In need of some life advice...

[2mAn]

I REALLY wish something like that existed near me, I expected to find something like that too and was quite surprised to find out they just don't have anything like that, at least not within 50 miles of me, I have been researching it for two years. I looked into going to school in Ohio where my Dad lives, but community college cost 3x as much there as it does in California, and he is in such an low population, economically depressed, heroin-infested area that it wouldn't be a good move anyway. I feel really stuck, and have for an incredibly long time. I put a lot of effort into not panicking completely, really stressed out from worrying about the future. I just want to earn a living wage at a full-time job again, like I was able to do in my 20s. I have given up on ever having my shit together enough to have a woman or kids or anything, I'm racing the running-out of my minimal retirement savings that I have been living off of for years

Thanks for the wisdom and sorry for the hijack.

Maybe its time to take up a new hobby and learn how to invest in the stock market. Done well, you could get really good returns, yes its risky, but at this point what do you have to lose? Its basically like gambling, but you could do it within a retirement account and reduce your tax bill by maxing out your contributions. Arent you in San Diego? There has to be something out there...

[Vincent Brick]

I don't know anything about finance or gambling, but have been trying to learn the last few years since I was forced to move an old 401k into an IRA. I'm not a fan of capitalist systems but I will admit that money management does interest me enough I have contemplated trying to go to school for it, I am very good with managing what little money I have and attribute it to how well I live despite a lifetime of low income. I'm in Oceanside, there isn't shit for jobs in North County, and employers in San Diego don't want to hire me because I live so far away (commuting 3-4 hours a day in an E30 is no fun either), but I can't afford to move to SD unless someone actually pays me real money. I've been working with a state employment program for the past year but they haven't been able to find anything for me either that isn't part-time/minimum wage. I have some health and medication issues too that prevent me from taking a lot of jobs that normal people can work.

After the side job I have been doing wiring up an MGB EV conversion over the past couple months, along with past years of automotive electrical experience, I am almost tempted to spend a grand on Weatherpack connectors and various supplies and try to start up doing track/drift/offroad electrical. Supposedly there is demand in SD, just not sure how to link up with customers.

I have to try not to talk about this stuff much. Thanks for the advice.

[KIRIEIW]

I ended up taking BMW's A.S. degree program at a local community college that happened to offer it. You take 4x BMW classes and another 6x or so general automotive. Your trained on brand new 2017 vehicles (as of the time this is written, 2018 next year) and you walk out as a level 3 tech, level 4 being the lowest, level 1 being the highest.

There are also MULTIPLE locations that offer BMW's "STEP" program that provides you with FREE training, you walk out a level 1 if I'm not mistaken. Its a 1 year program or something and all you pay for is food and rent. The catch with STEP is you sign a contact saying you'll work as a technician at a dealership for a minimum of 1yr or you'll be penalized a $10k fine because of the fact training/ books where free.

http://www.bmwstep.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-NK0l9uE1wIVEHZ-Ch3qbAViEAAYASAAEgJMHvD_BwE

http://www.bmwstep.com/programs/bmw-automotive/

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[NEOe30]

Back in Business

Hey all, just wanted to thank everyone for the motivation and figured a follow up would be nice for anyone who is in the situation I was and for anyone who was kind enough to reply. Inevitably I failed my class I was having the worst trouble in with a D+ (C is passing at my university). I'm proud to report that I just got an 87% on the same exam which I received a 64% last semester. I'm on par to bump my gpa out of academic probation after this semester. Talking to my parents, girlfriend, peers, and you guys helped me realize that I need to focus on myself. To anyone who may be in the position that I was, get to those morning classes. Get to office hours for professors. Sit down and figure out what needs to be done, what extra credit or late credit you can get and get it done. Try to sit in for a weekend or only pick one social activity and try to stay focused. Hit the library if you have loud roommates or neighbors. Make time for it.

[superj]

good job, man!

I am glad you got things going again.

[geovangelist]

Hey all, just wanted to thank everyone for the motivation and figured a follow up would be nice for anyone who is in the situation I was and for anyone who was kind enough to reply. Inevitably I failed my class I was having the worst trouble in with a D+ (C is passing at my university). I'm proud to report that I just got an 87% on the same exam which I received a 64% last semester. I'm on par to bump my gpa out of academic probation after this semester. Talking to my parents, girlfriend, peers, and you guys helped me realize that I need to focus on myself. To anyone who may be in the position that I was, get to those morning classes. Get to office hours for professors. Sit down and figure out what needs to be done, what extra credit or late credit you can get and get it done. Try to sit in for a weekend or only pick one social activity and try to stay focused. Hit the library if you have loud roommates or neighbors. Make time for it.

Right on! I'm going to share your message (anonymously) with some of my students who struggle academically and with motivation. Can't agree with you more about the morning classes and going to see your professors during office hours. Sage advice!

[NEOe30]

Right on! I'm going to share your message (anonymously) with some of my students who struggle academically and with motivation. Can't agree with you more about the morning classes and going to see your professors during office hours. Sage advice!

Go ahead! I'm proud of my progress and hope that it'll help others too. Thanks for the compliments. Good luck to your students!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Robels]

It just depends on what you want to do in your life. Today you can find so much information in internet that its absurd. You only need degree if you pretty much want to apply for some company where they want you to show the paper to them. I also quit my business management bachelor degree in last semester, but thats just because i actually dont need it for my career. For example im into stock/currency trading so i dont need a degree from school to do it. I can learn everything from internet/other different sources on my own. I guess if you want to work on cars for a living, you also dont need the diploma as you could easily learn everything just doing it or by learning it from others.

Just do what you really want to do. Dont do something in your life because others tell you to do it. You will never be happy with what you do. I know alot of people who have problems with their parents, as their parents want them to just study and get a degree. As I told before, the only way i see where education is needed if you are going the other route and aiming to work for somebody else. I will never work for somebody as you can find different routes in your life where you can make any amount of cash by your self. That doesnt mean that you dont need to know anything... you do, you will need to find and learn everything by yourself, but in my case its not a problem. I want to learn, but i learn what i really need in my occupation. When i went to uni, they made me learn hundreads of different things and only 5% what i really wanted to learn (about trading in financial markets).

Decide what you want to do in your life, how much money you want to earn, what you need to do in order to achieve it...and spend rest of your life going for it.