I’m currently in grade 11 and dont really have a clue what to do about college. my girlfriend on the other hand is really smart and is going in to be a doctor. im not to sure but i know i want it along the lines of someting to do with working out and health. ive had thoughts about being a personal trainer and doing something on the side but i dont really knwo were do get started or what courses i need and stuff im pretty helpless in this kinda situation because i never really thought about it till now i guess i could just live in my high school years forever not wanting it to end but now i guess i should get ready to make the plunge forword into uncharted territory! anyone that can help me is greatly appreciated! thanks
sincerely
greg
Becoming a personal trainer is cool if you do it while putting yourself through school but don’t look to it for any long term career. Look, no one (very few, that is) knows what they want to do when they enter college. DO yourself a favor, go to the best school that you can and study what ever you find interesting. In this day and age you pretty much have to go to graduate school to really make it, so study whatever you want in undergrad, get good grades and then go to the best graduate program that you can. This gives you plenty of time to figure out what you want to do. LL
Well if going to college, major in something you find interesting, you can do, and that can provide a career of some kind. Like computer science or some kind of engineering. If you don’t like math or science just pick a direction…say business or whatever. I wouldn’t plan on majoring in something to become a personal trainer…kind of an iffy career if you ask me. If you’re not much of a student maybe a trade school or the army is more your thing. YOu have to find out something or some direction that you like and some you don’t like. Knowing you hate English lit and writing in general for example rules out say, law, and majoring in liberal arts.
Wow, man your situation sounds a lot like mine when i was in hs. I wish I could go back to your situation knowing all of what i know now about things and all the things you can do. First, you need to think about what you really want to do and what will make you happy while doing it. Being a person trainer is a great job if you love to be in the gym and around the sport and like to help people out. But if you dont live in a city or a wealthy area the money or the oppurtunities are small, so unless you want to move maybe something else. To be a pt all you really need to do is look around for a national or international accredited company and arrange to take a test. They send you books to study and then set up a date to take the test-not hard. Then it comes down to finding a gym to work at. If you a people person and know how to network you can make some good money. As far as college goes it comes down to the same thing really. What do you like to do? What are you good at? What is really your main goal money or happiness. If you suck at math dont go into business or try to be an accountant. There are majors in college that you can do that relate to personal training, which will definately help you gain alot more knowledge about the whole aspects of training, the body and nutrition, which means more oppurtunity and money.
MY two cents…
Dont let anyone pressure you into deciding “what you wanna be when you grow up”. My Mom tried to do that to me when I was in your position and I hated it. So right now I am taking exercise physiology at University of Delaware. Do I know what Im gonna do with it? No. Do I care? No. Is it interesting? yes. thats all that really matters. As long as you go to school, even go undeclared at first, it doesnt matter. Eventually you will realize what it is you want to study and what you want to do.
Go to college if you can. You don’t need to pick a major for two years. By that time you will be exposed to more information to help you decide which way to go. Any education you get will help you in the future.
Oh, and there are lots of hot chicks there too…which the major reason I wished I had gone.
I can identify with you Greg. When I was in high school, I had no idea about what I wanted to do. Once I had graduated, my goals were to keep working at Food Lion as a stocker and work my way up. Then, after a long summer of thinking, I decided to go to college. I first started in an Exercise and Sport Science program only to find out that the professors didn’t know sh*t about exercising and the fact that you can’t do very much with a BS in it anyways. So after some time off from school, I chose to go into Sonography (ultrasounds), so I’m now a student once again. The pay will be great and so will the benefits. Also, with the country getting fatter and fatter, there will always be a need for people in the medical field. So, to get to my point, you might want to look into being an X-Ray Technologist, MRI Tech, Sonographer, etc. The schooling usually lasts around 2 years, but it can be intense sometimes. Also, if you are truly committed to your girlfriend, being in the same general career will be great for your relationship.
One last thing, it’s very rare to find a muscular guy in scrubs and a lab coat. (Hell, the sleeves on scrubs only come down to about the bottom of the deltoid, leaving you plenty of opportunities to flash your guns.) Being one will definitely increase your “DO-ability.”
greg, my man, don’t stress this! a little hint for you…most people don’t know what they want to do when they are in their senior year of college! i remember reading somewhere that the ave. american changes jobs 5 times throughout there life! nothing is set in stone. i took EVERY type of class there was when i was in college. college is about experimenting with things (remember this line when talking to women!), growing up, and about being on your own to make your OWN decisions. you will find something you like, for me… it was working in the market, b/c money might not buy ya love, but it does buy you EVERYTHING ELSE!! good luck!
I’m a case study in changing life directions. I originally went to college with the intent of becoming a career officer. When peace broke out in the early 90’s and opportunities dried up I was without direction. I eventually decided to become a lawyer. Once in law school I realized I really didn’t want to be a lawyer. I graduated from Law school in 1998 and started working in the computer field. I taught myself four programming languages and now have a great job. I can’t believe I get paid to what I do and fortunately for me it pays very well. I would suggest you go to college and eventually you’ll find your direction. One of the best sayings I’ve ever heard is, “Nothing is ever as good as it seems and nothing is as ever bad as it seems.”
Good Luck!
I’m probably going to step on a lot of toes here, but I’ve got to say this. I’m sure you all mean well, but you’re looking at the equation from the wrong side. Remember, the money that your job provides, plus the time that is left over from doing it equals your lifestyle. Instead of asking what you want to do for a job, ask yourself how you want to live. Then go out and find the people that live that life (and there are a lot of them, I’m sure) and do what they did. Don’t just look at their cars and houses, but look at their debt load, family life, stress level, free time. I wish I had done that years ago. I’ve come in contact with a BUNCH of self-made multi-millionaires that have incredible lives, and they’ve taken me under their wings and acted as mentors. If some one doesn’t have something you want, they probably can’t give you any useful advice.
Only go to school if there is something there you want to study. If you want to be a personal trainer, get some bullshit certificate , get a tan and take a little steroids. Don’t go and study Gym for four years at great expense just because you like working out.