Good choice with the uni , I think Metalhead only went against it because he likes arguing with me for some reason.

Throwing money away needlessly just to "get out there" is pointless IMO. Sure its easy and comfortable living at home, but its also the perfect time to get some savings towards living properly later. I wish Id been lucky enough to have been able to stay at home, work and put some savings aside. Every month is a struggle for me on where my money goes because Ive not had the luxury of staying with my parents for a few years.

Yet as you were quick to highlight earlier its more than just the job factor here.

Yes your university work offers great opportunities but you cant say that 3 years working for a big project (cefas) would not be as appreciated just as much. The idea behind a big project is that you can in theory move about in it (example: im in a 9 year project at the moment, and trying to move upwards as we speak).

My point is out of everyone on here you are most likely the one person who needs a push to actually leave his parents house.

You are the one person with the most social issues to deal with.

You are also the one person who will opt not to deal with them unless pushed.

Yes the uni job sounds fun, varied and interesting doing the whole jack of all, master of none thing. However to move away from home (while clocked who has no issues with being away from the rents as far as I can see) would be a major step in your life.

I would love to live at home with the parents to save money, but then I look at my sister or other friends for example "save money" great... my sister is engaged, 22 years old, and still lives with her mum and dad, has next to nothing in savings because she buys sh*tloads of crap! Mates of mine live at home with parents and again same issue, no real money saved it just means they can afford to not learn how to budget.

If it was just a job, and they were both within a stones throw of your house then yes Id probably agree with your choice of uni project stuff cause its the best of a bad bunch.

The cefas offers more than just a job, but an opportunity for you as an individual to develop. I cant believe I am the only one who is seeing this.

Overrated @ nige, mate... lets face it, if you really wanted to you could quite happily go to your parents to ask for cash (if you havent burnt bridges), a bit of hardship is nothing in the long run considering what it gives you in terms of personal development.

As for "little luxuries" I still get them, just have to wait a little longer inbetween buying them, hardly a major issue.

I think staying at home is overrated, and from seeing my mates do it, and my sister do it, its completely overrated... its as if they are the celebs who dont know the price of a pint of milk.

M3, I do see your point, and that you rate the moving out thing very very highly. I do want to move out ASAP, and that was one of the big factors *for* the cefas job. I know that a large chunk of my issues are home/parent related.

However the Cefas thing probably wasnt long term, and so should have been put in the "mid term" category (Uni being short term). It would have been great to move out and have a job and scrape by for 3 years, and be independant. But Id have ended up needing to come back home at the end to retrain to get back into terrestrial ecology. As you said about longer contracts being able to move about and move up, thats all fine, but Id have only been able to move up in Marine Biology. I do not want to follow marine biology as a career. A few months from now I may be in a better position to support myself with a better job. Yeah this could end up being a case of putting it off, and having another excuse in 3-4 months time, but Ill just have to prove you wrong when that time comes

About the only thing thatd keep me at home, would be if I could negotiate a masters for free at uni if I work part time there as well. But the chances of that happening are slim. If I got a full time job in the area I would move out, and probably as far away from home as possible without having to make a huge commute.

The main thing that its really come down to, is how far away from marine biology my interests now lay. I dont know your personal interests, so this analogy might be totally wrong, but imagine the following:

Youve trained in a broad subject (say IT) Youre good at most things. You have an interest in several areas (coding, graphics, networking etc). Over time you realise that there is a certain area (graphics) that is slightly outside your main discipline (coding) that you really enjoy, and would like to work in. You even get offered a small job in the area, which is just a stepping stone. It shows your skill in this area you love, as the offer is not just made willy nilly, but based on past experiences and skills. But then you get offered a job doing your main discipline, which though youre good at, you no longer really care about as you now know your dream is to follow this other thing.

Ok, thats a bit rubbish really. At the end of the day I essentially applied for a job in an industry I dont want to be in. Itd be like you applying for, say, a job in retail or something. You could do it, youve got the skills, but you know itd be hell as you wouldnt be happy, and the pay would be sh*t.

The benefits of moving out and going with Cefas are also probably outweighed by the fact that my disinterest in marine biology would have had me ending up quitting after the first year or something. If I really wanted to move out, I could just temp somewhere a way away from home and be done with it all, but throwing away the opportunity of working in a field I enjoy just for the sake of moving out, sounds a bit weird.
 

M3, I do see your point, and that you rate the moving out thing very very highly. I do want to move out ASAP, and that was one of the big factors *for* the cefas job. I know that a large chunk of my issues are home/parent related.

However the Cefas thing probably wasnt long term, and so should have been put in the "mid term" category (Uni being short term). It would have been great to move out and have a job and scrape by for 3 years, and be independant. But Id have ended up needing to come back home at the end to retrain to get back into terrestrial ecology. As you said about longer contracts being able to move about and move up, thats all fine, but Id have only been able to move up in Marine Biology. I do not want to follow marine biology as a career. A few months from now I may be in a better position to support myself with a better job. Yeah this could end up being a case of putting it off, and having another excuse in 3-4 months time, but Ill just have to prove you wrong when that time comes

About the only thing thatd keep me at home, would be if I could negotiate a masters for free at uni if I work part time there as well. But the chances of that happening are slim. If I got a full time job in the area I would move out, and probably as far away from home as possible without having to make a huge commute.

The main thing that its really come down to, is how far away from marine biology my interests now lay. I dont know your personal interests, so this analogy might be totally wrong, but imagine the following:

Youve trained in a broad subject (say IT) Youre good at most things. You have an interest in several areas (coding, graphics, networking etc). Over time you realise that there is a certain area (graphics) that is slightly outside your main discipline (coding) that you really enjoy, and would like to work in. You even get offered a small job in the area, which is just a stepping stone. It shows your skill in this area you love, as the offer is not just made willy nilly, but based on past experiences and skills. But then you get offered a job doing your main discipline, which though youre good at, you no longer really care about as you now know your dream is to follow this other thing.

Ok, thats a bit rubbish really. At the end of the day I essentially applied for a job in an industry I dont want to be in. Itd be like you applying for, say, a job in retail or something. You could do it, youve got the skills, but you know itd be hell as you wouldnt be happy, and the pay would be sh*t.

The benefits of moving out and going with Cefas are also probably outweighed by the fact that my disinterest in marine biology would have had me ending up quitting after the first year or something. If I really wanted to move out, I could just temp somewhere a way away from home and be done with it all, but throwing away the opportunity of working in a field I enjoy just for the sake of moving out, sounds a bit weird.
 

In that case youve made the right choice. Just for a guy who spent many many years in an aquarium professing his love of the fishy goodness just wasnt totally clear that you hated marine biology that much. Perhaps it was me failing to understand your point but yeah Id rather be the one challenging your first choice causing you to think twice about it, than be someone blindly offering support for what could turn out to be a big mistake.

Overrated @ nige, mate... lets face it, if you really wanted to you could quite happily go to your parents to ask for cash (if you havent burnt bridges), a bit of hardship (I myself have £18,000+ in debt from uni) is nothing in the long run considering what it gives you in terms of personal development.

My dad lives in Malta (we dont speak to him any more) and my mum borrows money off me every month because shes hard up, its not a lets face it scenario at all... Loads of people live great, active lives and still sponge a bit off their rents or live at home, not everyone needs to move out to learn responsibility or how to socialise. In fact Id say its an ideal situation for a lot of people as if they meet someone and want to properly couple up and get a place its much easier to save for when youre living at home.

Youre right though, a lot of people do need that kick up the arse of moving out

Currently and if I want it to be for anytime over the next 10 or so years, itd be Opsware Server and Network Automation products, specifically ISM Packaging development. However due to the nature of my role I have a lot of indepth exposure to various other products.

As for others, I dont know ive just got zpyders "help" threads from past times still stuck in my mind. Just concerned that hes missing an opportunity. That said there is no point forcing yourself to do a job you dislike.