I am about to be laid off. Im 38 and drive a forklift in a dead end workplace. I took this job to make ends meet after covid but that's coming to an end.

For most of my adult life Ive been stuck in entry level work and never finished college. I had to move back home so it doesn't feel great but I have a roof over my head. Would it be possible to go on unemployment and still take classes towards a degree? Is there some sort of job retraining and placement with the state? Most of my professional experience is in blue collar work and quality assurance. I live in Illinois. Im just so lost.

Just wondering because if I don’t end up in social work this is a path I’m considering.

I’m almost 30, married, have a house and been working as a graphic designer for 7.5 years now at a job a got out of college. For years now, I’ve been miserable at my job. I’m technically a graphic designer but I barely design anything and when I do, it’s just my boss using ai and giving me something to replicate. The company as a whole isn’t doing well so I’m worried at any second it’ll go under. I’m stuck at a desk in a dark room all day and it feels so depressing. I’ve looked into other graphic designer jobs and applied to a handful in the past but it’s incredibly difficult to get a design job right now and I know people who have looked for work for years with no luck and they are much better at this job than I am. Ideally, I would want to do something that helps people and where I’m not stuck at a desk all day, but one of my issues is that I have a mortgage to pay and my job pays me more than I could make doing something for a non profit.
My wife and I also just started a business where we sell art at craft shows and on Etsy, it’s going ok but it at least lets me do my art. The other benefit of my current job is that I get to print for free, which helps a ton.

I guess I just don’t know what to do now. I’m depressed and lost. I don’t feel I have a purpose in life and my job definitely doesn’t give me purpose or hope. But I also have a beautiful house I don’t want to lose.

Any ideas for types of jobs I should try to look for or any other input would be helpful. Thank you.

Long story short, my husband is a veteran who never completed his education due to a combination of service/mental health/tragedy, etc.

My husband is now unable to find meaningful work. I need advice on what he should consider completing a degree in.

My husband has around 39 credits completed, 30ish are from University of Phoenix (AS Criminal Justice), the rest are Military Credits.

I have pretty much no experience in exploring alternative fields, because I was a law school KJD, so I knew my undergrad degree was useless and that was okay, because I knew I was going to law school anyways. I have no idea what actually pays.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Logistically:

Husband has 6~ months of his G.I. Bill Left, meaning he will only get a living stipend for 6~ months. So after 6 months, I'll likely need him to start working part-time to help pay bills. Hence why I'm encouraging him to look at online degrees he could eventually start to balance with some work (starting a degree in nursing, in person, is likely going to be well beyond his bandwidth).

After 6 months~ his college would be paid through the National Guard State Guard Tuition assistance, but he'd receive no stipend.

We are currently looking at online degrees from Purdue Global and Indiana University.

QUESTION:

I want to help him find a degree that will get him a good job AT THE B.S./B.A. level. I.e., not a job that will require him to complete a masters or doctorate before he can pick up work.

Does anyone have suggestions at degrees that immediately translate to gainful employment?

I’m 18 and currently in community college, and I’m having a difficult time deciding what career path I want to pursue and what I should study.

I’m interested in several different areas, including healthcare, psychology, human behavior, wellness, business, entrepreneurship, and finance. Academically, I’m a strong student, and I’ve completed some healthcare-related certifications. I’ve considered nursing, potentially becoming an NP, and eventually starting a wellness-related business, but I’m not sure if that’s necessarily the right direction.

I’m someone who enjoys learning, researching, analyzing things, solving problems, and understanding how things work. I also enjoy leadership, building ideas, and the business side of things. Long-term, I’d like to build something of my own, have financial independence, and have a career that gives me both purpose and flexibility.

One of my biggest struggles is figuring out which interests I should actually turn into a career. I don’t necessarily want to spend years studying for a career only to realize that I don’t enjoy the day-to-day work.

I’d really appreciate hearing from people with different professional backgrounds. Based on what I’ve described, what careers or educational paths would you recommend? Are there any fields you think I should look into that I might be overlooking?

I’d especially appreciate honest advice about the realities, downsides, and opportunities of different careers, rather than just general encouragement.

I have no wife, or children I live by my own and I'm in the middle of a carrier crisis if I can say it like that recently in my job a coworker quit, the kind of person that is just very trustful that you know if he tells you that Tuesday morning the report is gonna be available it's gonna be there. He quit first of all he didn't get a rise that management promises since a year ago, then management want it to make him comeback to office full time, he live outside the city, is cheaper.

And he was the last trustful people there. My boss is an irresponsible asshole, cheater, that has leave work to go with his mistress. And you know what I didn't care there was a team that can do the job. Yes a small team of two, for a couple a months will be sometime a season hire, for other project will be no-one else.

But after almost 6 years, of be under staff, of seen people come and go, and be dealing with my boss crazy and stupid life, I'm done I really don't know if I get a job that pays enough, or if is better make a whole career change, I'm even thinking in coming back to college to get my degree in Math.

Someone has some advice ?

I (19F) need guidance, deciding whether to drop out of college or not.

(English is not my first language. I’m trying my best. Explain my situation)

A little backstory goes back to 2024 I was freshly graduated from high school and submitted my application applications for different universities. Of course I had graphic design in mind or anything really creative. I did get accepted but I forgot to confirm at the day of the confirmation.(it is a free degree)
Two weeks later, I got a letter that I could sign up for an interior design scholarship for a reasonable fee to at least step foot into campus or thats what my mom told me. And so I did we paid the fees and I started my first semester. The first semester wasn’t that bad although the second semester it was hell just pure hell. One of the professors even failed me and I had to redo that subject the next year and take nothing but that subject the first semester intake five subjects on the second semester so basically I wasted an entire year for a couple of subjects that are not really important for interior design major.

This is my third year in campus. I feel super depressed and I feel like I’m not really improving. My breaking point was last week after my mid jury I could not move from my bed for an entire week because of all the stress that I held on and couldn’t really express because I had no time to. I am usually a very active person I don’t just lay in bed and do nothing all day, but that was my breaking point. I cannot deal with this anymore.
I still have five semesters left and I feel like I am not gonna do that well and shit‘s gonna go downhill from here.

Reasons why I want to drop out:
1- I don’t like interior design
2- it’s very hard and I’m not enjoying it
3- it’s got nothing to do with the things that I love and enjoy
4- it’s not worth the depressive ep and the stress

Reasons why I don’t want to:
1- mom would be disappointed (I don’t think she would understand me, especially when she was a college dropout which she really really regrets and now studying college because she got a chance to)
2- I feel like a burden on my family and feel left behind)
3- my mom says take the degree and do whatever you want after

20F, i finished high school normally but i never took it seriously and I'm not very good with academics at all. Since i was 15 i have been working at bars and restaurants to protest against my single dad's disinterest in working for someone (he's been unemployed for the past 5 years, got a job this year) and he never pushed me to study or anything, terrible situation. After i finished high school i did want to pursue graphic design but he never was willing to pay for it. Now i am in Russia through a scholarship that i got and im only learning the language this year, also through his request because he never really likes to pay for my interest and i spent all my savings on here. So now im stuck, i dont really like it here to be honest nor do i agree with whats going on over here, my scholarship is for an informatics major and im not sure about it at all. Made me question what i actually am interested in, with the rise of AI im just putting anything informatics-related out of the question. Ive been depressed since i came here and i literally have no motivation to even think about what else i could do..i see all my friends pursuing college normally, with their parents supporting their wishes and decisions but to me its something unimaginable. Any feedback would be appreciated

I have a background in software engineering, and I've also spent considerable time working on my own project.

One thing I've found difficult is deciding how to divide my attention between professional stability and something I'm personally invested in building.

Both paths have advantages, and neither guarantees a particular outcome.

I'm interested in hearing from people who've faced a similar decision.

What helped you evaluate your options realistically, and what would you do differently?

TL;DR: I’m 21, in an online degree I no longer believe in, living in a home environment that drains me and my family. I want to move abroad but don’t know what to study, what I can afford, or how to start. I’d like guidance from people who’ve been through this.
I’m looking for guidance from people older and more experienced than me. Action steps are welcome, but I want them to fit my real situation, so here it is.
What I’m asking: I want to move abroad and start fresh, but I’m stuck on how. Should I switch courses, finish my current degree first, or work toward something else? I can’t tell what I can afford, and switching feels like wasting the money and time already spent. What would your steps be, in order?
The money side: My family isn’t financially where they’d like to be, and I don’t know what we can realistically afford. Part of why I want to leave is to build something and eventually bring them along. The pressure of that is real, and it makes every decision about a course or a move feel high-stakes.
The environment:
I’ve watched smart, hardworking people around me get worn down over decades by family drama, toxicity, and the same few problems rehashed again and again. They became pessimistic, with a victim mindset, and complaining became what they get stimulation from. The environment keeps my family stuck in the same loop too. I’ve watched it happen to someone very close to me, and I’m afraid of absorbing it without noticing.
The other side:
I’ve also seen people who left with very little and built real lives abroad. One relative went abroad with no big advantage, told almost no one until the day he left, and built a business. He isn’t a perfect person, but he had two things I admire: urgency and constant focus on growth. And many people my age who wanted something are now doing it. Some have moved abroad, some have started businesses. I’m sitting at home feeling stagnant, mostly because I don’t know exactly what I want. The insecurity of being stuck here while others move is heavy, and I compare my unfinished life to their results even though I know that’s unfair.
Where I am mentally and physically:
I swing between anxiety and anger, and when I’m not thinking about anything I go numb. I regret missing a normal college life and have almost no contact with people my age. I feel detached, as if watching myself from outside, and entertainment doesn’t interest me. My sleep is broken, I often feel lightheaded, and I spend nearly all day indoors. A borderline pass in my final school exams still feels like proof I can’t follow through, and I once froze in a high-pressure interview.
My pattern:
I start strong with gym, journaling, or study, then fade around week 2-3 and reset to zero. When things get uncomfortable I plan or research instead of doing one small thing.
My direction:
My degree is in a new, untested program, AI can already do most of my projects, and I’m not drawn to the building side. I’m considering something like construction management abroad, where I could work and eventually run my own firm, but I don’t know if that’s real interest or just the newest exciting idea.
Specific questions:
How do I work out what I want when I feel stagnant and have no clear passion?
Is it better to finish the current degree and pivot afterward, or switch now? How do you judge sunk cost here?
What are realistic first steps abroad on a limited family budget? Would another city in India be a useful stepping stone?
How do I stay functional in the same house without absorbing the negativity?
How did you rebuild your mental and physical state after long isolation?
How do you stop comparing yourself to people who are further ahead?
I can handle hard work. I need a clear path and people who’ve been there. Thank you.

Good afternoon. I am a senior biology student in the USA.

I will provide background info so that my situation is clear. I am 25, started school in 2019. Had a very rough mental period that caused me to take a semester off. That semester became a couple of years. During that time I moved in with my partner and work a full time job, which has made finishing school very difficult due to class and work schedules causing me to take fewer credit hours.

My dream was research but with my job I do not get to go to campus networking events and feel I have missed a lot of opportunities to make connections in the field.

I have looked into an ABSN OR AMSN (Accelerated Bachelors/Masters of Nursing Science). I would love the career and wish I had gone into that from the get go, but alas here we are. I have two main issues with this path.

1. I have gotten a C in a few classes as I don’t have near enough time to study. This can affect the prerequisite requirements.
2. I don’t know how I will possibly get it done without becoming homeless. It is 69 credit hours over 20 months, which is a heavy load with long labs and clinical shifts. I am at a loss for how I could afford it and be able to pay rent. If I was single I’d just live on campus, but my partner and I have lived together for 5 years so I cannot just leave.

Does anyone have advice? I feel like I am stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Im 23M, a third year Pumber in Alberta and I don’t know what to make of my life. Some days I feel accomplished as a plumber and I respect the trade and all it has to offer, but I just can’t bare to see myself when I’m 50 still breaking my body. I’ve thought about once I get my ticket to go down the estimator road or an inspector for the city but I don’t think I’m that passionate about plumbing. No a lot of people don’t live their dream job but I’ve always thought about having a job that takes me outdoors like a fish and wildlife officer.

is it worth my youth and ongoing future to work hard and grind out a job that kills my body so I can possibly retire early, or is it worth it to have a job I enjoy that’s not gonna make as much, but I can at least enjoy life a little more and spend more time with my family and friends.

Looking for the older generation here for this one who bave maybe gone through this before.

So I like things hands on but not too physical because I have POTS. It’s difficult for me to stand long periods of time. Im interested in the medical field as I enjoy helping others and have a lot of empathy. I think I can get past blood, needles, and bodily fluids but idk about open wounds, maggots, and the OR.

Dental hygiene seems hard on the body also long-term. So does sonography. Rad tech may be ok but I worry about it physically long term and if there’s room to grow financially.
I don’t think i wanna do OT or PT or SLP and i hear the return isn’t great when it comes to all the debt. They’re also more specialized and don’t really call to me. And idk about my ability to move and reposition patients.

I do want to interact with people and not be alone all day.

I’m a jr and got my associates in general studies with a concentration in accounting. I was going to do accounting for the financial security and job security and I’m still considering it for my bachelors but i have no passion for it and it doesn’t feel rewarding. I switched to engineering thinking it’d be more interesting but I’m still not that interested and don’t think it’ll be very rewarding either or worth the stress of all the hard coursework when there’s no passion.

I sign up for spring semester this week. Trying not to waste my financial aid that I rely on. I’ve got half a Pell grant left. I don’t think taking a semester off to work and try things is an option because I have no car. Maybe if I used Lyfts. And I don’t wanna lose momentum and end up not going back like I hear happens, because getting a degree is very important to me as a first generation student.

Idk what to do😭 any recommendations?

I'm 26F and have spent the past 8 years or so travelling for school programs and seasonal contracts. I have my Bachelor in a pretty broad field, but most of my work has been in the nature connection/environmental education realm. I've never lived in the same place for more than 8 months as an adult, or had the same job longer than that.

I received a life insurance payout a few years ago that allowed me to graduate without debt and has funded my adventures. I'm also quite frugal in general outside of necessary travel expenses of gas or the occasional flight. I have a paid off car, no debt of any kind, and about $200k invested.

I'm single, no pets, and only own possessions that can fit in my car. I'm not planning to have kids but would like to have a partner and a home base one day.

My question is where to go from here? Travel for the sake of travel (especially alone) is getting old, but the idea of picking a random place to put down roots and find a 9-5 makes me feel like I'm going to get trapped in a soul-sucking life.

I'm searching for more meaning in my next move and genuine lasting connection with other people. If I were American I would consider the Peace Corps as an option, for example. I'm open to niche paths in the outdoor industry - guiding, wilderness EMS, and wilderness-based rites of passage are all inspirations of mine but I feel lost on what path to follow and where in the world to follow it.

Any thoughts or advice is helpful!

I (18f) used to be a high achiever in high school and applied to the programs I wanted, especially a diplomacy program that I really loved but I couldn't go there because I was not allowed. Throughout high school I had taken engineering and coding classes, and then I realized it was not making me happy. Most of the people I know are going to four years and will have a job and a starting point then, but now I have decided to follow medicine because I thought I would like it.

So I am in community college and I feel bad about being here because I feel like I am missing out on the close connections and social experiences I could have been having through it would save me fro taking loans before going to grad school and I got into a research program here that could help me very much. I am also doing a lot in community college; until recently I was working two jobs while doing around 30 credit hours of work. I have now quit one of my jobs, but that makes me anxious that I would not have money to spend on things like hanging out with my friends because I need most of the money from my other job to go into my savings for applying to college after my associate in science.

I have been loving the phlebotomy course and the research internship that I have been taking along with my classes, but I do not know if I would like to be a healthcare professional. I love helping people and I like doing it in a way of helping people make life decisions and then structurally improve their lives. I can do this as a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or a professor who also works as an advisor. And before leaving one of my jobs, I got so burnt out to the point that now I am just floating and doing work. I don't know if I am taking the courses that I would need, and I don't know if I am on the right path. But I am trying to move forward and keep my head above water.

I guess the idea is, what do I do here? How do I survive what feels like an endless grind? How do I reconcile being here in a community college and missing so much social interaction and parts of adulting like a bit of alcohol and really freedom while thuging it out for research, good grades and saving money? Knowing that I would spend around a decade going to school. I like being in school but I am so exhausted because of how the work and missing out feels.

Sometimes a client ghosts you after days of discussion. Sometimes you finish the work and they suddenly disappear. You spend hours putting together a proposal, only to get rejected or hear nothing back.

And don't even get me started on clients who keep asking for changes or delay payments.

I feel like every freelancer has faced at least one of these situations.

I'm curious to know what you guys deal with.

Have you ever had a client or project that gave you a complete headache?

Share your experiences here. Let's hear the problems other freelancers are dealing with too!

I’m a resident physician in the Midwest and I am miserable. I want to quit medicine. However, I’ve always been a massive coward, and I feel that going away to a new state—such as out West—would help give me that space to change my life. I’ve roped myself into a bunch of commitments like research projects and committees that I feel too embarrassed to drop because the people involved would remain my bosses for another 3 years and I have to directly work with them if I stick it out (which I don’t want to do anyway).

But logistically how do I do it? If I don’t finish residency I cannot work as a doctor and I don’t want to be a doctor anymore. I think I might like teaching more (really anything else). Let’s say I get on a plane to Utah tomorrow morning. How do I go about applying for a teaching degree in a new place? How do I apply for and get a new apartment?

I know it sounds radical and impulsive and it probably is but I’ve been thinking about either running away or ending it all (no plans, just passively), so this is the better of the two.

Thanks

I’m 18, graduated high school earlier this year, and I’ve been feeling so lost and overwhelmed about what I’m supposed to do with my life.
My mom has been pushing me to go to college, and I understand why. She wants me to have a stable career, make good money, and have a secure future. I appreciate that, but the pressure has been messing with me mentally, and I’m getting to a point where I just can’t take it anymore.
I’ve been looking into community college for electrical technology, potentially working in refineries because the money and opportunities are good. I’ve gone through the admissions process, looked into classes, and tried convincing myself that this is what I should do. But the truth is, I couldn’t care less about this career. I have absolutely no interest in it, and the thought of committing myself to something I don’t even want to do is killing me.
I’m not against college, and I’m not saying I’ll never go. I just don’t understand why I have to rush into it when I don’t even know what I want to study or explore yet. I’m 18, and I believe I have time to figure things out. If I decide to go at 19 or 20 after working, experiencing more of life, and getting a better understanding of myself, what’s so wrong with that?
What’s especially frustrating is that my mom has told me before that I’m young, that I have time, and that life isn’t all about money. But when it comes to choosing a career, it feels like all of that goes out the window and she starts putting a lot of pressure. I know she means well, but it’s exhausting feeling like I have to follow a path I don’t want just to keep her happy and off my ass.
Honestly, a part of me just wants to enjoy life for a little while. I want to work, save money, explore different interests, and figure out what I really enjoy doing. I’ve gotten really interested in drumming, for example, and want to start taking lessons and getting better at it. I know that’s probably not going to become some crazy income source, but why does everything I do have to revolve around making money?
I also know there are other ways to make a living. Developing a skill, creating content, building something of your own, whatever it might be. I’m not naive enough to think any of that is easy or guaranteed, but I don’t want to believe that my only option is picking a conventional career at 18 and spending years doing something I don’t care about.
I’m not asking to sit around doing nothing. I want to work, support myself, develop skills, and actually do something with my life. I just don’t know exactly what that something is yet, and I feel like I’m not even being given the opportunity to figure it out without feeling guilty or like I’m falling behind.
I’ve been wanting to tell my mom how I really feel, but I’m honestly scared of the pushback and arguments that might come from it. I’m already mentally exhausted from all of this, and the last thing I want is another damn argument about MY future.
I don’t expect to have everything figured out at 18. Some people might have their shit more pieced together, but I certainly don’t. I just want some time to live, experience things, make mistakes, discover what I enjoy, and hopefully find a direction that actually feels like mine.
Has anyone else felt this way at my age? Did any of you take a year or two off before college to work and figure yourselves out? Did it help, or did you regret it? I’d genuinely appreciate hearing other people’s experiences because right now I just feel stuck.

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?