[50something]

Originally Posted by Omahole

Great. Except my idea of life isn't getting in debt from student loans for 10 years or so!

I have tech/computer skills, but that's so brutally, ridiculously cutthroat thanks to employers, that I have hardly any chance of even getting my foot in the door.

And I absolutely refuse to work in office environments anymore. I temped them, I hated them, and I hated the miserable people who always seemed to rise to the top.

Whatever, this country as a whole is going to go down the drain because all we have are nonsense service jobs and we don't actually produce anything other than hamburgers.

Interesting thing to note about office jobs: while employers frown on smoking, smokers have better social skills than the non smokers, as a general rule of thumb. I think places like EDIT OUT: LARGE CORPORATION IN DOWNTOWN (which demanded more work from temps than anywhere else and also paid the least) crack down on smoking to keep people's hearts constantly beating in an existential crisis, to quickly break down their will and create soulless yes-men to the machine.

Depending upon what your financial situation is, you may qualify for some grants. I was 27 when I enrolled in college, and because I was out of my parents' home and supporting myself, I was able to qualify for Federal Pell Grants all through college. Not sure about all of the criteria involved, but they are designed to assist undergraduate students, and they don't have to be repaid. They won't cover all of your financial needs, so you would need to apply for student loans as well. Because of the financial aid I received, I was able to put myself through college, earning a B.S. degree. (No help whatsoever from Dad, darn it.) Loan repayment usually doesn't begin until one year after graduation, and my quarterly amount due was unbelievably small -- $192 per quarter based on a 10K amount owed. If this is something you'd really like to do, then I say GO FOR IT. Schedule an appointment with a Financial Aid Counselor so that you can determine if this is a viable option for you. There are so many resources out there, all you have to do is make that first step.

[dsrich98]

Originally Posted by Omahole

Not exactly sure. I'd like to run my own business but I don't feel like that's possible unless I come up with a brilliant idea and somehow execute it perfectly.

But really, something regarding computers/internet/linux/etc. I want to avoid web development (what a nightmare).

You could also try not being a total drag of person and stop blaming a city and your parents for all your problems. I woke up this morning and started reading all this garbage and thought I might have to go hang myself just because YOUR life is so miserable.

Please Lee Harvey, stay away from tall buildings. I'm not sure if you are more likely to hurt yourself, or someone else.

[marmom]

Originally Posted by Omahole

That's my long term plan. I just need to get the money saved up and figure out where I can go, probably on one of the coasts.

Good luck to you! Hope you find satisfaction and happiness...

[mostie]

Omahole, can I offer a bit of advice? And trust me...I offer it from experience, seriously. You sound disgusted, which I can understand- I don't know how old you are, but I'm going to guess you're 20-something. There is one thing that you can do, that will change your circumstances...and that would be to change your attitude. That will dictate whether or not you will complain about the way things are, or change your circumstances by doing what you have to do. You talk about saving money and going to one of the coasts. All well and good, but if you think it's "cutthroat" here, you haven't tried working on one of the coasts- unemployment is astronomical, and you wouldn't even be fortunate enough to get one of the temp jobs, because competition is fierce for the type of work you do.

You say you live with your parents- this gives you the opportunity to go back to school and get your degree, then do what you want with it- if the jobs you want are demanding a degree, then you don't have much choice but to suck it up and get the degree- I will have mine at the end of the year, and I didn't qualify for much in the way of help with the financial end of it- but I also know that without the degree, there isn't much hope of getting anything other than an unskilled job, so...it's a trade-off. I don't like the idea of paying on student loans for years either, and this will be the second time I've done so- but...you have to do what you have to do, even if you don't like it. In a few years, you will be glad that you did, seriously. Or...you can do what you're doing now, and in a few years, look back- and wish that you had done what needed to be done, you know?

Try to look at the positives, and it will motivate you to do what you have to do. If you keep thinking so completely negative, you will just give up, and be in the same boat you are in now, 5 years from now. Get yourself a plan in the right direction, and then do the things that you need to do to steadily work towards your goal.

[pheaton]

So why do you think that you deserve something better than McDonalds or some other $10 per hour temp job? Because you complain? The world, especially this city doesn't owe you anything. Get a degree or take a degree-less career path. A.K.A, "May I take your order please". I need people like you to take my order for a quick burger on my way to the office. No mustard this time man!

I did what most people that have decent jobs in this city did and went to school and got my degree. Don't give me the, "I can't afford it crap", because neither can I. I have $23,000 in student loans I have to pay back, because I can't afford it. But darn it. I have a job and I have a future and I have a life. I should give you sympathy because you want to sit around and wait for a $50,000 per year job to land on your lap without a degree or some initiative? HA!

I'm pretty sure Omaha isn't the reason Microsoft controls more of the market share than Linux. Also, I work in "computers" if that is even a career and I don't complain about Linux. It's a speciality. A rare specialty at that. If you want to get a premium salary and work on a Linux system you better go to school, because all of your competition has a degree I guarantee it. All other things equal, the company will always take the guy with the degree. Companies see your lack of a degree as a lack of goals, initiatives and achievements in your life that will negatively reflect in your performance.

Luckily for you. McDonalds doesn't have such aspirations for those kinds of employees. Also, luckily for you, you can find a McDonalds just about anywhere, so you can avoid Omaha. Since it's the Husker flags that are obviously keeping you from getting a 6 figure salary and not your lack of a degree.

[Omahole]

Originally Posted by dsrich98

You could also try not being a total drag of person and stop blaming a city and your parents for all your problems. I woke up this morning and started reading all this garbage and thought I might have to go hang myself just because YOUR life is so miserable.

Please Lee Harvey, stay away from tall buildings. I'm not sure if you are more likely to hurt yourself, or someone else.

When did I blame my parents?

[yman97]

I've worked my share of $10 per hour jobs so I can relate. But you know what? After not prioritizing education for a few years, I finally decided to bite the bullet and finish my degree. I earned my BS in Business from Bellevue University about a year-and-a-half ago and haven't looked back. Since I went back to school , I got hired as a Business Analys for a fairly large regional bank. I've been promoted once and received two raises in that time. I had no experience in my field and no IT experience. But my boss so a willingness to learn and a work ethic. So you see, it can be done without experience. It may be a bit harder but if you impress someone, they will give you a chance. Granted, I had to take out some money in student loans but I feel that the trade-off was well worth it.