I am going to college at NDSU in Fargo, ND this fall for what I assume will be four years, from 2008 to 2012 when I graduate with a bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering.
I have had major second thoughts about doing this lately, and I wrote a couple articles back in the fall and winter of 2006 about why I took a year off (and then ended up taking another year off), but it's official, and I'm going.
I never knew what I wanted to do with my life, and it just hit me today as I was driving back from the Admissions Office: I now know. In the last couple months alone I have found out a lot about myself that has helped me shape my plans for what the rest of my life is going to include.
(1) I am a good writer.
(2) I am good with computers.
I understood these in theory, but didn't really... think about it until recently. And so here are my plans:
Age 20-24
Go to NDSU and get a bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering.
Age 24-30
Find a job in a Computer Engineering related field and work for companies. I would like to be a computer programmer, as since 8th grade I've had a calculator with programming abilities, and have been developing my own small programs ever since, with absolutely no training or research at all; it was all experimentation and trial-and-error. I'd also like to work for Google, but who knows where/what Google will be in five years. This is all in preparation for:
Age 30+
Start my own computer repair business. I could have my own business right now if I wanted to, and it would be strictly ad-based, and I could make decent money off it. But I only currently specialize in software and Internet issues, and I know absolutely 0% about anything related to computer hardware. That is the main purpose of my degree. Do I care about getting the degree? No. I'm going to college for the knowledge I'll gain about everything there is to know about computers to help this business.
Age 30+
Publish books, newspaper columns, whatever. All the computer stuff is all to fuel this. I want to have money so I can write, but since working for yourself obviously gives you a lot more freedoms than "having a job" does, I want to work for myself in an area where I will have a relatively easy time. And it will be to support my writing career. I don't want to write to make money, I want to write to be heard, and that's why I'm not going to get a degree in writing, because in ten years, it will not matter anymore who has a degree and who doesn't. Web 2.0 is changing all of that.
All the paperwork and application fees have been turned in. It's official. This is my future, and I welcome it. It takes advantage of everything I want to take advantage of, and I can live this life with no regrets about what I wanted to do, could have done, or should have done.
Wow! It looks like you really have your future all planned out! Good luck reaching all of your goals! It sounds to me as if you will have no trouble accomplishing these tasks. You are well-prepared!
It sounds like you have some good plans for yourself, I just wish I was as sure as you are. Starting your own business is hard. I know this from my mom. She had her own computer type business. You can do it though it just takes alot of time, money and patience. It sounds like you are off to a great start. I will be honest your plans may change as they do as you get older, but who knows it seems like you adapt well to change.
http://www.progressiveu.org/032913-lupus-uncureable-wait-what
Love comments? I do too!
Oh I assume they will change. In theory, anyway. Which is why I will want to take as many generals as I can first, and save the career/degree-specific classes for the later two or three college years, just in case something happens and I decide I want to be a fireman in Brazil or something.
But something... in the back of my mind is finally satisfied with this plan. I know that I've really found my "calling." Although in theory, I still understand that I thought that way about every other time. It has never been "different this time," though. It's different this time.