school sucks. kinda.

school sucks. kinda.

working 2 hours a day at a fast food place wasn't workin out for me financially so i decided to go back to school. since doing so i've had even less money to spend on toys and less time to lurk forums like this. I've also learned i have way too many hobbies. don't most people have one or two?
it seems like lasers is the most recent, and since going to school this january i've had plenty of time to think about things i used to like (before a lot of shit happened in recent years that put an end to most) like motorcycle riding in the back woods of my state, building rc airplanes and flying them, and rc trucks too. the biggest hobby i've had in recent years is a general mix of shooting guns and hunting. first it was trap shooting but i drifted from that to reloading for accuracy and wandering around aforementioned back woods. did i mention deer don't like me? now i'm trying to save for an accurate 22 to practice with because i can't afford even reloading components for 30-06.
i used to like to read too. that doesn't happen much anymore.
for a while i played a lot of video games too. mostly on ps3 and a lot of classic games. a few pc ones too. it seems like i just don't have the time to anymore.
and now that i've been driving to and from school a lot i've grown an interest in cars, specifically fixing up old chevys. hell i'd settle for a 71 nova to tinker with. i'd go with an old camaro but i don't want to look like a redneck ;D

untill that electrical engineer job works out, i'm stuck with what i have. maybe i can design some electrical shit that everyone would buy and then i can afford more than one hobby at a time...

donations accepted

Re:  school sucks. kinda.

You sound kind of like my brother, although not as bad as him. It's a good thing that you're not as bad as him.

He has no idea of what it means to prioritize hobbies and pick a couple of things that he likes to do the most. He flyfishes, hunts, shoots, has a fixer-up Monte Carlo that he's working on, goes back country hiking/camping, and goes all out and spends ALL kinds of money on all these things. Then he complains when there's not enough money in his checking account to make the credit card payments. I'm certain he's worse than you are, because he's terrible about wasting money on too many hobbies. He goes ALL out on all his hobbies, buying the best stuff money can buy for every hobby. He goes to REI and picks up 2 or 3 new things for every 3 day camping trip he goes on. Went to REI and got a $200+ tent for a camp where he was only going 3 miles in during the mildest weather of the year. He had been fly-fishing for a month when he went and bought his second rod/reel, for many hundreds of dollars, along with hundreds of $$$ in "tie your own flies" equipment. Bought a couple of brand new 9mm pistols when he decided he wanted to shoot a little more often.

And then complained non-stop when paying the electric bill almost overdrafted his checking account. No sense of fiscal responsibility.

To me, I think 1 or 2 hobbies is perfect, but more is ok if you're responsible and know how to restrain yourself. I used to shoot ALL the time. I shoot sporting clays/clay targets, and for a while I was shooting 30,000 rounds a year. Then I started college, realized I didn't have the money that I used to have anymore, so now I basically shoot about 4 times a year, and that's ok, because I live comfortably and don't have to worry about overdrafting my funds anymore. When I'm out of school, there'll be plenty of time and MONEY for hobbies then.

When I stopped shooting is actually when I started playing with lasers. I can hobby in lasers for a couple hundred bucks a year, and it can still keep me busy for days on that small amount. And I do enjoy some camping, but instead of being like my stupid brother who needlessly buys the most expensive equipment he can get from REI, I went to Big 5 when they were having a sale and Target and picked up everything I could possibly need for less than a hundred bucks.

It's really just about knowing and realizing what you can and can't afford, and sticking to it. Budgeting has always been 2nd nature to me (I saved pennies in elementary to save towards that gameboy I wanted, as a teenager I saved my own money from a part time job for 2+ years all the way until I bought the $3000+ shotgun that I wanted. Yeah, I was a weird kid.)

But you can do it. Certainly have fun, do what is most fun for you, but realize what your limits are. I'm having a blast on a tiny budget right now in grad school, and I know it only gets better from here.

Re:  school sucks. kinda.

yeah i'm realizing i sort of spend my money wisely. i can't get a credit card because i have no credit history (how are you supposed to start?) i applied for it because overdrafts would go on it from my checking because when i'm broke and the 5$ from fast food 2 weeks ago decides to show up and charges me 35 instead kinda sucks.
i was thinking about selling my winchester 101 and putting the money towards an m1a or something i'd enjoy shooting more, but the economy sucks so bad no one is buying them (on gunbroker at least) i'd have to sell it online because no one in my area would pay more than 900 for it and they used to sell for 1400 online.
i don't exactly buy the most expensive stuff out there. i picked up an old model stainless ruger in 30-06 for 500 and a used leupold scope for 200. when i turn 21 in a few months i was thinking about a ruger 22/45 the basic model with bull barrel is only 250. sure i want a stainless 1911 but that will have to wait.
camping? i just borrowed a tent
one thing i need to spend more on is rain gear. being out all day when it down pours kinda sucks when you get back and your soaked even with rain coat and pants.

maybe i can bum a hdddvd drive off someone to make a blu ray with

Re:  school sucks. kinda.

I have a lot of hobbies.  Prioritize them, and you won't have a problem.  You don't have to choose which ones are your favorites, just make a general tier system as to how much money will go to which hobby.  Here's my list for how much money will go to each hobby:

-Mountaineering
-Element collecting
-Chemistry
-Lasers
-Photography
-Exotic animals
-Other sciences
-Obsessive forum posting
-Etc.

If you budget out your money and bargain shop, you shouldn't have a problem.

-Mark

Re:  school sucks. kinda.

i don't exactly have budget problems since i buy wisely, but it seems like my hobbies just shift from one to another over time and recently they all come to haunt me, as if they tell me "do meeee"
unfortunately i cant pull 5k out of nowhere
it seems my current high priority hobby is shooting, which i've spent a bit of money on lately. at least with that i can re sell my toys for a bit of money

so... anyone know any specific jobs to look for with an electrical engineering degree?