Quote from S3ANPukekoh3 :

Ok, If you could start over from the age of 17, what would you do?

If you are here just to flame me please stop reading now.


This is my situation:
I'm 17, from New Zealand. I used to race karts, until the parents sold it promising to buy a new one but didn't. I play bass. I work as a pizza delivery boy, minimum wage, I am at school and find it boring to the point of absolute anger. I crashed a car and am in 5k debt. All my friends are party animals failing in life and heading nowhere, I'm one of them too, we go to parties every weekend, it is fun as hell but I know its not going to help me. I'm reasonably 'popular' i guess, I am hoping to be an engineer (yes I posted a thread about that too) oh yeah, and I'm stuck here, in a crappy little town in a crappy little country (New Zealand)!

Erhm.

I stand correct I guess, Mr.Dicks4life.

On more serious note, uhm.... Honestly I have no idea.

I guess your best bet would be to finish what you can to the highest level in NZ and then move abroad.

"At best all there is to do here is work a pointless 9-5 job for the rest of your life, live in a modest looking house, drive a reasonably tidy looking ford mondeo or toyota camry (currently drive a toyota estima eggvan, for taking the guys out to parties, hauling bass gear etc.) and get on the piss every weekend..."

Doesnt sound too bad. Good life.

I guess you mean that it sounds boring. Same routine day in day out. Well, I got some bad news for you... Honestly no matter what job you take in the end, or whatever route in you life, it will be the same. Thats how I see it anyway.

What difference it makes if you do a 9-5 in NZ with your friends, or do a 24h shift working on an F1 car? Sure it will be more "fun" and enjoyable, but I think after a while it just becomes the same ol'.

pff, I'd say you're in a more or less typical teenager-depression, that everyone had from time to time. You're oportunities or not bad, just try to finish school and then look what you can move on too. Maybe spent a year abroad, take an intership somewhere or do an work and travel. Just let yourself give new ideas and visions.

Btw New Zeeland is the country people dream about here, with its landscape and culture.

If I look back to being 17 again, I'd probadly change a lot of things, but how could I've known what me being myself back then would lead to. Its all those things we make it through that form us in the end.

Welcome to reality! Enjoy your stay.

Make the most of whats around you. If your down cause your failing school. Do something about it. If you simply dont have the mind for it, then its ok. You would be surprised how many options you have outside of school, but the truth is, when you finish school, things get a shitload harder!

Its all about mind control. I lived with no motivation for years, and what do i have to show for it? nothing! I have been down the wrong paths and i wish i could take any of it back, and wish i didnt have an attitude like "For some reason I just can't be bothered to do anything, I know i should, but yeah".

If you know you should, then you should be doing what you think you should be doing. (sorry for the tounge twister ).

Youll end up having nothing to show for yourself, youll hate yourself eventually because your failing everything and eventually give up. Start acting now! Literally, right now. Theres only one option to do and that's to do something about your situation. I can emphasize that any more.

If you need advice or anything, talk to me on msn if you have it, here is too public for me to give more advice, because like ive said, ive been there, ive done that, and i know what its like around aus/nz rather than uk/usa etc. Im only 19 years old and i picked myself up, after being through a very similar situation like yourself. I currently have 3 jobs and am in the process of starting up a business, at this age.

Reading all that, i still feel that my situation is still the worst u can get. Anyways, like some comments said above, try to finish off with this stuff over there and move on.

Buy a cheap guitar and teach yourself to play, takes up the hours and gives you a sense of worth and achievement. And it attracts girls.

Quote from aoun :

Welcome to reality! Enjoy your stay.

QFT

Even in "elite" countries, the best that most of us can aspire to is a boring 9-5 job, driving a 10 year old Camry, and barely paying the mortgage. You have to find happiness in everyday mundane things, or you will be severely disappointed.

NZ is a nice place and a lot of Brits want to move there!

But yeah, I'll offer something on top of what the others said: Do something unique.

Something that sets you apart from the average Joe. Whether that's racing karts, having a unique car, or skydiving, just do something most people will never do.

I try to do that and it's a good feeling not following the pack...

I think i was at the same age as you when i had the same reality check, it passes over time more or less, but remember that life can be just as attractive and thrilling as you make it (even if you live in such a beatiful country as you are ).

Welcom to life.

Just finish school and try to go college/university afterwards.
You cannot go wrong once u have a decent diploma.
Opportunities will eventually present themself to u if ur a bit lucky.
Then again, u make your own luck. Always stick by doing things u actually enjoy and dont try to force things.

When i was 17, i was doing coke/E/speed and later ****ed up my college education (IT) by just being plain lazy. So i dont have to think long about what i would change if i had a 2nd chance.

I work a shitty 2-shift job now (its impossible to fail in this country lol) with a relative low paycheck, but i get my pleasure out of other things.
Friends/family are whats most important in your life, never give up on those.

Quote from 5haz :

Buy a cheap guitar and teach yourself to play, takes up the hours and gives you a sense of worth and achievement. And it attracts girls.

did you even read anything he wrote? he plays bass and goes to parties on weekends (and assumingly gets women at said parties)

Hell, I didn't think about motivation and stuff until I am 19.

Didn't hurt me though, as I am very much driven by my interest and I tend to be pretty good at things I like. I think its the same for most people, you have to find something you really like, or means a lot to your self worth to be your motivation, and that isn't always clear when you are young (I consider being 17 pretty young).

It isn't a make or break year academically, there are plenty of options if your family can afford it (compare to other countries education in New-zealand is pretty cheap), if you want a safe bet, find a degree course you are at least semi-interested in and work towards it, no need to work very hard, just make sure you can make the requirement with some safety margin - then do what you enjoy and expand on your hobby at your free time.

You really shouldn't be worried about prospects and such when you are 17, the world changes so fast you wouldn't know how it will be when you graduate, so just find a direction that you can see developing throughout the rest of your life, things you are passionate about and gives you a unique pespective. Opportunities will appear when you are ready, in this age of internet and globalization, geographical limitation isn't that big of a problem anymore.

So just relax and be alive!

I thinks its cool when we have discussions like these.

Just shows whats left of LFS community - One big family.
Did that sound gay?

On topic, I agree with others saying you got to find something you like doing to put your mind off these thoughts.

I started DJ'ing, which I absolutely love. Its my way of relaxing and just having some time to myself.

But then again, you said you already play bass.

Quote from MijnWraak :

did you even read anything he wrote? he plays bass and goes to parties on weekends (and assumingly gets women at said parties)

Eactly, he plays a bass, and what harm is there in attracting even more women?

Quote from S3ANPukekoh3 :

Ok, If you could start over from the age of 17, what would you do?

I wouldn't change a thing. Ok, maybe be a bit more confident with girls

Seriously, no-one knows what they want to do at 17, the whole fun of the first 30 years of your life is discovering just what that will be.

Carry on enjoying yourself, make yourself try a *bit* harder for those exams, and keep an open mind.

If you think life sucks now, wait until you have 3 kids and an a$$ load of debt.

Quote from S3ANPukekoh3 :

What is it like to live in an elite country like US or GB? I bet most people would take it for granted

Really?, I mean REALLY?, elite country?.

I'd swap with you

Go do some charity work, something on the frot lines. Maybe even travel a bit once you are past your exams. See the world.

To truly appreciate life you have to loose everything You take for granted, and if you are arnt that unlucky then spend some time with those who have.

You see it's one thing to wollow around in self pitty but it is quite another to do nothing about it.

You want to make something of yourself in a world that you do not yet understand, so go explore it and understand it.

There's barely a moment that hoe by when I don't realise how lucky I am. I may not give a damn about poor people, but I do appreciate that I'm not one of them. I know that sounds harsh, but it's the truth nobody seems to have the guts to admit.

What you aren't doing is appreciating life. It's not uncommon but it is very sad to see.

lol that's a confusing sentence.

I think Becky is right, the "reality" you see right now can suddenly become very feeble once you gain a different perspective, and you could make very different decisions.

Quote from danowat :

Really?, I mean REALLY?, elite country?.

I'd swap with you

I second this :-)

, man i had the same depression you have, in 2009, was my last high school year, and i was choosing what college i wanted to do,

so at this point i stop to worry about the college, and finished my school year in december (in brazil it ends in december )

after two months of vacation, december and january, i decided what i want to try on the exams for college in nov/2010 now im studying for it, and no depression :P

I see a little similarity, with u, i live on a little town (about 130k inhabitants), and my family is a middle class in brazil.

My suggestion for you: do your engineers college and come to brazil to work on volkswagen, Fiat, etc. you can have the cars of the year, and earn a lot of money!!! :P

Quote from juniox_dias :

My suggestion for you: do your engineers college and come to brazil to work on volkswagen, Fiat, etc. you can have the cars of the year, and earn a lot of money!!! :P

FIAT definately needs some new good engineers

Quote from hazaky :

FIAT definately needs some new good engineers

yes,!!! i agree with you!! especially if they are LFS players

Quote from danowat :

Really?, I mean REALLY?, elite country?.

I'd swap with you

+1

NZ has always been my dream place.

Quote from hazaky :

FIAT definately needs some new good engineers

FIAT has some brilliant engineers, they made a shitload of innovations like direct injection diesels or the new camshaft-less engines. Its just the Italian heritage that shows through too often

Quote from DevilDare :

Mr.Dicks4life.

ROFL!

2 people on an internet forum and that makes every 17 year old the same? I am 17 but I don't go out on the piss, maybe once in a year during the holidays. I play football at a decent level so I have a reason not to. I don't go round looking to play the field of girls because I have a lovely girlfriend who I plan to be with long term. There are plenty of other 17 year olds like myself aswell. No need to be hostile about it, although it did make me laugh. If you're going to call someone a dick everytime he or she disagrees with you then good luck, not everyone will find it as funny as I do.

@S3ANPukekoh3

Come to GB! We have Foster's here too