I'm scared of what my future will bring, can somebody help me feel better?

Question

I'm 18 and taking a year off before going to college. My major is photography. I've gotten into a few good schools and one of them is giving me a scholarship. My parents are paying for my expenses. Right now I have a job which I work part time at and I'm saving some money up.

I'm really scared about my future-- I'm worried that I won't be able to get a good job out of college, you see the articles around. I just want to be able to afford living independantly and have some money left over to save or spend on a few luxuries.

I'm really insecure and have so much anxiety about this. I want to make my parents proud of me.

I'm looking for somebody to tell me it'll be alright, I guess... I don't know. I'm scared of a lot of things. Can somebody say something to make me feel better or give me some advice? Thanks.

Answer 1

Guess what? We are all scared when we leave High School and attend college. And we all want our parents to be proud of us no matter what our age is, and I am 50.
Please just make sure you live your life for yourself not for others. Make a plan for the best life ever. Think it out and follow your course. College is loads of fun and you meet lots of great people your age. And you can even meet the person of your dreams like I did. We were both 19 and we married at 25. We have been married 30 years.

Life is what you make it. Keep good choices for friends, jobs, social activities, and your destiny. There is a plan for your life, work on it in advance with changes along the way. And remember fear is an obstacle to overcome. Fear gets in the way of a fulfilling life. Those that have fears never reach their true and fullest potential.

Follow these ten commandments for life and I guarantee your life will be wonderful and you will make your parents proud:

forgiveness, courage, tolerance, compassion, faith, hope, patience, wisdom, understanding and love.

We all need these for the best live ever. Courage is big. Without it you can go no where.Remember your best life is the one you are living, push to get all you can out of life. Dont sit back and wait for things to happen, make them happen.

Fear robs us of a precious life. Take the guy who stands in the corner afraid to ask the girl for a date. He misses out as she was the one he was destined to spend his life with. Take the guy who can not decide on a college and so he never goes and misses the best job in the world. He lives a meager life as a waiter.

Reach out and pull to you what you want. Photography is a wonderful major and many jobs will come your way. You can even own your own Photogrphy Studio, and if this is your dream make it happen. Learn to save money and learn to help others and many wonderful things will come your way.

Take it from me. Someone who has lived their live, who has everything and you still reaches for more of what life has to offer.
I come to Yahoo answers only to help others, it is my calling right now.

Here is two books I highly recommend you read and they will help your life right away. Please read these:

Your Destiny from the Monk that sold his Ferrari by Robin Sharma
The Luck Factor by Dr. Richard Weisman

These books will show you your path and how you can have the life of your dreams. Please check them out.

Good Luck and keep the chin up

Answer 2

Relax--you are in very good shape at 18, since you clearly have a good academic base and the financial resources to get through college. Don't worry about "getting a job." The articles you've been reading are mostly nonsense. I'm not giving you "feel-good" answers--her is an outline of how ccollege works (and I'm a doctoral student--I've been there).

First--a college degree (in ANYTHING) opens job doors. What you study is important if you are looking for a specific skill (as you seem to be), but you can study folk literature ( and some people do!) and still be employable.

The key is to take advantage of the resources your university offers. Those students who do (and MOST don't) are the ones who get the good jobs. There's no "luck" involved.

Specifically--make sure you get top grades. That means treat school like a job--because it is your job. Put in the hours studying ( there is no substitute for that). To the extent you may need help, use the learning centers and the study skill smeinars and programs your school will offer (all good institutions do this). GET TO KNOW YOUR PROFESSORS!!!! Go see them during their office hours (hint--when you do, prepare in advance with a specific question or topic you need to discuss).

And take advantage of all the other opportunities a good school offers. This can include help findinginternships in your area of interest, getting involved in the Student Government, working with volunteer organizations tha trecruit at your school, getting (usually free) training in software and various skills, etc.

And don't try to rush through college ( the fact that you're taking a year off is likely a good idea). But htere's no rule that says you need to finish in four years. Take 5, 6, or even 7 years if you need to. Quality counts on your resume and academic transcript. Speed doesn't mean anything.

The point of all this is that YOU are the one in charge of your education--and the outcome. You have the power to make it happen the way it needs to for you--and the more you realize you are the one in control, the less scared you will be.

Answer 3

Sounds like you are a bright kid with a lot going for you. You will do well in college, and you will get a good job when the time comes. Don't worry too much about meeting other people's expectations, it won't all come straight away, and you'll make mistakes, but at college you'll meet other peoplw who are worried and make mistakes too, and you'll work it out together. remember that it's when you bugger up you get the best stories. Don't worry about money, there's plenty of it around.