Looking for advice

MrMiata

This is a little more light hearted than some if not all of the posts here but it is still affecting me and I need advice.

I've gone back to college (again) to study business, I'm 22 and I've just transferred into 2nd year.
I keep thinking 'oh if I can just get through the degree' but I honestly hate college..
I have no motivation to study or even attend, but I've been pulling myself out of bed and making an effort in the hopes that I might grow to at least tolerate it.

I want to take a year out and save up to go back again next year studying guitar.
I want to study guitar at either BIMM or Cork IT.
I have always played guitar, it's always been my number 1 interest.. I play every hour I can.. I've even thought of bringing a cheap guitar in the car to college with me so I could sit out in the car park and play between lectures..

I want to go to college to meet like minded people, to hopefully join a band and write a few songs, make some connections.
I also want to get a degree of some sort under my belt..

I know my parents aren't trilled with the idea..
They think I'll struggle to get work which is probably the truth but I think if I was to continue with the current plan I'll struggle to even get a degree.

I just want some impartial advice, am I mad going to college to study guitar?

Smegging hell

Hi OP, I remember responding to your post on the Galway forum a few months ago. From your previous posts you were recently thinking of repeating your Leaving to study medicine, looking to become a welder, looking at IT, looking at Electronic Engineering, and last week you were exploring studying your business degree alongside an English degree? I think uncertainty and an inability to see things through is your main issue here.

MrMiata

Smegging hell wrote: »

Hi OP, I remember responding to your post on the Galway forum a few months ago. From your previous posts you were recently thinking of repeating your Leaving to study medicine, looking to become a welder, looking at IT, looking at Electronic Engineering, and last week you were exploring studying your business degree alongside an English degree? I think uncertainty and an inability to see things through is your main issue here.

You’re dead right.

I post and ask a lot of questions on here about jobs or degrees because I haven’t a clue and no around me knows any more than I do.

Studying medicine is out of the question - I am obviously not cut out for that, there’s no point fooling myself.

Welding still interests me and I’d love to learn how to do it.. maybe building sculptures or something to that effect but I don’t want to work in something manual and physically challenging like that.

I’d just heard you can get a job in IT without a full degree and wanted to look into it.. I’m fairly tech savvy and interested but I haven’t looked further into it.

Electronic engineering was recommended to me so I thought I may as well look into it seeing as I haven’t got a clue what I want to do.

English and Business was in hopes of teaching, something I’d still really love to do but it’s also something I can’t do.. I would be able to do the two degrees together and get accredited.. but I’m looking at teaching guitar.

I played guitar throughout all of that.
Guitar has been the one thing I was sure of ‘oh yeah sure I could work in IT’ and I was playing guitar for 4 hours that night.

Guitar isn’t a passing thing.
I didn’t buy a starter pack and think - ‘Could I go to college for this?’
I just put guitar off as a hobby and that was it until now

Xterminator

hi op

there are lots of couses in college for things like performing arts & theres routes in like doing the QQI level 5, if your own suject choices dont allow it.

these courses can be more rounded than just playing the guitar for a living, so hopefully the parents wont see you as dropping out of college, more changing the course you do.

I think you should follow your passion. However i did notice that you said you have gone back to college again. This does suggest a pattern of starting things but not following through for you. So perhaps before you make any life changing decisions you should discuss things with your college, with your parents and find out about the 3rd level choices for music and drama and see if there is one that interests you.

Finally , is it the bank of mam and dad that is bankrolling your choices? if so, then perhaps you should consider doing a prt time degree at night, and pay for your own education by working during the day. that way you put to bed any arguments about them paying and you squandering the chances you have been given in life.

MrMiata

Xterminator wrote: »

hi op

there are lots of couses in college for things like performing arts & theres routes in like doing the QQI level 5, if your own suject choices dont allow it.

these courses can be more rounded than just playing the guitar for a living, so hopefully the parents wont see you as dropping out of college, more changing the course you do.

I think you should follow your passion. However i did notice that you said you have gone back to college again. This does suggest a pattern of starting things but not following through for you. So perhaps before you make any life changing decisions you should discuss things with your college, with your parents and find out about the 3rd level choices for music and drama and see if there is one that interests you.

Finally , is it the bank of mam and dad that is bankrolling your choices? if so, then perhaps you should consider doing a prt time degree at night, and pay for your own education by working during the day. that way you put to bed any arguments about them paying and you squandering the chances you have been given in life.

I’d ideally be looking at studying guitar or maybe songwriting and those options are few and far between..

I am paying for it in its entirety.
My parents have already wasted enough money on an education for me, anything from this point on is out of my pocket

Rubberchikken

why college for a guitar?
why not try to join a band/group even one with just a few hours in a local pub?

in fact, are there any pubs that give people a chance to just play a set for nothing?
everyone has to start somewhere.

its all well and good thinking about all the things you'd love to do but if you like the guitar then maybe start there with something small, stick with it for a time and see how things go.

Graces7

OP, we used to say at university that you could either earn a living at what you love doing, OR work at something ie a steady job, to support yourself and do what you love doing in your spare time.

Supporting yourself matters .. so does doing what you really love. Who knows what that love might lead to in the future? Play your guitar but make sure you have a place to live etc.

howyegettinon1

MrMiata wrote: »

You’re dead right.

I post and ask a lot of questions on here about jobs or degrees because I haven’t a clue and no around me knows any more than I do.

Studying medicine is out of the question - I am obviously not cut out for that, there’s no point fooling myself.

Welding still interests me and I’d love to learn how to do it.. maybe building sculptures or something to that effect but I don’t want to work in something manual and physically challenging like that.

I’d just heard you can get a job in IT without a full degree and wanted to look into it.. I’m fairly tech savvy and interested but I haven’t looked further into it.

Electronic engineering was recommended to me so I thought I may as well look into it seeing as I haven’t got a clue what I want to do.

English and Business was in hopes of teaching, something I’d still really love to do but it’s also something I can’t do.. I would be able to do the two degrees together and get accredited.. but I’m looking at teaching guitar.

I played guitar throughout all of that.
Guitar has been the one thing I was sure of ‘oh yeah sure I could work in IT’ and I was playing guitar for 4 hours that night.

Guitar isn’t a passing thing.
I didn’t buy a starter pack and think - ‘Could I go to college for this?’
I just put guitar off as a hobby and that was it until now

not a welder but got into it recently, if you are interested its something you can get into rather cheaply(500quid is more than plenty to get a stick welder and a decent grinder and practice on scrap steel) and mess around with to see if you want to keep it up. if you dont follow it as a career its a great skill to have and isnt too hard to learn(you will need a course if your welds need to be structual)

MrMiata

howyegettinon1 wrote: »

not a welder but got into it recently, if you are interested its something you can get into rather cheaply(500quid is more than plenty to get a stick welder and a decent grinder and practice on scrap steel) and mess around with to see if you want to keep it up. if you dont follow it as a career its a great skill to have and isnt too hard to learn(you will need a course if your welds need to be structual)

It's definitely something I want to learn to do, even just helping out at home I can see a number of problems that could have been easily solved.

cj maxx

See what FA'S courses are available for wielding .
I did one and it's great for basics to start practicing

MrMiata

Graces7 wrote: »

OP, we used to say at university that you could either earn a living at what you love doing, OR work at something ie a steady job, to support yourself and do what you love doing in your spare time.

Supporting yourself matters .. so does doing what you really love. Who knows what that love might lead to in the future? Play your guitar but make sure you have a place to live etc.

I definitely thought I was in the 'get a good job to buy nice guitars' camp but I've tried 101 'good jobs' or good degrees and none of them seemed like anything I could see myself doing long term..

I think I'm young enough whereby I can afford to make mistakes.. I don't want to be pushing 40 and thinking 'oh what if...'

I couldn't wait to go to college right off the bat but I was miserable or stupid drunk for the entirety of my first year.. that should have been a big enough red flag for me do stop and pursue something else

MrMiata

Rubberchikken wrote: »

why college for a guitar?
why not try to join a band/group even one with just a few hours in a local pub?

in fact, are there any pubs that give people a chance to just play a set for nothing?
everyone has to start somewhere.

its all well and good thinking about all the things you'd love to do but if you like the guitar then maybe start there with something small, stick with it for a time and see how things go.

I love playing guitar, I could spend hours playing it..
I think I would stand a hell of a lot to learn the theory and technique behind it in that sort of setting.
I also want to get a degree, I'm stubborn in that regard at least.

I had an offer years ago to play at a pub but I turned it down because I was 14 and my parents didn't fancy driving me every once in awhile nor did they want to baby sit me in a pub while I played away.

I've often thought of f*ing off over to the UK and chancing my arm over there.. get a job in a pub or in retail and play gigs, meet people, join a band etc etc.

Salary Negotiator

Absolutely nothing stopping you playing guitar, joining or starting a band, writing songs etc right now, you don’t need to be in college to Donny of that.

Are you any good?

santana75

If you hate the business course then knock it on the head. Theres no point in forcing a square peg into a round hole. Seeing things through til the end is a good concept, but at the same time, forcing yourself to do something you so clearly hate, is absolute madness. Life is not meant to be lived in misery. The notion that people should have college degrees is also nonsense. If you take a step back and look at the education system you can clearly see its set up to produce "Workers". Thats all it is. People digesting and rehashing information someone else discovered and then hoping that they'll get hired by a company someone else created. There are no answers in the education system. The most successful people in the history of the world didnt finish college, they knew they had something they wanted to create in the world and so instead of working for someone else and spending their time studying stuff they werent passionate about, they went their own way. In the Prophet, Kahil Gabrin said "Verily I tell you that the lust for comfort murders the passion of the soul". People exchange passion and creativity for security and safety. But its not real security because when you dont run your own show then it can be taken from you at any stage. Think about your life and how you can create something meaningful in the world. Dont focus on ready made career paths because that road leads no place. Its far more difficult to make your path in life, but ultimately its what will lead to real fulfillment. Think in terms of meaning, not money or success, because the world is full of profoundly unhappy wealthy or moderately wealthy people.

Idle Passerby

Enjoying playing an instrument and pursuing an academic qualification in that instrument are not the same thing. If you want to play music and join a band you should do that. You don't need a degree to start a band or be a successful, accomplished musician. Unless your aim is to lecture or teach music, I don't see how getting a degree in it would benefit you career-wise.

You sound a little rudderless. You know you want to have a recognised qualification but nothing you've tried holds your interest. I think your jumping on the idea of studying guitar academically because you think it solves two problems, you get to practice your hobby and come out with a degree. What will you do with that degree though? Will it open doors to a career you would enjoy or would it just be a bit of paper hanging on your wall?

How about looking into music production or technician courses? You'd get to work in the music industry and I imagine (don't quote me) that being more practical areas you'd get to engage in more hands on training over a shorter time period rather than just studying theory for 4 years.