I leave it up to you guy. I want to take a year off after high school what should I do hike the AT or do a semester at nols. I am not shore what to do any thoughts.
boy who wannders
What should i do after high school
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#2
It’s a little early to be thinking of what you want to do after high school. Because with that grammer and spelling, you’re not going to graduate for some time. 
Rustbucket
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#4
hey guy don’t be mean. I am planning on getting a job to pay for my hike or NOLS. I just want to know which you think is better NOLS or hiking the AT after I fininsh high school.
boy who wannders
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#6
whatever you do don’t make any decisions to fast, and don’t burn any bridges or step on any toes, i vote for AT, if not you’ll always want to and wonder what would have happen if u didn’t give it a shot
clong
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#7
u shore kuld fininsh apulashun trial andd tri reddin sum dikshunairy onn ur trec
Doc Holiday
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#8
Hey Rustbucker! Look who’s calling the kettle black! The correct spelling is GRAMMAR, not GRAMMER! Did you gradyoowate from hi-skool?
:eek:
Profezzor
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#9
You could:[1]Join the Army or Marines,get sent to Iraq and get killed.[2]Go to college and learn grammar[3]Become President of the U.S.and learn grammer.[4]Hike the AT and meet lots of cool people and maybe some cool chicks.The choice is yours.
Old&In The Way
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#10
grammer in collage? Id rathar stae in hi skul an pla dokter with girlz my aje. Ferget thems apulashun trial girlz thay look leik man wit haree laggs an steenk.
Apostrophe
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#11
Hi BWW,
Don’t pay the teasers any mind. You asked a legitimate question.
You’ll probably get an overwhelming vote for hiking the AT on this site, but things to ponder and research are:
- cost of an AT hike vs. cost of a NOLS semester
- The quality of the experience you are after - looking for structure, less structure, what?
- the length of time you have to spend 4-7 months vs. a semester
Keep asking questions even if people here play with you. It’s really quite friendly on the AT, with more of a kindred spirit for fellow travelers. Specific questions are more likely to bring the kind of response you want.
Good luck, and how great of you to get off the couch and do something with your life, plan for an adventure.
Jan LiteShoe
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#12
What you should do is make up your own mind, instead of looking to the rest of us to vote for you; about Your life/Your life choices. Given the focus of this site, asking the ? that you did; what do you expect that many folks will answer? My thought is get an education, AND hike during the summers…but maybe a thru hike will allow for you to grow into a man who makes his own path instead of being a just a boy who follows one. I hope to not sound too harsh; just my thoughts, so excuse my being direct. Good luck in whatever you decide; if you think it thru, whatever you decide will have consequences…& be your path (AT or not) to live with!
Leah
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#13
Just read Jan LS’s wonderful thoughts…much better stated than mine! Good luck & let us know what you decide.
Leah
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#14
Between the two, I’d say AT. Then for your next summer break after you start college you could do a NOLS course. You might even be able at that point to tie it in with some course credit.
Tha Wookie
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#16
If you are leaving it to “us”, I say take the hike, then go to school. That is if you can get into one.
sallysot2000
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#17
man, i think nols is gahbage. if you want to learn stuff that will look good on your resume, look in to SCA internships, or volunteer for trail crew, or look into jobs as a trip leader for kids or something. then you dont have to pay cash out the bum.
do the AT. you will learn most of that nols crap without obnoxious instructors making you lug a cast iron skillet and call it “team building” or some such crap. no need for that. anything they can teach you you can teach yourself or learn through other avenues and not pay all that cash.
milo
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#18
When I section hiked the 100-mile wilderness two years ago I met a young man who had just graduated from high school who was starting a southbound thruhike. His buddy had just gotten off the trail because he missed his girlfriend and he was continuing on by himself. He wrote in the shelter register “well, I guess I have my whole life on my own shoulders now.” What a great way to really experience self-sufficiency, responsibility, determination, courage, and a lot of other things that many adults never have the chance to face in the same way. If you decide to hike, just be sure you carefully plan and get into shape. Good luck!
Rainbow
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#19
The answer partially depends on what your career goals are–where you want to be in 5, 10, 15 years. If putting NOLS on a resume would significantly advance that, you might choose NOLS. If not, IMHO you’ll get much more out of the AT.
But most likely, at your age, career goals haven’t been seriously formulated yet. If that’s the case, I’d go with the AT. Either a single year thru-hike or a multi-summer section hike. And if you choose the AT, don’t forget to put THAT on your resume someday either–you’d be surprised how many end-to-enders have had success with that.
Skyline