I will keep this brief since I am a terrible story teller. the city I live in is horrifically expensive, saving private ryan war flashbacks levels of horrific, and no one is hiring right now. I want to be an engineer but university is costly, and I do not what to live with my parents during college. from the look of the economy there is no way I can afford to live n my own right now.
i have worked every summer since freshman year as a lifeguard, and I just got a call from my old boss from that summer job they need a lifeguard, a full time gig for a weird roof top hotel pool that is open 24/7 so the shifts would be like three am to one pm four days a week, full time with insurance I would not have to pay for. at twenty seven fifty an hour to that is about what my sister is making with her bachelors degree right now as a teacher.
average wage in my area is like fifteen an hour right now, to take this job I would need to graduate a term early which I can do not problem I have the credits, and I could still got to prom.
my parents would just be a bit upset I am no going straight to university, and taking early graduation they want me to enjoy my school days as long as I can. would I be an asshole if I took this job without telling them just to avoid drama, this is probably going to be the best job offer I will be able to get right out of school that has no risk of a robot replace me in the near future given it involves water and no one wants to risk electrocution when swimming in open water
NAH.
It is your life and while your parents may be disappointed, you’re not being an AH to them by skipping college for now.
You say you want to be an engineer but you don’t mention your grades or whether you’ve been accepted at a university or gotten any scholarships or whether your parents can or will help you with college costs. Those are all big considerations.
If you aren’t getting any help with the cost of college, it can make a lot of sense to take a year or two off to save up your money. You can also look at working on an associate’s degree part time at a community college while working full time. Those credits can transfer to a university and save you a lot of money.
I don’t think this is an AITA kind of question. But this sounds like an excellent opportunity for you to get a headstart into savings and the workforce.
Take the job. Financial breathing room is a gift, and a gap year (or more) of solid income and health insurance is a smarter move than rushing into debt. You can always apply to uni later with a fat savings account. Your parents want you to enjoy your youth, but there’s nothing youthful about being broke and stressed. I took a year off to bartend before college and it was the best decision I ever made—paid for my first year outright.
This is more of a judgement call than an AITA questions. Go with your gut, the economy is indeed terrible right now. Just make sure you’re really saving up and stay away from any of the sketchiness that can go on at a hotel rooftop pool overnight.
NTA – you’ve made some reasonable arguments. I think show them this post actually
NAH, but be smart. If you can stay home and live for awhile, sock your money away. Maybe you can do community college while doing this gig. It is a solid opportunity.
NTA
You do what needs to be done. But maybe you can take online classes?
One of my kids is now starting university after being out of high school for a couple of years. I think they have a better understanding of themselves & what they are interested in now than if they had gone to school immediately. I would take the job & save like crazy, so that if you decide to go into engineering you have a financial cushion.
NTA – if parents want you to go straight to college they should financially support that luxury. If not? 100% your decision on starting now or later.
I wouldn’t lie to them though- maybe make a 1 year plan of how you’d save those pool earnings to support yourself through college once you do go (limit loans to just tuition, etc). They are probably just worried that if you don’t go now, you never will
NTA. im an engineer and tbh i wish i had taken some time off after high school before i started college. engineering school is BRUTAL
NTA
Have you looked into getting a technical certification? Get like a Maintenance Journeyman’s certification (welder, electrician, HVAC, etc) and make that money. THEN go back to school for your engineering!
Some certifications will do an apprenticeship while you get the certification! Then they hire you as a journeyman!
TAKE THE JOB! As a 12th grade teacher, I am telling you take the job.
BUT here is the tricky part, it is difficult to save money when it is burning a hole in your pocket. Set up 2 bank accounts, one where 70% of your money goes and one where the rest goes. Don’t even get an ATM card for the other account, if you want money you have to go in person.
Two, take a class at a local college or community college. It will give you people your age and if you ever decide to go to school you will have knocked out a couple of classes. Even if you only take one class a session, that is 3 or 4 classes per year. Start with some general education classes. If you have 10 knocked out by the time you want to start school it will only take 3 years instead of 4.
thank you for the advice, I will definitely do the two bank accounts thing, if I take the position thanks, my sister is a teacher as well. geometry and calculus
I’ve life guarded at hotel pools it is mind numbingly boring, they are mostly empty. It is easy to waste 40 hours a week doomscrolling. Back a hundred years ago, I read mystery novels like bonkers. Squeezing in a hour a shift on classwork, will feel like you are getting paid to study.
Good luck and I hope you eventually find your way to engineering.