A Note to "WannaBe" Pros

[Indiana]

Just don't buy a bunch of [censored] when you get outta college with your first job and you will be ok. Tying yourself down with material obligations will make you miserable in the long run and keep you from being flexible and happy like you were in college.

Indy

This is my first post here, I've been lurking awhile, but this really got my interest.

I'm 33, got a civil engineering degree and have been working full time for seven years. Yes, that's an 8 year graduation plan. I had too much fn fun. I switched majors 6 times and easily had enough credits upon graduation for a P.h.D. Too bad they were spread all over the place.

My first job paid $30k in 1999. I'm now in the mid six figures. I do what I went to school for. I build bridges & roads. Everything I thought I wanted. I've got money, I'm married (no kids) and live in SoCal. What could be better? Then why am I miserable. Everyone is proud of me. Everyone is impressed with what I do. I have a lot of respect and a bit of prestige. So, why am I miserable?

The past seven years are a blur. I've accomplished a ton, but at what expense. Hardly a vacation, and no change in sight. Daily grind is out the door at 6am, home at 6pm. No life. Weekends are a blur. The only saving grace I have is I haven't loaded myself down w/ kids, mortgage, car payments and debt like the rest of society. Why? Cause then i'd really be phucked and have this career tied around my neck.

What's the point? My best time was college...BY FAR. School itself sucked, but the social interaction, learning experiences are PRICELESS. It doesn't matter if you're not going to get a degree and use it. JUST GET IT. It's so much easier at that age than later. Life is a long road. Don't be trying to catch up. You won't regret having that degree.

If I had it to do all over again? I'd get my degree, and if I was in a position of talent or had any poker skill, I'd give it a shot and do what you love, I'd go for it. Who cares if what you do is socially acceptable if you're gonna wake up one day at 65 and not remember your life cause you did what everyone said you should

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What's the point? My best time was college...BY FAR. School itself sucked, but the social interaction, learning experiences are PRICELESS. It doesn't matter if you're not going to get a degree and use it. JUST GET IT.

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So, you had a great social life and learned a bit about life. Absolutely nothing says the only place you can do that is in college.

You say you're smart not to have piled up debt, but most college grads finish school with lots of debt -- debt they likely wouldn't have were it not for school.

[tjh]

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You say you're smart not to have piled up debt, but most college grads finish school with lots of debt -- debt they likely wouldn't have were it not for school.

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College is valuable but is it worth 60K in debt ?? I doubt it. I was/am too flaky to manage that much debt. This whole "student loan == financial assistance" is BS. Loaning any old 20 year old who comes along 30K is foolish for both parties. It certainly is not guaranteed to "help" the 20 year old.

The smartist (spelling humor...heh heh) thing someone could do is to pay for college with poker winnings.


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friends and human contact beyond screen names and PMs is becoming more important to my overall happiness.

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I hear that !!!
I programmed for a few years and all this sitting in front of a monitor stuff is getting old. I worked from home programming and slowly went crazy, a good day of freelance coding meant no human contact. I refuse to let Poker do the same thing. Now I teach computer stuff so I get to talk to people. The internet part of poker is a double edged sword.

--
tjh

[The Yugoslavian]

Thanks for starting this retarded thread SFB.

I don't even think I can accept your free bevos & pizza next time around, [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img].

Yugoslav
<font color="white">Okay...fine....I'll accept [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img].</font>

[TheNoodleMan]

One freaking loss and you change your avitar? For shame!

[The Yugoslavian]

skipperbob,

One note about being pro for a year at B&amp;M...it usually helps if you're a winning player, [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Yugoslav