meant to be, it just took me until my mid-twenties to figure it out. I had that job for a while and then moved on to something bigger and better. I have no formal training in my field (Ops Sec), but I am CISSP certified and I am damn good at my role.

The point is, don't over think this. You will end up doing what you like if you are open to it. Don't put tons of pressure on yourself to get it all right the first time. Sometimes things take a few tries.

As for learning to code, when I first started in IT I knew I wanted to do more. So I decided to learn HTML and CSS. I did it all on my own in my spare time, I built a website just to prove to myself I could. My focus was more on making it pretty than super functional. At the same time I also learned how to use Photoshop on my own. I still use these skills today even though they aren't the primary focus of my job. So, my advice would be to just build something, pick a language and do something simple at first, then make it a little bit better. It will keep you engaged in the technology and you can use this experiance on a job interview to show that you have ambition and drive.

Above all else, know that it will all work out. If you put in the effort to make something happen, it will happen. Maybe not right away, and maybe not even in the way you expect, but hard work does pay off.

[dante]

At the same time I also learned how to use Photoshop on my own.

I'm sure the OP will be interested in the answer to my question as well: If you are just starting out with graphic design and are broke how does one get a hold of PhotoShop/Indesign to train yourself?  Maybe my info is out of date but these are very expensive products.

[inanis]

At the same time I also learned how to use Photoshop on my own.

I'm sure the OP will be interested in the answer to my question as well: If you are just starting out with graphic design and are broke how does one get a hold of PhotoShop/Indesign to train yourself?  Maybe my info is out of date but these are very expensive products.

I was lucky enough to have a real photoshop license. I was a part time pirate, you know. 

But, if you don't have access to photoshop you can learn the same concepts with The GIMP. It is Open Source so there is no cost unless you donate. It will drive you crazy if you learn one and then switch between. PS and GIMP, but they accomplish the same thing.

[trizkut]

At the same time I also learned how to use Photoshop on my own.

I'm sure the OP will be interested in the answer to my question as well: If you are just starting out with graphic design and are broke how does one get a hold of PhotoShop/Indesign to train yourself?  Maybe my info is out of date but these are very expensive products.

I was lucky enough to have a real photoshop license. I was a part time pirate, you know. 

But, if you don't have access to photoshop you can learn the same concepts with The GIMP. It is Open Source so there is no cost unless you donate. It will drive you crazy if you learn one and then switch between. PS and GIMP, but they accomplish the same thing.

I think adobe's been moving more to a subscription model these days as well, I think it's 20 a month for a single app.


They also released cs2 for free; it may not be up to date but it still has most of the core features

[fohat.digs]

Learn to cook and eat healthy nutritious food on a budget.

Fresh raw foods are not necessarily expensive, although they can be, very much so, if you indulge your cravings and don't plan ahead.
Particularly in the meat/protein department.

When I go to the store, I make my decisions there based on what looks fresh and cheap. And I know where the good nutrition is in the preserved foods.

When I first got out of school, I became a vegetarian for most of a year. It was for some emotionally-based reasons, and did not last, but I did quickly learn how to cook for myself and eat properly.

[HoffmanMyster]

I do want to go to college and major in computer science. I'm progressively going mad with the idea that I'll most likely **** up, or just not succeed.

Go to trade school.  College is a waste of time and money.

Computer science job without college?  I wouldn't recommend it.  You can ask my dad about how that worked out (not terrible, but very limiting).

[nubbinator]

Nah, I was just going with the if you haven't started yet and don't know if you like it, trade school is a great route.

On the other hand, if you do love it and you've tried it, school is the way to go.  As much as I hate the University of Washington, they're a fantastic school to go to for computer science.

[jerue]

Well, in only 3 or so years, I'm going to be out on my own, and I have no ****ing idea what I'm going to do. I would like to start learning code of some kind, because I would like to get into some kind of development field, but what language do I learn? What do I do to get the experience to even land a job in the field?


I do want to go to college and major in computer science. I'm progressively going mad with the idea that I'll most likely **** up, or just not succeed.


I don't want to end up working a job that has nothing to do with what I'm going to learn in college like some people I know. People who aren't 15, advice needed so I don't become a homeless prostitute.

- Air tree, xoxo

I am not too much older than you (almost 23) but I've been "on my own" for long enough to know that you are not alone when you say you have no idea what you want to do. There are so many people out there lost and searching for an answer...many of those who are vocal about this though are that way for the sake of being vocal, they put no effort into actually making a change. Change is only hard if you make it that way, often our greatest limitation in our lives is ourselves. Surround yourself with good company, i.e. anyone who gives you motivation to live a positive lifestyle.

Now that is out of the way...your interest in computer science is really cool. Do you have experience with programming at all? I took a basic web design class to see if I was really interested in web stuff. Turns out I was, so I started learning more CSS and some Javascript. Now I am starting to learn Python for a project I am working on. If you don't really know any programming languages but want to start, I would start with Python and work your way down into the lower-level languages. Python is rather approachable, but that is its inherent nature. Just don't go importing everything 

Career wise, it's all about landing that first major gig. College helps this way because employers see that you are qualified as someone who understands the basics, it's someone else's word. If you go the full indie way, you have significantly more work to do as far as building your own image AND networking AND all of the other stuff that comes with being indie. Basically, it's your word against someone else's. Going to a University provides a lot of opportunity for networking and relationship building, but again, that isn't to say you can't do this on your own, it just takes more time to do it.

As far as whatever language you want to learn, pick something you are really interested in and stick with it. Don't "sell out" and work writing stuff you have zero interest in (i.e. if you like programming in C but are hired to write Java), because this is going to suck the soul out of you. I've noticed a lot of entry level positions wanting Java; my friend who is looking for post-college jobs has seen this and is sticking to his guns with Python. That being said, do try to find some work you could be slightly interested in, maybe get a few certifications like Network+ or A+ if you want to do IT. IT and CompSci jobs can be very cutthroat, but usually if you get your foot in the door and do good work, someone will notice. Research the companies you are interested in working for and find problems with their organization; offer solutions to make yourself a prime candidate.

For experience, do some internships; write cool stuff and make it open source. The same friend wrote an amiibo tracker in Python using APIs from different retailers, at one point this was making about $200+ a month. Sure enough it's on his resume and has caught the eye of a few major companies. While you are in college, stay busy. Join organizations for related interests, and work a customer-service job or two even if it sucks. You will learn more about how the real world operates more than you could learn in the classroom.

Also, you are young. Don't be so hard on yourself, enjoy the now. You might be like me and end up completely changing your interests once you get to University; I went in as a Chemistry major and walked out an English major with an emphasis on writing. Most important advice I could offer is this: keep an open mind, and keep a good work ethic. Both things will open doors you did not think were possible.

Hope this helps

[tbc]

is compsci and programming actually not disambiguated anymore in the USA?

for the love of god, don't go into programming (or even compsci or IT) because you want to minimize talking with other people (technical or otherwise).  Apparently i actually spend more time working with clients than an actual lawyer does.

also, html/css aren't programming languages.  JS IS though and anyone who disagrees is just bad at it.

[tp4tissue]

is compsci and programming actually not disambiguated anymore in the USA?

for the love of god, don't go into programming (or even compsci or IT) because you want to minimize talking with other people (technical or otherwise).  Apparently i actually spend more time working with clients than an actual lawyer does.

also, html/css aren't programming languages.  JS IS though and anyone who disagrees is just bad at it.

Hahahahaha..  -tbc- is one of "those" people,   elitist LOL..

The larger picture here is,    if you find a JOB,   it's gonna suck, PERIOD, 


The 40,000 a year starting and moving to about 100-120 in 10 years will seem alrite when you're young,

But when you hit about 35,   Life starts to suck, especially when you get a wife and kid...


All the colors and possibilities that were there goes away if what you do is a JOB..



A JOB is something you have,  that allows you to survive,  but you are dispassionate about..



Sadly the majority of careers fall into this hole..



Finding your passion is of the greatest importance when you're in college, because as soon as you get a job, sigh...

[Blackehart]

Get a job, period.

Know too many people out of college with fancy degrees waiting to get a job that is tailor made for them.
I mock them. Well, just those I know.

Apparently it's beneath them to get a job other than what they studied for. Meanwhile, they live with parents/relatives/friends hoping to land that dream job.

The best time to look for a job is when you have one (or in your case, in school).

Don't turn something down because it's "beneath you" Getting paid is never beneath you.

Them's my two scents.