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Hey guys. I'm a 17 year old student who is graduating soon and is currently looking at options for moving out of state. I really, really need to move out of my house after high school and I don't plan on going to college. HOWEVER, I am planning on getting a union apprenticeship. My grades are great and I've got lots of recommendation letters so I'm sure I won't have that much of a problem with getting an apprenticeship.
However, I have to ask if anyone could recommend a few places to live?
Some details about me and what I want:
1) I'm a gay male.
2) Very technical savvy. I've been study a few books on basic c# & c++
3) I'm kinda into fashion (More specifically streetwear) and I would love to see some fashion while commuting.
4) I want to live somewhere where I can explore and actually get into the social scene despite my age!
5) Public transport would be preferred!
I've also got about $10k+ in college funds for me to start with when moving.
I've looked into Portland, Oregon but it seems there's not much for an 18 year old to do...
Dude I'm only 4 years older than you (22) and I hate to sound like an old man but I think you seriously need to stay put and learn how to live on your own in Atlanta first for at least a year. You're only 17 still under your parents care. You are not ready to move across the country or wherever you're trying to move to. Try getting a union apprenticeship in Atlanta first and work it for a year or two then try to transfer. I'm not saying you have to go to college BUT DUDE GO TO COLLEGE! You already have over 10 grand in your college fund and if you do have good grades like you claim to then you can probably get a scholarship (well you can get a scholarship). Or go to design school you said you like fashion.....why not give it a try. Believe me this adult life is nothing to rush into. I'm a senior in college and live on my own and pay rent and bills. Been doing it for the past year (I lived in campus housing my first 2 years of college). Not complaining but dude seriously don't miss out on the college experience of living in the dorms your freshman year and meeting new people. I see 18 year olds with these big dreams all the time and they put college on the back burner and things don't go as plan and they realize they're not as grown as they thought they were (paying the rent and bills aint a easy task) then they end up moving back home with the parents and by the time they're 20,21 they realize "I should've just went to college" and then they finally get their act together and realize they wasted a lot of time and could have had 60 credits out of the way. In a nutshell DON'T BE THAT GUY! Just make sure you think things all the way through. I wish you the best though. And fyi yeah there's no social scene for 18 year olds dude.......18 is still a kid no matter what the law says.
Dude I'm only 4 years older than you (22) and I hate to sound like an old man but I think you seriously need to stay put and learn how to live on your own in Atlanta first for at least a year. You're only 17 still under your parents care. You are not ready to move across the country or wherever you're trying to move to. Try getting a union apprenticeship in Atlanta first and work it for a year or two then try to transfer. I'm not saying you have to go to college BUT DUDE GO TO COLLEGE! You already have over 10 grand in your college fund and if you do have good grades like you claim to then you can probably get a scholarship (well you can get a scholarship). Or go to design school you said you like fashion.....why not give it a try. Believe me this adult life is nothing to rush into. I'm a senior in college and live on my own and pay rent and bills. Been doing it for the past year (I lived in campus housing my first 2 years of college). Not complaining but dude seriously don't miss out on the college experience of living in the dorms your freshman year and meeting new people. I see 18 year olds with these big dreams all the time and they put college on the back burner and things don't go as plan and they realize they're not as grown as they thought they were (paying the rent and bills aint a easy task) then they end up moving back home with the parents and by the time they're 20,21 they realize "I should've just went to college" and then they finally get their act together and realize they wasted a lot of time and could have had 60 credits out of the way. In a nutshell DON'T BE THAT GUY! Just make sure you think things all the way through. I wish you the best though. And fyi yeah there's no social scene for 18 year olds dude.......18 is still a kid no matter what the law says.
I completely agree. College may seem like a bad idea after making it through high school in a place you don't like living in, so give college a chance in a city that you would like living in. That's the beauty of going to college, to experience life around other people preferably in a city/environment that's new to you. Get your degree and then look at union apprenticeship afterward if you're still not sure, and you'll always have a marketable degree to fall back on should you decide whatever you're doing doesn't appeal to you.
College is about more than just getting a degree; it is a big step in maturing into adulthood and forming both personal and professional relationships. It sounds like you are mature for your age, but it is still not the best idea to forgo college especially if you have the funds to do so. Possibly take a "gap year" where you do some service work (the Americorps program comes to mind, we know someone who's daughter did Americorps when she was your age for a year before going to college and it made her much more ready for school and the real world afterwards).
A lot of people want to "Get out" of the area where they grew up at your age and that is very understandable and healthy. However, simply up and moving to the other side of the country with no higher-education is not something I think anyone would advise.
Ah, I see the option of college being stressed again. The problem is, the reason I want to get out is that my parents are abusive. Most of my life when growing up in Riverdale, I didn't have a really positive environment so now I want out without depending on them. College would make me have to depend on them because once the break starts, where would I go? Where would I get my food and other stuff? College just isn't an option I want right now. The market is over saturated with college students and it seems like the trade sector of the job market is getting overlooked.
I want to pretty much run away from my problems. I mean, my birthday is late so I'll be stuck with them for a few months after I graduate and I wanted to fly out to a few places during that time and find an apprenticeship before moving over.
It is very understandable that you want to get away for your poor living situation, but just be careful and in the rush to get yourself away, do not put yourself into a worse situation.
The entire job market is over-saturated. Everyone is on the lookout for a job, and all those vocational education ads the past few years about pharmacy technician, dental assistant, etc... have made those fields rather saturated also. I suggest researching what you really want to do. It sounds like you enjoy programming, so perhaps take a few programming classes at a community college. Computer science related jobs are one of those fields where if you have the skills, a degree is often not required.
Last edited by Flamedown; 09-14-2013 at 01:16 PM..
Hey guys. I'm a 17 year old student who is graduating soon and is currently looking at options for moving out of state. I really, really need to move out of my house after high school and I don't plan on going to college. HOWEVER, I am planning on getting a union apprenticeship. My grades are great and I've got lots of recommendation letters so I'm sure I won't have that much of a problem with getting an apprenticeship.
However, I have to ask if anyone could recommend a few places to live?
Some details about me and what I want:
1) I'm a gay male.
2) Very technical savvy. I've been study a few books on basic c# & c++
3) I'm kinda into fashion (More specifically streetwear) and I would love to see some fashion while commuting.
4) I want to live somewhere where I can explore and actually get into the social scene despite my age!
5) Public transport would be preferred!
I've also got about $10k+ in college funds for me to start with when moving.
I've looked into Portland, Oregon but it seems there's not much for an 18 year old to do...
Boston, Philly, DC, Chicago would be a good start.
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