Topic: What is your biggest regret?

[Oblivion]

Just wondering if any of you have some huge regret in your life that has affected you in huge way since then. Just trying to get to know some of you people better.

[ShyGuy]

A woman.

[Oblivion]

In a serious way?

[ShyGuy]

Yes.

[Oblivion]

Well, I'm sorry to hear (read?) that.


My biggest regret also involved a woman, but it was only a part of it. Let's just say I lied about who I was, how old I was, even my personality for about four years. I finally told the truth when I was 7 months in an online relationship with a woman six years older than me. I also hurt some friends I had made along the way.


Did I say too much?

[Ceric]

Right this second that I can't go back in time and make a 2-Player Megaman and get the excellent US Megaman show extended 2 more seasons.  I like to carry my Son through at three right and jump is a hard concept it seems.

Seriously enough though I'm going to go with my set of College choices. (Career, love life , even school)

[EasyCure]

Did I say too much?

Bet you're regretting that post. You've come full circle

[NWR_insanolord]

Most of the big decisions in my life have worked out pretty well for me. The biggest regret I have is very specific and fairly stupid, but it's the one thing I'd change if I could. I wish I could go back and wait until Monday the 3rd to come back to school after Christmas break this past year instead of the day before. Coming back on Sunday, in those weather conditions, I broke my ankle. I'm sure if I'd waited a day like I originally intended to the weather would have gotten better and the maintenance crew would have salted the sidewalks like they should have the previous day, but I didn't, and then couldn't walk for three months and am currently significantly behind in school because of it.

[Oblivion]

Did I say too much?

Bet you're regretting that post. You've come full circle

Yeah...I don't regret it very much but I'm apprehensive about making friends online now.

[BranDonk Kong]

Not saving that family from the burning building.

[NWR_insanolord]

Not saving that family from the burning building.

In your defense, most of the people in that family were jerks.

[Morari]

Not saving that family from the burning building.

It's okay, Lassie. Everyone makes mistakes.

[EasyCure]

Did I say too much?

Bet you're regretting that post. You've come full circle

Yeah...I don't regret it very much but I'm apprehensive about making friends online now.

No need to be, part of socializing is getting a good ribbing every now and again. No one will befriend you if you can't take a joke about yourself.

Here, as a means to make amends I'll take the topic at hand seriously and discuss one of my regrets (one that isn't cliche about women);

Quitting college before my first semester was even over. My issue was, I didn't want to go in the first place. I was sort of forced into it very last minute; I went in to community college with no idea what I would study so I picked arts because I'm a slacker. Once I got there it felt like high school all over again, full of idiots interrupting class just not giving a **** which made me not give a ****.

While I *still* feel that college is really a big waste of time and money (especially money) I can't help but feel I would be marginally further ahead in life if I had stuck to it. Without having to get in a long winded explanation of what I do, I'll just say I'm a social worker; I see the poorest of the poor day in day out and I still end up feeling like I'm not making as much as I should be. I know that if I had that stupid piece of paper I'd be earning a few bucks more and that's the sole reason I regret not completing it. If I just vested a little more time (and a lot more money) I'd feel somewhat more successful.

Then again, I see how much worse off some peers are who have finished; nice piece of paper on the wall but no paper in their wallets. Jobs are scarce and they have no work experience; at least I have that under my belt, plus I don't owe anyone fucking money.

I guess my regret flip-flops so you can count it if you want. At least I opened up, which is your secret motive behind the thread right?

Morari, I know how you feel about college - I think we agree on most points -  so please don't derail this thread )

 

[Oblivion]

Oh, no, I'm not upset at the joke you made. I actually found it quite hilarious. It made me look back at myself and laugh. I was just saying that because of that I've tried my very hardest to NOT make friends online.

[ShyGuy]

College is often a waste.

[BranDonk Kong]

Wow, I actually have the same regret as EC. I did finish the first semester, but only after dropping one class, and then I didn't go back for 8 years.

[NWR_insanolord]

As someone who is going into a field that requires a college degree and is having a great time getting it, I love college. That may have something to do with the fact that I'm essentially going for free, though. Like I said, things have generally worked out pretty well for me.

[Ceric]

A Good College education will give you a way of thinking, a set of experiences, and a social network  that will help you in your career and life in general.
A Bad College education gives you a paper on the wall.

Mine was a Mediocre College Education and it was my fault.  I should have been more adventurous.  My School did a very good job of giving me a way of problem solving and thinking that has really made me flexible and able to perform at my job.  I myself didn't form the connections and be adventurous in College to have a lot of experiences and social networking.   Though I do wish I would have went to a larger more varied school with an Animation department.

[Morari]

A Good College education will give you a way of thinking, a set of experiences, and a social network  that will help you in your career and life in general.

Doesn't that sum it up quite nicely? College is all about social and financial conditioning. The paper proves to employers that you think a certain way and little else. Sure, having that little piece of paper listed on your resume will get you through HR and to an actual interview, but after that it's meaningless.

[Fatty The Hutt]

My joke answer to the question: biggest regret is replying in this thread.
 
My not-joke answer is very similar to Ceric's: I wish I had taken better advantage of my undergrad degree. I did pretty well but I could have attacked some of the courses in a more robust way and, small surprise, gotten more out of them. Basically, I slacked off in a few courses and got only OK grades as a result in those courses. But the grades aren't the point. Its the exposure to different content, ideas and methods of critical thinking on which I missed out. I can and have caught up on all of these things over the (many) years since my undergrad but I have never again had the time or opportunity to immerse myself in new content and ideas the way I did during my undergrad. If I ever get the time again, I would definitely go back to university. Someday. Maybe I'll do a few courses sometime.

[Ceric]

I sure hope all our College readers and the ones preparing to go to college read this thread and really take what we're saying to heart because its very tempting to slack off in college but, its the most "free" time you'll have in your life and should be worked hard so, you don't have to work hard later in life.

[Fatty The Hutt]

I sure hope all our College readers and the ones preparing to go to college read this thread and really take what we're saying to heart because its very tempting to slack off in college but, its the most "free" time you'll have in your life and should be worked hard so, you don't have to work hard later in life.

Excellent summation, Ceric. Couldn't agree more.

[ShyGuy]

I know far more people with college degrees that have nothing to do with what they do for a living than people who have made use of their degree.

If you have the time and money, or a specific, mapped-out career plan, go for it. Otherwise it can be a really expensive hobby.

[Ceric]

I know far more people with college degrees that have nothing to do with what they do for a living than people who have made use of their degree.

If you have the time and money, or a specific, mapped-out career plan, go for it. Otherwise it can be a really expensive hobby.

I know more than a few myself.  In my circle a lot of them might not be doing what they got the degree to do but, the process of getting the degree led them to the contacts they needed and other experiences that enabled them to be doing what they are doing today.

I will tell anyone straight up that more than likely you won't be doing what you thought you would be with your degree once you graduate.  I can also tell you that you will have people who are doing what your doing without a degree.  Some people are very charismatic and just plain lucky.  They can pretty much do whatever they want to do.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't get a degree.  It just means that a degree in and of itself is just a piece of paper.  An optional key if you will.  Its the journey to the Degree and making the most of it that is the important part.

[Fatty The Hutt]

I really struggle with reconciling two notions of post-high school education: on the one hand, many view the education as utilitarian: get a degree, get a better job. On the other hand, my personal experience is that it wasn't until university that I became a person. Before that, I was just a dumb kid. University opened my world and I am not sure anything else could have done that in the same way. But its a very expensive and time consuming lesson that can be gotten in other ways. You can just choose to open your own world to other experiences, while working, and, y'know, just go to the fucking library occasionally. I get that.
I also am not doing now anything remotely like what I started off studying in university. Even during my post-grad degree, which led more closely into my current work, I studied a branch of topics that I didn't end up pusuing in my work.
So, if i just looked at higher education as utilitarian, I would have to conclude I wasted my time and money. But I don't think that at all. University did more for me as a person than I could ever have anticipated and I'm not sure I can measure. Partly, this is becaise I embraced what university offered. As I said earlier, my regret is not embracing everything I could have.
 
So, now I have kids, the oldest of whom is just finishing juniour high. Soon he will be facing questions about higher education. He'll probably go, but what kind of education will he pursue? Will he go strictly utlitarian and get trade training or an employement-focussed college degree? Or will he go for the full-on university undergrad with the expectation of spending more time specializing with post-grad work? The former is certainly faster and cheaper and will, all going well, lead sooner into decent employment, wages and the path to career advancement. This could in turn facilitate things like marriage, house, kids; good stuff like that. The long university route might make him a deeper thinker or a more well-rounded person but it might not. Its also long and expensive. Its inherently risky but with potentially bigger rewards. Like I say, I struggle.
 
Ulitimately, its not my decision. Also, I have to remember not to be so fatalistic. One crossroads decision at age 18 isn't set in stone. You can always take different paths as you go along in life. I've taken many myself. Many haven't worked out but I've certainly gotten something out of each.