Hi. I'm going to just cut to the chase and let you know that I'm looking for some advice. I hope that maybe someone here has been in a similar situation that could tell me what they did and how it worked out for them. I have severe wanderlust. Not only that but I also fear that my life is headed nowhere. I'm 24 and about to start at a major university for my 4-year degree, I got my 2-year Associates at a local community college. I understand that that means I only have to work hard for two years to graduate, but I'm wondering if it's what I really want for myself. It might just be summer and not being in school but I'm finding it harder and harder each day to convince myself that this is the right path for me. There is a large part of me that wants to sell as much of my belongings as possible and travel the country in search of a better existence. I feel like I'm not alive, as if I'm not living the adventure we were meant to live. I'm maybe a weird case. I'm studying physics because I'm good at it, but I'm more of a poet, writing my feelings down as they come. That isn't to say that I don't enjoy physics, I do love it, but I don't know what to do with myself when I get emotional like this. I suppose what I'm asking is, should I finish college or pack up and look for my own adventure? I realize it's a heavy question, one no one here but I am prepared to make, I just need some extra input. Has anyone else been in a similar situation?
I haven't been in a situation like that before ZB myself, but ultimately, the final decision will come down to which option you feel is the best one for you, both in the short-term, and the long-term. If you feel like the university degree is weighing you down, and preventing you from travelling the world, and going on new adventures, then to pack your bags and leave would be logical - but again, it depends on which course of action you want to take, and how you wish to approach it. That's my take on it, but I'm sure someone here who has been in a similar experience to yours, will be able to shed more light on how to approach it all.
I had exactly that feeling for long time. There is a point what you exactly mean with traveling, how long you want to stay in each place and the most important how you want to finance that dream...?? I was always thinking to leave, I tried to have an activity which gives me the opportunity to travel a lot but it wasn't enough. I dreamed of changing place quite often, I felt like prisoner after staying too long in a place. After finish University I start changing places but not in that model I dreamed for. I was ready to cache any opportunity to leave: job, business, curse or what ever. My wish was to leave and stay for a wile in a new place, settle down for a short time and continue moving, continue being alive. The first point was if I could find a job in the new place. I don't care, and I did many kind of jobs even not what I study for, but the job case is a problem. Not any country's law support foreigners official for work, the places are new, people aren't every where that friendly and you really now many people in many places but you will not have much friends. Now maybe you mean you are going to move inside your country, changing states, depends on you, how often, that would be easier and maybe covers your wish. I'm 35 now, I have been and have lived in many countries and cities far away from Europe where I come from, my maximum stay is about two years in each place. I'm in a place the last 5 months and I feel every day more ready to start the adventure again! I know many people in many places but I really don't have that much friends, even if I don't care about it's a point. I think if i could live my life again, I would move more... Think about and if you need any advice give a shot!
I've been doing a lot of research on backpacking. I would start with my home country (U.S.), and maybe do Europe after I've grown accustomed to traveling. I'm pretty computer savvy and a pretty good writer. For money I was thinking I might be able to design websites and do a bit of travel writing, whether for someone else or from a blog on my own accord. Either way I'm really feeling the need to leave and to just get out and actually live. Too many people I know do the daily race, zombified, living but never actually knowing what it means to LIVE. I want that feeling like I know exactly what needs to be done tomorrow morning, not because it's something that I should do but because it's something that if I don't do it I could very well go without a meal. I know that probably sounds strange. The point is I don't really feel like I'm appreciating the fact that I'm alive going the way I'm going, and I'm particularly unhappy and unsatisfied with my current way. I'll obviously need to give myself plenty of time to save the money, that wasn't apparent to me when I first made this post. I think that if I could possibly make a good enough living from online work, I'd be able to do it. I'm just wondering if I really should. I admit I'm frightened to do it. But I have the gravest feeling that if I don't do this I'll never forgive myself. I have a feeling that if I don't I'll never be brave enough to really do anything outside of a comfortable 9-5 and sitcom. I don't want to live a life like that.
When I was 23, my life was horrible and I was miserable, every day sucked, I lived for the weekends and even then just pissed them away trying to sleep with lots of women. I truly hated my job. Unlike you, though, I never liked school so I dropped out of high school and didn't have the prospect of a degree. Anyway, I saved up a little money and moved to Australia for a year to become a personal trainer. It was awesome. Once I was certified and had established a small client base, I worked 3 days a week, only one morning out of those three days. I was just getting by, but man, I had a blast. On the way back home at the end of the year, I stopped for six weeks in Malaysia and Thailand. That was it, I was hooked - six months of hard work, came back to south east Asia, and traveled around it for nine months. I also discovered scuba diving on my first trip there, and became a divemaster during my nine month trip. Back home to save up money again, six months again, then back to Thailand to become an instructor. Two years later, here I am, earning enough teaching scuba diving to be able to save a bit of money, living in a great house and have pretty much everything I wanted. Way beyond anything I could have imagined five years ago when I first decided to leave home. I agree money isn't important, but it allows for comfort and luxury, which you will eventually want. When I was backpacking, I didn't care at all about those things, now I'm a bit older and have felt plenty of discomfort, so I would rather have my luxury. If you are eager to get out soon, and not spend time to save money, you can easily go be an English teacher here in Asia, and probably in Africa or S-America as well.. In Bangkok, or Korea, you will likely earn better money teaching English than you would in a menial job in the US. There is no experience or education requirement, at least not in Thailand, you just need to be a native speaker. This is just a suggestion, of course, it's a really easy way to go about it, but not everyone wants to teach. In any event, there's plenty of job options for you around the world, it's just about finding them. As for fear, I always figured, what's the worst that could happen? (Well, in your case, there is the whole chance at an education thing) There's always jobs, if things don't work out, I could return to my old shitty life. As soon as you take the first step, you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner. I think it is highly unlikely you would regret a decision to go traveling - everyone I've spoken with who have similar stories to mine agree it is the best choice they ever made. I'd recommend going a bit further than US/Europe though, especially if you are saving up first. Those places will be much more expensive. Plus they're not going to be that different from the world you already know. Best of luck with your trip.
I'm about to have my degree and it's torturer. I feel it was a waste of time. Don't put yourself in debt before traveling either, I'm lucky I didn't. I'm going to get the hell out of here after this semester.
