As long as you stay busy, that's the key. I left high school after one year to do my own thing and since then have had some pretty extraordinary experiences. I recently left the institution where I had a full scholarship and will instead be getting my second degree (first bachelor's) within a year somewhere else– because the other things paused. I wish you the best of luck, but make sure that you don't let anything that happens close your mind. To stay on top of your game you have to be able to see when the game changes. If work ever dries up and you find yourself idling, don't be afraid to go back and do some of the things you didn't need before.
This message has been brought to you by Clonazepam and too much late-night circuit analysis... (I'll save the regret for not waiting to write later until the morning)
Also, a little note to anyone who has decided to either skip or take a break from school at any point in their career:
There's no shame in saying that you weren't ready for it then. It doesn't mean you couldn't handle the material, or the environment, or anything... it just means that you had some potential which, at that time, was not going to be fulfilled by doing whatever. 5, 10, 20 years later, not only will your potential have grown but so too the chance of doing so much more with it. I'm still younger than all of my classmates but I feel like I have the same approach as an old man– I came to learn, with the added benefit that all the work I do goes deeper with my additional experiences. So err, "Keep on rockin' in the free world..." but don't be afraid to take home the royalties after you're famous.
I definitely think that's a key point in all of this. And really I'm just 18. That's the really, really cool part. If I totally :facepalm: fail in two years, I can say, "Ok, college might not be a bad idea."
Unfortunately, you won't have the time to go back in 2-3 years. You'll be too busy trying to pay your bills, keep the apartment, deal with your psycho girlfriend, have some semblance of a social life, and deal with that stupid used car that needs to pass inspection. Oh, and dont forget about that crap client who won't leave you alone. Good luck dude.
Exactly. I just turned 20, could've gotten my bachelor's two years ago, and yet I still don't have one. And so what? I've spent every day loving the experience of whatever it is I'm doing, I don't even regret exploring all the dead ends. It's all part of life, even when your path twists more than others'.
Edit: I should credit my fiancée who is halfway through the last program that I left– she has much more patience for all of things that I would only see as a poor use of time (i.e. taking introductory classes in which I already have 20+ credits at junior or senior level). Otherwise perhaps I'd be a bitter sap, which is probably how I come off anyway after a couple days of no sleep. Dead ends for me are not for her and vice versa, so it's all rather interesting.
This message has been brought to you by Clonazepam and too much late-night circuit analysis... (I'll save the regret for not waiting to write later until the morning)