Social Worker vs. Dropzone Bum

[Bodhisattva420 0]

I'm graduating from Texas Tech University in May with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology with a minor in Substance Abuse Studies. I should be qualified to be either a social worker or a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor(with two years experience) after I graduate. Both of these jobs pay around $27,000 to $30,000 a year. That works out to roughly $13 an hour. So I've been doing the math and I think . . . I could make just as much money packing parachutes! What do you guys think? Social Worker or DZ bum?

[jtnesbitt 0]

Have some fun before you start your career.

Keep in mind to that a criminal trespassing charge from the other activity you are also interested in might screw up your social worker career.

"If this post needs to be moderated I would prefer it to be completly removed and not edited and butchered into a disney movie" - DorkZone Hero

[airtwardo 7]

Gee d00d self proclaimed as one who is motivated by compassion and seeks enlightenment not only for him/herself but also for everyone, regarding 420 protocal... not sure if I'd hire ya for EITHER position!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[NWFlyer 2]

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I could make just as much money packing parachutes!

Possibly more.

But make sure your "math" is complete - do the other jobs come with benefits (health insurance, paid time off, sick leave, holidays, possibly disability insurance, etc.)? If so, figure that into your math. They may also come with a more stable/predictable income (regular paycheck every week or two, instead of a wad of cash on a busy weekend and an empty pocket during crappy weather).

So do all that then decide what's important to you.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[pontiacgtp00 0]

both

[amstalder 0]

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both

I agree...

Packing is going to wear you out and you arent going to be happy doing that full time. But you should still offer your DZ your packing services and think of it as jump money instead of "I need this to survive" money. Plus packers dont get to jump as much

[Andy9o8 2]

Go to work now, and wait about 12 years before taking some time off to step off the train and smell the roses. The career, wife, kids and mortgage you'll have by then (read: for the rest of your life) should be no impediment.

[popsjumper 2]

So...can I depend on you for chemicals?

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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Go to work now, and wait about 12 years before taking some time off to step off the train and smell the roses. The career, wife, kids and mortgage you'll have by then (read: for the rest of your life) should be no impediment.

A nice career and understanding wife aren't impediments to skydiving frequently or doing sports expeditions. While not a reasonable exchange for no-jumping, both are more rewarding too.

When you don't work too many weekends and get 29 days of paid vacation + holiday each year (I know that Europeans will laugh at that) there's plenty of room for two 9 day trips and a handful of long weekends.

Not increasing your expenses to match the raises you get along the way leaves a lot more room for fun things like new gear, flying lessons, and chartered Jet Rangers for the expeditions you go on.

An early start to retirement savings also means you'll be able to quit working at a reasonably young age. As an extreme example, putting 20% of your gross income into a balanced mutual fun will let maintain your current lifestyle indefinitely after 21 years. Starting at 21 you could retire at 42.

[skyjumpenfool 2]

Definitely pack parachutes!! You'll get way more experience dealing with misfit, drug addicted psychotic, social pathic, drunken, twisted sexual deviants than any counseling job. Who cares about the money, get the experience!

Birdshit & Fools Productions

"Son, only two things fall from the sky."

[Jumpa 0]

Just an old retired fed with a good pench and 30 years of jumping with the best darn people I ever met. Go for the job your working towards first. I have found skydivers to be the best professional workers in their chosen field. YOu will meet a box car full of whacked out people in your life time but it pays the bills and retiring with a health plan and a satisfying life yourself is A1. go for the real job and accept no less. but pack a few to pay for your jumps....smilin lins

[Andy9o8 2]

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Definitely pack parachutes!! You'll get way more experience dealing with misfit, drug addicted psychotic, social pathic, drunken, twisted sexual deviants than any counseling job. Who cares about the money, get the experience!

I believe I just said that.

[skypuppy 1]

I'm graduating from Texas Tech University in May with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology with a minor in Substance Abuse Studies

You mean you were paying money to study drugs -- gee, I been studying drugs for all these years on my own, gratis!

If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead.
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone

[tkhayes 348]

get some work experience under your belt. Bank away 10% of everything to take home in pay, NO MATTER HOW MUCH IT HURTS

And by the time you are 45, you will probably have enough cash to make the 'dropzone bum' choice much easier.

[airathanas 0]

If you go the skydiving bum route, you need to consider:

injury = no $$

http://3ringnecklace.com/

[PhreeZone 20]

DZ bum route will usually mean an injury that involves going to the ER = bankrupt.

I've seen bills for $12k recently for a broken leg and higher for other injuries. Not too many DZ Bums have that type of cash laying around to pay out of their pay checks.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Andrewwhyte 1]

If you go to the DZ and want to change your mind it will be much more difficult to use your stale degree than the other way around. Just make sure you get a Monday to Friday gig and work the DZ on weekends. When you burn out on the social worker gig (and you will) you can go to the DZ and call it sabbatical. People in your industry understand that.

[Bodhisattva420 0]

I'm already burned out! I REALLY don't want to be a social worker! But . . . I REALLY don't want to go back to school! I fucking HATE school. Jesus Christ, I can't take this shit anymore! Thx for all the advice though!

[NWFlyer 2]

You do realize there are a lot of other things you can do with your degree, right? Granted, the current job market sucks, and even more so for people fresh out of school, but there are a lot of directions you can go besides social work.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[airathanas 0]

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I'm already burned out! I REALLY don't want to be a social worker! But . . . I REALLY don't want to go back to school! I fucking HATE school. Jesus Christ, I can't take this shit anymore! Thx for all the advice though!

That's what I thought until I started working....

http://3ringnecklace.com/

[jsreznor 0]

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That's what I thought until I started working....

Ed Zachary.

I enjoyed the college lifestyle and not the college part itself. Studying is for nerds. I like my evenings and weekends.

[tonyhathaway 0]

I've been working on a dz for over 15 years. I'm near broke, but no where near poor!!!!

My O.C.D. has me chasing a dream my A.D.D. won't let me catch.

[mcordell 2]

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I'm already burned out! I REALLY don't want to be a social worker! But . . . I REALLY don't want to go back to school! I fucking HATE school. Jesus Christ, I can't take this shit anymore! Thx for all the advice though!

Then don't be a social worker. both degrees allow you to work in probation/parol, law enforcement, crisis counseling, and several others. You can also work any job that simply requires a degree. Don't forget that once you leave school and start working you have to pay loans back....it will probably be easier to do that if you aren't working as a packer. Besides, there is probably more room for advancement in your professional career path than in working as a packer too. Everyone gets bent out of shape about starting pay, but qualified people usually don't stay at that rate for long.

www.facebook.com/FlintHillsRigging

[airtwardo 7]

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That's what I thought until I started working....

Ed Zachary.

I enjoyed the college lifestyle and not the college part itself. Studying is for nerds. I like my evenings and weekends.

I vowed when I went to college... I would NOT let school interfere with my education!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[popsjumper 2]

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You do realize there are a lot of other things you can do with your degree, right? Granted, the current job market sucks, and even more so for people fresh out of school, but there are a lot of directions you can go besides social work.

Why yes, Krisanne. I would like fries with that.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239