Depression check-list

[Herman]

   Yes, but going to college is no guarantee of getting a good one either. And remember, quite a few people have become millionaires without ever having gone to college.

yeah, but they weren't delivering pizzas either.

really, this newspaperboy > millionaire should be put to rest now.

[Florestan]

As someone with your interest in classical music, you certainly must have a certain intellectual curiosity which would only find more nourishment in college. Who knows, maybe among the different disciplines you can explore in college you might even find one that captures your determination more than you knew you were capable of and could lead you to a more fulfilled professional life once you graduate. You won't find out if you don't try. But you will regret forever not trying when you are older.

Wisdom.

[DavidRoss]

On the other hand, there's nothing like spending a few years in a meaningless, ill-paid, tiresome, and menial job to make higher education seem more appealing.

[ibanezmonster]

You know what they say: someone who wants to to something finds ways, someone who doesn't want to do something finds reasons.    Why the pessimism? Surely college will be more rewarding than any job you could get right now with your lack of experience and education. It is true that some people have done well without college degrees. But they tended to do well in times and places when there were unusual opportunities. In this depressed economy, even those with degrees often can't find jobs commesurate to their education level. Without  a degree you're simply screwed at the moment. If this:

...is what you want, and a meaningful one at that, then a high school diploma alone simply won't cut it, certainly not in the USA of 2011. As someone with your interest in classical music, you certainly must have a certain intellectual curiosity which would only find more nourishment in college. Who knows, maybe among the different disciplines you can explore in college you might even find one that captures your determination more than you knew you were capable of and could lead you to a more fulfilled professional life once you graduate. You won't find out if you don't try. But you will regret forever not trying when you are older.

I'm not sure what you're trying to say... I'm going to college in 6 months- I didn't say I wasn't going. I'm going to get a degree in Computer Science- I have went through technical school and have a certificate for that, but I have a few reasons I want a degree-
1. you supposedly can't emigrate to Japan if you don't have a Bachelor's
2. way easier to find a programming job
3. greater pay


I just have to get a different job first that I'll do while going to school... if the programmer for the company I've done a project for decides he'd rather overburden himself with work instead of pay me for full-time work (and I would even accept what would be an extremely low pay for programmers), then the next best thing I can do is pizza delivery because: they make on average almost twice as much as I do right now, the job is pretty low stress, and you get to listen to music while working. They actually make enough money to where, if I did that 40 hours a week, I could actually move out of my parents' house and find a cheap little 1-bedroom apartment. At Lowes, it's impossible (almost everyone there has to live with other people because they can't afford that). 

Though I'd much rather do programming as my job while going to school, if given the option...

[Mirror Image]

Is anyone on this board mentally healthy or are all classical music fans off-center?

I would say I'm off-center. I've always felt like an outsider growing up, especially in the Southern United States where a common thought (mainly from people up North) is we're a bunch of uneducated heathens. This, obviously, couldn't be further from the truth. I still feel like I'm looking from the outside of things, but I have always marched to the beat of a different drummer anyway. The interesting thing is when somebody asks me what kind of music I like and I tell them classical, they don't look at me like I'm crazy. About 15 years ago, I would get some strange looks from people, but back then, I listened to mainly jazz. It seems people are starting to open up more down here.

Anyway, getting back to the topic, I think we all go through some kind of depression at some point in our lives. Some may experience it once a month, some may experience it every 5 years, but the point is we're all human. There are things that will bring us down, especially dealing with the grief of loosing someone close to you or some other tragic event. I know I've been depressed many times about things that are really out of my control like acceptance from others (i. e. feeling left out all the time) and my own family situation. In time, I've learned how to deal with these things by just accepting things for the way they are and not trying to think I can change them. I have also had many panic attacks when I was a teenager, but this stemmed from my own fears of dying, catching/developing an illness, etc. When I entered my 20s, I had gotten a pretty good handle on this thankfully.

[snyprrr]

Well, I'm officially depressed now, the last 48 at work being the crowing achievement. And,... life with no sex???,... pffft!!! I'm venting here since MY Thread has been hijacked!

Words that are flooding my mind:

Disgust
Nausea
Disdain
Incompetence

as per my superiors.

[Bulldog]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say... I'm going to college in 6 months- I didn't say I wasn't going. I'm going to get a degree in Computer Science- I have went through technical school and have a certificate for that, but I have a few reasons I want a degree-
1. you supposedly can't emigrate to Japan if you don't have a Bachelor's
2. way easier to find a programming job
3. greater pay

Don't you have any interest in living the college campus experience?

[ibanezmonster]

Don't you have any interest in living the college campus experience?

You mean living in a dorm? I'm not sure- but right now my parents charge me $180 a month to stay with them (and I do chores). I don't know how much a dorm usually costs per month, but if it's much more, it wouldn't be a good idea because I want to save up so I can pay off my loan quickly after college. I'll be going to community college for the first 2 years and then a university. The university (which is the nearest one) is over an hour away. I'll have to see if I can get enough online classes to where I only have to drive there 2 or 3 times a week...

[Bulldog]

You mean living in a dorm? I'm not sure- but right now my parents charge me $180 a month to stay with them (and I do chores). I don't know how much a dorm usually costs per month, but if it's much more, it wouldn't be a good idea because I want to save up so I can pay off my loan quickly after college. I'll be going to community college for the first 2 years and then a university. The university (which is the nearest one) is over an hour away. I'll have to see if I can get enough online classes to where I only have to drive there 2 or 3 times a week...

I don't think you have any idea where I'm coming from on this issue.  I'm talking about a total living experience, and you just keep yapping about dorm costs and other mundane matters that count for nothing in the long run.

Given your current mind-set, it's no surprise that you're depressed.  I'm feeling very sad for you.

[MishaK]

1. you supposedly can't emigrate to Japan if you don't have a Bachelor's

Why do you want to emigrate to Japan? Just curious...

I don't think you have any idea where I'm coming from on this issue.  I'm talking about a total living experience, and you just keep yapping about dorm costs and other mundane matters that count for nothing in the long run.

You shouldn't be so judgmental. Cost can be a prohibitive factor. Cost of attending college has increased exponentially even since I went to college. If things don't change, soon, I'll be sending my kids to school in Europe. That said, Greg, have you even looked into options of getting financial aid? And I don't mean loans, but grants and scholarships first and foremost, federally subsidized loans, if nothing else is possible.

[Bulldog]

You shouldn't be so jugdmental.

Spell it right and I just might agree with you.

[MishaK]

Spell it right and I just might agree with you.

[Bulldog]

[Scarpia]

[ibanezmonster]

You shouldn't be so judgmental. Cost can be a prohibitive factor. Cost of attending college has increased exponentially even since I went to college. If things don't change, soon, I'll be sending my kids to school in Europe. That said, Greg, have you even looked into options of getting financial aid? And I don't mean loans, but grants and scholarships first and foremost, federally subsidized loans, if nothing else is possible.

Oh, definitely. Besides the loans, there are a ton of grants and scholarships out there. I'll have to check them out before going to school- I can save thousands this way, too.

Why do you want to emigrate to Japan? Just curious..

I just want to see what it's like living there. If I like it, I'll stay. If I don't, I'll come back to the US. The most likely reasons I wouldn't like it would probably be overwork and social isolation that is very likely, but I'll just have to see how it is...

[MishaK]

Oh, definitely. Besides the loans, there are a ton of grants and scholarships out there. I'll have to check them out before going to school- I can save thousands this way, too.

Do so now and stop doing anything that might cause you to post in the "games you're playing" thread!  Deadlines for these things tend to be early. If you get financial aid you can then attend perhaps a better college and live on campus, which opens a lot of new avenues for you, intellectual, social etc. Going to college and living at home defeats half the point.

I just want to see what it's like living there. If I like it, I'll stay. If I don't, I'll come back to the US. The most likely reasons I wouldn't like it would probably be overwork and social isolation that is very likely, but I'll just have to see how it is...

You may want to look at study abroad programs that allow you to explore country and culture for a semester, or programs for teaching English as a foreign language in Japan after you graduate, which some friends of mine did, before you commit to such an endeavor.

[The Diner]

Depression is for chumps. 

[ibanezmonster]

How much are antidepressants, usually? It seems like if they are around $20, I can afford them (of course, I suppose this all depends on insurance, though). $100 a month is out of my price range, because that's all the money I can save up each month.

What I would like is something that doesn't give you heavy fatigue side effects, because I struggle with that enough already. However, side effects like weight gain or decreased libido might not be a bad thing (possibly a good thing, though I'm careful about being optimistic, because you never know the details). This + cheap = any names to throw out there? I'm probably going to find a doctor and get some kind of prescription before long...

[Scarpia]

How much are antidepressants, usually? It seems like if they are around $20, I can afford them (of course, I suppose this all depends on insurance, though). $100 a month is out of my price range, because that's all the money I can save up each month.

What I would like is something that doesn't give you heavy fatigue side effects, because I struggle with that enough already. However, side effects like weight gain or decreased libido might not be a bad thing (possibly a good thing, though I'm careful about being optimistic, because you never know the details). This + cheap = any names to throw out there? I'm probably going to find a doctor and get some kind of prescription before long...

Anti-depressants are not a recreational drug.

[ibanezmonster]

Anti-depressants are not a recreational drug.