I decided to take a year off between high school and college in hopes of figuring out what I want to do with my life and at the very least gaining an appreciation for having a roof over my head and food to eat. I plan on spending my time off by traveling across America for awhile and then once I run out of cash coming back home and saving for college next year. First, I’m just curious if you guys think this is a decent idea(be honest, I’m not going to change my mind but opinions would be appreciated). Second, I only have about $2,000 saved up and plan on cutting expenses by camping out and staying in hostels but I know I’m going to have to earn some money, I just want an idea of how hard it will be to get short term job(maybe a month at a time at most)out in the mean old world? Any tips on earning or saving cash while Traveling? I have a car, and I think it would be a decent place to spend a night in a pinch but do you folks think I should opt for a more economical means of transport? Any miscellaneous travel tips or experiences would also be appreciated.
When I graduated HS I did the exact same thing… I bought a one-way ticket to Boston (had never been there before) and hitched up and down the coast, taking odd jobs. I had a backpack full of clothes and my classical guitar, which I played well enough to make some decent travel money on the streets if Boston and other cities. I got a lot of dinners cooked for me by families who liked my music! I had many odd jobs, from digging ditches, to installing sinks and showers in new construction, to repairing machines that make plastic bottles and caps. I did eventually buy a car, which was nice for a change. I did have a few scary experiences hitching, but I was pretty good about taking care of myself so I felt pretty safe.
If you happen to travel through Little Rock come up and get a workout at my gym. If you time it right you can save some of your food money and come get a home-cooked meal from my wife while you are at it.
Good luck and have fun. I can tell you a lot about different regions of the country that I travelled through if you need any further advice.
Get a good paying job and don’t tell them you are quitting in a month. Then just quit. That’s how you can make money quickly, in a month you say.
Man, I wouldn’t take time off. The more you stray away, the less likely you are to come back. Most colleges are liberal arts colleges, so you have to take tons of different courses for basic requirements. I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I went into college, and look at me now, I’m in a PhD program in Molecular Cell Biology. Who knew!?!
Greyhound used to have some kind of summer pass where you paid one price and could ride all summer. You could always sleep on the bus. I think taking some time to figure out what you want to do before you go into college is great. Otherwise it is too easy to do a little of everything while there.
“Get a good paying job and don’t tell them you are quitting in a month. Then just quit.”
Please don’t do that. Not only would you probably be screwing someone else (who’d probably have stayed on for a decent amount of time) out of that job, not only are you fucking over the guy who’s nice enough to hire you, but it’s just a pussy way of dealing with things all the way around. I can’t believe that anyone on this board even made that kind of pussified suggestion in the first place.
I think that the travelling idea is a good one, but why limit yourself to the States? Try a different country. If you pick someplace with a poor economy, your $2000 might see you through the whole year. And you’ll come out of it with a language, maybe, and certainly a much better “appreciation” for what you have in the States.
Personally, I don’t care for Youth Hostels, though. Seems like the person next to you always snores and smells rank. I’d pick the beach any day.
As far as college is concerned, be aware that you’re going to be fed a lot of insignificant bullshit from people that (i) don’t give a fuck about you, (ii) are often incompetent, and (iii) are more often egotistical pricks. Hey, I’m not saying that you should completely forego schooling, but there are other options. And don’t let anyone tell you that education is measured by how many credits you’ve accumulated. I’ve gotten more education in the last 6 months, all while I was out of school, than I ever did in college, high school, you name it. There’ve been a lot of ups and downs on the road to self-discovery, but through reading, observing, and meditating I’ve learned so much. You gotta take it. What’s “it”? “It” is everything. “It” is your life. Be bold. And just fucking take it.
One of my good friends said this about his college education:
“Don’t let class get in the way of your real education.”
And he was right.
About the job stuff - char was right, and I was wrong. There’s plenty of stuff you can do around anywhere. There’s a place called “Man Power” and they are basically a hire by the day thing, and you get paid around 8-10 bucks/hour. It’s not a lot, but work a lot, and it adds up. Plus, it’s cash, I believe, so no taxes.