The idea of adulthood, with its responsibility, freedom, potential boredom, and potential happiness, is seen differently by everyone. Not everyone’s view can be represented, but there aren’t many views expressed yet. We’ve heard about life after graduation from the female perspective. The following is the prospect of manhood.
The usual response after graduating is college. For guys, this is not only seen as heavy studying and stuffy classrooms but also as heavy partying and stuffy dorm-rooms. Graduating high school is a rite of passage in the professional realm. The actions that take place behind doors that aren’t necessarily closed (alcohol can cloud the mind and make one forgetful, of course) are a rite of passage of a more personal variety. These actions are usually regretted but not forgotten. Keep that in mind.
College freshmen apparently are keeping this in mind, considering the results of the 2012 Freshman Norms report. In 1982, the results showed that 73.7% of college freshmen admitted to focusing more on partying with alcohol than studying. In 2012, however, only 33% of freshmen claimed they were focused on booze.
Aside from the irresponsible area of college, there is the fact that you finally have freedom and are now doing something that interests you. Consider people in the industry you wish to be in that inspires you. They most likely went to college and mastered that industry. You are now in a dorm-room and are focused on that professional dream. Whether it is an art form or a competitive business job, you can just indulge in that subject, and no one will discourage you. People will encourage you for bettering yourself.
The military is another outlet for improving yourself. The appealing things about the military are the philosophy that you can now fight for and the honor and respect that come with it. There are many branches of the military and with each one comes many different careers. Many military jobs come with benefits that help to pay for more schooling elsewhere. This makes the military a very popular future for high school graduates.
Trade school is a lesser known choice after high school, and when it is known, not many choose it. There is a shortage of skilled workers in the United States and it’s hurting the economy. Now is the time to go to a trade school. Wages are high and trade school is cheaper than most colleges. Former Dirty Jobs host, Mike Rowe, spoke to the U.S. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation about the lack of vocational workers. Mike Rowe said the following:
“I believe we need a national PR Campaign for Skilled Labor. A big one. Something that addresses the widening skills gap head on, and reconnects the country with the most important part of our workforce.
Right now, American manufacturing is struggling to fill 200,000 vacant positions. There are 450,000 openings in trades, transportation and utilities. The skills gap is real, and it’s getting wider. In Alabama, a third of all skilled tradesmen are over 55. They’re retiring fast, and no one is there to replace them.
Alabama’s not alone. A few months ago in Atlanta I ran into Tom Vilsack, our Secretary of Agriculture. Tom told me about a governor who was unable to move forward on the construction of a power plant. The reason was telling. It wasn’t a lack of funds. It wasn’t a lack of support. It was a lack of qualified welders.
In general, we’re surprised that high unemployment can exist at the same time as a skilled labor shortage. We shouldn’t be. We’ve pretty much guaranteed it.”
If you agree with Mike Rowe, the best thing you can do is go to a trade school and become a skilled laborer.
The more I type this, the more I think of those who won’t graduate high school. I’ve heard people call non-graduates “stupid.” Well, Richard Branson, Walt Disney, Lucille Ball, Patrick Stewart, Craig Ferguson, and Johnny Depp are a few of many people to succeed without a high school diploma.
Though the time in which they existed was nearly incomparable to ours, William Shakespeare, Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), Andrew Carnegie, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Andrew Jackson, and Florence Nightingale also accomplished a great deal without graduating high-school.
These people are proof that you can pick your own path to your own future.