Crushing Boredom.....

[Anonymous]

I am not sure if this is the right place to ask but bear with me.

I'm 22 now, I originally came here seeking help about my sexuality and stuff. That's over now, and I'm ready to move on. Now my problem is just being stuck not knowing what to do with myself.

I am a year away from getting a bachelor's degree but can't finish because I have no money. I also have been unemployed all summer because either I am not qualified for a job, or I'm overqualified and employer's looking for the low end type jobs don't want me because they figure I'll be gone in a year tops... I am so bored I'm losing my mind. I just want to do something crazy. I feel like I've been held back, and limited, my potential to do great things and be somebody has just been taken away. I'm just wasting away around people who are going equally nowhere. I live in desolate place where are virtually no opportunities to do anything. I have no money, I can't leave. I don't know what to do but staying here is not an option, I can't stand it.

I've thought about joining the military (now that gays aren't banned and all) but I don't know if I can get in since I had asthma when I was quite a bit younger. I scored a 99 on their test and I'm in pretty decent physical shape but... yet again, another opportunity probably squandered...

I don't know what to do. I am willing to do something crazy, something risky, because the life I'm living is not for me, I can't go on like this. I feel like all I'm going to hear is "well just keep trying, you'll find something" because that's all I ever hear. I am so bored lately that my mind is half asleep all the time. The world used to be such a fascinating place to me, full of possibilities, but now it just seems like if you have no money or don't know the right people, you're stuck flipping burgers and living a pointless life with no choices. I can do anything there is to do out there, as good or better than anyone out there, but this world will not give me a chance to do it. So is there anything for a poor talented kid to do out there? Or am I just stuck in this lame town doing nothing for the rest of my life? I would gladly opt out and choose not living compared to being where I'm at right now for very much longer.

[Gen]

I entirely know how you feel about wanting to just do something crazy and live. Mine is exactly the opposite though, I have the oppertunity to easily go to medical/law/business school if I wanted to. I have the brains/grades, not to mention it would be easier for me because my parents were in the military so I dont have to pay to go to college/uni in California. So it would be easy for me to go get a steady job high up in the medical field, and naturally it is what everyone always expects the good/smart kids to do. But I cant see myself in a office, emergency room, or company, doing the same thing every day if that wasnt something I would enjoy. I wanted to write more than anything. So instead I'm currently preparing myself to study literature, mythologies/philosophies, and pyschological nuerosciences in college. None of which are very promising job wise ^_^.

But enough about me, what I'm getting at is, what are you studying in college? What type of jobs are you looking for? What are you doing in your life and are you enjoying it? You seem like someone, who, like many people, are living not for your happiness, but just to get by. The feeling of "not living ones own life" is a common issue among people who feel like they are not able to realisticly live the "dreams" they wanted to reach in their lifes. Think about what it is that you want to do thats "crazy". Maybe its not all that crazy at all. Is it something like skydiving? Or maybe just a old childhood dream that was pushed to the side because you didnt believe it was logical?

I would recommend just sitting down and asking yourself what are you doing? And it is what you want to do? What do you want to do?

[Bobbgooduk]

May I ask why you say you cannot leave? Family commitments? Lack of funds?

[Bobbgooduk]

You said you'd thought of joining the military - surely that means you'd thought you'd have to move?

I'm not being challenging - I just need to know so I can think of what to say to you.

I loved away from my home country and work abroad. I wish I'd done it so much sooner.

As an English-speaker, if you follow the training, there are a lot of jobs around the world as English-language teachers - you don't need a degree in English to do it. The course doesn't last long to get a recognized qualification.

It might not be what you want for ever, but it might be worth thinking about to get you out of the rut and into a new environment with new ideas.

[Bobbgooduk]

moved, not loved - sorry!

[TheEdend]

My question is, do you want to finish school or its an eh option right now?

As far as jobs go, right now the main thing that people keep telling me is to do something while you wait for a job to come your way. That can be either volunteering or an internship. Either will show your employer that you are hard worker, with passion and that you take initiative even when you aren't working. It also helps with the boredom. It doesn't help the fact that you need money, but it does get you in contact with people who might be able to help with that department later on.

Another option is to visit the career center at your university. Even if you aren't a student there right now, they are usually really good at helping whoever as long as you were a student at some point. They can help you with resumes, interview skills and even helping you get internships or jobs.

Its tough out there for sure, but the key is to get as many people trying to get you a job as possible. That means tell friends, family, hair stylist (awesome option since they talk to A LOT of people in one day), etc.