Have you ever taken a chance?

[Pekka]

Have you ever been tired of the current situation on your life, and just leave all the s**t behind and take a chance? Not exactly a leap of faith, but something like it.

I'm pretty secure and all, well I don't have money, but I can still eat every day and pay my basic needs like electric, phone and such. But I'm still very .. I'm not happy with my life. I think I'm missing out all the time, and every new day is a lost day, since I'm not going for my full potential. Just living poor but secure life, going absolutely nowhere. So.. I'm thinking of just packing my stuff, just the essentials and go. Doesn't matter where.. but outside my country. It can fail miserably, but on the other hand, something might come up.. if you don't play, you won't win.

I figure I'll try to get to comp sci schools this summer, and if I don't get in, then I go. Maybe I'll end up in French Foreign Legion when I run out of options, but who knows! Anything could happen.. have you ever risked and what happened? Did you think it was worth it?

disclaimer to people who think I should appreciate what I have because most people in this planet are doing worse.. well this is not what I want. I'm willing to gamble, and if I lose, I lose. Better to be safe than sorry is not my motto. You must go forward all the time, or backwards, but if you stay still, you're in trouble.

[Seneca]

Do I mind if I ask how old you are?

I've felt in the same situation before, but recently I've not been so bothered, since the job is going well and I've moved into a nicer flat.

[Ben Kenobi]

I'm from British Columbia, and I got laid off of my job in northern BC- slow labour market, not enough customers to sustain the business without cutting people. It wasn't a great job, but it paid the bills for school. I had a choice of moving 500 miles to Vancouver, or to stay, both places I had no job. If I stayed, I might not find work for the rest of the summer, but if I left, I would have to pay room and board, but I was more likely to find work. I left, and did okay, survived, and managed to save some money for school.

As for you, I don't know your job situation. Are you not pleased with your job? Look for something more challenging, not necessarily abroad. Maybe something you never thought you were able to do.

There is nothing wrong with living a quiet, stable life, even if you are poor. Many people are contented and enjoy life that way. They just don't make the news as often

Consider what you really want, and don't chuck a job until you know what this is. No sense being lost and out of work as well.

[Pekka]

22, no job. I really want to study, but there's only one place here that I want to go. I don't want to go there, it's a long story and I've been crying about it here earlier .

I don't see my future here anyway, haven't seen it for a long time. Somehow I have always felt that I will go away from here and succeed, since I was a kid.
Yeah, I'm still pretty young, but I'm slowly starting to lose my patience as days go by and my accomplishments won't get any better. I feel like I'm waiting for something to happen, but it ain't gonna drop your lap, I have learned that much. So only option is to go for it yourself, maybe against odds.. .

I'm pretty sure about it. There is just NO way if I fail this time at entrance exams, that I will stand still and maybe get to flip burgers for few months. Then, I'm going for it, maybe I'll become a male prostitute in Japan, but no way I'm waiting anymore. I'm not getting any younger waiting.

[Pekka]

obiwan18, You have to know where I come from. If you're not a professor at something, you won't get a job more than just flipping burgers. Getting job here (even a ****ty one) is like winning in lottery, and even then you get raped with terms of the job.
So what I need to do is get my butt to university, but theres only one for me in here, thus I need to get myself out of this country, and I don't want to wait and wait. I'm a man of action! .


edit: but someone could share their own experiences, because this is not supposed to be one of those 'I'm doing crappy' threads.

and ps taking chance doesn't mean going interrailing in Europe. It means leaving for good.

[Ben Kenobi]

If you want to go to school, concentrate on getting in. Once you are in, it is much easier to stay, or to return. Universities don't like giving up on people who demonstrate reasonable ability and drive. There is no use worrying until you actually fail. Concentrate at the task at hand, and then you can decide where to go from there.

Hope this helps. : )

[JohnT]

"Have you ever taken a chance?"

Yes.

[Pekka]

obiwan18, no it didn't help! . You again have to understand where I come from, we have a different system. You have one shot per year, it's one exam, it's tough, people many times over take it and if you fail,.. you have to wait another year. It's very tough competiton, because there's only one place I want to go, and too many competitors. You can't do anything, extra work, nothing. It all comes down to that, that's all that matters. Also the level of candidates here is good, everyone is serious, no fools. If you miss one question, you're pretty much out. Tough game, but fair.
I was thinking of getting my butt to US or even Canada (or UK), but I couldn't come with the funding needed, only partial. Or maybe I will just sell my body to get that funding .

[Pekka]

Wow JohnT, that was inspiring! Exactly what I meant.. you're one brave son of a gun!

[Ben Kenobi]

So I'm ignorant of Finland's education system

"I figure I'll try to get to comp sci schools this summer, and if I don't get in, then I go. "

Same exams you were talking about? If this is your plan, then you have 6 months to prepare, and to make a final decision whether you stay or go. Unless money is a problem, there is no need to decide now whether you want to leave or not.

I challenge your assertion that there are no ways to prepare for an exam. Maybe some of the other Finnish folks will chime in. All exams have strategies to prepare for- talk to people who have successfully completed them, etc. I used to tutor folks back home, (still might if I need some extra $$, when I go back home for Christmas).

If you don't want to wait 6 months, and try again at the exams, then it becomes a problem.

[Pekka]

No, they can't really have anything to say in preparing . Since there's one question where you need to do programming, and one logic question, and one surprise question. I already know how to program, and my level at programming is not the greatest, but enough to score full points in that question. The logical question is pretty easy, but the problem is, to get in I need to score full points. And surprise question, well they call it surprise because you don't know what it is. So no, you can't prepare if you already know programming .
Problem is, almost everyone is good at these things, so if I make one stupid mistake, I'm out. That's the case, so I don't take it for granted that I will make it next time.
I could make it to US, Canada schools but that's money question. And no, I can't make that money flipping burgers or even selling drugs . Perhaps if some rich Japanese men would take interest on me..

Money is not a problem. I don't have it. It's much more simpler, I'm glad I'm not rich. And pretty much all the finns I know have said 'man you have to be crazy to get in that school' etc. . You need to have certain level of knowledge in that area, and after that it's godspeed and luck. I know the strategies, since I have taken it before, and missed so close I almost thought I should go to principals office and take my place with gunpoint.

I will take this exam once again after about 6 months, if I fail, I'm not waiting ANOTHER year for it to come. And that's why I'm thinking of leaving for good, because I'm pretty sick of this #%"¤%"¤.

[Az]

leaving for where?

[devilmunchkin]

yes and i got steam rolled...

[Timexwatch]

Pekka: Illegally Immigrate to the U.S. If you're as white as the wind driven snow, you'll have no problem sneaking over.

[Pekka]

Haha, I wasn't talking about immigrating illegally to states. I have relatives there anyway. I meant I was and still am thinking of studying there if everything else fails here, since the requirements are pretty easy, it's a question of money.. must..find...japanese...men...
But I'm pretty much white as snow, you could call me arayan poster boy or something, since I look like it (don't confuse these to nazi stuff).

edit: sorry, I got it wrong.. take my chance in the US? Hmm.. interesting, but I couldn't get a green card, so it would be a bit .. difficult and I could face serious charges . I reckon my chances are better in Europe, or Asia even.

Azazel, I don't know. If I knew, there wouldn't be lots of chances to take . Just go.. why should I stay.. I don't want this, I'm willing to give up what I own now for making my life more interesting, and perhaps find something good, or bad, whatever.. as long as I find something. Maybe lady fortune is with me, and my life will take a new direction. Now it's going nowhere.
It's freaking frustrating and making me crazy.