Should I continue college? Laid off

[CrossFit415]

Hey, I'm getting laid off and I'm also going to a community college. I have two more classes to finish and I'm going to State.

However I'm getting stressed about being laid off. I won't be able to make car payments, won't go out as much and won't have income.

I was thinking about joining the Air Force and be an engineer over there, a job that can translate great into the civilian world. While in the Air Force I can pursue classes online to reach my degree.

I have a girlfriend and I don't want to leave her. But feel the need to step up. What should I do?

 

[Pengwuino]

If you just need two more classes to finish, just finish them. Are you capable of getting financial aid upon attending a university?

And "going out" is the first thing you'll have to deal with giving up.

Going to the military is a BIG decision. Dropping out of college is fine. Dropping out of the military is a federal offense. Not that there is anything bad about going to the military to prepare you for a career, it's just that it requires much more consideration than most other decisions in life. You're not going to be a proper engineer by going to the air force, but you will gain something out of it.

 

[bcrowell]

Military recruiters are used car salesmen. Don't trust anything they promise you unless it's in writing, and possibly not even if it is in writing. If you know someone who is a veteran who you can talk to, they can give you advice about dealing with a military recruiter.

Being stressed out about car payments is not a good reason to make a major decision like dropping out of college and going into the military. Sell the car and use public transportation. It can be done -- even here in LA, where I live.

 

[CrossFit415]

Lol. Thanks for your responses. I just feel a sense of failure and dissapointment that I'm losing my job. I won't be able to pay half of my rent. But I don't want to rely on unemployement to pay everything for me.

I also talked to my co worker who's in he same situation, he says there are no jobs avaliable, which is the cherry on the top.

I just feel frustrated that I've been stagnant throughout my years I started college in 05. My friends are already ahead.

Now my other plan is to live off unemployement, take school more seriously I have 4 more years ahead. Ill be getting my degree around 28 or 29 in ee engineering.

Plus I'm not born a genuis so I struggle with math classes unless I practice for hours. I even had to drop trig this semester. But ill make it up in summer. I know I can do this.

My interests are technology, how they work, air planes, space, computers, video games, anything that runs on electricity captures my interest. Also I like to question life, how we got here, and questioning about the universe.

Its just wake up call for me..

Thanks

 

[bcrowell]

Once your income from your job goes away, you will probably be eligible for more need-based financial aid, either grants or loans.

I know it's stressful to be unemployed, but try to redefine it in your mind as a positive. Now you can concentrate full-time on reaching your full potential in school.

 

[erok81]

I was in the exact same boat as you earlier this year. Thankfully my wife works (I assume your GF works too?) and we made it work. It took me about two months to get a job offer. And I wasn't trying as hard as I could be. Call centers in the US are always hiring it seems. You can also talk to your car loan bank and see if they will defer a couple months payments. I've had to do that a couple times over my life.

Like others have said, don't just immediately think of dropping out of school. Especially if you only have a couple classes left.

And lastly, who cares about your friends and how far they are ahead of you. Yeah sure it sucks, I complain about work and school to all of my friends that are long done with school. Not much you can do about that.

Oh...you also can't live off of unemployment. In my state if you get caught doing that, it is a felony and big time fines. They audit all the time.

 

[lisab]

Don't rely on your coworker for information about the job market. Remember, both of you are in a situation where it's very easy (and human) to become pessimistic and bitter. So when he says there are no jobs, take it with a grain of salt.

Have you started your job search?

 

[CrossFit415]

+I'm able to get financial aid. My grades are slipping but I can recover..

+My gf works yea. My cars paid off just need to worry about insurance and gas. Gas price going up. So ill keep the car and use transportation..

+Haven't searched jobs yet. I just got the news today. Ill search once I straighten things out.

+Yea its easy to be pessimistic. But to be realistic I too searched jobs online for a second job a month back and non contacted me. I hope the job market gets better.

 

[Pengwuino]

Never search for jobs online, it's a waste of time. I read a few articles a while back that pointed to some surveys done with people who are in charge of businesses hiring and something like 10% of jobs are found through want-ads and online postings.

 

[CrossFit415]

Ahh I see. I didn't know that, I'll keep note.

 

[Pengwuino]

Ahh I see. I didn't know that, I'll keep note.

Yup just ask people you know if they know anyone hiring, go right up to businesses and see if they are hiring, be very direct.

If my lazy nephew can continually get jobs (and be fired from them 2 weeks later), anyone can get a job in this economy

 

[zif.]

Plus I'm not born a genuis so I struggle with math classes unless I practice for hours.

Your classmates that do really well in math classes and seem to really 'get it'?

They practice for hours.


Also, you don't need to really give up 'going out'... Just don't drink. Yes it sucks, but you learn to deal with it and you can still have a good time.

...plus that going out should be limited to one night per week, and the rest getting in that math practice :P

 

[CrossFit415]

If my lazy nephew can continually get jobs (and be fired from them 2 weeks later), anyone can get a job in this economy

Haha. Nice. Congrats to your nephew haha.

Your classmates that do really well in math classes and seem to really 'get it'?

They practice for hours. They practice for hours.

Hey you're right. It seems they raise their hands and baam! They know the answers just like that. haha.

That's what I do and I notice my brain expanding when I study for hrs and I recall the materials easily. But when it comes to the test, some problems show up that I didn't get to study a lot on, then just end scoring low.

My goal is to reach complicated abstract levels of math. If others of high intelligence can do this, why can't I? Why can't I learn complicated math? ...So that's one of my main goals.

 

[HeLiXe]

Hi Crossfit :)

Once your income from your job goes away, you will probably be eligible for more need-based financial aid, either grants or loans.

I know it's stressful to be unemployed, but try to redefine it in your mind as a positive. Now you can concentrate full-time on reaching your full potential in school.

^^I really like what is said here. I got laid off twice, the last time from a really good job that I enjoyed. It took me two months to find another job, and when I finally found one, I had to take one that paid less than half of what I was getting paid before. I was still able to manage, but it really made me determined to get a degree and pursue what I love. So I would also say stick with it. I know you just got the news and you are thinking about everything :)

 

[CrossFit415]

Hey Helixe, thank you for your response.
That's truly an inspirational story about how you pursued your degree.

We can gain comfort through bad economic times with stories shared here.

I believe we just have to say positive my friends. Be positive and work hard in math, physics, sciences and courses leading toward your degrees and it will be worth all the struggles in the end.