What should I do? - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**bellelass** · 03-14-2005, 06:38 AM

So right now I am flaking off from school and working in London. Contrary to my family's worst fears and convictions, I am not dropping out of uni. I very much want to finish my all important degree in Middle Eastern Studies with French minor. Cause the paper will make me a better person.

So right now I have several options--
1)Stick to the original plan- work in london til the end of june, travel a bit, then study in Jordan for a year.

2) Work in london til my employer makes me leave, then head to Ireland to work for four months, then sometime in oct start travelling around for a few months (trans-sib to beijing, work my way around to India probably) then end up in Jordan for the spring semester.

3) Same as above, but with the addition of a few online classes from my university during the fall semester (french, history, gov). They count exactly the same as regular classes. This is rather attractive to me.

4) Go back home this summer and finish out my degree cause I am a little pussy and feel the need to be in my comfy familiar environment.

5) Disappear off the face of everything for a few years, probably end up living with bedouins in the south sinai. Then show up home and finish my degree.

There are so many things to do and shit to take care of, those are just the few that I've managed to narrow it down to. Bottom line, I want to finish my degree, but I dont really want to go back to the states for an extended period of time... Advice??

**TimmyJames1976** · 03-14-2005, 06:44 AM

option 3 sounds pretty sweet....nothing wrong w/ a few online classes

**beergal** · 03-14-2005, 06:47 AM

well the option of doing the long distance learning sounds advantageous to me babe but do you think you will really have time to complete your studies when you will be travelling around so much? and when do you think your employer in london is going to make you leave..any time soon? i think you are feeling a little homesick so i suggest getting your arse up here easter weekend to do some serious clubbing, drinking and debauchery! (did i spell that right lol)

Pepin_151 · 03-14-2005, 07:13 AM

#5 would be my choice,but then again that's what I did last year.Packed up my bags quit my job and got a plane ticket to New Zealand and took my mountainbike with me.I would never trade it for anyhtin in the world.I had my parents give me a savage verbal beating over it,but it was the best thing that I've ever done with my life.Now I'm back in Canada and getting a degree in marketing from Lakehead uni and still planing to take some more time off and travel.Other than that all I can say is do what you know is going to be right for you and what is going to make you happy.Trust me you'll thank yourself later for it.

**Sijuki** · 03-14-2005, 08:06 AM

It can be a very difficult decision. I guess you have to decide if your degree is that important that you want to finish it right now. Some people can take extended periods of time off from school and easily walk back into it. Some will fall off track if they miss too much time.

Have you been accepted to a school in Jordan?

If so I would either say go to school there or just take a couple years off to do your thing. Perhaps con your parents to come visit you for a couple weeks of it or something.

Be strong and stay the course Steph.

**ScarlotteDorian** · 03-14-2005, 08:44 AM

i say stay with option one. everything in moderation right? you'll get to stay in london a bit longer (which is where you probably have some familar faces), then travel a bit over the summer (which is probably good for you right now since it seems that you have a want to get out and do something) and then go to school in the fall like you planned so that you are still keeping on track with school. i definetly don't think you should go home, that would be a step back, not forward. i second rob on convincing your parents to come and visit. well, good luck steph. keep us posted.

**space virgin** · 03-14-2005, 09:06 AM

I agree with SD, babe. As nice as option 3 sounds, it'll probably be way more difficult than you think to keep up with online classes while you're traveling.

And yeah, don't go home! B)

**TheJake** · 03-14-2005, 09:25 AM

option #6

forget school. then do #5. write a book. live the rest of your life in a beach house in costa rica.

**kingcrazylegs** · 03-14-2005, 10:07 AM

Option 1, and if you feel up to it, take an online class. Enjoy the experience you are having there. Soak it all in dude!

**omisan** · 03-14-2005, 10:08 AM

Anything but number 4!

**ChasinJason1313** · 03-14-2005, 10:17 AM

to my understanding, you have to prove to Bunac that you are no more than 6 months removed from your last full time school status. So with that I'm not sure how you would be able to work in Ireland without going back to school for another semester.

That being said, I say live it up while you're up to living it up. Be that London, wandering, Jordan, whatever.

**Somnambulation** · 03-14-2005, 02:20 PM

Be cool, stay in school.

**bluepea** · 03-14-2005, 06:47 PM

I agree - anything but four. Make the most of out of your youth while you still have it!

**U2fan** · 03-15-2005, 07:29 PM

1 or 2 I think....this is mainly because I wouldn't want to be finishing an undergrad degree at age 30 or so, but maybe that is just me

If you're going to study in Jordan for sure, likely you could do some travelling from there and even afterwards?