<p>So, I am in the exact same situation, except instead of skateboarding I want to pursue acting. I had a crappy gpa in high school, but made a 2200 on my SAT. I am the first in my family to go to college, but I feel like its something i would like to do later on in life. I hate this.</p>
<p>OP - School is obviously being wasted on you; don’t waste your parents’ money any more. What are your plans for health insurance, esp. in the long term? At some point, you will suffer broken bones, blown knees or elbows, and maybe even a head injury. Even in less risky sports, age takes its toll with longer reaction times, less flexibility, arthritis, etc. Bodies tend to go before minds, and extreme sports are especially punishing. Do you know any 40 year old boarders? How about any with school-aged kids? </p>
<p>How about figuring out a Plan B? Maybe transfer to a school in/near Chicago and look into the requirements to become a PE teacher or coach. If you were willing to make the commitment and make more money, physical/sports therapy is another idea. I have a feeling that you are a person who needs to move. . . .</p>
<p>And if you drop out completely, figure out how to, then put on skateboarding exhibitions. Do the publicity, get endorsements, get the stars in the sport, etc. Work with boarders and cities to install skateboard parks. Help design them. Build valuable and transferable skills. Don’t be such a slacker that you will wake up one day and ask yourself, “What the he!! have I been doing these past 35 years?!?”</p>
<p>Skateboarding is not a career. It is prolonging childhood. I get that college as you have recently experienced it is not working for you. But believe me, make your alternate plan your first ever business plan to show that you have thought this out. No parent wants a slacker kid.</p>
<p>Best wishes.</p>
<p>The thing is once you become older, it’ll be much harder to skate than study. You can always get a degree when your 50, but will you body be able to handle athletic training? Do what you want to do, but make sure you won’t regret it in the future.</p>
<p>What did you wind up doing? And is it working out so far? I have toyed with the idea of dropping out a lot. Ultimately I don’t think dropping out is for me, but I’m just wondering</p>
<p>I’m not a phil major, but it’s not a light degree.</p>
<p>You won’t be doing much skateboarding when you get older.</p>
<p>I suggest that at the least, you do to college part-time, rather than quitting entirely. </p>
<p>That way you can do skateboarding, but still have college as a back-up for when you get older, or if the skateboarding doesn’t work out.</p>
<p>I’m the opposite. I was an avid skater during high school, and very well known, and one of the best in my town. I loved what I did, and was very good at it. I hung out with the wrong crowd, but never did drugs. They were very into it, but…my junior year I started focusing on school. My teachers never gave up on me…and it was my mom who gave me the most motivation. She’s single raising me and my two sisters…and I thought to myself, what the hell am I doing? I was smart, but I fell into the wrong crowd, but I loved skateboarding. Then one day I tried to backside flip into the bowl (6-7ft) and landed with one foot, the other slipped and I immediately cracked my knee cap. I’ was never in so much pain. I stopped skating then, and now maybe once a month, I’ll go out and skate. And I still have all my stuff down! Hhaha. I now attend a community college, and will be majoring in math/econ. I love math haha. I had failing grades my first two years of high school, and the second two were great (got all A’s and a few B’s). </p>
<p>If you really would like to skate, I would move back home and attend a community college. You’ll have a lot more time, and plus you’ll be with your friends. But let me tell you something about going pro or skating all day, the bar is set very high. Just take a look what Nyja Houston is doing, and you have to be extremely good. I know there are times when people say “Follow your passion” but, the idea is realistic. Even if Dimitri Martin didn’t make it as a comedian, he could have literally any job offer. I remember when I was like you, I wanted to be the best, I thought I could go pro, I thought I could make a name for myself. But reality will hit you eventually. Life is about having fun, and working a job you described is not fun. It’s so easy for us to say, yeah I’ll live like that or yeah I’m going to pass this class with an A. Then reality hits you, the course is very tough or demanding or you get laid off and you still have bills to pay. Skateboarding will only take you so far, man. I’m telling you this because I felt like you. And dude, even today, I ask myself why the hell am I even going to college? What’s the point. Ya know? There’s even people that say it’s a scam, but it’s only a scam if you make it a scam, if you know what you want to do, and carve a path towards that goal, you will encounter many job opportunities on your way to your goal. I’m telling you, it’s not going to be easy, go to school even if you don’t like it, because rest assured reality will sink in. When you’re 26 years old with your own apartment, and all your skater buddies have jobs and families to take care of, and then you realize your bones can only take so much. I know you’re thinking well what about Andrew Reynolds, but he’s just one person. </p>
<p>I know you don’t like college, and sometimes I don’t either. But I’m doing this for my mom, I know I’m going to graduate and a hefty amount of my first paycheck is going all to her. Find what motivates you to stay in college, and if you’re really into skateboarding, THINK BUSINESS. I’m giving you a reality check, you will only go so far in skateboarding until all you’re friends have kids and jobs. I’m being realistic. I know some 22 year old skaters, that are doing nothing. Doing drugs all day. Find what you like in school…you’re bound to like something. It took me almost like a year after community college to figure what I wanted to do. I changed majors a lot, but eventually you’ll know what you want to do. I don’t like when people say oh this person dropped out and found his passion, for every one of those, there’s probably 10,000 who went for their passion and it didn’t work out. I know you’re a smart kid, so do what you want. If you want to skate then go for it, and drop out. But when things do get tough, remember it’s never to late to head back to school. Maybe that’s a good idea, take a year off and skate as much as you can and get a full time job. You’ll quickly realize you won’t want do that for the rest of your life. I’ve been through it all, skating in 100+ degree weather, skating for 12 hours all day, skating in spots in LA, SF. </p>
<p>I don’t know what else to say. Sorry I wrote so much lol, I often get into tangents.</p>
<p>The original post was from almost three years ago. I too, wonder what happened.</p>
<p>^ I didn’t even see that lol. Now I just feel like I wrote all that for no reason lol.</p>
<p>I’m sure it was cathartic!</p>
<p>Yes it was very! His last activity was in 2009, so I doubt he’ll ever be on here again.</p>
<p>If you really wanted to drop out from college then do it. If that makes you happy but always remember every action has its reaction. No one forced you to be a skater. If your parents wants you to have a degree then your lucky to be given an opportunity of a life time. I’m from a 3rd world country. And here? 90% of the children can not even finish elementary. So think twice.</p>
<p>If you are going to drop out, just make sure you do it properly. What that means is don’t burn any bridges. Finish the semester that you are in and make the grades. Don’t just stop going.</p>
<p>If you finish what you started then you won’t be throwing away the money that your parents put in. If your family is struggling to put you through college, that is the least that you can do for them. If you finish your classes that you are in now with decent grades then you will have the option of going back to school at a later date. It doesn’t have to be the same school but you will want to transfer your credits and definitely will want a decent GPA to go with that.</p>
<p>Who knows, you could end up getting sponsored as a skater and make some good cash with that for a while. Maybe even start doing something that is industry related, like designing boards, etc. Just try your best to be responsible about it. Your parents will appreciate the fact that you were careful with their investment and did not waste too much of their money.</p>
<p>There is no reason why you should stay in college if you have started skipping classes. That is such a waste of money right there. If there is any way to finish all of your classes with grace, meaning without failing or dropping them, that would be a good idea. You won’t be throwing away the money spent on those particular classes and you will be able to go to some other school later on down the line if you want to. You never know what you might feel like doing 10 years from now.</p>
<p>People make money from all kinds of niche industries. You might be able to put yourself into a position with skating that will set you up with a decent career. If you want to skate and your good at it then go for it. Instead of finding a crap night job though, try to develop something that is connected to the industry. If you are skating and making contacts in the world you will be able to use those to create some kind of position for yourself.</p>
<p>One thing to note though: keep up with your health insurance. You probably already know how many injuries are possible with skating. Those delicate little bits in your knees can be destroyed by skating injuries and you want to have some coverage in case of something happening.</p>
<p>Lotta pessimists on this board, man. If you drop out, you can always finish your degree later if you decide that’s what you want. If you truly don’t want to be at school, leave while you haven’t spent a ton of money on it. Your parents will be upset, and they should be, but if you’re happy with what you’re doing, it’s worth it.</p>
<p>I love that people are still continuing this discussion despite the fact that he probably already figured out what to do 3 years ago and hasn’t logged in since them… However, I hope that he took a year or two off to figure himself out and have his fill of skateboarding, and then maybe transferred to a more challenging school that’s not quite as conventional as Northeastern (right? or was it Northwestern?). Hampshire or Evergreen State probably would have been a better fit for him… Or Eugene Lang, maybe? I don’t know. Some people just aren’t ready for college by the time they graduate from high school, which is perfectly normal (gap year in Taiwan for me!), but without a college degree in the United States you’re pretty much guaranteed a spot in the unemployment line. And this kid sounds way too interesting and intelligent for that.</p>
<p>Oops. Northern Illinois University. The “North” thing tripped me up.</p>
<p>Oh, well, I sure derped there, commenting on an old thread and all. Still not as bad as using unnecessary ellipses.</p>
<p>If you get sick or this doesnt pay off who do you expect to pay for you, i really hope you dont think we people who delayed our passions should</p>