In other news (apolitical thread)...

[utee94]

And as always, kids go to college, suddenly decided that what they wanted to do with the start of college isn’t what they want to do, pivot as needed.

Yeah, it's just a lot more expensive to do that in 2025, than it was in 1990.

[bayareabadger]

Yeah, it's just a lot more expensive to do that in 2025, than it was in 1990.

I grew up on stories about how a family member changed majors three times, but could pay for room, board and tuition with a campus job. 

What a time that must’ve been. 

[bayareabadger]

I often wonder if there is a good thing to do for a gap year that could help a kid find some direction and pushback starting the clock on college. Well, one that didn’t eat money or wasn’t the military.

[utee94]

I grew up on stories about how a family member changed majors three times, but could pay for room, board and tuition with a campus job.

What a time that must’ve been.

My i s c & a aggie wife spent 2.5 years as a business major and hated it.  During her junior year she figured out she wanted to be a Physical Therapist so she pivoted to kinesiology for her undergrad degree, and lost about a year and a half of credit.  Her folks were paying for her school and they could afford it, but there's no way I could have done the same.

[utee94]

I often wonder if there is a good thing to do for a gap year that could help a kid find some direction and pushback starting the clock on college. Well, one that didn’t eat money or wasn’t the military.

Yeah I think it's a great idea for a lot of kids.  My 17yo daughter would almost certainly benefit from one. 

[bayareabadger]

Yeah I think it's a great idea for a lot of kids.  My 17yo daughter would almost certainly benefit from one.

In theory just working some job that would take an 18-year-old would do the trick, but you’d have to contend with some level of social stigma some folks feel (on a range of fronts) questions of if a kid moves out, natural clashes if they don’t.

Definitely some kinks to work through. 

[847badgerfan]

Community college and internships. That's the way.

[utee94]

Community college and internships. That's the way.

I think that's a good solution for some kids.  And I think some kids just need to get a job and work.

Once they start figuring out that entry-level jobs are NOT something they want to do forever, they might gain some clarity on what they actually might LIKE to do in order to pay the bills.

[betarhoalphadelta]

I think that's a good solution for some kids.  And I think some kids just need to get a job and work.

Once they start figuring out that entry-level jobs are NOT something they want to do forever, they might gain some clarity on what they actually might LIKE to do in order to pay the bills.

Hell, I worked from the time I was 13 until the end of HS. Just summers when I was 13 and 14, but started working year-round by the time I was a sophomore in HS.

I didn't need a gap year to teach me any lessons. I had MORE than enough experience to know I didn't want to be a Sandwich Artist or a sales floor guy selling PCs at Best Buy as an adult

[utee94]

Hell, I worked from the time I was 13 until the end of HS. Just summers when I was 13 and 14, but started working year-round by the time I was a sophomore in HS.

I didn't need a gap year to teach me any lessons. I had MORE than enough experience to know I didn't want to be a Sandwich Artist or a sales floor guy selling PCs at Best Buy as an adult

Yeah that's for sure. I worked summers from 9th grade on, and Christmas breaks as well.  I sold men's clothing at a local department store.  My buddy had a job at The Gap which was considered much cooler but I actually made commission on sales above a quota, and he was straight minimum wage.

[jgvol]

I think the key is, no matter what they do in the gap year -- it needs to be near complete independence from the parents, or as much as will allow.

Working a crap job, while still living with your folks, doesn't teach much.  It may offer them more disposable income to entertain themselves with, but not much else -- in my experience.

That's what the military did for son #1, and soon to do for son #2 -- remove the protective cocoon.  Mom and Dad aren't there to save you, nor guide you.  As close as you can get to tossing them into the deep end of the pool, but with some nice guardrails -- i.e Uncle Sam.

Son # 1 returned to me 40 lbs heavier, 100 times smarter, and 1,000 times more mature.  He's done well.

Obviously not an option for everyone, but illustrates the point I'm intending to make.

[utee94]

I often wonder if there is a good thing to do for a gap year that could help a kid find some direction and pushback starting the clock on college. Well, one that didn’t eat money or wasn’t the military.

I think the key is, no matter what they do in the gap year -- it needs to be near complete independence from the parents, or as much as will allow.

Working a crap job, while still living with your folks, doesn't teach much.  It may offer them more disposable income to entertain themselves with, but not much else -- in my experience.

That's what the military did for son #1, and soon to do for son #2 -- remove the protective cocoon.  Mom and Dad aren't there to save you, nor guide you.  As close as you can get to tossing them into the deep end of the pool, but with some nice guardrails -- i.e Uncle Sam.

Son # 1 returned to me 40 lbs heavier, 100 times smarter, and 1,000 times more mature.  He's done well.

Obviously not an option for everyone, but illustrates the point I'm intending to make.

I think military is a great option for some kids.  I don't think it's a great option for everyone, and that's mostly what I'm responding to from bab's post.  We've got to find a path for these kids that can provide a gap year of experience and maturation, that isn't the military, since the military isn't the ideal path for everyone.

[jgvol]

I think military is a great option for some kids.  I don't think it's a great option for everyone, and that's mostly what I'm responding to from bab's post.  We've got to find a path for these kids that can provide a gap year of experience and maturation, that isn't the military, since the military isn't the ideal path for everyone.

Yep.  Just making the point to maximize gap year effectiveness.  "The growing up" and not relying on mom and dad is the key aspect to build the maturity, decision making skills, and confidence building to jumpstart success, and clear their minds on -- what do I really want to do, and what will it take.

Someone should start a program for gap year folks.  Something similar to Peace Corps, or something.  A year of guardrails -- independent of mom and dad saving the day.

[bayareabadger]

I think the key is, no matter what they do in the gap year -- it needs to be near complete independence from the parents, or as much as will allow.

Working a crap job, while still living with your folks, doesn't teach much.  It may offer them more disposable income to entertain themselves with, but not much else -- in my experience.

That's what the military did for son #1, and soon to do for son #2 -- remove the protective cocoon.  Mom and Dad aren't there to save you, nor guide you.  As close as you can get to tossing them into the deep end of the pool, but with some nice guardrails -- i.e Uncle Sam.

Son # 1 returned to me 40 lbs heavier, 100 times smarter, and 1,000 times more mature.  He's done well.

Obviously not an option for everyone, but illustrates the point I'm intending to make.

My question is always about the guardrails.

Eighteen year olds living on their own, finding their own housing sounds like a recipe for a lot of kids getting themselves into all sorts of trouble. (shit, those military kids get themselves into a fair amount of trouble as is, and they have drill sergeants on their asses)

Although living at home doesn’t seem like an ideal structure, I’d take it over nothing.