I feel i´m losing it

[Tagus]

Well, it´s not about the hair this time 

It´s that i think i´m in the middle of a quarter life crisis at the moment. I´ve completed 26 years old last 18th November and i feel alot of things are falling over me like moving away from my parents home or marry/go living with a girlfriend.

I feel i´m in the most decisive moment of my life where i need to decide alot of things.

The main problem at the moment is if weather or not i should finish my degree.
I already have a job that pays about the medium wage in my country but it doesn´t allow me to move away from my parents house so i´m trying to finish my degree at night but i´m frustrated at the lack of time i have to dedicate myself to the things i´m learning.

I´m studying Multimédia Communications which is a very creative area but the only things i´ve learned in classes aren´t enough to work in an agency, that´s why i want to have more free time to train more and when i say i need to train more it´s about learning more about web design and graphic design like being proeficient in Photoshop, Flash, Illustrator etc, which are the areas of my studies.
I also want to be a 3D artist because i love cg but again i don´t have enough skills to do what i want.

As you can see this is a very creative area which means agencies look more at a portfolio than qualifications but i don´t have a good portfolio yet.

I also look at alot of people in my company that have degrees but they work alongside me. The place where i work is an airport and there´s alot of graduates there that couldn´t find work in the area of their degree so why am i wasting my time paying tuitons and wasting my time learning bits of this and that ?

I want to be a freelancer or starting my own bussiness.
I don´t want to have a 9 to 5 job that takes most of our time commuting and working most of the week...what´s the meaning of life afterall?

Don´t we all want to be free?

Why would i want to work for another company and receive a fixed salary instead of bulding websites and get paid for the total price of a website which is better than a salary?

That´s what i want to fight for, to be the best i can in my area.

You see...i bodybuild and i also surf...my soul is to be free and with the internet and tecnologies that exist today it´s possible to work anywhere to anyone.

I´m aware that some of you live in developed countries where the living costs and salaries are higher and since there´s alot of people with 30+ years old what would you do or what do you regret from the past that reflects in your life and work?

[pharmer]

You are at a pivotal point in your life, where your decisions could effect your long-term future.  So, it's ok that you are freaking out.  If you aren't satisfied with the quality of education you are receiving, and you don't believe that having a degree will help you land your dream job I don't know why you would stay in school.  There were times I hated pharmacy school.  However, without finishing the degree I could do nothing in the field.  Take some time to think it over.  If you are a person of faith I encourage you to pray about the situation. 

[Paul]

Finish your degree, by all means.  Once completed, it is something no one can ever take away from you.  You may not use it now....but it is always there.   

[Brkeatr]

There will come a time in your life that a job will present itself that requires a degree. Your gonna kick yourself in the butt if you drop out of school and don't get it....

[Tagus]

The thing is i don´t want to work for someone. I already do that and i´m not satisfied with it. I want to fullfill my dream to work for myself but there´s a part of me that wants the security of having a degree and another part that wants to be free.

Speaking about security why do i see alot of graduates in my country with precarious jobs and low pay?

[GASlick]

Finish your degree.  No matter what you wind up doing, you have a base to build on.

My wife and I own a company and we work for ourselves.  Speaking from experience, my wife and I can't even leave town.  To say nothing about "working from anywhere".  Don't get me wrong, working for yourself has its advantages, but when your surfing or whatever else you do - you're not making money.  There is no vacation days, no sick days, no holidays, no paid time off.  We enjoy camping and haven't been in three months.  When we do go, it's for no more than 2 or 3 days. 

All these things factor into your decision.  I have a great friend that builds websites and he routinely puts in 12-16 hour days six days a week and often works 10 -12 hours on Sunday.  He has a staff of coding people, but ultimately it is his company and he is responsible for the product. He spends a HUGH amount of time traveling meeting new and existing customers.

Everyone has their own unique set of circumstances, but just take my words of experience and be aware.  best of luck to you!

[TheSlyBear]

You never know where life is going to take you, or what opportunities might show up. It's best to prepare yourself for whatever eventuality might open itself up for you, and that includes finishing your degree.

[zzaapp]

When I was young, I dropped out of college.  I felt much as you describe, that I wasn't getting anywhere with it, and I needed to get on with life.  I spent a number of years doing work that I hated.  I eventually went back to school and completed my degree.

The most important thing I got from it was credibility.  I could show my degree to a prospective employer, and they knew that I had a certain base of knowledge that would allow me to do the job.  That is important whether you are looking to work for a company, or trying to sell your skills to an individual client.   

I took a job with a company to get a bit of experience.  When I first started, I thought I would give it six months, and if it didn't work out, at least I would make some contacts.  That was 30 years ago, and it turned out that I liked the work, and the opportunities to travel.  And, it gave me the stability in my life and the financial means to go out and do the things that I enjoy.

Right now, you are frustrated and impatient.  I know what it's like.  I was there, just like you are now.  But, you should stick with it and finish the degree.   It will be worth it.

[Papa Don]

By all means, finish your degree.  Then, if you want to start your own business, do so.  One thing I have found in working for yoursel,  You are married to the company.  Not much time for surfing etc.  Think long and hard and be patient.

[Tagus]

Thanks for your support and describing your experiences.

I know this sounds strange but i might finish my degree in three years or something. I think i will just finish a few classes every year while i improve my skills and have time to do what i like while finishing my degree.

I already got a job and get some decent money.

Now i just need to shave my hair

[champ007]

I just want to add that if you build your own business, a financial institution will look at your degree also.
They don't just hand money to anyone. Don't judge by others, along with the degree most employers look for people who are confident and goal oriented. If you need to work for others while you start your business then you have the papers to back you. I still work at certifications in different areas of computing even though they do nothing for me at my present job, but you never know when you might need to pull them out.
Good luck to you