New to the game, looking for guidance

[zesmothe]

Hey everybody at STP! My name is Zane, I reside in Greensboro, NC, and I chanced upon The Anarchists Guide to Travel on an anarchist Facebook page several months ago and discovered this community as a result of reading it.

I'm currently a college student and work part-time, living with my folks. I've been completely disheartened with that approach to life and I want an opportunity to go out and experience the world instead of wasting my better years on rat race routines that leave me uninspired feeling like a drifting body. I don't have any traveling experience relevant to here but I do have some outdoor survival training and I can busk decently. I want to talk with people on here to learn about what's out there and would love to listen to fun and/or informative stories from travelers that have been doing this for a while before I try hitting the road for myself. Thanks for giving me a place where I might be able to find the direction I'm looking for and hopefully I may end up seeing some of you peeps out on the road soon

 

[lawnchair]

Welcome! I'm in a fairly similar boat to you. Also at college, very disengaged with it, and wanting to do more. You're definitely taking the right steps by joining stp.

 

[ClashCityRkr]

You're in the right place yo. Hang around, do research, and get to know us. We're all from different places and walks of life; just looking to be free. You got time. You'll get there eventually. Courage, luck, and water, my friend.

 

[Jackthereaper]

College can be so disheartening if you arent trying to get into a profession (law, medicine etc). Have you considered a trade? Mobile welders make a killing (seriously like 150-400 an hour). Check out chucke2009 on youtube. Plumbers, electricians, hell a decent seamstress can do well in a big city.

But yea, if college is wrecking your spirit then maybe consider a life change that will put you doing something you eiher enjoy, or can make good enough money at you can take 6 months off with no repercussion.

 

[zesmothe]

Welcome! I'm in a fairly similar boat to you. Also at college, very disengaged with it, and wanting to do more. You're definitely taking the right steps by joining stp.

Thanks for for the encouragement. I could never imagine myself working in a firm somewhere and I don't even know what I want out of a college degree. I just wanna go out, live life, meet people, and feel genuinely content with my life. Thankful to know I'm not alone and maybe we'll see each other around one day

 

[zesmothe]

College can be so disheartening if you arent trying to get into a profession (law, medicine etc). Have you considered a trade? Mobile welders make a killing (seriously like 150-400 an hour). Check out chucke2009 on youtube. Plumbers, electricians, hell a decent seamstress can do well in a big city.

But yea, if college is wrecking your spirit then maybe consider a life change that will put you doing something you eiher enjoy, or can make good enough money at you can take 6 months off with no repercussion.

Actually applying for apprenticeships in my area but right now I'm planning on quitting school entirely and picking up hours at my current job to save. Any tips on getting into a trade without waiting another year for my community college to open a program?

 

[Jackthereaper]

Honestly, if you wanna weld, buy a cheap craigslist or offer up or letgo STICK or TIG welder ( feel free to ask me about any) and get train track scrap and weld some art and sell it. You will be surprised by what sells sometimes. Either way, you will hit a wall after a while and forums and youtube wont help you get any further. This is when you start talking to the college professors and offering $50 an hour (remember, you are making a few bucks off welding scraps into art etc) to come really help you. After a while of that practice you are gonna have to start getting scrap tubing etc and welding that. Look into different tests you will need to pass to get a basic gig etc

If you want to do something else, apply to wherever. I have found that being a bit of a pest can help get a job, it shows you got moxy and are trying to be out working. If they dont have work right now, offer you can cover shifts etc if anyone needs. Just get that foot in the door and learn learn learn. After working a while, start getting your own licensing once you meet the requirements and start your own outfit asap. Even if it has a pos truck and hand tools itll get you started.

The idea here is to be your own boss. I have made good money raising chickens in the past even. Its all about market there though. If people arent willing to pay $30 a bird at farmers markets for organic birds that were outside their entire lives that cost $15 to raise and have slaughtered you dont have a viable business model. For a while i was raising 9000 birds a year averaging 7-13 profit per. Its a tough business though. And you will be trapsing in chicken shit for sure

If you have an idea give it a try. Dont be afraid of failure, but always be working till you can either employ somwone to manage a business for you, or sell it off for a decent amount to roll into your next idea. Eventually you will have a few semi steady income streams and can be a full time bum if you like that gets old quick though. Six months bum and six months working has been a great balance for me.

 

[Jackthereaper]

I neglected to mention things like tattoo etc, if you are artistic you can make good money tattooing and set any schedule you like

 

[Crazy Hobo Johnny]

Welcome Aboard! You landed in the right place!

You said you had survival training? That's one giant step and a start!

For Matt's book for anyone who has not read it, I highly recommend on reading it, a must have!

Again, Welcome to STP!!!

 

[zesmothe]

Welcome Aboard! You landed in the right place!

You said you had survival training? That's one giant step and a start!

For Matt's book for anyone who has not read it, I highly recommend on reading it, a must have!

Again, Welcome to STP!!!

Matt's book was a blast to read and I think I learned more from that book than I have from the past two years of bouncing through majors at college. One thing I've been curious about though is if there are any books out there about this lifestyle, not necessarily guides but maybe some history or biographies or maybe even a good novel on hobo travel? I'm intrigued and want to learn more