# What amazing plans did you have as a teenager that were derailed by real life? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 1, 2011, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-amazing-plans-did-you-have-as-a-teenager-that-were-derailed-by-real-life/587480 "2011-07-01T05:27:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-amazing-plans-did-you-have-as-a-teenager-that-were-derailed-by-real-life/587480/61 "2011-07-15T13:58:42Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Oddly enough still, our mutual friend from school, who was my best friend’s best friend before we were best friends, actually does live in _my_ basement now. Sounds like he had the will and desire to fulfill your unfulfilled dream. I bet your jealous. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-amazing-plans-did-you-have-as-a-teenager-that-were-derailed-by-real-life/587480/62 "2011-07-15T14:01:07Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > I’m 43, and I still haven’t been to Europe. I’m finally going to get to go, though- next March. Are you going to do the whole back packing/ Eurail / hostel thing? ---
**Author:** ![Double\_Foolscap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Double\_Foolscap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Double_Foolscap)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-amazing-plans-did-you-have-as-a-teenager-that-were-derailed-by-real-life/587480/63 "2011-07-15T15:23:36Z")
I can only think of two plans, really. My first was to get a job sailing yachts from the South coast of England to the Mediterranean for rich people. I never finished my day skipper courses, focussing instead on racing dinghies. My second was to join Footlights at Cambridge University, as a way to become an actor or writer. I gave that up once I realised how much time acting takes up when you’re at university, and my tiddlywinks and roleplaying responsibilities took precedent. I did have a dream of being cherry-picked for MI5 on the day of my graduation by a serious-looking man in a brown overcoat, but somehow I knew that it wouldn’t happen 🙂 My main plan, though, was to get a job that didn’t take over my life and which gave enough time and spare cash to keep having fun. Mission accomplished, as far as I’m concerned. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-amazing-plans-did-you-have-as-a-teenager-that-were-derailed-by-real-life/587480/64 "2011-07-15T15:32:33Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > IThen I went to work for a Christian missionary outfit. It sucked\*. Now I work in a warehouse. On first read, I thought that, after being disillusioned by the missionary outfit you worked for, you now work in a _whorehouse_. It actually kind of makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![HeadNinja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b4bc9f/32.png) [@HeadNinja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeadNinja)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-amazing-plans-did-you-have-as-a-teenager-that-were-derailed-by-real-life/587480/65 "2011-07-15T16:09:45Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > Let’s see. My grandiose plans at 16 were broken down by age: > > 18: Enter Political Science program at an Ivy League university > 21: Graduate, enter Georgetown Law School, meet girl of my dreams who is as ambitious and professional as I am > 25: Graduate, get married, get job at powerful international law firm My cousin is working his way through your list. It helps to start with money, I think. My high school hopes focused more on getting any girl to like me. Eventually one did and everything else after has been a pleasant surprise. Except for never having built a giant robot. Or even a medium sized one. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-amazing-plans-did-you-have-as-a-teenager-that-were-derailed-by-real-life/587480/66 "2011-07-15T17:17:42Z")
> [@Double\_Foolscap](#): > > I did have a dream of being cherry-picked for MI5 on the day of my graduation by a serious-looking man in a brown overcoat, but somehow I knew that it wouldn’t happen 🙂 This did happen to a couple of friends when I graduated Bristol Uni. They both got Firsts in Physics, and were invited to interview with MI5/6. I think one of the physics profs must have had contacts with the security services and fed through suitable names. They both went through the initial rounds but quickly decided it wasn’t for them, and they went off to join the City. Although maybe that’s just what they wanted me to think… come to think of it they both travel a lot “on business” and have generically mundane finance roles, which would be a perfect cover. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-amazing-plans-did-you-have-as-a-teenager-that-were-derailed-by-real-life/587480.md?page=3)