New to everything. First post.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: England
Posts: 405
Hey Tall,
I'm only slightly older than you so I can't profess about life, but I know that you can't mess up for good at age 21. The money that you owe? is that student debt? I know in the UK we don't pay that back untill we are earning a certain amount and there is no interest. Perhaps you could contact your student services re. this? The other 'only slightly ok' thing you have is your health and your youth which enables you to learn from these mistakes for the future. You have a spring chicken of a liver it can recover and regenerate.
I'm only slightly older than you so I can't profess about life, but I know that you can't mess up for good at age 21. The money that you owe? is that student debt? I know in the UK we don't pay that back untill we are earning a certain amount and there is no interest. Perhaps you could contact your student services re. this? The other 'only slightly ok' thing you have is your health and your youth which enables you to learn from these mistakes for the future. You have a spring chicken of a liver it can recover and regenerate.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,432
Hi and welcome Tallguy 
When I got sober it was like the aftermath of a flood - I'd been drowning in booze for years...the raging torrent went down but I was left with a *mountain* of debris to clean up...financial, emotional, relationships...
Pick up a piece at a time, have patience, have faith you'll make it - and you'll eventually get there - I reckon you'll look back like I did and marvel at how little time it took to get back on your feet
D
When I got sober it was like the aftermath of a flood - I'd been drowning in booze for years...the raging torrent went down but I was left with a *mountain* of debris to clean up...financial, emotional, relationships...
Pick up a piece at a time, have patience, have faith you'll make it - and you'll eventually get there - I reckon you'll look back like I did and marvel at how little time it took to get back on your feet
D
Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 14,921
Welcome to SR!
It's great that you have learned that alcohol and you don't mix well. Some of us are slow learners and we measure our learning time in decades, not years. While it may seem like you are in a bit if a hole now, you can climb out and go on and have a great life.
But you didn't fall in this hole overnight, it took awhile. And it's going to take awhile to get out of it.
With two years of college, I assume you probably have some credits moving forward. If you have the cojones to major in chemistry than you are a pretty smart guy. If you can find a job and go to school part time and pursue that chemistry major, you might have a pretty lucrative job in a few years. Twenty grand in debt sounds like a lot right now, but when you compare it to your lifetime earnings with a chemistry major, it's probably peanuts. When you look around at what other 21 year old students are driving, well, it's probably not fancy transportation.
It's great that you have learned that alcohol and you don't mix well. Some of us are slow learners and we measure our learning time in decades, not years. While it may seem like you are in a bit if a hole now, you can climb out and go on and have a great life.
But you didn't fall in this hole overnight, it took awhile. And it's going to take awhile to get out of it.
With two years of college, I assume you probably have some credits moving forward. If you have the cojones to major in chemistry than you are a pretty smart guy. If you can find a job and go to school part time and pursue that chemistry major, you might have a pretty lucrative job in a few years. Twenty grand in debt sounds like a lot right now, but when you compare it to your lifetime earnings with a chemistry major, it's probably peanuts. When you look around at what other 21 year old students are driving, well, it's probably not fancy transportation.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
when i had an attitude that everything was impossible, nothing was possible. changed my attitude, got into action, gave everything T.I.M.E. and my life started to fall into place.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 9
Thanks all again it's helping a lot. JimJim I can't go to school until I pay the money I owe my old school (~10,000, a debt I owe the school, I have another 10,000 in student loans, I'll try contacting them) Yeah you're completely right about my health, I guess my emotions are all over the place after quitting but I'm better at night, I'm thinking a little clearer now.
Really helps Dee thanks, I'm hoping for that time to come.
And yeah Zebra you're right, I'll try and appreciate I only lost 3 years of my life, and attempt to move forward.
I will definitely change my attitude on impossible. Thanks for all support! You're all great! Day 4 will begin tomorrow.
Really helps Dee thanks, I'm hoping for that time to come
.And yeah Zebra you're right, I'll try and appreciate I only lost 3 years of my life, and attempt to move forward.
I will definitely change my attitude on impossible. Thanks for all support! You're all great! Day 4 will begin tomorrow.
Survivor
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Proud Upstate New Yorker
Posts: 869
Hi Tallguy,
Just wanted to pop in and say welcome to SR and I'm super proud of you for 1.) Acknowledging that you have a problem and 2.) Taking steps to work on that problem.
I hope you realize how HUGE that is. You are only 21 and you have plenty of time to handle the issues that have piled up. Stay strong and keep posting. Even if you relapse, never give up.
Also, my last word of advice is to set realistic goals.
Love,
Lily
Just wanted to pop in and say welcome to SR and I'm super proud of you for 1.) Acknowledging that you have a problem and 2.) Taking steps to work on that problem.
I hope you realize how HUGE that is. You are only 21 and you have plenty of time to handle the issues that have piled up. Stay strong and keep posting. Even if you relapse, never give up.
Also, my last word of advice is to set realistic goals.
Love,
Lily
Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: San Diego
Posts: 4,451
Hey, Tallguy. Welcome aboard!
I am so envious of people who quit at your age—good for you! The first warning signs I had were in college, but I ignored them. Took me another 20 years to get the message; I'm lucky I didn't do more damage than I did during that time. I am so glad I finally quit; it seemed like a huge sacrifice, but it turns out to be the opposite. Once I got in the groove, life became a whole lot easier and more enjoyable.
Dee's right: it will look very small in your rearview mirror. The road ahead is what matters—and it sounds like you just avoided running into far worse things up there. Glad you found SR. I learned a lot here; still do!
I am so envious of people who quit at your age—good for you! The first warning signs I had were in college, but I ignored them. Took me another 20 years to get the message; I'm lucky I didn't do more damage than I did during that time. I am so glad I finally quit; it seemed like a huge sacrifice, but it turns out to be the opposite. Once I got in the groove, life became a whole lot easier and more enjoyable.
Dee's right: it will look very small in your rearview mirror. The road ahead is what matters—and it sounds like you just avoided running into far worse things up there. Glad you found SR. I learned a lot here; still do!
Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 13
Tallhuy, my situation is similar. I didn't think I had a problem because I have not been drinking that long. Six hours after my last drink(which I wasnt trying to stop just taking break) I though I was having heart failure. That was a wake up call. Good luck
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