College or Acting Career
Dear Bitter Single Guy: All my life I’ve wanted to move to a big city and pursue my dream of acting. Now that I have graduated high school and left my parent’s house I thought I was ready to go. I have prepared myself for this, with a solid resume, a headshot, and money in my savings account. Luckily for me, I have a fantastic boyfriend who said he would like to come with me. However, I got an acceptance letter to an amazing college that I had initially applied to only to satisfy my parents, believing I would never get in. Looking at the letter I begin to have serious doubts about moving to a big city and pursuing a dream I’m not sure is even mine anymore. I jokingly told my boyfriend I had a dream that I went off to college instead of the city, and he got very upset. Since this was his reaction to me simply joking about doing this, I can’t imagine how hurt he would be if he realized that that’s what I really want. I do not want to lose him, he is not only the best boyfriend, but one of the best friends I have ever had. But I don’t want to throw away an amazing opportunity. I have no idea what my next step should be. Help! ~College or Fame~
Dear COF: The Bitter Single Guy thinks it’s quite a bit selfish of Fantastic Boyfriend to react negatively to either of your decisions. The BSG thinks it’s likely that Fantastic Boyfriend has decided that moving to the big city is maybe his dream as well and that he’s happy to tag along with you for that experience. Why isn’t he willing to tag along with you to college?
Short version COF: go to college. If you were accepted somewhere you’re excited about; go to college. In addition to getting a broader education, take some acting classes. You know better than the BSG that “going into acting” is a lot like “going into waitressing” until you get very, very lucky. Get a degree, get some life experience, get new headshots and head for acting then.
Fantastic Boyfriend may end up being one of the things that you have to give up, but the BSG assures you that you’ll eventually be glad you acted (pun intended) for your future here. ~BSG~
Loading ...
Says:
February 15th, 2009 at 12:06 am
BSG is 100% right. Go to college…it is only 4 years, and by the end (if you spent your time wisely) you’ll have a ‘get a good job free card’. Besides…who said you can’t act at the same time? You can always try to act, but as you get older its tougher and tougher to go to school.
Says:
February 15th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Funny I thought it was the other way around? College will take you in at any age. That’s the beauty of college you can go back to it. Acting gets harder when you’re older. Either way BSG is correct.
Says:
February 16th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Do what your heart tells you. If you allow yourself to make such an important decision based on whether or not your boyfriend will leave you, it can only breed resentment. If you don’t go to college, and years later you realize it was a mistake, you will blame him for not following your dream and trust me, this is not one of those things good relationships are based on. If he loves you, he’ll want you to be happy and you owe it to yourself to be happy.
Says:
February 17th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Sony – that isn’t true. while A college will accept you at any age, you may not always be elligable for your dream college. If i tried getting into my alma marter NOW with the new, tougher standards, I would never be able to.
Not to mention, college is vastly kids your age. Its a completely different experience going at youra ge than it is 10 years later. And paying for college is never easy. If your parents are going to hlep you now or you have funding/scholarship, then do it. In this economy, NOT having a degree is plain old silliness. Its a major requirment for a lot of positions now-a-days.
OH and btw – more likely than not, this current boyfriend will not be your life long love. Sorry. Sad but true! I dont know the stats but its RARE to continue on with your high school sweetheart. As endearing as it is to hear every HS senior gasp about how this is their true love and they are soooo different from everyone else, you’re about as unique as the emo kids trying to express ther individuality through clothing that they ALL bought together at Hot Topic Last weekend. Biggest mistake I see most kids your age make? Forgo a life experience for a mate, or move to another city for a SO only to find…. its not really what you wanted. Then the poor sap that has to move for you is screwed and left hurting in an unknown city while you trapese around town with your new friends.
Honestly? Leave the boyfriend at home, go make your own friends, don’t be dependent on a boyfriend when you DO GO to college and if you guys survive after that then hey, great for you. But im banking on the fact that you won’t be with this guy much longer.
Says:
March 1st, 2009 at 7:44 am
I’m with BSG. Go to college.
When we love somebody, we give them the freedom to grow and be happy. If this guy is truly the one for you, he’ll let you do what you need to do.
Congratulations on getting into a great college. Good luck!