Good article if you are a lost 20-something year old

[codetrap]

I guess I'm lucky. I had a good example in my parents, and I remember what it was like in the 80's when the times weren't so good. Times when my dad had to take a part time job shoveling gravel to make ends meet, and he worked 18 hour days. He just did whatever it took, and that's my attitude. I also remember getting a lot of lectures on "Attitude attitude attitude! With a good attitude you can do anything!" I see that as being an issue with a lot of people. Then again, I also see other's like Cos, who really have their stick on the ice. All in all, I don't think we're doomed, and I think that the "lost" will eventually get their shit together.

[Rarasaurus]

^ Agree perfectly. There will always be the people that make stuff happen and the people that give up and say they can't because of A,B and C....

Like every other past generation there have to be people that excel and people that fall behind.

[ercchry]

thanks guys for making me no longer feel lazy... fuck and i thought i was bad for pissing away two years of post secondary with no piece of paper to show for it...

at 18-tried what the parents wanted- didnt work for me

at 19- tried the whole work retarded hours and make stupid money

at 20- not by choice i had to stop that and went back to school on my terms

at 21- realized why i hated post secondary the first time around and started at a company at the bottom

at 22- moved the eff out of the parents house for good, have a nice truck... have a good stable career with lots of room for advancement, AND have a budding side business...

only issues i am having now is that all of my old friends from highschool are still in what i like to call "child mode" so yeah... most people i hang out with are around 5 years or more older

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Idiot Stick]

Originally posted by ercchry
thanks guys for making me no longer feel lazy... fuck and i thought i was bad for pissing away two years of post secondary with no piece of paper to show for it...

This.

I was out at 17, went to a computer tech school in Saint John for a year, next year I got a shitty entry level job at IBM...now at 23 I am one of the lead tech's, looking towards a management roll, making way more than my parents combined, own my own place, have 2 cars, and have freedom to do what I want, when I want, within reason.

[alloroc]

I fired three twenty somethings this week because they couldn't even bother to show up to work on time and another one is on the bubble.

I blame the way the school system works. The unfortunate reality is that parents have to work more and schools do less. Schools don't have corporal punishment and they don't fail anyone. You can go through to grade 12 without having done a freaking thing.

How does that teach the responsibility that is required in the real world? In short it doesn't.

[CUG]

Originally posted by ercchry

only issues i am having now is that all of my old friends from highschool are still in what i like to call "child mode" so yeah... most people i hang out with are around 5 years or more older

I weeded out my friends who were like that. I've got one who thinks it's awesome to take his rent money to kelowna every weekend and party with chicks who won't sleep with him.

When it's all over and his landlord has their hand out for his rent it's "doesn't matter, kick me out, that was an awesome party and I don't give a white-trash fuck"

People like that are a back marker for "wow, I'm not doing badly at all", even when the chips are down.

I keep my place together, the bills paid, and the necessities provided for. I work my ass off to do all that.

Don't get me wrong, if I was getting an unlimited supply of free money, I would be on a beach with my dick buried in the sand.

[freshprince1]

I think the people entering the workforce expect too much these days. it comes down to work ethic and planning.

You can have fun and be productive, but you gotta tackle the world expecting to work for everything. I had to pay for university entirely on my own, living on my own and working two jobs all through in order to get by.

Too many whiners in the world. Grow up, work hard, have fun.

[Cos]

Originally posted by D. Dub



You do realize though, that over 35 is a biologically BAD time for a woman to be starting a family?

Secondly, having children at 35 means they won't be gone until you're 60

I was out at 18, my brothers will be out at 18, I dont see why my kids will get it any different. Free at 53 baby!

Originally posted by codetrap
Then again, I also see other's like Cos, who really have their stick on the ice. All in all, I don't think we're doomed, and I think that the "lost" will eventually get their shit together.

Thanks buddy, but I also am a bit of a workaholic. I just found something that I oddly like to do and a company that gives me the tools to do it and turns a blind eye to the things I do that arent so productive (beyond) .

[msommers]

My boss took us out for lunch yesterday and they were all telling previous summer student stories and fuck, were some of them terrible. How some people honestly think just showing up to work whenever they feel like it, especially at a professional level, is absurd!

Maybe it's just me, maybe it's a lot of people my age. I honestly feel that my generation is concerned about what makes them happy rather than keeping up to what their parent's expectations, which respect to where you should be at in life at a certain age. Don't crucify some guy because he wants to travel, work for 6 months and travel again. I asked my parents about that. Their was response was exactly was I was expecting. That person is just lazy, irresponsible and will eventually settle with nothing to show. But there is something to show. Life experience is something to be proud of. Do what you want for yourself. Just don't expect any hand outs and you'll be fine.

Of course parents love to bitch about my age group. Ironic really considering they were the ones raising my generation.

[Darkane]

Originally posted by msommers
My boss took us out for lunch yesterday and they were all telling previous summer student stories and fuck, were some of them terrible. How some people honestly think just showing up to work whenever they feel like it, especially at a professional level, is absurd!

Maybe it's just me, maybe it's a lot of people my age. I honestly feel that my generation is concerned about what makes them happy rather than keeping up to what their parent's expectations, which respect to where you should be at in life at a certain age. Don't crucify some guy because he wants to travel, work for 6 months and travel again. I asked my parents about that. Their was response was exactly was I was expecting. That person is just lazy, irresponsible and will eventually settle with nothing to show. But there is something to show. Life experience is something to be proud of. Do what you want for yourself. Just don't expect any hand outs and you'll be fine.

Of course parents love to bitch about my age group. Ironic really considering they were the ones raising my generation.

If you ask me that's Escapism. Reality needs to be the forefront, not a Mexican brothel.

[thecitizen]

It's funny how many people just used this thread to talk about themselves and how great they are.

[A790]

You can have whatever notion of success or personal accomplishment you want, but ultimately, if you fail to meet the criteria set upon you by the societal standards that exist, you will wind up both unemployed and unfulfilled.

Success isn't necessarily about money, but success always involves a certain level of responsibility and accomplishment. Attaining those things requires work; it requires struggle, strife, and sacrifice.

In short: work hard, stress less. Just look at max_boosts sig- it sums my thoughts up nicely.

[msommers]

Originally posted by Darkane


If you ask me that's Escapism. Reality needs to be the forefront, not a Mexican brothel.

Escaping what though? Everyone's reality and goals are obviously quite varied. If someone wants to lead a nomadic style life, why is that wrong? Fact is, it isn't wrong, just different. If they pay their bills, travel costs etc by working here and there doing service jobs, who cares!

My mom trys to be liberal but she doesn't hide her heavy conservative demeanor very well. At this point you should be here, next here and so on. Some people's expectations are having something to fall back on and don't like risk. Fair enough. Do what makes you makes you happy. But as I said before, don't expect any handouts.

[rampagesauce]

i really dont see the point in university... people set there standards to high.

goto SAIT, pick up a trade, spend a grand total of 11 piad months in school, go work, get hours, and starting making 70-100K+ a year with full benefits and rrsps.

take the RAPP program in highschool, come out working in the trades, you could be a journeyman making 80K+ a year by the time your 21.

University to me seems like to much hassle/no fun. get outta high school, upgrade or take more course for a year or 2, then goto university forever, shit load of debt, if you land a job it normally starts around 15-20$ an hour. plus i hate offices, fake smiles, everyone being super polite, so much kissing ass. i see it everyday and i constantly see people trading in their white collar for a blue collar.

[Mckenzie]

^You don't see the point of university? Neat.

Lots of good discusssion here, except for that post above. Here is another article in response to the NY Times read.

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/...ethings/61938/

Personally I feel there is a lot more self awareness of this generation and emphasis on enjoying life through experiences, travel and fulfilling work, rather than falling inline and becoming another brick in the wall of the working world. I have no clue how any blame can be placed on anyone but yourself / the individual. Blame the boomers? Cmon give me a break. Blame the parents? Hardly.

Make your own bed and take responsibility for EVERYTHING that happens to you in your life. If that means postponing family, career, or 'adult' responsibilities, then so be it. But don't bitch about being 30 with no savings or a mossaic of a resume that cannot get you a job.

Some people are fine with working in a cubicle towards a pension after school and moving to the burbs with a family without ever giving thought to a higher level of existence. That is fine. But I think more people of our generation see that the old school traditional role is not fulfilling or appealing and they choose to take more time to find their way, whether it be at 18 or 38. There is no time limit to finding what makes you tick.

[odin7]

Originally posted by Cos
odin7.... you said out earn a lot if Calgary, your parents aren't very well off and you live at home at 26?

what? haha.. yeah I'm 26 living at home but making the moves to change that as I write this cause its definitely time. My parents are better off now than 20 years ago when we first immigrated here. I'm not saying this just happened yesterday. The situation is very different now.. and the fact that we're about to go our separate ways is a good indication of that otherwise I'd still probably stay home and help the family out more. I'll tell you man.. growing up without your extended family around makes you become a super tight knit unit. In Calgary I only have one uncle and one cousin outside of my immediate family. We support each other and if it means sticking together to get ahead then that's what has to happen. Maybe you don't understand that?

What were you trying to get at? Seems like you might have taken my words out of context.. or.. maybe its my ESL :P

[odin7]

Originally posted by speedog
Good on you odin7. Can't imagine being 26 and at home, I left home just before 18 and never looked back - continuing to live at home wouldn't have been an issue either but I needed to move on for myself.

And BTW, if ya do move out, you'll learn how to cook for yourself quite quickly even if it's through trial and error - at least there's the internet out there now to help you with a myriad of great cooking web sites. No such thing in the late 70's/early 80's - was all trial and error.

Thanks man I appreciate it!! Tell me about it.. but I'm just glad its happening. And even more glad I'm able to do this now even if its taken a while.. I mean I've had the thoughts about leaving for a few years now but if it wasn't one thing it was another that would have made it very difficult to do so. Now all the stars are aligned and the time has come w00t.

Yeah.. I'm sure there will be some meals where I'm just gonna have to stomach it lol.. but looking forward for whats to come!

[Cos]

Originally posted by odin7



what? haha.. yeah I'm 26 living at home but making the moves to change that as I write this cause its definitely time. My parents are better off now than 20 years ago when we first immigrated here. I'm not saying this just happened yesterday. The situation is very different now.. and the fact that we're about to go our separate ways is a good indication of that otherwise I'd still probably stay home and help the family out more. I'll tell you man.. growing up without your extended family around makes you become a super tight knit unit. In Calgary I only have one uncle and one cousin outside of my immediate family. We support each other and if it means sticking together to get ahead then that's what has to happen. Maybe you don't understand that?

What were you trying to get at? Seems like you might have taken my words out of context.. or.. maybe its my ESL :P

I was just curious, you made it sound like you were ballin' and your parents were struggling. Then you threw in that you were living at home still.

[odin7]

Originally posted by Cos


I was just curious, you made it sound like you were ballin' and your parents were struggling. Then you threw in that you were living at home still.

haha no way.. I'm far from rage2 baller status... if my parents were struggling I wouldn't be leaving.. it wasn't my intention to make it sound like that.. I'm just happy with things lately, proud of what I've accomplished so far and looking forward for what's to come..