When I was in high school, we were all pressured rather strongly to attend a traditional college and pursue a traditional career.  Four-year universities were the expectation, with only the stoners and those types of kids — you know, the ones who took shop and classes like that — attending vocational schools.

Things have really changed now, even though many adults still look down their noses at nontraditional schools.  Vocational and trade schools are becoming much more accepted than they used to be, and teens and adults are being encouraged to be proud of their strengths and pursue them, rather than being ashamed to be attending a "lesser" college or pursuing a "lesser" career.

Golf is a great example of how things have changed.  Many golf colleges have sprung up in the past few decades, recognizing that there was a need for workers in the industry who actually knew what they were doing.  There is also a widespread understanding now that you don’t have to pursue a pro golf career in order to be successful in the golf industry.  There are plenty of other types of opportunities, such as golf course landscaping and maintenance.  You could also teach golf and make a pretty good living doing what you love.

I hope this reassures you that there isn’t something wrong with you for considering a nontraditional college and/or career.  What’s important is that you do a job you can enjoy and spend a lifetime doing — and that you do well at it — not the school you go to or the type of job it is!

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