[paws202]

I'm nearing the end of high school and I've made plans for college next fall but now I'm second guessing myself! I feel so confused about what I want to do with myself and what I see in my future! Lately I've just been thinking about traveling around after high school to just explore I guess! Anyone else feeling this way? Help!

[Perna]

Hi, paws202, welcome to PsychCentral (PC).

If you are confused, I would stay with education and work on what you might want while you start the initial education, see if college is right for you and what you decide you want for your future. It is much harder to do college later, when you are otherwise involved in supporting yourself, maybe starting a family, wanting to be further along in a career. If you work on getting a skill/knowledge you can then work when you want but exploring the world, it is harder to work on honing skills that way? If you really want to travel, I would see if learning languages was right for you then you could travel and teach English, etc., combine the travelling with a way to pay for/sustain it.

[pummpkin]

HI paws202,
and welcome
I agree with Perna. Starting college later in your life is definitely harder. Some colleges and universities allow you take different subjects the first year so that you can choose one of them if you are not yet sure, what you want to do. Travelling is a wonderful idea, however, it is not cheap and building on some skills is really important. There are some very good opportunities for travelling joint with volunteering which can be done during summers between college years, and they often are in very interesting and cultural places.
also you can always have a gap year somewhere in between, which can allow you to expand your horizons through travelling

However I would also suggest stick with education, as it is not like riding a bike. Once a lot of time passes it is quite hard to get the hang of it again.

[StrongerMan]

I am 45 yo and I can't even see a future. In my case, I certainly wish I had traveled around and gained some "street education" and self knowledge before wasting time, money and energy on a degree which did not fit me at all. But it is moot as I lacked the wherewithal back then to make that happen. As far as education I, at the very least, would have done exploratory studies at a community college to figure some basic things out before committing to a more expensive college or a major. At the time, being undecided and not accepted at a "good" college held its own stigma. Or maybe that was all just a figment in my mind... Yes, confusion is a good word and nothing to be ashamed of. Although many people do figure all these things out by the time they leave high school.... I am confident in saying the majority do not. For them, the time after high school is a time of exploration and discovery. If you view it that way, you will enjoy this time of your life instead of being consumed by it.

[I Only Speak]

Hello, and nice to meet you. I'm uncertain if I am able to give the advice you, personally, might require, but I can give you my story quickly, and maybe it'll help if only a bit. I had to leave public school in 6th grade due to my delusions of grandeur, the beginnings of my psychopathy manifesting, and in general being an unnecessarily mean *****. I have been mostly home schooled since, occasionally drifting in and out of public schools. I KNOW what I want to pursue. It's something you should tell yourself even if you don't yet believe it. I have a foggy idea, I have my skills and quite a few faults, but I personally think education is important, if not for a specific career, simply and sadly it looks d**n good on a resume, application., whatever. I severely doubt that gave you anything useful, just know that college education is both a necessity and in a contradictory way, useless, depending on you. It all depends on you.

[(JD)]

Don't do it. Go to college while you can, and while you are still in "study mode". It is desperately hard to get back into that after being away from it for a few years. (If you really are weary of study, then take a semester or two off---but get back into it!)

I think you'll learn who you are outside of high school just as well in college. Once you have your first degree, you will also have a richer understanding of the world--some through study and some through meeting the college students from other places. When you do finally travel, assuming you have monies for all of this, you will have a deeper appreciation of where you go and what you see and who you meet. IMO

[alicetailor]

I was confused but then I found out the field of my interest and started working towards achieving it. Now everything seems clear.

[mulan]

If I had that choice, to travel around, I certainly would do that.
But that is what you want now and what you will want in the future...And there's a thing you can't miss: money.
I can't see another way to get it any than having a job. You can have a job only having high school, or you can search for something better going to college.

I'm in medical school and believe me, it was really though to choose to be here. I could enter anywhere, I didn't like anything, and what I liked the most didn't assured me a job. So I end up here. And after four years after I have finished high school I still wonder, what if? I still think I'm not supose to be here.

Choosing something you don't know how will be it's like a shot in the dark, but is better give it a try than don't. What my parents and family used to say to me, you can change your decision any time...after you complete your graduation you can always do a different one.

Study can be realy hard, but maybe in the end it can be worth.

[ElJamo]

Originally Posted by StrongerMan

I am 45 yo and I can't even see a future. In my case, I certainly wish I had traveled around and gained some "street education" and self knowledge before wasting time, money and energy on a degree which did not fit me at all. But it is moot as I lacked the wherewithal back then to make that happen. As far as education I, at the very least, would have done exploratory studies at a community college to figure some basic things out before committing to a more expensive college or a major. At the time, being undecided and not accepted at a "good" college held its own stigma. Or maybe that was all just a figment in my mind... Yes, confusion is a good word and nothing to be ashamed of. Although many people do figure all these things out by the time they leave high school.... I am confident in saying the majority do not. For them, the time after high school is a time of exploration and discovery. If you view it that way, you will enjoy this time of your life instead of being consumed by it.

Wow! I will be graduating soon, and your sentiments fit mine exactly! Kudos, sir!

[someone5]

I'm the same way paws202, although I'm not starting college this upcoming fall. I have an extremely vague idea of where I want to be in my life, but I don't know how it will end up. I thought of traveling to(mostly to other countries), but I would have to spend at least a year saving up money from a job.

I hate school and don't see the purpose in it, but I'm continuing on into college. I may look at some of the traveling programs offered at colleges or even travel while seeing if I can do online studying. In the end, though, I'm going to school while I can still make myself go.

Even if you have no idea where you're going or what you want to do, try out different courses and look into making a living from your favorite hobbies and things! That's always a good way to go. I wish you luck on the journey you'll take!

[JoeS21]

Personally, I don't see any need to go directly to college. You can go to college any time. It may be better if you are around the same age as the entering class though, so IMO, 1-5 years off is nothing. Now, if you got into an Ivy League, then that might be a reason for second thoughts... If not, no big deal IMO.

Maybe you can work an entry-level job in a field you're interested in. That could help you decide which job to train for in the future. You're employer might even pay tuition if you end up in the right company. You can start by sending out your resume, using reference from people who know you in that field, from teachers who like you, etc. if you like that idea. Heck, you could go work for a travel agency, airline, travel magazine, or travel guide company for discounted vacations. And remember that if you take a year to work, you can live almost anywhere you want with your own apartment. You can tour other college campuses when you travel or wherever you go.

A tip about life-planning confusion that works for some people is to make a list of what you definitely want in your future, maybe a few dreams, and leave out things you are indifferent about. Then figure out what jobs would allow for that.

Remember too that people even switch careers while in the middle of one. Nothing is permanent.

[Monk Watcher]

I took 6 years to find myself in the 'real' world before I went to college. I lost several grants and other opportunities. Sure I had some fun but I could have had my PhD by the time I got my AA
That's just my story. You have to decide for yourself but if I had it to do over I would start college and just take a wide selection of courses to see what you really like. You don't have to pick a major until you've gotten several courses under your belt
You can still travel during the summers or there are language courses that send you to live for a period in other countries.
There are ways to do it all. I wish someone had told me about these options when I got out of high school
Good Luck!

[Marlowes]

I'm 22 years old and I still don't know what to do. Actually, I know... and the truth is that I don't really want to do anything special, and there's nothing wrong with that. Society always makes us feel like we Need to do something "relevant" with our lifes, but that's just a relative thing. The only thing you have to do is finding the ways that make you live comfortably and in peace.

For example, I don't have big ambitions. The only thing I need is friends and money enough to survive (food and stuff). The rest just comes or not, I don't really care. People usually tell me I'm wrong, but there's no "wrong", there's only things that makes you happy.

[ellieg33]

Straight after highschool I started uni and found myself extremely unmotivated and hating it! I took my second year off and did some traveling and I found this really helped clear my head and re-motivated me to going back to study. It gave me that restart that I needed and the second time round I was really interested in what I was learning and actually wanted to be there!
And remember, whatever you decide to do straight out of school doesn't guide your life! There's so much flexibility these days
Hope this helps you

[Miswimmy1]

Originally Posted by paws202

I'm nearing the end of high school and I've made plans for college next fall but now I'm second guessing myself! I feel so confused about what I want to do with myself and what I see in my future! Lately I've just been thinking about traveling around after high school to just explore I guess! Anyone else feeling this way? Help!

I completely understand your concerns. I am going into my senior year of high school but I'm already swamped with college prep (SATs and ACTS, college counseling meetings, AP tests, etc.) I think that it's really up to you to decide what you want to do after high school. Going straight to college isn't for everyone. I know quite a few people who have decided to take a gap year or two to work or travel (if they have the financial means). I do think though that it is important to discuss your options with your college counselor or advisor and to make sure that you and your parents are both on board with whatever you decide to do. College preparation is super stressful but I know for me, I was considering taking a gap year as a way to avoid facing the college admission process because it just seemed so overwhelming. If you do decide to take a gap year, I strongly suggest that you talk about it with other people to avoid making the choice for the wrong reasons. Best of luck to you!