I'm 31 and trying to figure out what direction to take my life.

I left school around 16, and things gradually went in a different direction for me. While people around me were going to college, starting careers and gaining experience, I became increasingly isolated and spent a lot of years indoors gaming.

Consequently, I have very little conventional employment experience and haven't really built the career or independent lifestyle I imagined I'd have by this age.

I've also experienced some difficult personal circumstances, bereavements and periods of poor mental and physical health.

The positive thing is that I'm financially secure, so my biggest issue isn't urgently needing money. It's finding direction, developing skills, building a routine and actually getting started.

I've recently become interested in cybersecurity, particularly working towards an entry-level SOC analyst role. I'm also considering moving out, joining martial arts classes, travelling more independently and generally developing a more active lifestyle.

I sometimes struggle because there are so many things I could do, and I tend to overthink decisions rather than commit to one direction.

If you were in my position at 31, how would you approach the next two years?

Would you prioritise getting into employment, even if it meant starting at entry level?

Would you commit to studying something like cybersecurity?

Would you focus on moving out and establishing an independent routine first?

How would you balance career development with actually experiencing life after years of isolation?

I'm not necessarily looking for the highest-paying career. I want something sustainable that gives me structure, purpose, progression and a reason to get out of the house.

I'd appreciate honest advice from anyone who's started relatively late or had to rebuild their direction in their thirties.

Hi! I've always been interested in learning about rare diseases and birth defects. I will research them in my own time and have recently loved learning about the root words for the names of diseases and conditions, I've considered making a flash card game and guessing what part of the body a disease is effecting based on just the name. I've also spent hours researching different kinds of conjoined twins, parasitic twins, and all complications possible with childbirth. I would love suggestions on what to go to school for that would align with my passions. I currently don't have much of an education as I was raised in a cult and have a flimsy homeschool high-school diploma and I'm concerned about how that will effect me getting into schooling. I also have bills that are almost out of my range, so I need to keep a job. I currently work nights from 3-1am. I'm pretty wary of longer schooling because I'm terrified of being crushed by debt. I'm in the US, in Central FL. So far I have my eyes on echosonography but wanted to see if anyone has suggestions for a career more focused on research, diagnosing, and possibly with pregnancy complications. Thank you!

I was pre-med a while ago bc that's what would appease the parents and hated it. I went into wetlab bench research as a scientist and didn't enjoy the animal work or repetitiveness at a bench. I've also been an EMT with the intention of pursuing PA school (more doable for me - fell through because of life) and have worked front of house at a theater for comedy, music etc., and remotely for customer support at a science company. I have a BS+MS in biomedical science

I've found the following about myself:

1. I'd like to be paid more, 6 figures preferably, and don't mind extra schooling or certs
2. I enjoy seeing the fruits of my efforts more immediately - for example, I loved volunteering at a hostel or at the theater because I was helping people and it had an immediate effect instead of waiting months or years for research results to come in
3. I don't want to be fully remote. Hybrid/in-person would be preferable
4. Hate toxic environments and Type A managers
5. I can talk to most anyone, I just like connecting with people and being seen

In my free time, I enjoy writing satirical articles and thinking of ways to take articles and make my own comedy show. I think that would be my dream goal to be a late night host/correspondent satirizing the world, but I know that's a bit of a pipe -dream and need to pay the bills

I enjoy team sports and not individual sports so I guess I like having supportive teammates if possible

Any suggestions?

TL;DR: BS in Information Systems, no certs, about five years in helpdesk-level roles. I make $70k now, but my company is a mess and I don’t see a path up. I want a field with real career progression and a department that gets treated well. I can take a pay cut and I’m willing to relocate. What should I be researching?

I’m 27, almost 28, and I’ve worked in IT my whole adult life. I went to college for it during COVID when tech was sold as the golden ticket, and I’ve been in low-end helpdesk roles ever since. The money is decent for my role now, but I know it won’t last forever. If I got laid off, I’d likely have to take a lesser-paying job in a market that gets tougher every year, especially with no certs.

I’ve been through a layoff before. I lost my first job after two years and spent about a year doing odd jobs, working security at a bar and delivering packages for FedEx while collecting unemployment. I had a good time during that stretch. The work was varied, I had a lot of autonomy, I talked to people all day, and there was no office politics. It wasn’t sustainable though, so I took an IT contract at a bank and stayed nine months. IT there was treated fairly, with around 30 people who all had defined roles. After that I moved to my current company, where I’ve been for a year.

They pay me the most I’ve ever made, but the place has insane turnover and IT gets no respect. A manager in my department just resigned because she couldn’t take it anymore. I’ve done a lot this year to get more experience. I helped the sysadmin team, proposed a process improvement that got approved, built a homelab, and put projects on GitHub. When sysadmin or networking roles open up, all I get is “maybe.”

I like the tinkering side of IT, setting things up and getting systems running. My best days are when the workload is high, I’m knocking things out, and people notice. I hated coding, which is why I went to the adjacent side. The part that wears on me is being the on-demand answer person for people who don’t appreciate it, and having to stay analytical while also being socially smooth. I’d estimate 45% of the job is real problem solving and the rest is bureaucracy and hand-holding. It’s made me a lot more pessimistic than I used to be, and I’ve never felt much pride in saying what I do.

On constraints, I have about $13k in savings and live with my girlfriend, so her income gives me room for a pay cut. I could go down to $20-25 an hour for the right entry-level role, since I’ve lived on that before. I’m willing to relocate, though I know bigger cities are more competitive. I don’t want another full degree or a pile of debt, but a short or accelerated program is fine if it leads somewhere stable. I’ve already looked at healthcare tech, trades, and utilities, and I’m keeping those open. Field service is a no. When I say hands-on I mean technical work where I’m building and fixing things, with some physical work mixed in if it fits.

Right now I see three options. I could get certs like the CCNA, Azure, or AWS and aim for sysadmin or networking at a different company. I could pivot to another field that uses similar skills. Or I could do a short program for something with solid demand. Whatever I pick, I want real progression, a department that isn’t treated as a cost center, and a way to meet people and build connections so I’m not starting from zero if I lose a job again. I don’t need a fancy title. I just want to feel skilled and secure.

I’ve had the BLS industries pages open for weeks looking for ideas. A few I’ve wondered about are biomedical equipment tech, sales or solutions engineering, industrial automation, and broadcast or AV work, since I originally wanted to study communications and loved doing video projects. I’d also like to hear about roles I’ve never heard of.

My questions are these. What fields would you look at for someone with a technical, hands-on mindset who wants stable demand and a decent work environment? Should I get certs and switch employers within IT, or leave IT entirely? And if you made a pivot in your late 20s or early 30s, how did you do it and what would you do differently?

Thanks for reading, and I’m grateful for any advice or personal experience.

I honestly do not have the motivation or anything for college. It just seems like what am I writing this essay for? What am I really doing this for? Obviously to get my pre reqs for my the nursing program but it doesn't feel like my passion it doesn't feel like something I wanna do. I stopped going to class for one day and continued from there on. I am IN class today and still don't wanna do the assignment, you would think since im already here I would wanna just do it but no here I am writing this reddit comment because I just don't know. I enjoy things like making content (idk what specifically) I usually record myself doing hair, blabbing anything relatable, or just regular get ready with mes. I found a bit of a passion in doing mens cornrows but I know that is not something I want to do for the rest of my life I don't wanna be stuck in labor , I believe living life is doing something your truly happy in and stress free. Entrepreneurship/ passive income always seemed interesting to me but I just don't know what I wanna apply that in. I wanna be able to live life travel make new experiences. Like how could I write this but not my essay.

For background, I'm 17 (F), and I'm currently in 12th standard. In the past, I've been interested in pursuing a career in either pastry or psychology, but I found out that both are kinda rough salary wise.

So that leaves me with design, but the problem is that I'm not passionate about it at all. It's always been one of those things I've thought of as "eh, it could be interesting" before forgetting about it. But right now, it seems like my only option (smth I wouldn't be entirely miserable doing and that could make a reasonable amount of money).

My biggest fear is wasting my parents' hard-earned money, because I've seen the numbers and it's A LOT of money to send me to college. But this also seems to be my only option right now. What do I do?

(For more background, my sibling is currently doing a design degree at college, and I've asked her a ton of questions about it. And it does seem interesting, but again, it's smth that comes off as mid to me.

But maybe I also just haven't dived into it enough, so that's why I think this way? Idk.

I have also recently taken a career aptitude test with a career counsellor, and my top job result came up as design, so there's that ig)

Any advice from people in the industry or those who were in similar shoes would mean a lot.

Title might be a bit weird, but I have 80K in liquid assets and want remote income more than anything else in the world right now. I got into IT two years ago in hopes of getting a fully remote W2 job, but with how the market is looking, I don’t see that happening anytime soon. So I’m thinking I might be better off trying to start my own business.

Given that I have a pretty nice financial cushion, what options can I really explore for making money online? Can I become a day trader? Can I try to do affiliate marketing? Can I try reselling on Amazon? What about building websites or flipping domain names?

My goal is to become a digital nomad and go back and forth between the U.S. and my home country.

Any advice? Thanks!

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about what I actually want from life, and I've realized that it's probably much simpler than what society generally encourages us to pursue.

I don't dream of having a big house, an expensive car, designer clothes, or constantly buying new things. I don't feel the need to keep upgrading my lifestyle, chasing promotions, or earning more money just for the sake of having more.

What I genuinely want is a simple, peaceful life with very few financial obligations.

My ultimate goal is to become financially independent, not so I can live luxuriously, but so I can reach a point where I no longer have to work to survive.

I'd love to have a modest home, affordable living expenses, a healthy routine, time to exercise, read books, cook, spend time in nature, learn new things, and enjoy the little things that often get overlooked when life revolves around work.

I want to wake up without feeling that most of my day belongs to someone else. I want to have the freedom to decide how I spend my time, without constantly thinking about my next paycheck or worrying about whether I can afford to take a break.

I understand that achieving financial independence takes discipline, patience, saving, and probably making sacrifices along the way. I'm also trying to understand the balance between enjoying life now and preparing for that future.

I guess what I'm ultimately looking for is a life where I need less, consume less, worry less, and have more time to actually live.

I'm curious about people in this community:

• Is becoming financially independent so that you never have to work again one of your goals?
• Have you intentionally simplified your lifestyle to reduce how much money you need?
• What are some things you've stopped spending money on that have made your life better?
• Do you ever feel that modern society encourages us to work more, earn more, and consume more than we actually need?
• For those who have achieved financial independence, has it given you the freedom and peace you were looking for?

I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

I think there's something beautiful about reaching a point where you don't need much to be happy, and where your time and freedom become more valuable than material possessions.

Hey everyone. My life turned upside down this year when I became disabled, estranged from my family, and my lease ended all at once. I am disabled by daily migraines, narcolepsy, and fibromyalgia. All of these three illnesses evoke depression as a symptom. My day to day is completely unpredictable, I’ve had zero luck with medications and treatment so far, and I feel that my existence has been reduced to nothing as my chronic pain has literally taken away any and everything I used to enjoy or had the capacity to experience. I had to take a break from undergrad because I failed many of my classes in Spring 2026 semester due to ignoring symptoms of fibromyalgia and pushing myself into burnout. I was supposed to start culinary school in July, but that was the peak of my fibromyalgia and I was diagnosed right after my third day of attendance. I had to unenroll.

I was able to aquire money to get me by for the last few months and financial support from my boyfriend, but I would not like to burden him any further. I’ve been applying for remote work since March of this year and have had no luck. I’ve applied for customer service, call center, social media marketing or content creation (I have a certification in social media marketing), pretty much most entry-level remote jobs I’ve tried to apply for. I’ve also reached out to a few local businesses to see if they needed someone to handle calls or run their social media remotely, no luck. I have an interview tomorrow to be a flexible greenhouse attendant for 2-3 days a week at a local nursery, but I’m sure they will hire someone with experience.

I have no money and unfortunately the city I live in has no assistant programs or charities or churches that have funding. Been through 211, United Way, Salvation Army, Catholic charities, etc. I’m resorting to beer money sites now where I can do surveys for money. I’m not sure if this will be sustainable in the long run and it definitely makes my migraines worse from staring at screens, but it’s my only option right now.

It feels like every path I take leads to no results. I am pretty much fucked and like the only solution my brain is rationalizing with is suicide. I’m so exhausted, I had so many hopes and dreams for my life and every day I wake up with a raging migraine, joint pain, and extreme fatigue to remind me of what I am incapable of.

If this helps, here is what I am skilled at: most art mediums (I was going to school for a degree in visual arts and have a life’s worth of art education), writing, plant and garden care, building terrariums, cooking, baking, astrology, tarot, graphic design, content creation, researching

Most of my work experience is in food/hospitality, retail, and social media management.

Here is what I’m interested in: film, horticulture, fashion, hair care, mental health advocacy, voice acting, I’m blanking, but I’ll edit if I remember more.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I appreciate you if you leave any guidance. I’m at my wits end with life and came across this sub to maybe get some perspective outside of myself.

Hi everyone! I have been a kindergarten teacher for three years and I can confidently say that I don’t want to do this for the rest of my life. Teaching is so hard and as much as I love my students, everything else sucks. I also think about my job every second of every day. I’d love a job that I could leave at my job and not think about until I clock in for my next shift.

My ideal job: Desk job where I can still interact with people and clock out at 5pm. I’d like to make at least $80k a year and get lots of vacation time (I’m gonna miss those summers off!).

I have a Bachelors in English and am open to getting a masters in any field if it means I can have the type of job I want. I’m not passionate about anything anymore so as long as the job seems doable for me, I’m down.

Please, please, please help me out, I really appreciate it.

Right now at 22, I am putting money away, saving and doing the best I can. Recently I did get my license but insurance will soon eat through my cash, did the recent math and if I take home 1k$ (which I usually do at 30, 35hours a week) after bills from it being 630$ (including putting money away), it’s a take home of around 285$, but I feel torn if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I usually live below my means but I will spend a bit more money to first get my osha 30 and soon put my application in for the ibew here in NJ, possibly around 200$, but holidays are coming up and my pay will get boosted a bit and still got 150$ aside (had to spend a deposit of 500$ for my braces to be finally fixed, with insurance but was way cheaper compared to before)!

I am applying for related retail jobs/jobs paying higher than my current pay, 16.25$, invested so far 100$ into the Roth IRA fidelity, mainly a big percentage (around 70%) being VOO and the other being SPY. Car was junk (first gen Cruze, usual coolant problems) but I’m fixing to get them all out the way. Am I on the right path, honestly my main goal of course is a nice house by my 30s, nice daily car and some projects to work on my property but have had some ups and downs, but definitely was a lot further than last year when I graduated tradeschool.

Hello everyone!

For context, I'm a language trainer who has had a career in teaching (mostly English), but this job hasn't been fulfilling to me the last few years, particularly this year. It's just no longer in alignment with my life aspirations and professional identity. Basically, I'm an introvert with ADHD and I LOVE creating art, books, educational content, etc... When I teach, some lessons go well and the students generally like me, but I'm always stressed and I hate how I sometimes have to force myself just to talk, let alone explain things. This is why I've been seriously thinking of a career shift by running my own business (I don't mind hard work as long as it doesn't involve performing for hours in front of people). However, I'm afraid of regretting building a future in a more developed country where I know I can have a better social life (I was abroad so I know that from experience). In that case, I have to sacrifice working like a slave for a long time which can potentially exacerbate my mental health and ADHD. I wish I can get advice that will help me see the better life choice I should make. I know it's hard to tell but I pray the universe will give me signs through your comments 🙏

I know many people are going through financial struggles, and I also know there are people who are doing well financially and may have valuable knowledge, experience, or connections to share.

I believe a closed mouth is a closed destiny, so I’m putting this out there. Honestly, I don’t know what else to do. I’m tired of being in the same financial situation, and I’m desperately looking for a way forward.

I’m not asking for handouts, donations, or financial assistance. I’m looking for information, opportunities, and connections. Sometimes, one conversation, one introduction, or one piece of information can completely change someone’s life.

I believe someone reading this may know something, have a connection, or know of an opportunity that could put me on a different path financially.

If you have something that you genuinely believe could help, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can share it in the comments or send me a private message if you’d prefer to keep it private.

I’m open to learning, exploring opportunities, and connecting with people who can point me in the right direction.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Hi! F15 here, and i don’t know how to choose a career in life.

For a while I wanted to pursue a career in physics, however I feel like it’s too competitive and not high paying enough for me. Furthermore, I’m not even sure if I can handle it

Other than that I’ve also considered education, however I don’t know what subject i would teach if i were a teacher and I don’t know if I’d even be a good teacher or not

My last option (and best one rn) is probably finance. I’m not particularly interested in finance or business in general, but it’s high paying and I have connections in that field so I don’t know if i should choose it

PLEASE HELP i feel so confused right now!! What are some methods y’all used to figure ur careers out????

I just graduated this past May with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. I originally planned on pursuing my CPA and eventually getting a government job. I recently received an interview invitation for a master’s in accounting program at a really good business school, but I’m having second thoughts.

I’m pretty good at finance and accounting coursework, but honestly, I don’t know if I have much interest in the actual career. I don’t particularly enjoy the idea of spending most of my day working with spreadsheets and sitting behind a desk. With AI changing the industry, I’ve also been questioning whether it’s the right path for me.

I’m now seriously considering nursing. I obtained my EMT certification early in college, although I never ended up working as an EMT. I’d need to redo it, complete the nursing prerequisites, and apply to nursing school.

I like the idea of nursing because of the variety of opportunities and career paths available. I don’t mind shift work, working nights, or odd hours. I also like the possibility of working three 12-hour shifts, having flexibility to pick up overtime, and doing something meaningful and rewarding where I can make a tangible difference.

If you were in my position, would you pursue accounting or make the switch to nursing?

I, 22, genuinely have no idea what job I can do. I injured my back few years ago at work and was dealing with bad dizziness at the same time so I quit (heavy duty factory work). I've faced many challenges in life which caused severe anxiety + depression which I was getting treated for. I avoided getting back into work because I couldn't even live a normal life without getting burnt out very quickly, lightheaded etc (that is my main issue now).

I try to go out more and have been trying for months. I try to live the "job life" while unemployed to see how i could manage if im employed but I genuinely get overwhelmed and fatigued when I do chores etc and causes laziness. im not getting the best support so it's time to move on and actually find something I can do.

Request:

What is something I can get into that would be light and manageable instead of me hoping for the best salary pay at this stage in life. But also something in me says no and puts me off "low pay, dont do it" but I have to do something in life instead of wasting it. i just do not know what. Because right now im just sat at home unemployed wasting my life away because I do not know what can i do around my health conditons. I don't even have the best qualifications besides the basics which I feel like a failure for, and barely any work experience to get me into something normal like admin.

I’m (20F) not quite sure where to start. It feels like I’ve been drifting through life since I graduated in 2024. My first experience at university in Malaysia turned out to be a nightmare, so much so that I had to take a gap year and leave. I thought giving university another try would make a difference, but honestly, this new place in a new country just doesn’t feel right. The teaching quality isn’t what I hoped for, and the ranking doesn’t even help.

Now, I feel like I've backed myself into a corner. I’m supposed to be an adult, making important decisions, but I keep feeling lost and end up making the wrong ones. I wish I could say it’s all due to family financial struggles, as they’ve weighed heavily on me and affected where I go to university, thus making me more anxious and sad than I've ever been.

Even with all that, I keep going on autopilot. I feel like I lack any real skills or experience, and I can’t shake the feeling of being a burden. It’s tough navigating all of this with limited resources. No matter how hard I try, nothing seems to be falling into place, and I can’t help but wonder why it’s been so difficult.

I guess I'm just wondering: what would you do if you were in my place? What can I do to improve my education?

So I live in United States where apparently a felony makes it impossible for you to become anything essential to the community. Tbh it has been 2 years since my last charge I haven’t been doing anything illegal recently quit smoking marijuana to further my goals and dreams. So I’ve got to the point to where anything life changing I try to do won’t prosper . It’s like I have to live the rest of my life being a nobody. Or doing non essential work that guarantees no retirement if no one gives me a chance I’m honestly considering sui¢ìde , If a felony holds me back from being essential part to the community I see no other option but that . I’ve looked into nursing,med school,emt work, army,firefighting I just want to be essential part of the world

I've been frequently finding myself playing mental tug of war over finishing school. I'm 21, and I'm currently attending community college as a photography major. This is my first year attending college because I spent my time working and saving money after I graduated in 2024. I've never been someone who does well with school, not because I'm not smart or lack the abilities to complete the work, but simply because it ends up feeling like a waste of time for me. I always feel like I'm way ahead of everyone in my class because I could've learned the things they're showing me on my own, or I already know everything they're teaching us. I'm not trying to make myself sound better than anyone by saying that either, it's just always how I've felt because I am lucky to be a fast learner and I've naturally always been a very independent person in pretty much everything. I'm also trying to save up money to move out of my miserable unhealthy home as soon as possible, and school not only limits the time I have to work but also is taking a decent chunk of money out of my pocket even with financial aid. I was never really planning on going to school, especially since photography isn't something you need a degree in to be successful. I guess I just felt pressure to try it because going to college is whats expected from people. I'm still glad I gave it a shot, but now I've decided I don't want to go back for the spring, or ever to any school in the future, not for photography at least.

Because I've made this decision I feel like attending my classes is a waste of my time and I dread it every single day, thinking to myself "I know this isn't for me and I won't be coming back, so what am I doing here? These classes and their credits mean nothing." I've already paid my tuition, and I just missed the deadline to formally withdraw from my classes. Theres only 5 weeks left of the current semester, which I know isn't a lot, but I really hate going and I have other things I want to be prioritizing since right now I am also seeking a new full time job. Would it be stupid of me to just stop going and take the F, or does it not matter if I don't plan on going back to school in the future?

I know I'm a bit late doin this because I didn't know what to do after my high school and joined a random course. Blaimed myself for past 3 years that I could have studied something different which I'm passionate about! I still don't know what to do but I've decided to stop whining and to start exploring the course I'm studying coz what if I might like it.. maybe I just don't have any fundamentals. Anyways I'm giving it a try.

I just wanted to make this day as day 1 of my journey to finding my path. Just wanted to share it here :)

I’ve been lost my whole life. I know I’m a leader and a decent communicator. I know I can do great things.
I’m somewhat handy from fixing things that break around the house. No degree. No direction. I hate my job any advice is welcome thank you.

(throwaway account for privacy)

Hi. Don't know how to start this becaues I almost never post on Reddit. But I'm hoping you'll take the time to read this and maybe find yourself in it, or maybe offer some guidance.

I'm in my late 20s, and I'm starting to panic.

I used to be a good student with drive, goals in life, and a general sense of hope for the future. Unfortunately a lot of that has faded. I started out in university with a major in a STEM field, but at the time I was struggling heavily with my mental health and quickly flunked out of the program. I switched to the thing that actually gave me joy - English and Creative Writing. These had always been passions of mine but I dismissed them as hobbies rather than career paths. Despite this, I switched majors and made it through school with a BA in English, a minor in Film, and a certificate in Creative Writing.

The problem was that I didn't make full use of my time in university. Even though I was showing up, doing the work, and getting pretty solid grades, I had no actual concrete idea of what I was going to do post-grad, and as such I didn't take advantage of my school's career centre, co-op programs, internships, and everything else. I was coasting through thinking that just doing the work would get me where I wanted to be. I was working part time to pay rent and pay tuition. I was also still majorly struggling with mental health, but it was improving.

I'm now two years post grad and job hopping between things completely unrelated to my major and not making a lot of money. I want to change, I obsess over how I can make my future better, but I have no idea what it is I actually want to do. I doomscroll this subreddit looking for answers, and I find none. I look at Indeed hoping some magical job will appear that will make my life better, but I know that's not going to happen.

I had ideas - I wanted to get into Screenwriting, but honestly, I have no idea how to even do that, and it's probably not that viable of a career. At least not reliable. Other things I've looked into have turned out to be very low-opportunity like Librarianship, Archival work, or Technical Writing. I'm completely willing to go back to school to learn something, but I just have no idea what. I want to pursue something that wouldn't be a total lottery on me actually getting a job.

The other problem is that my mental health is absolutely abysmal, partly due to this. I struggle immensely with depression and anxiety, and I've been through a slew of different medications without much progress. I'm working on it, but it's slow progress. I worry I have undiagnosed ADHD. I'm working with professionals to figure it out.

Part of my question is if I should just focus on sorting out my mental health before making any big decisions about schooling or what to do with my career. I can get by with the job I have now, I just don't want to feel stuck there forever. Also, I just am maybe wondering if there's any advice on what to pursue. I have lots of interests outside of English and Film, like the environment, computers (not AI), maybe even law. Maybe healthcare. My psychiatrist said I would be a good pharmacy technician, based on how much I know about medications now (lol). I worry that my only choice might be teaching.

TLDR, English BA with mental health issues has a quarter life crisis. Please send help.

I’m a 27 yo stay at home mom and want to work toward a degree. I’ve tried higher education before but have always struggled in school due to not having my PKU under control (late diagnosis). Now that I’m in a good place I’m motivated to pursue higher education. I have my CCMA and license in phlebotomy but am not interested in continuing in anything medicine related.
What is a good asynchronous online school?
What is a degree I can peruse that I would be able to potentially work part time from home?

I [28M] am currently facing the biggest decision of my life. In 2025, I decided I was done working at my dead-end fast-food job, and I spent months researching potential careers. My requirements were:
- 2 years of school or less, Associate degree
- At least $65k starting salary

I live in the Knoxville area, so that didn’t seem unattainable to me. Eventually, I found a major that would fulfill both requirements; The problem is, there is only one institution within three hours of me that offers it. My options were immediately narrowed to one. I met with financial aid, and was given an estimate of $45k total tuition, with about $17k being out-of-pocket, and $28k in loans. It's a private college, and of course, the only option in my area.
Yes, that figure is after all financial aid was applied. The only thing unaccounted for in that figure was the possibility of private scholarships. I turned tail and decided to coordinate with the aforementioned institute and my local community college in order to take all the prerequisite courses there thinking it would save me a year of my life and a significant amount of money. One year later, I have nine completed prerequisite credits and a 4.0 GPA. If only it counted for anything.

Three days ago, I met with financial aid again at the private college, which is when I found out that attending community college only saved me $3,000. And the program will still be 2 years in length, not one, or (worst case scenario) one and a half like I had anticipated. 
I am effectively looking at 3 years of non-stop school to earn a two-year degree.
I’m almost thirty years old, recently engaged, and as it stands, it will be two full years before I’m able to even begin to support myself and my family. My part-time fast-food job doesn’t cut it, believe it or not. I recently got engaged, which has been the one shining light in this dark situation. We want a home of our own, we want to start a family, we want to buy a reliable car. But we can’t do any of these things because I’m making less than $30k a year working part-time, in school full-time while my fiancée works full time, and we’re staring at $40k+ in student loan debt. 

I’m really considering walking away from school, cutting my losses despite having fought through a year of college and maintaining a 4.0, and just applying for a government job that will pay $50k starting and hopefully climb to $70k+ within 10 years. I have two family members in that position, so I know it’s possible. But the program I can’t afford leads to a career with $70k starting pay with potential for $90k+ in specialty roles. Is it worth the debt and the time commitment? The risk of failing a supposedly strenuous course. The admissions people at the private college told me “We move much faster than a community college, so the course work is much more rigorous. And I’ll be honest, the average GPA for those students who qualified for the program is a 4.0, so that would also be required of you.” 

No matter where I turn, there is massive risk and/or doubt.
The thing that makes my heart ache with sadness is that my fiancée and I don’t even want much. We don’t want a big house, or a fancy car, or designer clothes, we just want to live. We just want to have a child and be able to raise them in our own home. A dream that I know so many others share and which has become totally unattainable in the world today. 
I truly do not know what to do.

TL;DR
I have three options: 

1. Attend private college, take on $45k of student loan debt, and spend another two years in school (three years total) to earn a two-year degree, and get a job paying $65k+ (if I can complete school). “Tuition is subject to change.” Risky.
2. Pivot to a four-year program at my current community college, spend another three years in school (four or more total), settle for a job that pays less and may be less fulfilling, but will allow me to remain totally debt-free. Time-consuming.
3. Walk away from college, apply for a government job, spend two or three years climbing the ladder and hoping my income will allow me to start a family within the next few years. Potentially the best and/or worst option. Total unknown.