<prompt> Human: I feel like people are prepared for the real world or something like that. I made good grades in high school but nowadays Im working in customer service, and was recently screwed over to the point where Im going to be moving back in with my mother and restarting my life. Im currently employed and living on my own under the poverty line.I have no idea what to do. I have a lengthy criminal record, but all non-violent offenses and I am drug free, no cigarettes either. I know I need a new job I have no idea where to find one and to start college, but I have no idea about what major to take; hell all I know is that I need to walk into a college and say Id like an application. I have a 3.6 on my transcript and a 1860 SAT.TBH I dont know if this is the right place to post this but Im scared. I dont have much going for me. I dont care what job i get out of college, I just want to be financially independent as soon as possible.tl;dr 1. What are the best employment options for someone just starting college?2. Out of all BachelorAssociates jobs, which guarantee the most financial security and job stability?3. How do I transition from high school grad commuting from my moms house to a financially secure adult?Assistant: Created reddit account for this.late 40s IT guy here, have been exactly where you are including the criminal record. Came out the other side mostly in one piece. Dont worry - lots of people you may meet _think_ they are prepared, or at least do their best to project that aura: but many are nevertheless not remotely as squared away as they think they are. Sometimes those who are scared they are not prepared are actually better off - precisely because they are scared and thus thinkactplanfollowthru at a more errrm...motivated level.But back to what you should do: lots of people are going to say you need to knuckle down and go to collegeuniversity right away. I take a contrary position - yes, go to school if you identify a passion for an occupation or trade and getting a degree 2 year, 4 year whatever will _definitely_ open a door into such a position. If you dont know what you want to do yet...dont go to college just because: Waste of , youll be saddled with student loan debt without a clear benefit, and too many distractions that can quickly set you back on a self destructive path. new college friends, temptation to partyInstead, research as many types of jobs as you can. Yes, ITcomputer science is a damn good one for but in many cases you are going to end up forcing yourself into one of a relatively small of major tech regions puget sound, silicon valley, etc where its crazy crowded and insanely expensive to live. Maybe its also a looong way from wherever you now call home, or where your caring family lives. Dont overlook medical and health-care related jobs: I am not talking doctor here, necessarily, I mean nurses, medical technologists, xraymri techs, that sort of thing. The reason? Hospitalsclinics are EVERYWHERE you wanna be. If you live in a teensy town, where you can still get reasonable rent or a cheap house, cost-of-living is happily very low...there is bound to be a hospital or clinic or doctors office nearby. That, and America is aging. Lots of old folks, lots of medical procedures, lots of job security in the coming decades.Same thing goes for the trades - welding, plumbing, etc...good honest work that will get you a decent salary and can find a job anywhere. Hard to outsource you, too.Also, absolutely take the time to move back in wMom: _relish_ the time you spend with her back at home. Believe it or not, someday she will pass away and you will regret all the quality time you can no longer spend with her. That, and paying for rent when you have a nice place back at home hopefully for free is just good sound financial practice.Dont quit your day job - yet. Customer Service helps people. It pays , its good honest work. With the you save on rent other utilities, start laying away EVERY penny you can in some form of savings. Keep pumping that savings up until you have something like 6 months worth of future expenses set by.Now, the twist - once you have your rainy day fund - and its a few months or even a year later - you should have a good idea what kind of job you want to pursue. Youll have a good idea what degree or school program will best facilitate that job. Start the application process, but dont join up quite yet.Instead, set aside a long stretch of time...maybe a month, maybe 3 or 4 months, or even longer to go on a trip. Get a motorcycle, or a cheap car. Get some cheap tentbackpacking stuff. Hit the freeway, and go see the country. Go to an outdoor music festival, find some wilderness hot springs to soak in, spend a week backbacking into your own private mountain meadow. Visit your distant relations in the next county - or the next state. Go to Alaska and see the whales, or go to Hawaii and learn to surf.Be young. Enjoy your early twenties like there is no tommorrow. Soon enough, once you get through with any extra schooling and you get a job for real, you just dont tend to have time for that kind of thing anymore. So enjoy it now.Good Luck!p.s., you say ...but Im scared. I dont have much going for me... and I smile a little. At twenty, that was me too. Scared, thinking I had nothing going for me. You also say ...3.6 on my transcript and a 1860 SAT...Dont worry dude, you have brains intelligence. May not seem like it now, but your smarts will take you far. : Human: I wish i could give gold to you guys I really dont know how to express how much these comments mean to me. It touches my heart and I have a lot of planning to do, you guys made clear whats right, this kind of thing changes lives  <response>: I cant agree with ulutefisk_luv more. Im in the same spot as you, 21, but had to sacrifice my job last year to help my brother which was a terrible mistake and Im still with him, his wife, theyre 2 troubled health dogs and for some reason, a housebroken pig. I wish the pig was a joke but unfortunately, its not. If theres any advice I can pitch in its always have perseverance. what has helped me more than I thought it would is working out and getting into better shape. I feel like if everyday you live you can make a positive change in yourself whether its small or working towards a big change its still a change you made. Even If it does sound cliche, Its important to to be headstrong, Walk tall and stay humble in all things you do.I wish the best of luck to you sir in future endeavors. 