need some grown up advice please

liftcycle

everyone in this site is here to make a diference in our lives, our hope is to live healthier, longer and happier with the people we love most... very rarely do we come across people who take action and actually make a diference in their lives the majority of people only dream of what could be and complain and complain but never really make an effort to change their situation, thats why ya'lls opinion is important to me because i know you are all very capable of making a huge decision and then taking action in your lives.

so heres my question:

i have two options in my life

I can go to school for marketing, this option is bulletproof I know that doing this will guarantee me a great future working with my father in his business

or

I can not go to school and move to los angeles to become a stand up comedian and a writer, its my pasion, but if things dont go well I'll prabably end up living very mediocre... when it comes to the things I want to do its kinda like everything or nothing... the thing is I know im really good at what I do.. I never ever though about not making it bc I've always felt like I could but today I went to work and noticed all the people in their 50's working bad jobs and it scared me to think that if I dont make it I'll end up like them..

I was just wondering what would yall do if it was your life?

MaraDiaz

Is there an expiration date on going back to school and then working with your father?

If not, go with your dream first, use the sure thing as backup.

MyPsalm63

If it was MY life.....I would pray about it. I would go with where the Lord was leading my heart. That's what I would do

pen2u

Go to school, but keep your comedy skills and contacts up to date. After school try out the comedy thing; you will need a day job while waiting to get discovered, and it might as well be a good-paying one. If showbiz doesn't work out for you, you've always got that business degree to fall back on. You could use it to become an agent or whatever.

cbeutler

Honestly, go to school and take lots of accounting to go with the marketing. Don't give up your dream just pursue it while going to school.

rockinraccuun

why not do both? they have schools out there. you wont be able to give ALL of your attention like if you pick one, but i def think school would give you plenty of new material! look at it as a double major, marketing and comedy.

dizzydi1968

Go with your dream.

With the hindsight that maturity provides I can honestly say that despite doing a lot of crazy stuff and getting into endless trouble, the only things I really regret are the opportunities I didn't take.

Good luck

MissMormie

Isn't there a marketing course in LA?

Especially when you're just getting started as a stand up comedian there's gonna be plenty of hours left in the day. Even if you want to write as well, there's no reason why you can't combine things. If you find out that the stand up comedy is taking up too much time, great, that probably means there's a future for you there. So that'd be a nice moment to stop, or slow down your marketing course.

I'd go for the combination of both options, as that will give you the most options later on.

alladream

I'm fifty, and I sing rock and roll and I am doing an MBA right now, while working for a lawyer for many years to support myself. To me, it is important to learn how to earn a living, and then also keep up with what you love, like comedy or singing or whatever. If you can somehow support yourself legally and easily while still doing the comedy etc., that is one thing, but I think it, and any performing, is a really hard way of life, since it depends on undependable stuff like 'will people like me? Will there be people lining up to PAY me to do this? Will they be too miserable about their own lives to even listen to me, so they do nothing, or say mean stuff to me, and there goes my chance?'. I know people who have done or been on many albums who are still just travelling around all over the place making a tiny bit of money, but getting older and having to keep going now, in their 50s-60s-70s, because music/performing is all they ever knew--even people who got rally famous often blew all their money and now have to work for a living, longer than the average person who became a plumber or auto mechanic or some other really useful trade that will always be in demand in some form. If it were me, I'd learn some trade and also learn about finance and the business of trade and of life, and I would keep up with the other skills as well. Actually, that's what I'm doing myself: working during the day, singing with a group a night a week, working on the accredited MBA mostly online, and cultivating my music/showbiz contacts by saving up the pennies and being able to take courses or seminars etc. with them in ways that help me know the right people. Good luck figuring out the combination that works for you, but remember that learning about how to support yourself and how to save money is always helpful.

MissMormie

- deleted -

Note to self, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

sagetracey

Follow your passion. You have identified the consequences of doing so and it sounds as though you are prepared to live with those consequences. It's much too easy to fall into the role that you are "expected" to follow. It's much more difficult and satisfying to forge your own way.

Besides, I started university at age 40 and got so much more out of it than if I had gone straight from high school.

Life is not a highway that runs in a straight line from start to finish. You will make left turns, right turns and sometimes even u turns. We all have the same final destination, it's what you do with your journey that matters.

3foldchord

Go to school, but keep your comedy skills and contacts up to date. After school try out the comedy thing; you will need a day job while waiting to get discovered, and it might as well be a good-paying one. If showbiz doesn't work out for you, you've always got that business degree to fall back on. You could use it to become an agent or whatever.

This sounds like good advice.
My son is 16, his dream is acting.. but he also enjoys cooking a lot. I suggested he 'major' in one of those areas and 'minor' in the other in college- because acting type careers take a while to get off the ground sometimes- so he will have the cooking job to pay his rent and food bills in between acting jobs till the acting jobs can take over.

42hockeymom

Whooo boy, you're just a little younger than my oldest! If it was her asking me this, I'd say:

Always, always, always have a plan B. So I guess I'd say, go to school and keep up your comedy stuff at the same time. Why not go to school out in California? That way, you earn your degree, AND can pursue comedy at the same time. If one falls through, you have the other.


I'm all for making sure young women being independent in life and being able to do everything on their own. While I have been married to my husband for 25 years, I'm extremely independent and don't have to rely on him for anything, other than the love he gives me. (That is only one example, please don't flame this) I've taught and am teaching my two daughters 22 & 15 to make their life theirs and then pursue other things.

If you were mine I'd support you if you had a good solid plan in place. I'm all for doing something you love, but I also would want you to make sure that if for any reason that didn't work, you could still take care of yourself.


So, Good Luck Kiddo! Get out there and conquer the world!

michellekicks

Whooo boy, you're just a little younger than my oldest! If it was her asking me this, I'd say:

Always, always, always have a plan B. So I guess I'd say, go to school and keep up your comedy stuff at the same time. Why not go to school out in California? That way, you earn your degree, AND can pursue comedy at the same time. If one falls through, you have the other.


I'm all for making sure young women being independent in life and being able to do everything on their own. While I have been married to my husband for 25 years, I'm extremely independent and don't have to rely on him for anything, other than the love he gives me. (That is only one example, please don't flame this) I've taught and am teaching my two daughters 22 & 15 to make their life theirs and then pursue other things.

If you were mine I'd support you if you had a good solid plan in place. I'm all for doing something you love, but I also would want you to make sure that if for any reason that didn't work, you could still take care of yourself.


So, Good Luck Kiddo! Get out there and conquer the world!

This.

danaweston

I say go to school as number one..explore the dream during and after. Never put yourself in a position to be dependent on others.
As for "50 years olds" in bad jobs...there are many of us who love our jobs. Those jobs can support us in our pursuit of our dreams. Hang in there...the time will pass by if you are in school or not. Use the time wisely.

chroniclesofthinoholic

Go to school, but keep your comedy skills and contacts up to date. After school try out the comedy thing; you will need a day job while waiting to get discovered, and it might as well be a good-paying one. If showbiz doesn't work out for you, you've always got that business degree to fall back on. You could use it to become an agent or whatever.

^^ THIS...
I did my engineering and am searching for work in a completely different field... And if it doesn't work out for me I have my engineering to fall back on...
Most of my friends are doing pretty much the same....

liftcycle

omg thank you all for the advice..
I feel like its one or the other because, if I decide to truly go with my dream I have to move which would mean day job to pay for things. and night to work on my craft, the people who make it don't work 1 hour a week and do somehting else... they spend hours mastering their comedy or acting or singing because theirs soo much competition I have to be my best. I spend a lot of time rehearsing every line. also I will go to the UCLA extended writers program to learn to write comedy scripts (sitcoms) and books, so when I when Im not practicing I will be writting.. writting is a step to get there.. all the accomplished comedians started writting for others and then their chance came... in other words I have to 100% master my craft for when the opportunity comes.

Will Smith said something very true, he said "theres no point in having a plan B because it distracts from plan A" and when you look at what Im trying to go into is almost everything or nothing..

if I start going to school comedy would only be a hobby..

thank you guys so much for anwsering.. I really needed this.. you guys are making some really good points btw..

OspreyVista

Go with your dream.

With the hindsight that maturity provides I can honestly say that despite doing a lot of crazy stuff and getting into endless trouble, the only things I really regret are the opportunities I didn't take.

Good luck

I started in business management because I wanted to learn how to run a business because I wanted to run a business. I was NOT happy at all. I switched to Interior Design ( my dream job) and now I'm much happier. Yeah, I may not make a ton of money, but that doesn't matter because I will be happy with what I do. I would say it depends on how you feel about marketing. If your not happy with it, then why spend the time? It doesn't matter if you think you'll be good at it or it will make money. If your not happy, it's not worth it. If you can be happy in it, then I would say try to do both at once.

TexasTroy

Follow your dreams. And like a lot are saying, " isnt there a school you can go do out there? " If you dont follow your dream, how will you feel when your 95 and didnt follow it? Leave nothing in your " bucket list " when you die.

Birdie

LA is not the only place to go to get into comedy. Many of our greatest comedians started in Chicago.

michellekicks

How do your parents feel about having you move back home in a year or two if comedy doesn't work out? Would you have the option to do that and go back to university then?

eatrainsmile

Dreams can change as you get older. You may regret you didn't complete your education. First get your barchelor then do whatever you like to do if you still have a passion about comedy. Even if you decide to become a comedian, be one with a barchelor.

Elizabeth360

My philosophy is always get your degree and then you can truly choose what path to take. Go to school for marketing and work on your comedy and writing on the side. When you're done, you can decide where to go from there. You might find that marketing is a true passion from going to school and experiencing it. Or, you may find that you still want to go to LA and you'll have had more time to research and build up material. Try and get some freelance articles published while you're in school and your resume will look great!

KrazyAsianNic

My best advice is to follow you heart.

I graduated in May of this year. I got an amazing internship that had good salary per month that guarenteed me for the rest of the year and maybe a permenant spot later on. Around the same time my dad asked if I was still interested in learning his business.

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to learn his business. I could financially support my future family while also being a stay at home mom. I could work from home the way my father did when we were young while still running the business (if he hands it all over to me). I did follow my dream to go to college and took a trip to Europe. Did I want to continue this dream?

Should I follow the money or follow a life long dream?

I turned down the money and took the offer that was handing me an opportunity with my dream. I wasn't making as much per month, but I know it's going to give me the future I want.

fattarzan

If there's a will there's a way so do both...

brittanymt19

I would do both go to school for four years and work on your comedy while in school. You can do jobs on campus. The best reviews are from student they tell it like it is. After you get ur degree and the comedy going good u can move to l.a. at least if it doesn't work out you can go back home and work with ur dad with a degree.L.A is not a walk in the park it not cheap to live out here.

msafunk

Move to LA and study marketing while trying to break into comedy. I knew several friends while in College who did that. And if the comedy thing doesn't work out, LA is a huge center for marketing.