Feeling lost and unsure about my future career

[Atheismo]

I'm 21 years old and ever since high school I've taken many classes in the computer science/networking field. Back in high school I found them interesting because it was a change of pace from the typical English, math, history, science classes that I had been taking for years. I'm also an avid gamer so I guess it appealed to my nerdy side as well.

I completed some basic programming and web development classes in high school as well as the 4 semesters of the Cisco Networking Academy. I liked these classes more than anything I had taken so far so I wound up going to college as a Computer Science major. I'm now in my 2nd semester of my Junior year and I'm feeling really lost and hopeless when thinking about what I'm going to DO with my life. I've transferred colleges, changed my major to Network Administration and nothing has changed, I still feel really burned out.

Now I have no idea what I'm going to do or even if I can finish up my last year at college and complete my degree. I don't feel like I know anything more now than I did upon graduating high school, in fact I feel like I know less since I've stopped using basic math skills and wound up failing a college algebra class that I know would have been easy three years ago.

As my interest decreases I find myself missing classes and not doing assignments because I'm just not motivated anymore. This depresses me even further because I know I'm basically wasting huge amounts of money and my parents are co-signing some of my loans so I feel like I'm screwing them over too and I know I'm not worth it.

It's gotten to the point where I'm seriously considering just dropping out and joining the military even though I'm not patriotic at all. I just feel it's the only course of action that's left. I have no idea what else I can do, I've already taken loans out for college and it's way too late to change majors and even if I could I have no idea what field I'd be any good at anymore. Basically I'm realizing that I'm quickly becoming a failure and I have no idea what I can do to turn it around anymore.

I don't know if I posted this in the right place but maybe someone reading this has gone through a similar point in their life and could point me in the right direction.

[CleeIB]

Hi Atheismo,

Don't go to boot camp just yet. It's not the best use of what you've got. You're young, and you have skills and talents. That already gives you a leg up on most of the world.

First, what exactly is burning you out?

Second, the best way to start is to start. This means go to class. It doesn't mean acing everything (though, of course, that's the ideal). Woody Allen said, "80% of success is showing up". So just start going to class. Tough out the homework, even if you don't do that great.

Third, get a goal in mind. Gaming is a booming industry and only looks to get bigger in the future. Whom would you want to work for? Electronic Arts? Activision? Start looking at their sites and their job listings. They will list the qualifications you need. You will be competing against many others to get those coveted slots. So get your game on and start thinking long term.

Finally, it's not too late to turn things around. You don't know bottom unless nothing truly separates you and the street. You're far from there. So look at what you've got, look at where you need to get to, and close the distance - even if it takes years. Do it.

[Atheismo]

I guess I'm feeling burned out because after missing class I just feel hopelessly behind. And I'm not talking about this semester, I mean missing class in past semesters because now I just feel like I'm behind everyone else who really learned in this classes, and unlike missing class this semester I can't really just turn it around and start going - because the classes are already behind me.

Furthermore I started looking at a few job listings for intern work just so I could get out of school and get some real work. What I found was that even for the intern jobs they want way more experience than I have. They want like project portfolios (which I'm not even close to having) and they want like a GPA of 3.75 which I don't think I'd be able to get if my next 3 semesters were 4.0

I just feel like a failure.

[CleeIB]

Atheismo - You haven't tried all the options yet, so you can't give up yet.

For classes, you could:

(1) Catch up on your own through self-study (catch up on reading, do past homework)
(2) Get after hours help from the professor/teaching assistant/an outside tutor/study group

As far as a project portfolio goes, can you generate one on your own? Stop gaming, and start programming for games? Sometimes if no one will hire you, the only thing you can do is to make work for yourself.

Also, you can't control your GPA as of yesterday, but you can control your GPA going forward. You can make your next 3 semesters 4.0. You can take classes for extra credits that can boost your GPA.

If you aren't filling your days up with steps that move you forward, no matter how little, then you aren't doing everything you can, and you have no good reason to give up. Get your grind on!

[lesithmaria]

dont get panic or dont loose hope on your future........if you are not able to find a right job based on your qualifications check out the necessary credits for the job you want and take a course in it!!!!:):):)