Feel like I'm "stuck"...

[Indestructible]

I'm a 22 year old guy, and for the last three years, I've been taking classes at a community college, and working part time at a retail store. But I'm stuck at a point where I don't know what I want to do next...

I've been trying to figure out what I want to do with my life, but nothing seems to "click" with me. I'm kind of a technology "geek", so I've pretty much been researching different careers in the technology field (and all three years at community college, I've been taking IT-related classes), but I can't seem to find something in the field that really interests me... First, I looked into programming, but that seemed too confusing. Then computer engineering, but I couldn't keep up with the required math and physics classes. This year, it's been networking, but I'm not quite grasping that too well, either.

To make matters worse, I've been keeping in touch with old classmates from grade school and high school, and so many of them are doing well. They're finishing up their last year of college to get their bachelor's degree, they already even have entry-level positions... I'm three years into community college, with no degree to show for it (and no real direction, even), working at a crummy retail store barely making a little more than minimum wage.

I know people often say "You shouldn't compare yourself to others", but to be fair, all through grade school and high school, my classmates and the faculty often acknowledged me as one of the brighter, smarter people, that would most likely go on to be successful in life. Back then, that gave me confidence in myself. Looking at myself now, though, I can't help but be disappointed. I'm nothing. I'm just drifting through life aimlessly. I don't even have a "plan".

I don't even know what I want to do next semester. Back in January, I set a goal for myself that I'd figure out what I want to do next semester by the end of March. I've researched some other universities, but none have a degree program that I think I'd stick to, and others wouldn't transfer over my credits from community college (and I don't want my last three years of classes to be completely meaningless...). The weeks have zipped by, March is almost over, and I don't have a clue what I'm doing next semester. I'll probably waste my entire summer (which I hoped to spend relaxing) panicking and worrying about what I'm going to do next.

Honestly, I'm sick of being in the same spot. I'm sick of community college, but it's cheap, and until I figure out what I want to do, I don't want to transfer to a university and end up building up massive amounts of debt by aimlessly taking classes. I'm sick of working at the same store, doing the same crummy work, for very little money, but jobs are tight and I have no qualifications to do anything better... Community college and this part time job were supposed to be a "transitional" stage, but now I feel like I'm stuck here. I just don't know what to do...

[Anturo]

Dude it’s your life.

Make it what you want.

So you like computers. I did too. I was about the same boat as you with no real understanding or grasp of them.

I just knew I liked them. So I went and got a job with them (got fired from one).

But eventually I learned a niche within a trade.

I now run a network at a law firm. I still don’t have a ton of computer knowledge.

I just know how to do my job really well and I am always doing what I can do to make it better.

Until you get out and do something you won’t learn anything. I've found that school wasn’t for me.

I've learned a hell of a lot more and more stuff that mattered out in real world applications. Very few of which I learned in school.

Get out find something you like and try it. If it doesn’t work its ok, you've got youth on your side.

You will find something one day especially if you have all that built up potential that other saw in you. I'm sure it’s still there you just haven’t figured out how to get to it yet.

But go out and fail a few times, but remember to get back up. Good Luck.

[bloodtippedrose]

I am so similar its scary. Right down to the same age. We are people of no passions! I was working retail, taking classes at a tech college cuz I sorta like design, and was one of the "top 5" in my graduating class academically so people thought I would go far. I feel like everything i do is just going to be work, that Ill never be passionate of anything! I still feel that way, and am still taking classes.. so I dont have any brilliant insight to share. But i WILL say this! Maybe you'll find your "passion" or catch your break one day, but until then stick with computers!!! My bf just graduated from a tech college with an associates in system networking and security and got a million job offers, his entry level position was 17 bucks an hour which is a big jump from retails minimum wage. He's worked for almost a year for Advantage as a server tech and he's going to get promoted within the next 4 months to HP making 22-25 dollars/hour. So if everything feels like a job to you then at least make it a high paying job.

[Regnent]

I was a fairly major geek in school. I was all over programming, networking, etc.
I have a natural affinity for it. (You may not if your finding it challenging)

I drive a concrete truck for a living.

I didn't like the idea of what's involved in tech, alot of socially inept people, as well as clients, bosses, etc that simply don't 'get it'. So I choose something else I liked, phsycial labor. Weird.

You may have to work really hard to 'get' it if you enjoy the fields. It's that simple.
That or find another path.