Just got done with high school, when does life start getting complicated?

M_s_Mom
Mon, 07 Jun 2010 08:10:53 +0000

Congratulations on your graduation. Sounds like getting there required over-coming some big challenges. Good for you! Your future plans also sound realistic and attainable. Next steps:

1) Find a few supportive adults who can help mentor and guide you through the next few years at a minimum. Parents can only take you so far on this particular journey. Go to your professors’ office hours and talk to them. Find a coach or spiritual leader who you like and trust. Get to know the guidance staff at your CC. Find some former peace corp volunteers who can tell you how best to prepare. Look for role models and ask how they got where they are. Finding adults who know the ropes, and ideally are looking out for you, will make your path a lot easier.

2) Set up a budget and stick to it. You need to know what things cost and how you will pay for them. It’s not about being rich-it’s about being independent. You don’t get to claim full independence as an adult until you are financially independent. Once you’ve achieved that, you can say to your mom, “I love you. I know you care. But I’m finding my own way just fine so please respect my choices.”

3) Choose friends whose aspirations mirror your own: Those who have goals and are working towards them will be supportive of you doing the same. Friends who are on a different track will distract and divert you.

4) The hardest part is not losing perspective when things occasionally go wrong: It’s easy to get down on yourself for mistakes, but everyone screws up once in a while. Find ways to make yourself feel better that aren’t destructive.

There is nothing like a dead end job to convince someone that it’s worth it to work for something better. Sounds like you’ve been there, done that. Good luck.