- What's up good humans.
Thank you so much for joining us
for another episode of Spectrum.
- This one is sponsored
by our friends at Skillshare.
- So make sure you stick around
all the way to the end
to hear how 2020 can be the year
of exploring new skills
and getting gloss and creativity.
- For now, enjoy the episode.
- I was told that something was wrong with me, a lot.
I've had teachers actually stand me up
in front of the class
and say I was gonna be homeless
because I didn't learn like everybody else.
(upbeat music)
(rising whoosh)
(electronic bloop)
- I regret dropping out
Three, two, one, go.
(rising whoosh)
(graphic beep)
- I actually have dropped out four times,
three times out of high school.
And then out of college,
I dropped out one semester.
I think if I didn't take the time
to really realize who I was
and really figure myself out,
I wouldn't be where I am right now.
And I probably wouldn't even be here
if I can be honest.
In school, they require you so much
for you to be present.
But when it comes to how you're doing
with your mental health or how situations
are kind of going at home,
they don't really count.
- In the first year to maybe three
or four years after dropping out,
I felt really confident about my decision.
I was living in a really nice place,
driving nice cars, making money,
wearing nice clothes.
But I think I kind of fell into a trap
because the entertainment industry
led me out of school.
I started getting myself accustomed to this lifestyle
and it didn't allow me the time
that I think a lot of people who go to college have
to actually figure out what they want.
I think it is helpful to have those formative years.
In college, you switch a class or you try something new.
For me, I'm like selling a $10,000 watch to pay the bills
while I try to figure something else out
and then running back to the entertainment industry.
- At the same time, those years
of self discovery and everything,
I had that
because I dropped out. - Yeah.
- Yeah. - Like I dropped out
when I was 13.
I had all of those years
to just like, 'what do I wanna do?'
And then I found out what I wanted to do super early,
'cause I had the time.
- I wasn't able to live, you know,
with my parents while I figured this out.
My parents got split up, my house got sold.
I didn't have anywhere to live.
So by 17 I had my own apartment.
if I don't know what I want to do,
I can't pay my rent.
(electronic bloop)
- The education system failed me.
Three, two, one, go.
(rising music)
(graphic beep)
- When I think education system,
I think what they're teaching me,
what the curriculum is.
I'm sure, like when other people think of it,
they think of the finances of it.
I think 'what am I learning in the classroom?'
'What are the teachers explaining to me?'
- I think there's problems with the education system
but it's up to you to recognize
what those problems are
and kind of work around them.
If you blame someone or like a system
for your own mistakes
then that's kind of where,
you know you end up being angry
and not really changing.
- I think both of you touched on a subject
that was like, basically you're supposed
to recognize if it's not working for you,
which is a really adult way to think of that.
Because now you're in this mindset.
I was told that something was wrong with me a lot.
I've had teachers actually stand me up in front
of the class and say that I was gonna be homeless
because I didn't learn like everybody else.
- I was diagnosed with depression when I was two years old.
So when I started going to school,
I started reaching out for help.
And the same thing that happened to me,
they told me that I was gonna fail,
that I wasn't strong enough to be in this world
and that I was not gonna be successful.
Then I ended up moving here.
I was like, it'll probably be different.
Now moving to a new country,
I'm moving to a new school environment.
And I started getting bullied again.
I tried talking to the principal.
I tried talking to the deans.
I tried talking to so many people
and they just told me the same,
"it's you, and it's your fault."
So I feel like it felt me
because it's not like I didn't reach out for help in school.
It's the fact that I asked for help
and I didn't get it.
And then I got blamed for that.
(electronic bloop)
- I feel ashamed for dropping out.
Three, two, one, go.
(intense music)
(graphic bleep)
- Part of me is still bothered
that like my parents are like bothered
that I didn't finish school
and that I don't really have any drive
or care to go back to school.
But I mean, I love the hustle, you know.
I got into the industry I wanted to be in
when I was twenty, twenty one years old.
And it was solely off of me just taking internships.
I didn't go to school to study.
I'm not lazy.
So I guess that's really important.
- When I first had a dropout,
I called my roommates the day I was supposed
to be flying back to tell them,
"oh by the way, I'm not coming back"
because I was so embarrassed
to be like, I can't afford school.
So like for my entire second semester I was living here,
everyone thought I was still in Hawaii.
So then when I would see people in June,
they'd be like "How was your first year in Hawaii?"
"Like, did you love it?"
And I would lie.
I would say, "Yeah, it was amazing."
"Like I had the best first year."
- I used to do something similar.
Whenever someone would ask me where I went to school,
I would just be like, "Oh, like UCLA."
(everyone laughs)
'Cause then they'd just go "Oh cool."
Instead of being like, "oh, what are you doing?"
"And why, blah blah blah."
And I gotta explain my whole life to you.
But also I like what Ty said,
you just said, I'm not lazy.
That's a huge stereotype.
Like, "Oh, you were too lazy to finish school."
And I think that that should totally be broken
because a lot of the time it's like
"I have to work harder
because I didn't go to school.
Like now I have to basically pick up the pieces."
- There is literally YouTube.
It teaches you a million of things.
And I've learned so many things from the internet
that I could have learned at school
but I learned for fee at my house
in the comfort of my bed.
And I appreciate that.
- Dropping out, changed how my family saw me.
Three, two, one, go.
(intense music)
(graphic bleep)
- All right.
- Most of my uncles, my dad,
they didn't graduate high school
until like way later on in life.
Most of my uncles graduated got like a GED
and prison and stuff like that.
So I don't feel like it's necessarily frowned upon.
I think it's just more that stereotype of like
"I didn't get a degree when I was supposed to get one.
So you should."
- I think my parents had like a vision
for what they wanted me to do for a long time.
That was just like to become pharmacist.
And then I decided to do it.
Like at that time when I was 18,
I didn't know what to do.
So I applied to like one of the accelerator programs.
And when I dropped out
that was like the end of their world.
Like they, they didn't know what to do with me.
- When I left school, I like opened up so much.
I became like, who I truly was,
that was so oppressed just like came out
and I became like so happy
and like so much more extroverted than I already am.
And my family, of course they saw that
and they were like, "Okay, great!"
- My immediate family, my mom, brother, dad,
they were all very supportive of it
because they've known me from a young age
and know what type of person I am.
My girlfriend, her family is different.
They actually make their livings in education.
So when she kind of brought this guy home
who dropped out of high school,
it was kind of unexpected.
Now these people are my family
but I still feel like I have to prove myself.
I work in TV
and even when my shows are off the air,
I still feel like I have to justify the fact
that like I'm getting up every day
and I'm doing something.
- I'm the only child already on my mom's side.
So there is the pressure already there.
I have to afford for a home.
It's only me and my mom.
And as much as I love my family
and I wish them the best,
when it comes to my own life,
I don't let those comments get to me anymore
because it'll make my life more miserable.
And instead of finding myself and who I am,
I'm gonna destroy myself
because my family, they're really critical
when it comes to school, especially because I'm here
and I'm living the American dream
and I'm supposed to be able to do this, this and that.
But what if that box doesn't fit for myself?
Am I just supposed to do it
to make all of you happy or to make myself happy?
- I would like my children to complete their education.
Three, two, one, go.
(intense music)
(graphic bleep)
- My mom's a teacher and my dad works
for the local school board.
So I've just always been surrounded by education.
And for me, I feel like my kids don't have to.
I will encourage them to go to school
but if they could figure out what they wanna do
without having to go to school,
then great.
- I was so miserable because my whole life,
I was trying to make other people happy.
I don't want them to feel like I can be myself
because my mom is not gonna be proud of me.
- The privilege that we have today to say
that we don't want something for our kids is like,
it's definitely a privilege
because I think I understand where my parents come from
in terms of what they want for us.
The immigrant mentality of like
wanting your kids go through the education system
is like really entrenched in that culture.
I don't like fault people who think that way,
but for me right now,
if I had a kid, I probably, you know, just,
I wouldn't want anything for them.
I would want them to want something.
And then I'll support that.
- At the end of the day, you're going
to want your kid to do something.
And for me, at least it's going to be how I came up.
I want you to like, do what you feel is best for you.
Sure I'll have my opinion,
but I will never ever pressure my kid
to do something that they do not wanna do.
- Yes!
(everyone clapping)
- [Woman] We're still happy out there!
(women laugh)
- [Kendra] Hey guys, thank you so much
for watching the episode of Spectrum.
We have so much new
and exciting content coming your way this year.
Speaking of, what are some of your goals this year, Dan?
- Me and my girlfriend really
want to redecorate our place.
- Sorry guys, Dan is not single
but good news is skill share has a perfect class for you.
It's called
'Style your space: Bringing creativity to interior design.'
And for all you guys out there,
they have a digital poster design class,
Instagram worthy photography.
Anything you can think of, Skillshare has a class for you.
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- It's incredibly affordable guys, less than $10 a month
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- So make Twenty-Twenty a year
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You might be surprised
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So click the link in the descriptions,
get two free months of premium membership
and explore your creativity.
- As always., thank you so much for watching.
Make sure to subscribe, leave a comment below,
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and we'll see you next time.
(upbeat music)