A very scared 17 year old

[Squalor]

Hi, I'm Ben, I live in Sydney, Australia. I've known about Peak oil for a couple of years but only really started to understand the implications of it this year, and now...I'm really scared and have no idea what to do with myself.

I finish school in November. I haven't made any plans for uni, yet. I was thinking of doing something relating to politics but people seem to think a lot of that is useless bollocks. I don't really know what to do besides that, except maybe philosophy. Science and maths were never things I was very good at.

My parents are aware of peak oil as well and my dad in particular wants to do something about it. We live in a suburb that is rather unique in Sydney; it borders onto a national park, and we have a 60-80m long, 10m wide (that's an estimate) rectangle of green just out the back of our garden, which we share with three other houses. Someone already grows vegetables out there. Lot of rabbits around too, and a horse trail that leads down to what I believe is a creek, though I'm not sure how drinkable it is (rainwater runoff I believe). Just down the road from us stars a suburb consisting of many 5 acre lots as well. There are no other suburbs within about 5km of us either. There isn't really any great public transport

My family is not in any debt, I believe; my parents own the house we live in, but my dad lost his job a year ago (unrelated to the downturn I believe). Luckily money isn't a problem at the moment.

You've probably heard this before many times but basically I'm feeling pretty lost, scared and a bit miserable having learnt of a lot of the details and expected outcomes of peak oil (I knew it was going to be grim but it went a bit beyond what I'd thought of...). I guess I just want to ask...what should I do? Am I in a good place? Or a disastrous place? Should I start growing food and trying to get neighbours and community interested in this? Should we install solar panels or a water tank? Should I learn to kill rabbits? I've got all this stuff going through my head and I don't know what to do or what to think. My overactive imagination, natural pessimism and social anxiety doesn't help any of this. I'm also aware of the adverse affects climate change is supposed to have on south-eastern Australia

Doesn't help that this all hit during an exam period...last night the combination of peak oil anxiety + exam anxiety + social anxiety actually made me vomit. Fun times

Thanks for reading

[mtlouie]

Hey, kiddo!  Welcome to the forum! 

There are some Aussies on here and there a bunch of young people, even some teenagers- Bastetmeow and Reborn come to mind.  Lots of info.  Don't freak out, there's lots you can do and the "losing it" feeling goes away.

[powerDown]

Hey squalor, Relax. In my lifetime I have discovered the "educated grown-ups" have gotten their facts ass- backwards, more times than I can count. Peak Oil is coming. It may have already passed. Would a corporation ( or a corporate employee ) Fudge the numbers to get a couple years more pay/compensation/insurance coverage? Absolutely! Good luck in life, and stop worrying so much, it get's in the way of preps.

[Broil]

Hmmmm ...... maybe you could start out at university with something like ecology or a natural science, try out the practical electives you're interested in, and then change to the major you've been most inspired by.

[Zac]

If you want to be practical, major in engineering, particularly electrical, mechanical, or chemical.  Those skills are always in demand and an engineering degree qualifies you for a multitude of jobs including many government ones.  Perhaps more importantly, they teach problem solving and provide a strong background in physical science (assuming you really apply yourself and don't just "pass").  If engineering isn't your cup of tea, medicine/health care are also good choices, but well paying jobs in those areas usually require substantial postgraduate education (even if you don't want to be a physician).

[Recovering Cornucopian]

Squalor, this pretty much says it all:

http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/Archives2008/OrlovPartThree.html

Skills and relationships, not money and stuff.

[Squalor]

Thanks for the replies everyone, sorry to rant like i did

To do engineering or medical science you need to get a ridiculously high ATAR- that's this mark they give you from combining together your exam scores and assessment marks. And I don't think I'm capable of that. Also, I don't do the right level of maths. These are things I never really thought of doing...I was always a 'humanities' person I guess you'd say. Haven't made any choices yet though...I'd be at uni for a long time too. Perhaps too long

Just for the record, subjects I'm doing at school: Extension English (I love literature, great for escapism at times), Economics, Modern History, Mathematics (calculus etc, we basically had to do it at my school), Studies of Religion (I'm not religious, just think it's important to understand it due to its prominence in society). I was turned off science, partially by bad teachers, partially by my greater interest in other subjects. Didn't have to do it for the last two years, so dropped it as quickly as I could...

Does everyone really get used to these predictions of the future? Is it through doing something to protect yourself from it? Or just resignation?

[HungryRaven]

Instead of fear and dread just embrace the future and prepare for it with a happy feeling.  Fear is a reaction to a threat of loss.  You are at the point now where you have imagined loss of what you don't have to start with instead of actually losing your job, location and losing your life dream that depended on the oil civilization.

  Now you can make a dream of what you want and how to do it that doesn't involve oil.  But no matter what maybe take some local university courses to keep other people off your back and expand your awareness but your main focus right now should really be on obtaining skills. 

If you are not totally sure your trail leads to a creek and what exactly is there then you are apparently not a explorer notice the environment discover resources type of person.   We have to get back to our roots and really knowing every detail of where you live is the start and a basic thing people have needed to know through history before they became "civilized".   What exactly is around you with topography, plant life, indigenous use of that plant life and what else did the indigenous use to survive in your area?   Know every nook and hollow of your surrounding land.  The spring discovered, the patch of valuable medicine or food plant, the useful tree you never knew was there could be very valuable.  Also if under attack for some war related or looting reason where is your bolt hole?  It could be useful to have an impossible to see through patch of shrubs or hole in the ground that only you sknow the ins and outs of.

 Also start actually growing food now.  There are some skills there that waiting until you actually need to produce food to learn could result in failure.   Learn to grow your own seeds for the following season.  Most gardeners are naively assuming the seed stores will keep them stocked up right on schedule every spring until they don't some year and then no gardening for the non preparers and then the famine starts.  Since your parents are also peak oil aware you may have it a lot easier to prepare then some young people.   Talk your parents into starting a hidden long term food supply.   In a year you'll have a better idea if things aren't crashed already if it will go downhill fullspeed or if you'll have more time.   

[residualheat]

I feel for you, squalor. Sounds like a good 'oh fuck' moment you're having there. Welcome to the club! You'll be in good company here. It does feel a bit crap to start with when you first realise how fucked we are, but it's good to see a young person like yourself actually thinking about something real, rather than about acquiring more 'stuff' like so many teens I know.

Agree that gardening is a good idea. Once you start growing food, even if it isn't a lot, you do get a certain sense of control over things and might not feel so lost. Being able to look at the seed racks at the garden centre and knowing how to grow them all is a reassuring feeling and knowing that you can provide some food for yourself and and your family is a comfort. Once you get to know your plants, then you can expand your growing and start to teach others.

[doombunny]

I reckon you're in a better situation than 95% of the world. Being young, having no debt or dependents, living in a small community with land and having a family who is peak oil aware are all positive things.

I would definitely start gardening as soon as possible. Also learning to kill rabbits, and other foraging skills, is a good idea. You say that one of the other families is already growing food on the communal land. I would try to spend as much time as possible with them and the other two families. Maybe you can get everyone gardening, and strengthen the community at the same time.

If you're not good at maths then you're never going to enjoy engineering anyway, so don't worry about the high grade requirements. Listen to people's advice on choosing a course, or other options instead of uni, but make sure you make up your own mind. One way I use to make big decisions is to write down all the most likely scenarios for the future, work out the best choices for each one, and then see which choices keep cropping up across the board. You could start with simply fast crash / medium crash / slow crash / no crash as four scenarios.

Finally, I think you should look into your water situation. Investigate that creek - is it seasonal or year-round? How long will it last if there is a drought? Is there agricultural/ sewage runoff in there? Is it safe to drink as it is or filtered? If not then look into water purification. Water has to be a priority in SE Australia, especially if climate change exacerbates the dry conditions.

Good luck, and try not to stress.

[Zac]

Unfortunately, the humanities don't pay well in general.  Trades such as welding (especially aerospace/critical spec welding) are worth considering, but I would be reluctant to suggest them as a first choice unless you really enjoy doing that kind of stuff.  Personally, I work as an engineer, but do a bit of TIG welding now and then for convenience and personal projects, but I wouldn't want to do that full time.  The fumes are hazardous to health and it can be sweaty and physically uncomfortable work (though it can pay well). 

You might also consider law enforcement.  An appropriate college degree can get you into the professional ranks of law enforcement (equivalent of FBI agent, state investigator, etc.) which should be a secure job with decent pay and relatively low danger level (unlike street cops). 

What it comes down to is whether you can solve real world problems.  I think the skills and ability to do that are and will continue to be the most valuable. 

[Broil]

Why not major in literature, what you take as an undergraduate isn't that important unless you're looking for a job in science or engineering.  It's graduate or professional school that's important for a future career.

Meanwhile, you can connect with some of the many like-minded organizations and individuals you'll find on campus.  You can do everything Hungry Raven suggests in the company of friends.   If possible, you should live on campus and not commute.  You'll be in the prime of your physical life, and many people have told me that college was the most enjoyable experience of their entire lives.

You can learn the basics of a trade like carpentry or plumbing during your vacations.

The world's not going to end tomorrow.  It's already tomorrow in Australia! (oh wait, that joke doesn't work for you, does it?)  Seriously, it's going to take many years of a bumpy gradual decline, in my opinion, so take advantage of what a high-energy, high-tech civilization has to offer, before it's gone.

[DarthBruder]

Buck up, mate! The world's been going to end any day now for thousands of years!

[Zac]

Why not major in literature, what you take as an undergraduate isn't that important unless you're looking for a job in science or engineering.  It's graduate or professional school that's important for a future career.

With all due respect, I think doing that is essentially wasting time and money, especially now.  College as an opportunity to acquire useful knowledge and skills in addition to getting a credential (degree).  What you get out of school is directly proportional to the effort you put in. 

It's quite possible to breeze through 4 years just passing your classes, but learning little.  I know some people who didn't try very hard, but graduated from respectable universities with engineering or computer science degrees, but are now delivering mail. 

[Broil]

But he's already said that math, science and engineering classes are not an option.  There isn't much of anthing else practical offered at a university as far as I know.

For the humanities programs he's interested in, he'll have to go to grad school, and any undergrad major will do for that.