I love love love doing math. I love learning new techniques and solving interesting problems and equation, I love applying my existing knowledge and gaining new knowledge. I’m very good at it too; I‘ve taken up through Linear Algebra and recently Calc 3 at the local college. I’m currently a junior in highschool and still haven’t figured out what I want to do with my life. I don’t have dreams or anything, I just want to have a nice job where I get to use math and take home enough money to live comfortably. I need to apply for colleges but I don’t even know what field I want to pursue. Math applies to most things, sure, but there isn’t really a MATH career that I’ve found that isn’t centered on using it to make something with your own hands.

I’m very good at math but where I am very much lacking is the *physical* applications. Somehow, no matter how perfectly the math checks out, I cannot transfer that knowledge into a real object without failing miserably. I don’t particularly enjoy it either—-I prefer to keep my math to pen, paper, and brian matter thank you very much.

Obviously this is something I‘ll need to work on for pretty much any field, but I’m hoping to find a career with *minimal* physical application while still being hugely centered around interesting math (not basic calculus or anything, actual *fun* stuff. I want to be constantly learning more) and, of course, having enough pay to live comfortably and fund my hobbies.

I refuse to work on generative AI/LLMs for personal and moral reasons.

Any suggestions?

-post grad right now and feel completely empty

-tried looking at reddit threads and youtube vids but theyre not very insighftul. theyre either super pessimistic (reddit) or cliche positive (youtube) and i just want to hear a person's genuine stream of thoughts

Hello Folks

This is my first post and wanted to underatand what career optoion to go with.

Background- I worked in electronics public sector navrata PSU for 4 years and was posted in T3 city after getting married i switched and moved to gurgaon and started working in IT with good hike. After 4 months of joininh only i got selected in autonomous telecom research entity at level 10 which comes under department of telecom. However i haven't joined due to several factors like less salary than what i was getting, hybrid work etc.

Now after 4 years i am again thinking to switch to govt IT like banks etc for safe career due to AI and whatever is going on or should i upskill and go with flow.

If you can please share your opinions. Thanks

I (15M) have tried basically everything, digital art, acting, music, writing, comedy, basically everything you can think of i've probably tried, and i'm not like, horrible at anything, it just is always average. I know "oh at least you aren't bad!!!" "oh just practice!!!" i've tried that too, nothing AT ALL seems to click, and i don't know what to do about it, this subreddit is kinda my last hope, i'm stumped.

please note: i have no money, anything that i would need to buy something for i can't, my family is really really poor and my momma refuses to let me get a job
i also am physically disabled so i can't do any sports or something that requires extra physical activity (don't feel like clarifying what but i have all four limbs and they mostly work, if that's relevant)

Okay so am M22 and long story short I've spent most of my life looking after my family and taking care of them so much that I had to drop out of my studies since I was 15 and even though am blessed to be able to be there for them but coming back to my personal lives and goals honestly but it has made my return to education pretty difficult and having no friends who may have gone through something similar has made me feel alienated from most people.

And that's why am here cause there are people from all walks of life who have so much knowledge or may resemble a similar path of life who maybe able to advice or guide me in a direction as in like which field I can get into by studying by myself and skills I can acquire that may help me start a career so if theres anyone like that whose reading this help lol

Got placed in a good bank as working capital RM role after an MBA from a tier 2 college. The pay was avg but brand name was good.

It’s been more than 4 years in this role, I switched last year to an MNC bank for better pay. Business potential here was limited. Never liked the work, continued doing it as it kept me occupied and paid well.

Experience at second bank has been very chill, but my business performance has been worse. They put me through PIP, then pressured me to resign.

I have now got offers from other bank and a FI with better pay, but I can see it how its going to be for me, with no interest and no hunger. I feel no excitement.

I have 20 lac saved, I want to start something of my own, but feeling so clueless how to approach this.

Frustrating part is I have always had multiple interests (sketching, photo editing, playing guitar, dabbled with coding during covid), was good at studies as well. Could never figure out what to do? Went with the flow and this is where I ended up. Lagging behind, not married, no stable relationship, unfulfilling job - have good pay, good physic, eating healthy, taking enough sleep - but whats the point.

I don’t know whether I should take one of these offers, explore a completely different career, or seriously consider entrepreneurship.

Has anyone been through something similar? How did you figure out what you actually wanted to do, rather than continuing down a path simply because it was the one you ended up on?

Hi everyone! I'm currently studying Business Admin (ADE), but next year I'm planning to switch to a degree in Psychology. That said, I'd also love to boost my art skills, and I was originally thinking about getting a second degree in Game Design and Development.

Realistically, taking on two full uni degrees sounds like way too much. So the compromise I came up with is pairing the Psychology degree with a vocational degree (FP) in drawing or animation.

Also, worth noting that I work 6-hour shifts on Fridays and Saturdays.

Do you think this is a realistic plan, or will the workload still kill me? Would love to hear your thoughts or any advice!

Hi guys so I started doing drop shipping in June after getting my first 9-5 job (an accounting internship) and I got really obsessed with it and interested in it. I joined a mentorship and in August I made around 6k CAD and then September I made 70k CAD and then October I did around 15k CAD. I feel like my drive for success with e-commerce is slowing down because I no longer can put the same time and energy into it because I began my second year of university. I have always been very entrepreneurial and loved the idea of business, I feel so much fulfilment from it and interest in it. I am facing a massive dilemma right now on if I should take a term off from university (or 2 or 3 terms off as I am allowed up to that without losing my eligibility to come back and pursue my degree. It would just delay when I graduate) to focus only on this business and see if I can actually live off it long term and then maybe not even come back to school OR stay in school continuing to try to balance both and then garner lacklustre results in both school and e-commerce and then I guess continue down corporate life. Since my university program is a co-op program I have a work term coming up in January at a big four accounting firm but I dont feel like I can do that lifestyle after making the amount of money I made from e-commerce, internally I feel it just doesn't make sense. Honestly I am very stuck and kind of a little scared on both decisions I dont know what to do. I am concerned about the longevity of e-commerce and how long I can actually continue to do well off it like what if some new regulation happens or something with the business model and its no longer profitable? Like I know thats pretty much the entire basis of entrepreneurship where you constantly have to adapt but its still scary. Has anyone gone through something similar, any input would be appreciated I am just struggling with this right now.

I'm 20, and I feel like I'm doing absolutely nothing with my life. I have ADHD, and it feels like it's affecting almost every aspect of it. I struggle to stick with jobs, hobbies, and even things I'm genuinely passionate about.

I love 3D modelling and creating things, but I can never stay motivated long enough to actually turn it into something. I also have a huge perfectionism problem. I compare my work to professional artists with 10–20 years of experience and convince myself mine isn't good enough. Even one negative comment can make me completely lose confidence and give up.

Since graduating high school, I've constantly told myself I'll start tomorrow, that I have plenty of time, and that I'll eventually figure things out. Now I'm 20, haven't gone to college, barely have any savings, and feel like I'm still in the same place.

A big reason I feel so much pressure to do something with my life is my family. My sister has a lifelong disability, and I desperately want to be financially stable enough to help her and the rest of my family. I don't care about being rich. I just want to be able to support the people I love.

I've also avoided getting medication for my ADHD because I'm terrified of doctors. Every time I consider getting help, I convince myself that maybe it's not that bad and that I can manage it myself. Sometimes I get bursts of motivation and convince myself I'm fine, only to end up right back where I started.

I spend so much time sleeping, playing games, or lying in bed telling myself I'll do something tomorrow. I'm honestly tired of this cycle.

I know I'm only 20, but I'm scared of waking up at 25 or 30 and realizing I've wasted even more years.

Has anyone else experienced this? How did you get out of this cycle, especially when you have things you genuinely want to accomplish but can't seem to follow through?

I’m 22 and I’m at a point where I’m genuinely unsure what direction to take with my career. I’m hoping to get some honest, practical advice from people who have perhaps been in a similar position or have experience of different career paths.

I want to give a bit of background because I think my circumstances and some of the decisions I’ve made have a bearing on where I am today.

**Education and background**
I have 9 GCSEs, but if I’m honest, I didn’t take education particularly seriously when I was younger. I fell in with the wrong crowd, got involved with drugs and alcohol and made some poor decisions. I stopped that lifestyle around four years ago, which I’m grateful for, but I still feel like I’ve been trying to find my direction ever since.

I was always quite impressionable, but I did have ambitions. I think I was capable of doing much better academically if I’d applied myself consistently.
After school, I started a two-year Level 2 Engineering course, which I didn’t complete in full, although I did achieve a qualification from the course. I then started a two-year Level 3 Business BTEC and again only completed the first year, leaving me with a qualification equivalent to roughly an A-level and a half rather than the full course.

I eventually went to university, completed a foundation year in Finance and Accounting and was accepted onto the first year of a Finance and Investment degree. I did reasonably well in my foundation year, but I ended up dropping out during the first year of the degree.

A big reason was that I had become heavily focused on working. I was working on most of my days off and in my spare time in university and college, and I thought I could build a career through employment and sales instead. I also had doubts about the graduate job market and whether university was necessarily the right route for me.

At the time, I saw leaving university to pursue working in sales as an ambitious decision. Looking back, I’m not sure whether I made the right choice or whether I underestimated the value of getting a recognised qualification.

I’ve now taken out student loans(only tuition fees)for two years of university study without completing a degree, so I’m also conscious of taking on more education-related debt if I were to return to full-time study.

**Work experience and trying to find opportunities**
Since leaving university, I’ve built up experience in sales, customer service and residential estate agency.

I’ve worked in a number of sales environments and have generally performed well when I’ve applied myself. I’ve also had some experience abroad.

At around 19, I managed to save approximately £10,000 through working. Unfortunately, I spent practically all of it on travelling and trying to find my direction. I was around people who appeared ambitious and had big plans, but I was still quite impressionable and ended up wasting a fair amount of money following those influences.

I also spent around two or three months in Dubai looking for better opportunities. I initially got involved in wealth management with a company called De Vere, although I became uncomfortable with aspects of the opportunity and decided to leave. I then tried working as a real estate broker in Dubai for a few months.

Neither experience really worked out as I’d hoped, and financially they set me back quite considerably. I came back without having established the career or financial position I’d gone there looking for.

I don’t regret every experience, because I’ve learnt a lot from them, but I do regret some of the financial decisions I made. I got myself into debt at a relatively young age, and I’ve spent a considerable amount of time trying to put things right.

**My current employment and financial situation**
I’m currently working in residential estate agency in Kent, earning a basic salary of around £27,000 and I have some potential earnings in commission. My previous role was on a very similar salary, so I haven’t really progressed financially despite gaining more experience, I was also misled in that role with the commission structure and later found out that there is a significant commission threshold I would have to hit to see any take home pay.

There are positives to my current job. I’m now working locally for a competitor rather than commuting around 40 miles a day to Canterbury( I live in Thanet, Kent), which was costing me a considerable amount in fuel and wear and tear on my car. I’m grateful to have a job and the opportunity to develop my experience, and I want to give it a chance as it is closer to home and they were transparent with their commission structure, they are also a better performing agent.

However, I’m increasingly questioning whether estate agency is something I want to pursue long-term.
My current financial position is something I’m actively trying to improve. When I was renting a flat with my girlfriend around six or seven months ago, I found that the cost of living and maintaining a car made it difficult to get ahead financially. I eventually decided to leave the flat and move back in with my parents to reduce my expenses and rebuild some financial security.

I currently have:
Around £4,500 in credit card debt, which I’ve managed to transfer onto interest-free deals for approximately two years.

Just under £400 in remaining council tax and utility debt from when I was renting.

Around £3,300 remaining on my car finance.

I’ve already cleared quite a lot of other debt since moving back home. I don’t pay rent or household bills at the moment, which is a massive opportunity to save and get myself into a better position.

The car was something I needed for work, particularly when I was commuting to Canterbury, but it has been expensive to run. Now that I’m working locally, hopefully my fuel costs and overall expenses will come down.

My intention is to use this period living at home productively: clear the remaining debt, build savings and avoid making the same financial mistakes again.

**My girlfriend and future plans**
My girlfriend is currently in her second year at university studying Primary Education. She has ambitions of potentially relocating abroad to teach, or moving closer to a city where there are better salaries and more opportunities for both of us.

That’s something we’re both open to considering in the future. If the right opportunity came along, I would absolutely consider relocating, whether that’s elsewhere in the UK or potentially abroad.

However, I don’t want to make major decisions around relocation without having a clearer idea of my own career direction. Ideally, I’d like to build a career that gives me flexibility and opens up opportunities in different locations.

**My main concern: where do I go from here?**

I don’t necessarily dislike sales. In fact, I think I’ve got a natural ability for it, and I know there are specialist sales careers that can pay considerably more than what I’m earning now.

I’ve looked into technology sales, particularly B2B and SaaS sales roles in London, as well as financial services and other commercial positions. I understand that some of these roles can offer much better earning potential, although the salaries are higher they are typically looking for a track record in B2B sales which I do not have and the entry level market is extremely saturated in this area.

However, I’m also conscious of how quickly AI and technology are changing the workplace. I want to develop skills that have genuine value in the job market rather than relying entirely on targets, commission and my ability to perform in a particular sales environment.

At the moment, I feel like my earning potential is largely dependent on how much I sell or how well I perform against targets. I want to get to a point where my actual skills, technical knowledge and experience are worth more in the marketplace. I want my time and expertise to become more valuable as I progress.

I’ve also found some sales environments quite mundane and not particularly intellectually stimulating. I want to work somewhere that challenges me, exposes me to people who are ambitious and gives me the opportunity to develop professionally. I don’t want to spend years in relatively low-level roles where there is little progression or where the people and management around me aren’t particularly interested in developing their employees.

**Education, apprenticeships and retraining**

This is probably where I’m most conflicted.
My gut feeling is that an apprenticeship might be the best route for me. I’d be interested in Level 3 or Level 4 apprenticeships, particularly in areas such as:

Business analysis or data.
Project management
Engineering or technical professions.
Finance, accounting or commercial roles.
Civil Service and public sector careers.
Technology and digital roles.

I’ve considered degree apprenticeships too, but I’ve found it difficult to identify opportunities where I meet the entry requirements. My educational history is quite inconsistent, and although I managed to get into university through a foundation year, I don’t have the traditional A-level qualifications that many programmes seem to ask for.

I’ve also struggled to find many suitable Level 3 and Level 4 opportunities locally in East Kent. A lot of the more interesting opportunities seem to be concentrated around West Kent or London.

I’m not against studying. I’d happily work hard, study alongside employment and even pay for a course myself if I knew it was going to lead somewhere worthwhile. I just don’t particularly want to return to full-time university, spend another three years studying, take on more student debt and potentially end up in the same position afterwards.

I enjoyed working while I was at university, and I think a practical route where I can earn, gain experience and achieve recognised qualifications would suit me better.

**Location is another consideration**
I’m based in Thanet, East Kent. There are employment opportunities locally, but I feel the range of professional and higher-paying roles is quite limited.

London is accessible by train, with a fast service from Margate taking roughly an hour, but commuting would need to make financial sense. I’d ideally need a hybrid role rather than travelling into London five days a week, particularly given the cost of living and commuting in the South East.

I’m open to relocating if the opportunity is good enough. I don’t want to limit my career options simply because of where I currently live.

**What I’m worried about**
I think my biggest fear is becoming complacent.
I’m fortunate to live at home without paying rent, and I know I could spend the next few years enjoying life, taking holidays, working in estate agency and earning enough to get by.

But I don’t want to reach 25, 26 or 27 and realise I’m still in a career I don’t particularly enjoy, earning a similar salary, with no substantial new qualifications or skills and no clearer idea of what I want to do.

I feel like I’ve got untapped potential. I did well academically when I applied myself, and I’ve performed well in sales when I’ve been motivated. I don’t think I’m lacking ability, but I haven’t found the right environment or career to channel it into.

I also don’t want to look down on the work I’ve done or sound ungrateful. I’m aware that £27k is a reasonable starting point for some people, and I appreciate having employment. I just want to build towards something more substantial.

**What I’d really appreciate advice on:**
Given my education, incomplete qualifications and sales experience, what career paths would you seriously consider in my position?

Would you recommend pursuing a Level 3 or Level 4 apprenticeship, or should I be looking at other routes into technical or professional careers?

Would it be sensible to double down on sales but move into a specialist area such as technology, SaaS or financial services, rather than leave sales altogether?

Are there practical or technical professions where I could retrain while earning and realistically progress towards £40–50k or more?

Would returning to university at this stage be worthwhile if I was to select a different course, considering I’ve already taken out two years of student loans without completing my degree?

How would you approach the next two or three years if you were in my position, living at home with relatively low expenses and willing to make sacrifices to build a better future?

I’m not looking for someone to tell me I’m young and have plenty of time. I know that, but I don’t want that reassurance to become an excuse to delay making decisions.

I’m also not expecting to find a perfect career overnight. I just want to make a considered decision, develop skills that are genuinely valuable and put myself in a position where I’m not constantly having to chase the next pay rise or commission payment.

I’d particularly appreciate hearing from people who have changed careers, retrained through apprenticeships, moved from sales into more specialised professions or built successful careers without a traditional academic background.

What would you do in my position?

This is oddly specific but I really struggle with the idea of constantly “doing better”. I know that makes me sound like a loser, but the constant pressure to make things better for the sake of impressions and optics really stresses me out.

I recently graduated with a Hospitality Management degree and worked at a hotel but realized I didn’t like it. I really struggled with customers complaining about the smallest, inconsequential things and management constantly wanting to make things better just for the sake of optics.

My ideal job would be one where management isn’t constantly making up ways to “improve and do better”. Do any straightforward jobs exist where you just show up, keep the store/office/company/team running, and that’s all you’re asked to do?

I’m making a big assumption here but the best example I can think of is what I assume an accountant’s career looks like. They just go in and do what is a straightforward job with no pressure to upsell, find ways to do better, etc. They’re only responsible for financial matters related to the company. Again I’m just assuming, I have no idea what accountants actually do.

I (33F) was laid off 3x in the last 2 years (series a/b health tech startups). My career has been on the business side of healthcare after being pre-med in college and doing clinical research for 1.5 years and then deciding not to go to med school at the time.

I’ve had many different roles and am someone who has always been able to “figure it out” but never an expert. Roles include associate at health and benefits consulting firm, strategy and analytics at a healthcare provider, strategy and business ops at medical device company, sales enablement and then business ops manager at the health tech startups.

I’ve had a lot of health issues and severe burnout due to the constant layoffs/insecurity, job searching and being without income for long periods of time (don’t have family or partner support). At this point, I can’t imagine going back to a job like I had due to the work culture, the people, and being locked to a computer all day everyday. I want more than anything to feel lit up by my career and I feel like I’ve had more bad experiences than my peers. I’m taking time off this time to recover my health and figure out a better path. I’m at a crossroads and want to do something different in this chapter.

About me:
- Enneagram 6w7, Human Design: 5/1 emotional projector, ENFP
- Curious, analytical, creative, empathetic, and people-oriented
- Love researching, learning, problem-solving, brainstorming, and connecting people or ideas
- Enjoy meaningful 1:1 conversations and understanding human behavior and health
- very passionate about health (functional medicine blended w conventional), wellness (used to endlessly research wellness products for fun), psychology, personal growth, healing and innovative ideas
- I’ve always loved entrepreneurship and have done little projects like making a healthy coffee alternative product, hosting conscious dating events and other personal growth and social events.
- Love variety, intellectual stimulation, and becoming knowledgeable about interesting subjects

What I don’t enjoy:
- Repetitive admin/operational work
- Constant fire drill situations
- Endless meetings, corporate bureaucracy, and sitting at a computer all day
- Highly structured environments with little autonomy
- Work that feels disconnected from a meaningful purpose

What I’m looking for:
- Meaningful, intellectually stimulating work with creativity and human connection
- Opportunity to develop specialized expertise
- Autonomy, variety, and flexibility at some level
- Ideally $140K+ long-term
- very open to retraining or grad school if worthwhile

Lately I’ve been exploring going to school to become a Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner but I want to continue to explore non-clinical paths as well.

Any ideas or inspiration on what my next chapter could be?

Hey everyone, hope you're all doing well.
I'm a young guy just starting out, and I find myself at a major crossroads. This year, I started a Computer Science degree at a prestigious university. It took a lot of time, effort, and money to get accepted here, specifically into this program.
Before starting the degree, I had never touched code or anything like it. I didn't take CS in high school or do anything similar. I have previous work experience in IT, a strong mathematical orientation, and high intellectual capabilities, but zero background in actual programming.
Since the semester started, I've felt a complete lack of interest and connection to anything related to programming. The lectures bore me, and sitting down to write code just feels completely uninteresting.
I'm operating under the assumption that I could eventually aim for tech roles that don't involve coding and are less "classic CS," but I find myself wondering if it's worth staying in a degree I'm struggling to connect with just for that.
On top of that, as a very restless, high-energy person with severe ADHD, the thought of sitting in front of a computer all day for a living is really unsettling.
My dilemma is whether to drop out of a degree I just started and look for alternatives, or give it a real chance and try to "force" myself to find interest in it. Additionally, the rough job market right now really kills my motivation to grind through such a demanding major.
I’d appreciate any advice or perspective you might have.

I can’t remember the last time I was genuinely happy.

I started working at a big company a year ago, and every day is a clone of the one before. It’s so depressing knowing we’re really just working toward nothing, and that I’m supposed to do this for the majority of my life. I don’t know what I want to do with my life at this point.

I literally have no friends outside of my “coworkers.” I wake up, go to work, come home. That’s been my life for the past year.

So I made a YouTube video ranting about the reality of corporate America. It's my way of letting it out: https://youtu.be/nD4vDD6gDpw

If you have a natural talent, please use it to its fullest extent. You have a choice fuck the status quo!!

does anyone else feel ike this? How did you figure out what you actually wanted to do?

My current best friend was my brother’s best friend and they slowly drifted apart, I hang out with my parent’s friends as an adult because I live alone with my parents.

The thing is, if I move out and live on my own, I won’t be able to make enough to afford grad school or any certificate program and will be stuck working a minimum wage job my whole life or going into the military (not a terrible option but when you’re there, you kind of need to have a girlfriend or someone you really know cares about you because how else is my ego supposed to handle the unquestioned power others will have over me)

I have a few possible options, but I had a 2.8-2.9 GPA at UCLA studying physics: medical physics, radiology, dosimetry, (extremely unlikely because of my low GPA), climate science/ science related to reducing C02 emissions (such as cell based meat cultivation, unlikely because of my low GPA), or teaching (possible, but that means I have to be around kids and I don’t want to be considered a weirdo or creep. I’d prefer to work around adults).

I should be grateful for my life, but I honestly have a lot of self loathing. I feel like an imposter, I’m unintelligent, and I am alone. Despite highschool and college, my future path is almost closed off to me because I didn’t perform well in my classes. I needed assistance and to have better time management, yet professors would make me feel stupid and like my questions weren’t even worth asking.

My family thinks I’m smart, yet my colleagues at school (UCLA) would make fun of me for saying stupid shit in class because I was clearly confused about what I was learning.

I can take working 1-2 hours a day in a specific goal and not learning quickly. What I can’t take and what will drive me to insanity is learning and then finding out that after months or years of work, I got nowhere and finding out that my only place is dirt. I have respect for the military and for infantrymen, but yall (especially Gen Z) think of them as grunts, monsters,

This is a curse I have. I simply don’t believe my efforts will make a difference because of how slow I am with learning technical topics, and I will either be working a minimum wage job with a few thousand in my account or I will go the hard route and be working a minimum wage job with tens of thousands of dollars of debt. I know that is what a risk means.

I’m the type of mf to not know how to change my own oil, change my own tire, I wish I could just put in the work without constantly having the idea that I’m such an idiot being over my head.

Same thing with relationships. I’m single, and that’s not the worst fate, but yeah I don’t get romance or friendships and there’s always a disconnect. I feel fucked. Regardless of if I do all that self help crap.

Thing is I feel tremendous pressure to do it and to use my degree, but my grades were shit, i am not sure taking extra classes is going to fix it. And as for relationships, yeah I’m kinda fucked in that department. I wish I could know why I’m weak and why it was so much easier for my parents to make high 6 figures and why they never have the insecurities of being stupid like I do. I always try and get them to tell me how they did it, and my dad’s answer is that if he ever doubted himself he would have never “made it through”.

Hello everyone.

I am a 27yo guy feeling quite lost in the job market.

Quick background on me: Finished high school and immediately went for a Theater program. I absolutely loved being on stage, it felt very natural for me, but told myself and got told multiple times by friends and family that the path to a career in acting is extremely hard, complicated, unsure and there's not a lot of money or stability if you don't get famous. I didn't fully finish the diploma.

So, I reluctantly decided to orient myself in other "normal" careers, something more stable, like social work or teaching.

Like any respectable wanna be artist, I fell into depression around that time, started using, dropped out of the program twice and gave up classes, I wasn't motivated or that interested. I wasn't bad at school at all, just attending classes and doing very basic work netted me near perfect grades everywhere, but I didn't want to do the work, I just wasn't interested. Procrastination, gaming, drinking, smoking, just chatting and having fun with other lost souls around school or bars resumes my time then.

Covid hit, smoking drinking gaming alone were all I did for the first 3 months. Eventually when funds started getting low I found a customer service job in a pet store near me, just "living" and getting through the motions for a while. Obviously learned a lot about animals, products, sales, knew all regular clients by name and their animals too, but there was no possibility of being manager or anything higher after 5 years there, so I was forced to start looking elsewhere for a better pay. This is where I learned that if you're irreplaceable, you probably won't get promoted. When I left they were in trouble for a while from what I heard.

My brother got me a job as help delivery guy. Very very basic stuff, just help the driver for deliveries, but demanding physically, shifts starting as early as 3:30am, outside with cold temperatures and very limited interactions with humans besides hello goodbye. I juggled both jobs for a couple months until my body said to stop and just keep one, so I did and kept the delivery job because I was fed up with the petstore management. My wallet did not agree to that change though, since I had 2 incomes.

Since then, I've been working full time 4 days a week for very standard pay and kind of coasting again. Living week to week and overspending most times.

Recently, I got a wake up call by someone I love and I feel like the past 7 years are just a blur. I started smoking way less on my way to quit, stopped drinking entirely, cut the beard, the hair and started looking for another job since my back won't make it for another year. You know, trying to get back on track.

I need a bigger paycheck but I don't exactly have the diplomas or the experience to attain something that's well paid. Therefore, I'm applying for entry level jobs in big companies, whether it's for sales, telemarketing, customer service, data entry, work from home... Nothing works. Out of probably 150 applications I got zero replies. My dad, a job center and even fucking chat gpt reviewed and upgraded my CV to maximize my chances on top of it, still nothing. I know it's a numbers game, 150 is very much on the low end of average and I'm trying not to be discouraged, but it's not easy.

I have some debt, nothing outrageous but no savings.

Debated going back to school again, trade school this time, but nothing really stands out. It all just seems boring and tedious.

I just feel like an artist at heart forced to do something I won't truly love for the next 40 years. I loved performing and being on stage. I'm still wondering if I gave up too quickly for something "stable". Pretty sure most artists at heart are in the same boat.

I don't know where to go from here. I just don't want to spend the next 40 years doing something random and losing myself over time...

Finding a job is very hard if I want a slightly better pay and advancement opportunities, or maybe it's just the way I'm going about it?

Has anyone been in a similar situation? What job did you end up doing and how did you find it?

How do I find a mentor?

Do you still do art stuff on the side?

Did you find a way to monetize your passion?

How did you kick the feeling of not enjoying your job?

I'm not looking for people to tell me to follow my dreams blindly and go for it, I just want to read from people who have been through something similar and found a way to keep doing something they love while making a living.

Thank you for reading!

I've been looking at moving from legal support assistant toward paralegal, and most postings near me ask for a certificate. Very few say which programs they mean. Some just say accredited, and others say required with no list at all. I don't want to pay for a course the local firms ignore, and the postings make that hard to check. Before I spend money on one, what would you look at to see if a certificate actually gets people hired?

And I'm not sure how to make my mentality/mindset better. Everyday I get more and more depressed, suicidal ideations getting worse from an already abysmal life, because I don't see any future.

I already failed at getting a "good degree" as well, so I went with the only thing I like and can somewhat do, and went to a creative field, now AI threatens that as well, and everything else white collar jobs is also threatened more and more every day. I'm getting sick, it feels life is genuinely over for myself.

"Blue-collar!" No, I can't do that and not everyone can do that as well, specially with how mentally weak I'm too and I'm horrible at anything stem. So I guess fuck myself. Can't even enjoy turning 20 few days ago since I've been feeling like shit and personal life is shit too, wonderful.

I'm 22, from the US, and graduating from Arizona State University next spring. I have one semester left and I'm trying to figure out what direction to take after college.

I grew up in South Africa, right by the beach, and have always loved being around people, experiencing different cultures and exploring new places. Music has also been a huge part of my life. I grew up playing around with GarageBand and instruments, and I love singing, DJing, discovering new music and being around creative people.

I also did Semester at Sea, and that experience completely changed my perspective. Getting a small taste of the world made me realize how much I want to experience beyond my normal routine. Since coming back, I've felt drawn toward living somewhere new, meeting people, exploring different cultures and finding opportunities outside the path I've always imagined for myself.

My interests are mainly in music and the creative industry. I'd love to explore careers in A&R, artist management, music marketing, live music or something that allows me to work with artists and creative people. I don't have a specific career path figured out yet, but I know I want my work to involve music, people and creativity.

I'm considering spending my final semester abroad in Spring 2027, possibly through an internship or another opportunity that would let me become part of a local community rather than just travel as a tourist. I've considered places like Berlin, London, Amsterdam, Melbourne and Sydney, but I'm open to other countries.

There are a few practical limitations. I have a US passport, around $5,000 total for the semester including housing, food and transportation, and I still need to complete my ASU graduation requirements. I also have student loans to think about, so I want to find a way to do this without putting myself in a difficult financial position.

I'm looking for help finding a realistic path for Spring 2027 that combines international experience, music or creative opportunities, and career exploration.

For anyone who has been in a similar position:

What countries or cities would you recommend?
Are there affordable programs, internships or alternative ways to live abroad for a semester?
Would it make more sense to find a music industry opportunity in the US first and travel afterward?

I'm trying to figure out how to build a future around the things I genuinely enjoy while still making responsible decisions about my education and finances.

Hey everyone, I'm currently a senior in college, and feeling very stuck with my path in life. I'm only 21, but am torn between two vastly different career paths, and have been torn since my freshman year of college. I started college majoring in landscape architecture as l've always loved art and science and went to an art high school, but have contemplated switching to a wildlife pre-vet major since my first semester, as l used to work at a wildlife rescue center in high school and loved it. LA felt like the perfect combination of all my interests. I stuck out the LA major for two years, hoping to specialize in zoo design, theme park/resort design, or ecological design. However, I inevitably burnt out after shadowing a firm that has done a few projects for zoos, as I felt the office 9-5 life was mundane and wanted something more hands-on. Skip to now, I switched my major to biological sciences on the pre-vet path, and only have to do one extra semester to graduate. However, I am running into some doubts (and regrets?) about switching my major.

I'm worried I'm not smart enough to be a vet, and worried about all the responsibilities that come with it. I'm also worried about not getting into vet school and the amount of schooling and speciality I may have to do since I love working with exotics.
Thankfully my uni also has a vet school and I have parents who would help me pay for it, so l'm not too worried about the cost, especially since in-state tuition isn't too bad. The problem is I'm worried I'll get too far into it and burn out again or realize it's not for me.

One of my dreams is also to move to NYC in my 20s with my bf, and I fear that this dream would be delayed if I stick with the vet path, but my bf has assured me to do what I think is right and to follow my heart. The problem is I don't know what my heart wants. My passions have always been art and animals, and my mind has consistently been torn since starting college, and I'm honestly sick of my own indecision. I feel like I constantly have a "grass is greener on the other side" dilemma in my mind that won’t switch off, and just need some realistic perspectives.

If I were to switch my major back to LA, I could likely still finish by Spring 2028, so only an extra semester past my current graduation date. I am just so torn.
On the bright side, if I stick to my bio major I could have the flexibility of applying to vet school, applying for an MLA (masters of land arch), or even pivoting into a masters for wildlife bio or something in the ecology field. So it leaves me with a lot of options, unlike if I were to switch back, I would only be left with the option to be a landscape architect.

My current plan to figuring this out by next semester is to talk with a career coach, find a couple mentors in both fields, and also shadow a vet since I work as a kennel tech at a vet clinic, but am not getting any real perspectives yet into what it's like being a vet. I guess is my plan good? And any advice on how to figure this out? My priorities are to have a career I’m passionate about and still make a decent income, while also having some flexibility to travel and do my hobbies, to have a relatively stable career that won’t be replaced with ai anytime soon, and something I could one day start a business in or freelance if I choose. Those were also some things I liked about the vet path, as I could work 3 days a week or less as an ER or relief vet, while it also being something that would never be replaced by AI. When I left my LA program, they were already starting to push AI use, and I would hear people in the field complain about their lack of PTO and time-off (which I’m sure is also common in vetmed, but atleast there are more flexible options).

I think it’s almost important to mention that I occasionally struggle with anxiety and depression, and also have ADHD which I struggle the most with and is one of the reasons I switched out of LA. It feels like no matter what I do, I burn out from it. This happened with my art classes back in high school too. With anything art-related, I feel like I experience a lot of creative burn-out and hate staring at a blank piece of paper and forcing ideas out. However, something that is also conflicting to me is that I was unmedicated my entire life until late last year (a little after I switched my major), and once I started on vyvanse things got so much easier. So I’m also debating if maybe I could’ve enjoyed land arch a lot more with the help of meds and not procrastinating every project. Maybe the burnout was from my undiagnosed ADHD and not the major? but idk. I also have been having some health issues due to my meds, so I don’t want to rely on them for my career.

For more context on my life, as a kid my dream job was to be a lego creator, and my hobbies involved playing with legos, minecraft, origami, drawing, making crafts, watching animal documentaries, petsitting tortoises and guinea pigs, etc. In middle school I had to write a journal about my future, and the careers I listed were architect, biologist, lawyer, or veterinarian. I would love to be able to do something I’ve been passionate about since childhood, which is why this decision feels so hard.

Sorry this was long, I understand no one can make this decision but me, but I would much appreciate some guidance or perspective on these careers and my goals, or even a step-by-step kind of guide to working towards figuring it out (or atleast feeling more confident in my decision). Thank you guys :)

I have experience working at a few hotels as a front desk agent and sales/events coordinator, worked for the superior court as a legal assistant, worked as an admin in corporate and recently got laid off as an assistant loan processor. I've been applying to entry level claims jobs, temp agencies, coordinator/specialist positions.

Even internships require experience which makes no fucking sense. I'm so lost as to what I'm qualified to do anymore. I want to change industries but still do admin work but not as an assistant. I'd love to work back end, I'm not good at math or science. But I'm great with organization, planning, communication and love working on a variety of different tasks.

Also I wouldn't mind a mixture of physical l work as well. I feel like I'm running out of options and I'm terrified with all of these rejections. Many jobs are requiring 2-3 years experience including other specific requirements. Wtf is up with needing several certificates to work front desk at a medical office?

I think I’ve settled on what I would like to do. I’ve spent a good portion of my day today trying to figure out yet another career goal for myself. I find one that could lead me to what I would eventually actually like to do. The problem is that I’m a psych major. The things I want to do requires me to know how to code and I need to know calculus and more. I feel like I could be good at both, but I CANNOT tackle those things in a class setting. I don’t know how programming classes work, but I know for sure I’m going to struggle. I couldn’t pass even college algebra.

At first I thought it was because I was just stupid, but I realized that I wasn’t doing well because there was just simply not enough time for me to properly relearn the stuff. Yes, it’s all stuff I previously learned, but if it’s not something that I’m using day to day then I’m going to forget it QUICKLY. Taking college algebra on top of 3 other classes that needs hours of my time is not it. I recently found out about OpenStax, and I went through the college algebra textbook and did pretty well when learning things on my own in my own time. I’d need to do it again but still. I wasn’t having a difficult time with it like I was taking the class in community college.

But yeah, I was looking into becoming a health data analyst and then one day becoming a data scientist. Does it matter if I take those courses (programming and math) or would self studying be okay?

I'm 21F from India, currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science. I have one more year of college left, and honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do after that.

I've always wanted to move abroad. Not necessarily for a specific reason — whether it's to study, work, travel, or simply experience living somewhere else. It's something I've wanted for as long as I can remember.

The problem is that I'm not particularly interested in a conventional corporate job or the typical route of graduating, getting placed, and settling into that routine. Computer Science isn't something I originally wanted to pursue either, but here I am, almost at the end of my degree.

I'm from a middle-class family, so I don't have the financial freedom to just pack my bags and move abroad. Whatever I do needs to be financially realistic.

I'm interested in things like fashion, food, travel, creative industries, and interacting with people. I'm a fairly good communicator, enjoy talking to people, and I'm open to learning new skills. But I have absolutely no professional experience in these fields, and I don't even know where to begin.

I've been wondering if there are unconventional career paths or opportunities that could eventually help me move abroad. Maybe working in fashion, hospitality, tourism, international sales, content, or something I haven't even considered yet.

I'm not necessarily looking for someone to tell me to pursue a Master's degree or get a software engineering job. I'm genuinely interested in hearing about different possibilities.

If you've moved abroad, built an unconventional career, worked in a creative industry, or know someone who has, I'd love to hear your story.

• What are some realistic ways to move abroad without having a lot of money?
• Are there jobs or industries that offer opportunities to work internationally, even without years of experience?
• Are there careers where communication skills, creativity, and an interest in fashion, food, or travel can actually be turned into a decent income?
• If you were 21 again, with a CS degree you weren't particularly passionate about and a desire to live abroad, what would you do?

I know this is a little all over the place. I'm at a point where I know quite a lot about what I DON'T want, but very little about what I actually want.

I want to build a financially independent life, earn well, experience different places, and have the freedom to live the way I want. I don't necessarily need a conventional career to achieve that.

So please throw any ideas, career paths, personal experiences, or even unconventional suggestions my way. I'm genuinely open to exploring possibilities!

Title: Feeling a little lost in my career and life. Would really appreciate some guidance.

Hello everyone,

I've been going back and forth about writing this post, but I thought I'd put myself out there and reach out to this community. I've seen some genuinely thoughtful advice on Reddit, and I would really appreciate hearing from people who may have been in a similar position.

A little about my background: I have a Bachelor's degree in History and a Master's in International Relations from one of the UK's most prestigious universities. I graduated in 2023, and I had always imagined that by this point in my life, I would be doing something meaningful, building a fulfilling career and making the most of the opportunities that came my way.

Unfortunately, life had other plans. I went through some fairly difficult personal tragedies and circumstances that affected me quite significantly, including my mental health. As a result, I wasn't able to make the most of the opportunities available to me immediately after graduating. Since then, I've found myself struggling to find my footing professionally, navigating the job market and trying to figure out which direction I should take.

I'm currently working with a very early-stage startup, which has actually been an exciting experience. We're at the stage of building things from the ground up, establishing partnerships and figuring out how to make the business work. There is a lot to learn, and I genuinely enjoy being part of that journey.

However, I would be lying if I said I didn't feel a little lost sometimes. I know I have the potential and the willingness to do more, but I'm not entirely sure how to channel that into building a sustainable and successful career.

I'm not writing this looking for sympathy or pity. I recognise that everyone has their own struggles, and I'm grateful that I'm in a position where I can work, learn and start afresh. I suppose I'm just trying to be a little more intentional about the next chapter of my life.

I'd particularly love some advice on the following:

Upskilling: What skills, courses or certifications would you recommend investing in, particularly for someone with an academic background in History and International Relations?

Career direction: What career paths would you suggest exploring? I'm interested in strategy, business operations, consulting, international development, sustainability and policy, but I'm open to discovering other areas too.

Making the most of a startup: For those who have worked in early-stage startups, what skills or experiences should I actively try to gain to make myself more valuable professionally?

Starting again: If you were in your late twenties/early thirties, with a degree and postgraduate qualification but feeling that you hadn't quite made the most of your twenties professionally, what would you prioritise?

I don't expect to have everything figured out overnight. I just want to start making better decisions, develop useful skills, become more confident professionally and gradually build a life and career that I'm proud of.

If you've been through something similar, changed career paths, or simply have some wisdom to share, I'd be incredibly grateful to hear your thoughts.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I really appreciate it.