[CS-FSLUG] OT: Where to go from here

[Nathan T.]

Hi everyone, I thought I'd pick your brains.

Assuming all goes well I have one semester of school left to complete,
we're moving so I may be in for another two semesters, who knows.

Either way I'm not far from graduating grade 12, here's what's going
through my head.
- I like computer science, I get good marks there and I enjoy it very much
   - I've only written simply programs, and I haven't had much time to
learn C++ as a replacement for Java.
- I've considered engineering courses.
- In Math 10, 20, A30 and B30 my average was over 90%
- My averages in Science 10, Biology 20, Physics 20 and Chemistry 20
were also good, usually around or over 80% IIRC.
- I'm not so good at english, I don't like writing essays. I do have a
blog, but I don't write very much in there. I'm more comfortable being
a private person, but it can also be very lonely.
- The retail business sucks, I don't want that kind of work any more.
- Co-workers who are little more than Microsoft drones are a crime
against God, humanity and nature.
- I like having time to read my programming books
- I've found case modding to be interesting, I also find mini-itx
stuff interesting, and I'd like to build my own machines.
- I've always been curious how OS X developer tools stack up against
Linux and Windows tools and I've always wanted to try them. I
considered learning how to use the platform specific API and default
language of OS X and writing software exclusive to that platform, I
wouldn't put the same consideration into Windows.
- The folks at Staples recently told me they cannot be references
because of company policy, too bad they didn't tell me sooner. I'd
like to know when this changed.
- Programming is a hobby for me, I've often thought it wouldn't be a
bad career if it pays well enough.
- I learnt how to build RPMs well enough to do it for Ark, but I'm not
involved with that distro any more.
- I don't have very much left in the bank at all.

Where do I go from here? I was thinking best case scenario I get into
a university somehow, otherwise it's a college with a decent CS and
engineering course, or even just a technical institute. There doesn't
seem to be much in the way of universities or technical institutes in
Yellowknife. Even that is just a very generalized and foggy plan for
the near future though.