If you were 18 years old and...

[FLD3C]

Don't be so shy.

[meierlde]

Quote:

Originally Posted by razztazz Knowing what I know now? Am I 18 in 1975 or 2014? That would affect the military option. Otherwise I'd go for whatever was the fastest way to a steady buck. That would likely be a trade school of some kind. Since there's no inherent necessity to earn a huge amount of money, college up-front would not be necessary.

Actually to factor the draft in make in 1972 (It was abolished in early 1973, and back then the earliest anyone was inducted was 18.5 due to processing times. By 1975 there was no draft thus its just another career choice.

[steelyman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MRG Yea so did I, minor in possession of alcohol. I was married, not living at home. Four of us got caught with a 12 pack. DF found out about it in the local paper. Even though I was not living at home and supporting myself, he failed to see the humor. I'd go into healthcare. Goal would be to get good education and whatever it took to get PT certification. MRG

Mine was for marijuana and booze. We were playing a dance and the other nuts in the band left the stuff in my car. The cops were waiting and gave me a courtesy ride to the police station. But they were really nice, said "Look, you're from XXX, this is YYY" (two different towns). "We'll file this and you're on probation but chances are XXX will never hear about it."

[H2ODude]

I think the op question tends to imply we would change either what we are or how we got to where we are. My early years were a hodge podge of education, and was married at 19 (still am and it's one of my/our greatest assets). Came from a father and his father who were engineers but I went for biology degree and then med school. After a month of med school and realizing impact on married life, dropped out and worked in a warehouse for a year. Also realized I wasn't up to witnessing a lot of pain and suffering. After reading want ads in the paper realized engineers made a lot more $$ than scientists, so got BSCE and MS (while DW supported me). First three years of consulting engineering were misery and I wondered why I ever left med school! Then hit my stride in utilities management.

So my point is I appeared to make mistakes along the way, but I would not change a thing. We all have to stub our toes, break a bone or two, maybe get arrested. In the end though, if you can look back and realize how all of this built who you are and you are reasonably happy, it was all the price to be where you are, who you are. Not to say there aren't a ton of mistakes that are pretty much irreparable (jail sentences, broken families with really bad consequences) but if you try hard you can end up with what you want.

One of lessons we taught our kids over and over was they needed a career that paid the bills but that they were going to have to do it for a long long time so choose carefully and be willing to change. Both ended up engineers (chemical). They've made some rather substantial decisions regarding careers that have made for some interesting lives. If you asked either of them the "what would you tell yourself at 18" I don't think you'd get any deep life altering suggestions.

So, while if you posed this kind of a question in my 20's I'd probably have had some pretty strong suggestions. Now at 62 I'm good with all I did. And what I didn't do!

[razztazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by meierlde Actually to factor the draft in make in 1972 (It was abolished in early 1973, and back then the earliest anyone was inducted was 18.5 due to processing times. By 1975 there was no draft thus its just another career choice.

Has nada to do with the draft. I meant that considering it at a time when war was highly NOT likely vs a time when it's all war all the time would be a factor.

Ultimately tho I had no real choice. At the time, as Dick Armey said, all the capitalists were trying to prove Marx was right. The home environment was shtty. The only goal in life was to jump. Job, money, drag the bag on my own. There were no "choices."

[Jack_Pine]

Probably would have gotten an engineering degree. Easier to consult after retiring.

But who knows? I have a marketing degree and am now running an IT department.

BTW, They just stopped the draft in time. We had to get numbers and I drew 6.

[HFWR]

Buy MO...

[38Chevy454]

Would go down same path as I am: BS Engineering; although now it seems wise to go on to MS or even PhD if you can afford to keep going. Have to be able to handle the math and science for engineering.

Alternatively, go into medical, nursing is good way to always be in demand and can live anywhere you want. Nursing jobs are everywhere. If you can do the further schooling, become an MD.

Going into military as officer is a good path. If you can get into one of the military colleges, then come out with officer rank and move up. Put in 20 years and get reasonable pension and have enough time for another career choice. Military will give lot of opportunities for leadership that can be used on outside. Plus you can get the education paid for. Current military pay for officers is close to civilian side, not as far below as used to be. One drawback is have to be willing to move around during those 20 years for change of assignments.

[Meadbh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 38Chevy454 Would go down same path as I am: BS Engineering; although now it seems wise to go on to MS or even PhD if you can afford to keep going. Have to be able to handle the math and science for engineering. Alternatively, go into medical, nursing is good way to always be in demand and can live anywhere you want. Nursing jobs are everywhere. If you can do the further schooling, become an MD.

I'm an MD and would rather have been an engineer. The MD lifestyle is a killer unless you are a dermatologist. 💀

[redduck]

Simple decision: I find a field where there was a predicted shortage of skilled labor. So...

If I were 18, and knowing what I know today, (actually, I learned of this yesterday on another thread started by MasterBlaster):

Modern Problems - Clown Shortage Looms

"Oh no !

As if we don't have enough to worry about. A Looming Clown Shortage may affect us all !

As the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus returns to Brooklyn Thursday, membership at the country's largest clown organizations has plunged over the past decade."

[imoldernu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsmeow If I was 18 and know what I know now, I would have majored in Psychology going on to a PhD.

Neat!!!That was my original plan, and I DID major in Abnormal Psych. The
Army, and marrying the love of my life (since age 7) put a small crimp into the original plans... no regrets...

and... as mentioned inthe OP... my grandson will go his own way, without my counsel... He's in IMSA now and will likely be able to pick and choose... (but I hope he'll include some of the humanities in his plans).....

[marko]

I'd tell a youngster today to look into the physical therapy field. Huge growth potential from the boomers. DW needed PT last month and it was quite a scramble to find someone who had a slot.

Back in 1970, I wish I had heeded the advice of a lot of buddies to avoid "the dreaded private sector" and to jump on the MBTA, RMV or court system train. Many of them retired well before 50 with full pension and medical.

[Act2]

My path was right for me then. Liberal arts undergrad in 3 years, law school, eventual MBA. But today I'd suggest an 18 year old like me take college credit classes while still in high school, go to community college and live at home to complete those first two years, go to a state school instead of a pricey private one, and double major -- with one major being either engineering or computer science and the other being whatever
I think my passion is.

I am happy my choices panned out for me. I'm not sure I'd be so lucky if starting out today.

[Pleeplus]

This is actually something I have thought of in the past. For me it is less about the degree and more about the college experience. Having chosen the working path over college right out of high school I feel like I missed out on the true college experience. The lifelong friendships that are formed, the events (good and bad), stepping away from the safety of home for the first time with others that are going through the same event and growing into a young adult while bettering myself with an education.

Growing up on the east coast I would pick a school somewhere in the south to complete the unique experience and to feel like I truly stepped out of my comfort zone and into another phase of my life.

Regarding degrees, I would choose the same degrees I currently have (undergrad in IT, and masters in business) which have allowed me to be successful by walking the fine line between true business yet having the ability to communicate with the technical side.

......but again for me it is less about the degree and more about the experience of growing up in school.

[Rustic23]

I would go to the easiest college I could find with an Air Force ROTC. I would not worry about the degree, as I would plan on retiring after the AF. However, looking at the need for airline pilots currently and in the next five to ten years, I would try to fly. At any rate become an Air Force Officer and do pretty much the same thin I did.

If you check the trends on this board. Retired military officers do quite well in the early retirement since. Will it be that way in the future. Who Knows! But it has been that way for at least the last fifty years.

[Socal Tom]

It depends on the kid. If he is motivated and ready for college, then send him. If he's not sure, then have him work or volunteer for the year, maybe through in some travel to 3rd world. As a Manager, I found many smart graduates that thought that after college, they should be promoted to CEO after they had been working for a year, so getting the understanding the call it work for a reason, and that manual labor can get old fast is something that might help keep him motivated for college.
Tom

[Lucantes]

I wouldn't change a thing.
Not that everything has been perfect throughout my last 29 years (age 18 to 47) but if I went back and changed something then I wouldn't be who I am now, and I kinda like me and my life as it is.
If I followed a different path then I wouldn't have ended up in the USAF after a failed attempt at college, wouldn't have learned the discipline that I needed or the technical trade that led me overseas, wouldn't have married my wife in 2012 and wouldn't be on our current path of ER in 2017 at age 50.
No, I wouldn't change a thing....life is good!

[Gumby]

At 18, three weeks after graduating from high school, I left home with $20 in my pocket and the clothes I was wearing on my back to join the Navy. At the time, it was the one and only chance a poor kid had of getting away from a sleepy little Midwestern town. Looking back, I have occasionally thought about how I might have done things differently, and I have always concluded that I would do the same thing again. The Navy was good for me; it made me grow up and gave me the idea that, with hard work and smart decisions, I might just make something of myself. I particularly appreciated the idea that I didn't need to guess what it would take to be successful in that environment. They said "do this, and the better you do it, the more successful you will be." I took to that like a duck to water. I feel sorry sometimes for kids today, who must grapple with what the world demands, and figure out for themselves how to be successful.

The Navy gave me a college education, a challenging job, and a skill that I then put to good use when I left to return to civilian life. The discipline that I learned in the service later helped me complete law school and then helped me prepare for early retirement. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity that they gave a young, dumb kid long ago.

So, for my money, if you're 18, you can't go far wrong serving our country.

[SVHoper]

I am an Electrical Engineer, with an MBA much later. This has been very enjoyable and interesting, with a huge amount of variety. However, with lots multi-year part-time and breaks for kids... it has not been an outrageous career success.

I would tell my 18 year old self to suck up the extra workload and add computer science degree (I could have had the extra degree with one extra year and a bunch more work), and this would have weighted me to programming projects and management.

Instead now in partial retirement, I will learn to program for fun... at least that is the plan.

[photoguy]

Go into firefighting.