Kinda OT: Should i take a semester off school?

My advice: go to school

Poker is just poker. Aside from the obvious education and degree you will get, it's a good experience that you really can't get from anything else in life. If you can get the experience and the knowledge elsewhere, then by all means, go for it. But I'm skeptical when people say they can.

[sirio11]

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but you man up

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lol@ your idea of man up, I guess it really take guts to finish high school

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but if you live your life making your choices based on the "You shouldn't be doing anything you don't want to" mantra, you'll very likely wake up in the not to distance future and realize you've painted you into a corner where you don't have any choices anymore.

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Meh, life is too complex to live it under one mantra, and I think it's pretty hard to come to a point when you don't have choices anymore; but I think enjoying your life works for most people

What about you shouldn't be living a miserable life?

Having said that, (to OP) if you're not really sure what you want, I think the best move is to not move.

[MatteyA28]

[/ QUOTE ]i want to graduate and i want to do something besides poker eventually

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Then go to school. If you don't enjoy going to school then you have other things to decide rather than play poker or go to school.

[Jurollo]

I would stay in school and grind it out. Poker is poker, it will likely not be around forever in this current form and you will need other marketable skills when then happens. Go to school and obtain a marketable skill and learn about yourself socially.

FWIW, Gobbo is correct and generally once you do stop going you don't go back, whether it be in between your Bachelors/Masters or if you take a break from college.

[stealthmunk]

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Gobbo,

You're definitely wrong and that's a pretty ridiculous blanket statement to make. Just because you didn't/don't want to doesnt mean anything w/r/t what others will do.

I'm currently taking time off from school and am 99% certain I'll be returning to either complete my jd or get a PhD. Its tough to give advice to others, but I would base your decision on your happiness at college rather than your perceived opportunity cost. You won't play that much more if you withdraw.

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How do you know that gobbo isn't referring to Charder specifically in his post? (using his knowledge of his attitude/ethic/life from Turning Stone trips/AIM conversations)

Then he would be making the opposite of a blanket statement.

[kutuz_off]

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how about just taking a lighter course load?


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This was my first reaction.

[driverseati]

Stay. Although in your own words you go to a [censored] state school, there are tons of people out there that succeed in society without an ivy league degree and such. All that matters is what you do after you graduate, being motivated to move up in whatever field you decide to go into. Knowing you, there are employers that WILL hire you, no doubt.

And trust me, the sooner that you get school out of the way, the more relief it will be down the line. You don't want that cloud over your head if poker doesn't end up working out should you leave and never return. It will be a lot harder cost wise (money, time, and effort) to get back to school, and like others in the thread, yes it will probably happen should you take time off.

[KneeCo]

Recap for those just joining us:
Sirio: You shouldn't be doing anything you don't want to.
Kneeco: That's dumb, life is too complex to live it under one mantra.
Sirio: Meh, Life is too complex to live it under one mantra.

[img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] Hehe I guess, my statement didn't count; it was artificial because your previous statement created it.

In any case, I do think a lot of people have to man up to get through high school. Not academically, but just as a time in a persons' life it can be very difficult for a lot of people (suicide is like a top 5 cause of death among teens).

[gobbomom]

that's why my opinion is to do whatever you want to give 100% to.

[RonFezBuddy]

Dude, do you know how easy undergrad college life is compared to real life?

I find this debate somewhat pointless every time it comes up. You can sleepwalk through undergrad and play poker full time. And you can still you can travel on any of your bazillion vacations weeks (or whole summer) with the money you make being a good poker player.

College can also provide you with opportunities to socialize that you will miss out on if you become a professional online poker player.

I'm gonna be the old guy for a second (I'm 32). When you look back on your "youth" you want to to remember it as edgy and exciting. You don't want your memories of your early 20's to be of 16 hour days in one room. The partying, girls, illicit activities. That stuff is all really important to you becoming who you will be as a grown up. Don't replace it with simply grinding out MTTs.

And don't discount the fact that if you want to do anything but poker it's easier to have a degree. If you are a winning poker player upon graduation, well then you have a career option that your peers don't have. If you are sick of it by then you can pursue traditional means of employment.

Bottom line, stick it out. Going to college is easy (even if it seems like it's not) and you can continue to play poker. Giving it up has very few advantages, other than you don't have homework to do. Sticking with it gives you way more options in life and can be managed.