WTF do I wanna do? Throw me a bone...

[EvasiveEF9]

Something dawned on me, tonight. I don't know what the hell I wanna do with my life. And granted, this shouldn't SEEM like a big problem, it kind of is...

I'm 22yrs old. Almost a year down in the Marines. I've got 4yrs left. I'll have just turned 26 when I get out. I've got one (unsuccessful) year of education from NGCSU in Dahlonega. I was only working on general studies, I may have one or two good credits out of there.

But nonetheless, I've started looking into working on my college education while I'm in the service. Why? Well, if you're going to school while active duty, it's pretty much free. Education is one of the bigger reasons I joined the service. When I leave in 2013, I've got an additional 80K$ available to me to put towards "a civilian career" which can include hours flying towards a pilots license, school, on-job-training, or whatever else can be considered "furthering my education" towards my degree or career.

Anyways, I started looking at colleges today to go ahead and get enrolled and get this thing started. Problem is, I don't know what the hell I wanna do! Without that, I can't really head any direction. Any ideas where to start to get information, etc etc?

I've got HUGE interests in automotive engineering and stuff, but the market is too unstable...especially with the economy being down. You've really gotta know someone to get involved, anymore. Plus, I LOVE it as a hobby and don't want to make my hobby my career. I don't want to come home from "work" and say, "no, I really just don't wanna work on the (insert project car here) because I'm sick of seeing cars, today."

I've always had an interest in flying...as a pilot. There's alot involved in getting there, though, and I can't say I can really vouch for the demand for pilots with the economy like it is. And it's kind of a risky path to follow. If ever a plane goes down, even if it's not your fault, you may as well turn in your FAA license. I don't want to spend countless years chasing it, and then for whatever reason not be able to find a job there. It won't be too helpful if all of my education was chasing that path. But I also wouldn't mind getting involved. There seems like there will always be a demand. And the pay is NOT bad...if I can get in the gate. Not to mention the time away from home (wife, hobby-car, etc) could be bothersome.

I've always had huge interest in healthcare and medicine. But again, that's ALOT of school that I don't know if I'll have the time or motivation to follow all the way through to where I wanna be...which is along the lines of surgeon, or anesthetist or possibly pharmacist...if I can focus in chemistry.

What do I do with the Marines? Well, I'm an aviation mechanic...which could be awesome on a resumee to get into the field of flying. By the time I finish, I'll have military, plus 4-5yrs of aviation hands-on experience in hand. I've considered staying career-military, but honestly, I don't know that I want to stay in after my 5yr term. It's fun and all, but I think I'll be ready to be out of such a structured lifestyle and little BS we do routinely here in the service (any branch). Ready to have some freedom and actually make money... (lol to anyone who knows what I mean by having been here).

So...shit, straight up, I don't know what I wanna do. I don't expect IA to make a decision for me, but I can't seem to push myself any one direction. I once did one of those "answer all these questions, and we'll suggest what careers we think you will do well in" type things back in high school, but honestly, my answers have probbaly changed, and I have no idea where it is anyways.

Any thoughts, opinions, etc might help...or, hell, for those of you IN a career (I don't mean jobs...I mean a legit career), how'd you end up there, what got you there, what made you head that way?

Any help or thoughts or whatnot would be awesome appreciated. Even if it is just your :2cents:

Thanks, again, IA!

[Julio]

You are not alone...

[Papa_Smurf]

ben, do planes and ball out homie.

talk to se7en, i believe he was in the service (maybe?) and now he works on the electronics in planes and he makes a decent living.

... pretty sure thats him. lol

[EvasiveEF9]

You are not alone...
With the economy sucking, or in not knowing what I wanna do? LoL.

I considered chasing a business degree, but EVERYONE has a business degree. And thinking for the future, I'm gonna want/need something to make me stand out amongst the crowd in whatever field I go for. Think about it...the economy is gonna open back up, SEVERAL jobs will start to thrive, and many will be hiring (thinking positively here...). I'm gonna need to stand out. I don't know if I can with a business degree...but it's about the only thing that's general enough that I can think of.

[Papa_Smurf]

ben, with 5 years experience in the military, you allready have the upper hand on someone with the same degree, on paper anyway. mixed with 1 or 2 intern jobs within the field and you'd be set.

and the schools can help you with internships and shit too man.

but like you said, it's just up to you to figure out what you wanna do.

[EvasiveEF9]

ben, do planes and ball out homie.

talk to se7en, i believe he was in the service (maybe?) and now he works on the electronics in planes and he makes a decent living.

... pretty sure thats him. lol
He's the right man.

If I'm not mistaken, he now does avionics ("airplane electronics") down in...somewhere south ga. I think he does it for smaller private planes like lear, etc... We spoke of it, but never in detail. I think he was army?

I don't know. He'd definitely be one to speak with. But again, he does avi, not pilot. I looked at the "mech" (little different than avi, but along the same route) income and it just seemed like too many are in a lower paying bracket. While there IS potential to make bank, most of the "statistics" are in a lower bracket.

Please, no one take this as me saying that "none of ya'll are good enough to be where I wanna be." I'm just thinking of future options.

[redrumracer]

go do a discovery flight, i love flying, thats why im learning how to do it now.

[Papa_Smurf]

lol well w/e he does, he seems to be doing aiight.

[EvasiveEF9]

ben, with 5 years experience in the military, you allready have the upper hand on someone with the same degree, on paper anyway. mixed with 1 or 2 intern jobs within the field and you'd be set.

and the schools can help you with internships and shit too man.

but like you said, it's just up to you to figure out what you wanna do.
What'd REALLY be fun is to jump into automotive concept and design. Jump into designing the cars of tomorrow. But OMG math. I'm good at math, but it doesn't mean I like doing it. Aviation and med/healthcare requires it to, but JESUS automotive "theory" as I call it is just absurd.

Besides. I'd bring back the 80's with my design, and it seems no one wants to drop 12K on a CRx.

[Jbauer]

Leave...then do Aviation Maintanence...in the Air Force.
I have a feeling working on planes in the civilian world sucks. They're just as unstable as the automotive industry if not worse.

[EvasiveEF9]

go do a discovery flight, i love flying, thats why im learning how to do it now.
Tell me more...

[redrumracer]

Tell me more...
like just go to basically any flight school and tell them that want to take a discovery flight, its usually like 50 bucks at most and you go up for an hour and actually get to fly the airplane some. sometimes if the instructor feels comfortable enough he will let you land the plane with him assisting the controls.

[94' Accord]

http://mabryonline.org/blogs/pe/softball%20throw.jpg
you a
http://medicalimages.allrefer.com/large/bone-tumor.jpg

[EvasiveEF9]

Leave...then do Aviation Maintanence...in the Air Force.
I have a feeling working on planes in the civilian world sucks. They're just as unstable as the automotive industry if not worse.
...really...

Wasn't aware. Thought they were more stable. I just don't know if I wanna do aviation maintenance. I'd rather fly if I'm to stay in aviation. Something I won't come home covered in grease all the time. I'm assuming you're airforce? Possibly at dobbins?

[EvasiveEF9]

like just go to basically any flight school and tell them that want to take a discovery flight, its usually like 50 bucks at most and you go up for an hour and actually get to fly the airplane some. sometimes if the instructor feels comfortable enough he will let you land the plane with him assisting the controls.
Well, while I haven't landed, I've taken the controls a few times. I've been up three times, flown all three for about a half hour of each 1-to-2hr flight. Not recorded or anything, just messing around and stuff. I really enjoy flying. It's killer fun. Alot of benefits (not monetary) to the field, just not easy to get a stable job flying.

[redrumracer]

Well, while I haven't landed, I've taken the controls a few times. I've been up three times, flown all three for about a half hour of each 1-to-2hr flight. Not recorded or anything, just messing around and stuff. I really enjoy flying. It's killer fun. Alot of benefits (not monetary) to the field, just not easy to get a stable job flying.
its easy to make it stable, just when the hiring boom comes get hired on at the beginning so you get enough seniority to ride out the bad times. and there is a lot more than just airlines.

[EvasiveEF9]

its easy to make it stable, just when the hiring boom comes get hired on at the beginning so you get enough seniority to ride out the bad times. and there is a lot more than just airlines.
Thought about something like cargo. Especially like flying to the carribbean or something. But it seems airlines are more stable, better benefits, and better paying. I could see doing cargo though...

[Vteckidd]

Look into Lockheed Martin or Boeing, maybe not as an aircraft mechanic, but something in a field that interests you. They LOVE military people.

IMO, and you may not like this, id stay in for the 20, youll be 42 with a decent retirement for life, free health care, an 42 is young. Or id at least try to get into a guard type position, 1 weekend a month 2 weeks a year, hard to beat that and what they offer.

My father was a career Air Force, got out after 20 years when he was 46. He gets $55,000 a year in retirement and makes 6 figures now (he was an IT guy and retired as a col) but thats a good way to go IMO.

its hard to think that far down the road, but with what we have facing us economy wise, the safest job is the GOVT IMO

[redrumracer]

Thought about something like cargo. Especially like flying to the carribbean or something. But it seems airlines are more stable, better benefits, and better paying. I could see doing cargo though...
cargo pays shit, there is also corporate flying, research it some, there are many types of flying.