Orange Amps Forum

I've been reading he fourm for the past month or two.....and Im still saving up for my introduction to Orange.....

You guys (and gals?) seem to be a smart bunch.....I'd figure I'd ask.....

I just graduated from my high school here in Chicago, IL...(Lane Tech College Prep) back in June.....I decided to be an idiot (at least for now...) and not enroll to a college.....Its almost September now....and Im really thinking that I made the wrong choice.....then again how am I supposed to spend money on college when I full DONT know what I wanna do with my life.....

I enjoy photography.....and of course I LOVE music (what musician doesnt?).....Photography from what I've obsreved...is really hit or miss.....its not exactly a career....more so a hobby.......and as far as giging.....I'd love to do it....its just that.....I dont think Im good enough...and I also figure its not exactly the most stable way to live (although it WOULD be fun...)

My question to you guys.....what did you guys and gals do after high school? Any advice for this young adult?

Thanks a lot guys.....

-Ian

Man I would go to the University of Chicago if I had a chance. Great school.

Ian~
Can't you still get into a Community college?
Get all your prerequisites out of the way...and
take some fun classes...

I went straight into college right out of High School.

Bunch of my friends took the year off and hitch hiked all over
the USA and Canada...They came back with some incredible experiences
and stories, no one go hurt, somehow...Don't think that's the sort
of thing you do these days.

<h2>...see if you can get a summer job working
at a recording studio!</h2>

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by ICEisNice</i>
<br />I just graduated from my high school here in Chicago, IL
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Me too, I'm from Chicago and I graduated from Archbishop Quigley Prepatory High School in 2004. Don't worry i was also lost I ended applying last minute to the University of Illinois at Urbana -Champaign, to do major in chemical engineering. Don't know why I picked but I hated that school just went because it is ranked 3rd for engineering and my friends went there, but I hated it and dropped out of college. Mark is right after I dropped out I enrolled at Harold Washington College (a community college in downtown) so I can figure out what i wanted to do took a lot of gened courses so when i transfer to a university they counted, and also so I can find something I liked. The good thing about Harold Washington is if you are enrolled for fulltime and get an A average they pay for your classes, so i only had to pay for my books and train fare. But i ended taking alot of the japanese courses there and decided i wanted to major in japaneses, but the only problem the only two schols that offered that major were University of Chicago, and Depaul so I applied to the university of chicago and got accepted but i realized there is no way i can the 40,000 a year tuition even with loans, so rejected the acceptance offer. Long story short(too late:D)I am attending the University of Illinois at Chicago and i am still deciding between Biological science and neuroscience. Basically just find what you like if you like photography go for it then, even if you don't make alot of money at least you'll be happy. The only reason i chose egineering was forthe money but i realized i would be miserable doing that. I rather be happy with what i do, than make alot of money and hate my job. Hope this helps Ian, and don't be discouraged if you are backtracked I'm a year and a half behind in school should be a senior but i only have enough credits to be a sophmore. but i am still young (21) and have plenty of time. Ot... i will probably go to unversity of chicago either for grad school or med school depending what i choose for my major.

-Ignacio

i just graduated in '06, lucky for me i have a family business (general contracting) that i am able to go in to. needless to say, i've had some people tell me i should've gone to school anyway, others reassuring me that i made the right choice. there is a constant demand for this work in my area and good help is always disappearing never mind immigration issues... and i digress. i am so far very pleased with my decision, it allows a career, money for living, money for hobby (music), downtime for hobby and i will also be my own boss some day as long as everything goes to plan. i feel very lucky to have this situation and certainly don't take it for granted. i definitely felt lost before i made the final decision to go into the business though, i think everyone goes through it though... i'd say a community college is definitely the right step so that you don't have to get back into the swing of school and classes later on. it allows you time to figure out what you want to do but also doesn't halt making progress to getting to where you need to be to start that career. good luck with it all, plenty of time ahead of you still.

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by ICEisNice</i>
.....I decided to be an idiot (at least for now...) and not enroll to a college.....<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Don't worry. I Majored in Idiocy and Minored in Asininity.

It is a bit late for University. I would hop down to the local Community College and take a couple courses.

Take classes that will transfer over to University. While you are there, Meet some new people, and decide on what you want. And, you will not be wasting your time.

Find something that you love and make it your passion.

Go to Mike Marshalls Luthier school!!! Or one of the better recording / engineering / AV schools. Ck out "Tape Op" magazine online, or sign up for the free subscription (Great mag, all of you guys should sign up while it's still free). Lots of good info on how to get into the music production business.. My 2 cents worth..
Bryce
Here's a list of some of the schools by state.. http://www.luthiersinternational.org/thelist.htm

Go to a technical trades school and take welding. TIG and STICK. Skilled trades are the way to go because the boomers are retireing and everyone in the last 15 years has been a big pussie and taken "suit" jobs.
All those geezers need pills, pharmaseutical companies need new bioreactors to keep patents on thier drugs. = LOTS OF STAINLESS STEEL WELDING AND PIPE FITTING
Trust me

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by hellhazard</i>
<br />Go to a technical trades school and take welding. TIG and STICK. <b>Skilled trades are the way to go</b> because the boomers are retireing and everyone in the last 15 years has been a big pussie and taken "suit" jobs.
All those geezers need pills, pharmaseutical companies need new bioreactors to keep patents on thier drugs. = LOTS OF STAINLESS STEEL WELDING AND PIPE FITTING
Trust me


<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

That's the some of the best advice I've ever heard. There's also lot's of dough in plumbing and electrical contracting.

Turning wrenches on BMW's and Benz's has been good to me.... A good tech makes more than many lawyers these days.... Think about what you like, and what skills you have.... And keep asking questions.. good job man!!!

Going to university was the absolutely best thing, by a very long shot, that I have ever done. I am not talking about "look where it got me" or "there were great parties and buddies" - It is simply the best time because (roughly in order):
A) Intellectually stimulating
B) Carefree while still productive
C) You are with your friends ALL the time
D) Good parties
E) ALL of the above combined

Also, keep this in mind - it will NEVER be the wrong decision to get higher education. You may want to work with your hands in the end, which is fine. But if you go down that path now you may close a lot of doors in the future

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by ICEisNice</i>
<br />and as far as giging.....I'd love to do it....its just that.....I dont think Im good enough...and I also figure its not exactly the most stable way to live (although it WOULD be fun...)
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

i dont think anyone is "good enough" without alot of hardwork and practice, so if music is what you love to do, then play music.... i think if you put everything you have into it, you wont regret it. i think everyone is scared that they wont have what it takes so they never really try to do it... and so it never happens.
i know alot of people are going to disagree :p just my opinion

I finished high school with no intention of going to university. I worked for two years before deciding to go to university, and now I'm halfway through. Theres no way I would have been ready for uni straight out of high school.

Its different in NZ though, you aren't expected to do tertiary study like you are in America, but most people I know have a degree or are working on one.

Hey Hero, what part of NZ are you from?

dude, if more 'school' isn't your thing right now, why don't you work for 6 months, then travel/work overseas for the next six, come back (or stay overseas) and do university (college) then?