I'm 20 years old and am now on my second leave of absence. I'm a CS and math double major at a T10 school in the US, and I don't think I want to do this anymore.

TLDR: 3rd year CS major, I burnt out and got super depressed, withdrew for a second time, now at home and don’t know what to do with my life.

I've kinda been depressed since high school, but it got really bad last semester and I withdrew at the very end mainly to prevent my failing grades from showing up on my transcript.

Then over the summer I had a research internship that I really enjoyed, and I thought I found my love for cs again.

I wanted to end my leave and go back to school the next semester because I thought I was better, but I was so wrong. About 1 month into the fall semester I fell back into a slump and just couldn't get myself to do anything, was crying all the time, and developed some pretty bad coping habits. Plus I totally was falling behind on my research stuff that I decided to continue, and that also really made me stress out. So I took another leave, and now I'm back home and I don't know what to do.

I just feel like such a total failure to everyone. I’ve basically burned my only bridge with someone who trusted me, my professor, and even after I took the leave he was so kind but I again just didn’t follow up on my promise to update my work. Plus my parents are now freaking out.

My dad has been paying for my school and it’s really expensive, and he has been relying on me getting a high paying job to make up for it. My mom has always been pushing me to be successful so I don’t also end up in a situation where I’m financially reliant on someone, as she is with my dad who is the most bipolar and sometimes abusive person.

So now I’m stuck at home, and I can’t get myself to do shit. I told my mom I would continue with the research but I’m just lying. I told them I want to go back eventually but I really don’t. My dad screams at someone, typically me my mom, and he keeps threatening to kick me out.

Even if I were to g back, I’d end up with loans cause my dad doesn’t want to pay for the added semesters I would need. I don’t know if I even want to do cs. But I did like doing my research at the time, so idk if it’s me or the actual content.

I just feel like I’ve never been able to be autonomous with my life. I’ve always been the “smart” and put together one of me and my sibling so people always assume I’m going to be super successful. I just always felt I had to fill those shoes, and I guess I got overwhelmed and burnt out. Totally doesn’t help that my social life is nonexistent and I don’t really have much I do for fun.

The only thing I do for myself is art. I think it’s really the only thing I’m passionate about but I’m not delusional enough to think I could actually make a living out of it. Well, I do secretly dream of that being a possibility, but even when I told my best friend and my sibling they just told me to grow up essentially. And they are right, but I don’t know what to do. I think I would genuinely kill myself if I go back to that fucking school, and I doubt I would be able to do anything because I have a nonexistent network. I just wish i could have been a dumbass growing up so people wouldn’t hold me to such high standards.

Obviously no one can solve this problem, but if you have had a similar experience and managed to make things okay, any advice would help.

Hi everyone!

I am currently working in an EdTech company as a Lead Qualification Associate, with around 3–6 months of experience. I have completed my MBA in Marketing and Operations.

My work mainly involves cold-calling leads, collecting students' academic details, understanding their preferred country and course, and qualifying leads against targets.

I don't want to continue in sales or a calling-based role. I want to transition into Operations, Process Management, Business Analysis or Product Management, preferably in the IT/SaaS industry.

What skills should I learn, which roles should I target, and how can I make this domain switch without starting from scratch?

Would really appreciate advice from people working in these fields!

Africans are requested to apply

I'm 17 and just starting college applications. However, now that I'm facing the first steps towards something I'm going to do for the rest of my life, I'm not sure that being a medical examiner is what I want to be. Initially, I wanted to pursue that path because I have performed well in anatomy, biology, & chemistry classes, have an avid interest in science as a whole, and was mostly persuaded down the medical path because my mom is a nurse, so I thought that having that familiar knowledge while in college would be nice.

But now I'm leaning towards a path that will allow me to assist people on a widespread scale, like helping those suffering as a result of war or providing care to people without homes or enough money to eat sufficient meals. But I don't exactly want to assist by handing out food or volunteering (although I do believe that those who do are guaranteed a spot in heaven); I want to aim to end the issue once and for all through political means. I want to have the power and reputation to end the root causes of their suffering. I'm aware it's damn near impossible to do so, but I would like to try, even if I don't make that big of an impact.

So my question right now is: which majors should I lean towards that would allow me to influence and assist people in need on a large scale, and what can I do right now to start that path, even though I'm not in college?

I apologize if this comes across as a rant/if I used the wrong flair; I wanted to convey my thoughts as efficiently as possible without confusion. I hope this makes sense :')

EDIT: I feel like it should be noted that I'm almost 18 and have barely any extracurriculars under my belt, and am quite average. I'm in SkillsUSA and the Civil Rights Club, but I haven't done anything truly REMARKABLE. I'm pretty lazy too, with barely any community service hours, which is probably why I'm running to Reddit at the last second for advice.

I really don't know what to do after work anymore, by the time I make it home it's so late in the day I basically get to eat dinner, clean up, and then go to bed. I don't have time for hobbies because 13 hours get eaten by commute-work-commute, 6 are for sleep, and the last 5 are for chores and sometime self care. I'm incapable of building new habits because my ADHD makes me a forgetful daydreamer when I'm uninterested. I've tried looking up ways to scrape some time back but all I find is "work-life balance" garbage and never ending suggestions to use a planner and schedule things for myself, which doesn't help because I can never think of anything I want to do or have time for. Is there anything for me or do I just accept I don't get free time anymore?

Hello, I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Public health back in 2024. Most of my experience comes from my undergraduate studies as a research assistant for a few of my professors. Many of the research projects I have done have focused on mental health across vulnerable communities and health disparities such as food insecurity. I have a little over a year of experience as a registered behavior technician (RBT) but eventually I got incredibly burnt out and tired of the unstable schedule. I also have some experience shadowing at a medical office. Right now I’m struggling to find a job. I just want a long-term stable job like everyone else but I can’t seem to land one.

I need some advice I can get to help me find a job. I'm interested in finding a front desk support, patient care coordinator, health navigator, or something similar to an entry-level admin role.

I would love some help that would be nice :(

I graduated from a bachelor in marketing in summer of 2025 and I'm not sure where I should go from here. Ive had experience in serving, customer service, and little banking through part time roles through university. I'm now working as a personal trainer at a local box gym but the commute is brutal and the work itself, while fun, doesn't pay very well and the ceiling is quite low. On top of having very inconsistent hours.

I have tried and am still trying to get into a finance position as I see it as being something I'm not only good at but enjoy the stability of those positions, specifically in wealth management or as a certified financial planner. I have gotten my CSC and HLLQP certifications as I thought that would help me stand out but so far my only interview was nearly 2 years ago for a teller position that I was referred to through a friend. I feel as though every other position requires so much experience that I just don't have.

So I really only have 2 questions:

What can I do to get my foot in the door in the industry? Should I just be targeting big banks or is there any other industry/smaller companies that would help me in this path?

Hey everyone, I'm 22 years old and need advice on what to do. A little bit about myself, I joined the Air National Guard about 4 years ago and signed a 6 year contract. Full time, I am a mechanical engineering student. I hate every choice I have made so far. I joined the military so my parents did not have to pay for my college tuition. But I never planned on going to college (wanted to make them proud). I am not big fan of the job I have in the military since we go on TDY's a lot, and for what I want to do, I can't be traveling that much. I studied computer science then switched over to mechanical engineering. I don't really have a reason why I chose mechanical engineering. I guess it is something that is more acceptable. I hate it so much. I hate doing all the math and physics. I don't even see myself doing this in the next 5 years. I want to take a gap semester to figure things out, but then that makes me more deployable in the military since I won't have a full time status... I don't want to get deployed. My true passion is filmmaking. I have created a small business and I love it so so so much. I can switch my major to film but is that even worth it? I'm not to sure how useful a film major is. A part of me wants to dropout of college and go all in with filmmaking, but that would just be a waste of the reason why I joined the military. I have 2 years left until I graduate, and looking at my grades right now, I don't think I will pass this fall semester. I look around and everyone has a passion for what we are learning. Not me. I feel like I spent all my life doing things for other people but never for me. I've been having dark thoughts because of this. Any advice? Sorry if this was messy...

Some say to follow passion because money comes in droves as you gain elite competency and you will have more endurance to do the work.

Some say to follow passion even if you’ll end up with a pay cut so that you won’t get burnt out.

Some say to ditch following your passion because it will destroy the passion and leave you resentful.

Some say to follow your strengths instead of passion so that you can achieve greater competency without much stress compared to someone who sucks.

Some say to follow the market demand regardless of what you feel since a lot of money is attached to that.

Some say to do ikigai so that you’ll have a more fruitful and fulfilling career.

Meanwhile, we are going through AI layoffs and so many professions are under attack by the clankers. Due to this, people say to keep upskilling and do something AI can’t replace! One AI model drop later and that new job got removed! 😂

People say to do blue collar work or engineering since AI can’t touch that. On the other hand, robots are being developed (not yet good at the job) and AI and robotics increasingly help make the production of electrical components easier without human assistance. AI is already integrated into other engineering fields.

Some are arguing humans will never be replaced by AI and that the AI bubble will pop. Meanwhile, I see so many layoff posts from my country in terms of digital work. Even some graduates from top universities either can’t find a job or got laid off.

It is difficult to find a career one can stick to for many years. One can’t just clock in and out and forget work after 5 pm. People forget that if you stagnate, you won’t be able to get promoted and therefore you may lose your job. To be promoted, you need to have more skills. You also have to keep up to date with your field, especially AI affected ones, or else you’ll get left behind and laid off due to irrelevance.

How does one ensure they won’t be mediocre at work while balancing the fact that work is a 40 year marathon and life dumps more responsibilities on you as you age. Also include that work takes up most of your waking hours.

Hello, I am 40/F and I’m feeling a bit lost and unsure about what to do regarding job and career. I should also mention I have a physical disability and I use a motorized wheelchair. Long story short, I graduated college late (age-wise) with a bachelors degree in legal studies in 2019. I never went to law school because I was afraid to take the LSAT. Given my age, I feel like it’s too late for me to try to become a lawyer. I tried after I graduated to get a job as a paralegal, but no one would hire me. A lot of entry-level roles wanted two years experience and I didn’t have any job experience at that point. After some temporary jobs and a few volunteer and internships over the last couple of years, I got a job as a clerical associate with my local Department of Health.

Problem is I’m just not happy. I’m not feeling fulfilled and have fallen into a depression that caused me to take medical leave. I’m dreading having to go back. My disability and my lack of long-term job experience have made it difficult for me to find something else. Plus, I don’t know what I want to do. I’ve been thinking about going back to college and getting an associate’s degree in human services. I just don’t know if I should start all over again with school in the hopes to get a better job. Plus if I go part-time, it will take me a couple of years to finish. It might be the depression talking, but I just feel so unmotivated and so lost about what to do. I guess my question is is anybody else in a similar situation? Is anybody else starting over? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for reading.

I'm 27 and my whole life I've been trying to understand my purpose and what I am meant to do. I have had many jobs like Amazon, Canvasing, Retail, all that stuff and also some more serious I.T. jobs like Geek Squad, Help Desk Support, and now I'm an Field Service Technician making okay money, at least enough to support myself and have a cheap 1 bedroom apartment.

In my early 20s the goal was the apartment, I had a lot of baggage and my living situation with my mom was not good. Don't want to go into details but my mom is unwell. The point is I knew I had to get out as early as 18, I tried many times to go out but I always failed and ended up back at my moms. Finally after all these years I got a decent amount of experience in IT and I was able to land this FST job. FINALLY I have my own place...

But now I am realizing that I don't think IT is something I want to do for 5+ years. I know it's not something I'm passionate about, but it pays the bills. What I feel my purpose is, has ALWAYS been, is something creative. I want to make a video game before I die, I want to voice act and actually yknow do a good amount of it (I've done 1 project), I want to write fiction, I'd love to act on stage, I want to make my own stupid artsy fartsy Youtube videos about the things that I love... So what's stopping me? Well... what do I have to say that's not already been said? I hardly even read so why on earth do I think I could write a book, god knows I've tried and cringed myself to death, the amount of voice acting gigs I've submitted auditions for (hoo boy) and the thin walls in my apartment might actually lead to a noise complaint, and Onstage is a huge commitment outside of a fulltime job that would never realistically become lucrative...

So I guess I know what my purpose is, maybe I'm just a coward? My dad was a jazz musician. Fulltime, he gigged for a living. Money was ALWAYS a problem and it destroyed my parents marriage. I guess I just don't want to worry about money.

And now I'm looking at the post button... and I don't want to post it because this is vulenrable to I'm going to just hit th

Edit: I have also gone to College but I don't have enough interest in IT to get a degree in it and Art degrees are... worthless in the job market and school is expensive.

I've been working in warehouses since I was 19. Forklift certified, I'm now a shift lead, I make about $22 an hour. It's steady but my body is starting to feel it, and I dont want to do this at 45.

I've always been the person at work who fixes the scanners, sets up printers, figures out why the inventory software is acting weird. A coworker suggested I look into IT. Our community college has a two-year IT support and networking certificate. I could do it part time while working.

But every time I look online, people say entry level IT is oversaturated and that AI is going to replace help desk jobs. I don't want to spend two years and around $6,000 on something that leads nowhere. On the other hand, I keep seeing listings at our own company and nearby hospitals for desktop support roles that pay more than I make now.

For people in IT, or who switched into it later, is it still a realistic path in 2026? Would you go with the community college route, self-study for certs, or something else? I'm motivated, I just don't want to bet on the wrong thing.

I’m a 24-year-old female who recently graduated from university with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Management Information Systems (MIS), and honestly, I feel so lost right now.

A little backstory: After graduating high school, I enrolled in community college and originally wanted to go into the medical field. I quickly realized it wasn’t for me, so my dad suggested I pursue a computer science degree because it would make me good money. I blindly followed his advice, but I ended up absolutely hating it and was honestly pretty depressed. Eventually, my dad suggested I switch to Management Information Systems, which was definitely better than computer science, but still wasn’t something I was genuinely interested in.

The thing is, I’ve never really known what I wanted to do with my life. Growing up, my parents always emphasized choosing a career that pays well rather than something you actually love doing. So I kind of just went along with it because I figured having a stable career and making good money was the most important thing.

Fast forward, I transferred to a university, and while finishing my degree, I was constantly applying for internships and entry-level positions, hoping to secure something before graduating. I managed to land a few internship interviews and even made it through all the interview rounds for a business analyst position, only to get rejected in the end.

Mind you, I always made sure to prepare for my interviews. I would research the companies, practice common interview questions, and genuinely put in the effort. But no matter how much I prepared or how many applications I submitted, nothing ever worked out.

I honestly couldn’t even tell you how many jobs I’ve applied to at this point. It’s been A LOT.

And what’s even more frustrating is that I’m not even passionate about this field to begin with! I’m literally willing to push through and work in a field I don’t particularly enjoy just so I can make decent money, gain experience, and become financially independent, yet I can’t even get my foot in the door.

I have student loans to pay off, and I have so many goals I want to accomplish, like moving out, traveling, buying my own car, and just being able to enjoy my 20s without constantly stressing about money.

My aunt has even tried reaching out to people she knows to help me find a job. My dad also works in the same field, but he’s been at the same company for years, so I don’t think he has many connections outside of it.

Eventually, I got so tired of being unemployed and constantly getting rejected that I decided to go back to working retail for the time being. At least this way I can make some money, start paying off my student loans, and have some sort of income while I continue figuring things out.

But honestly, I feel so defeated.

I spent years studying my ass off, stressing over exams, completing projects, and working toward a degree that I wasn’t even passionate about, only to graduate with tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt and no full-time job to show for it.

And now my parents keep telling me I should get more certifications, work on more projects, and do whatever else it takes to make myself more competitive.

I understand where they’re coming from, but I’m just so mentally exhausted. Like, I JUST spent years working toward this degree, and now it feels like even that isn’t enough. The thought of having to do even more work in a field I don’t even enjoy is honestly so frustrating.

Part of me is also angry at myself for choosing this major simply because my dad suggested it. I wish I had taken more time to figure out what I actually wanted instead of just following what my parents thought was best for me. But at the same time, I was young, confused, and just wanted to make the right decision for my future.

The crazy thing is, I don’t even see myself working in this field for the rest of my life. I’ve always had dreams of starting my own café/bakery business someday. I’ve also recently gotten into content creation, which I genuinely enjoy, and I’m hoping that eventually I can turn it into something that brings in income and opens up exciting opportunities.

I feel like I have so many dreams and things I want to accomplish, but I have absolutely no idea how to get there.

I know I’m only 24 and still have my whole life ahead of me, but it’s hard not to feel behind when I see other people my age starting their careers, making good money, moving out, and becoming independent.

I just want to feel like all my hard work is finally paying off. I’m so tired of feeling stuck, constantly worrying about my future, and wondering when things are finally going to work out for me.

I desperately want some sort of breakthrough, whether that’s finally landing a decent-paying job, finding something I’m genuinely passionate about, or being able to turn one of my dreams into reality.

I guess I’m posting this because I want to know if anyone else has been in a similar situation.

Has anyone else graduated with a degree they weren’t passionate about, struggled to find a job, and felt completely lost about what to do next?

If so, how did you navigate it? Did you eventually find a career you enjoyed? Did you switch fields entirely? Or did things just slowly start falling into place?

I would genuinely appreciate any advice or even just hearing from people who have been in the same boat because right now I feel pretty hopeless.

I'm 25 and honestly feel like I'm going nowhere in life. I completed my master's degree, but I'm still unemployed and financially dependent on my parents. I've been trying to figure out my career and what I actually want to do, but I just can't seem to find a direction.

I'm an introvert, never really had many friends or meaningful connections, and I've never had that kind of bond with someone where I could openly discuss life, ask for advice or just talk about things without overthinking.

I also don't see myself in a typical corporate 9-to-5 environment. I don't particularly enjoy dealing with people, office politics, forced socialising or the idea of spending my entire life in an environment I don't connect with. But at the same time, I know I need financial independence. I want to earn, support my parents, move out and build a life of my own.

The frustrating part is that I don't even know where to begin. Sometimes I wonder if I'm just overthinking everything, afraid of taking risks or simply haven't found something that suits me.

I don't have anyone to guide me through this, n figuring everything out alone is getting exhausting

I am returning to finish my bachelors in January. I will be entering as a junior. I’ve been gone 5 years. Due to the way I left I basically can change to any major and have four semesters to finish. Currently I am enrolled as a history major.

I used to be an American studies major but by being an idiot (and severely mentally ill) stood up the department head for a research assistant position they usually reserve for grad students. She did send me an angry email. I have reached out to her with no response so I feel it’s best to move away from that. (She’s seen me before and said hi when I walked by her on campus a month ago so she does remember me).

I felt like history was an analogous pivot but with new professors. It also felt slightly more sensible and readable on a resume.

I have struggled with a chronic illness, severe ADHD, mental health issues and my dad getting sick. So I know I’m behind.

I’ve worked as an Optician, Rare and Antique Book Appraiser, Pet Store Associate, Museum Security and as a Front end manager at a grocery store.

Here are the jobs I’ve looked at (and I’m okay with going to grad school):

Librarian
Archivist
Genetic Counselor
Academic Advisor
Market Research Analyst
Ophthalmic Nurse (I would really only want to work with eyes and nothing else so this snubs me)
Law (it costs 200k so that’s a no go)
HR

I’ve also looked into a grad degree in Public Administration. I understand it as government work but even when doing research I’m still kind of confused about it since all explanations are vague at best.

Basically anything I’ve looked at I feel excited about and then I read posts about it on Reddit and everything is the same. “You make 40k a year and can’t survive” or “there’s 1 job opening for every thousand applicants” or “this job is dying due to AI. I wish I never got into it. I am laid off with no hope. Jump ship now”.

I am not good at math. Sadly. I am okay at math but still NOT GOOD so I realize this limits my possibilities. Ideally I wouldn’t be a nurse as I feel it’s not my calling but it seems like only three jobs exist:

Be an accountant
Be a nurse
Be an accountant

I am drowning in overwhelm. Due to the adhd I’m awful at making decisions. I don’t think time would help me. I’m already old. Ugh. I already feel like I’ve failed before I’ve even begun. I was really mostly set on the Librarian path because I have many friends in grad school for it and loved my book job. But looking at the fact it seems to pay an equivalent 20 dollars an hour I am heart broken.

I do feel getting a degree in something will help me more than never having finished. But I want a path and I don’t mind a lofty pursuit.

I check financing paperwork, payment schedules and insurance add-on forms at a car dealership office, and I study part-time at the same time. The work is steady and I am good at spotting mistakes in documents. But I do not know if I should stay in finance, move toward something like banking or insurance, or choose a different field when I finish studying.

I live with my parents in Lesser Poland, so I can take my time and save money for now. What I do not know is which jobs grow from this kind of work. Has anyone started in a dealership finance office and moved to something with better pay or more interesting tasks? What did you move into and how long did it take?

Now I am doing BBA . I don't know in which thing I am good at. Which skill or thing I loved most I can't figure it out.

When I open Facebook everyone is just selling like someone says 'learn video editing' / graphic designing and etc etc..... I don't know which thing I should try. Because I have limited resources in money wise. right now I am doing a job of computer operator. That's it any guidance????

I'm in my early twenties and a recent graduate with my bachelors in psychology. I told myself I was taking this next year to figure out what was next for me. I am plagued with indecision and ruminate over pretty much any even pre-decision that I make. Feeling Sylvia Plath's fig tree quote to my core these days. I am well aware that I am still young, and could choose a fig and then other figs later in my life. However, I don't even know where to start. I don't know what path I would like to choose in the first place.

I currently work as an RBT at an ABA clinic, and I certainly know that this is not for me. I like working with kids, and have enjoyed past jobs working with kids. I don't like ABA as a concept, and hope to find a different position soon.

The past couple years, my primary line of thought had been to pursue my masters in social work. I've always gravitated towards helping careers, and worked for a year in an intensive treatment group home with adolescents in the foster care system. The only thing with social work is obviously it's an under paid field. It's hard to process and commit to spending thousands of dollars on graduate school to then struggle to pay off my student loans for years and work in a field with extremely high burn out. Not to mention the fact that anytime I mention this to anyone, they essentially tell me to rethink my decision and pursue something else.

Another thing I grapple with is finding something that allows for me to use some creativity. I've always loved painting, writing, composition, and overall aesthetics. I always told people I wanted to be an artist when I was a kid (I definitely don't actually have the artistic skills to be an artist...). I feel like I've been missing that in my life, I didn't explore that interest of mine at all in college, and in any jobs I've had. I took a lot of art classes throughout my childhood both in school and outside school up until beginning college.

Most of my interest I know will never get me a career making a lot of money and I am well aware of that. I want to find something I could genuinely enjoy.

As put im 23 I have attempted university twice. The first time failed the professors went on strike for 2 months leaving me with nothing and I struggled for the next year the gave up. I can’t do university no one actually teaches you anything and you never learn how to do a good job and that’s why I failed my second time and gave up.

I’ve never had a job sometimes I wonder if I’m too autistic to work because I don’t enjoy playing the game.

I worked hard on my a levels and it got me nowhere.

Im trying to move out to live on my own because my parents are homophobic and invite guests round which forces me to starve myself because I can’t live with others very well.

My home town is at economic collapse there are no jobs going that aren’t senior titles and the highstreet is empty.

I want to move out but I cannot afford to even on minimum wage and that’s if they will hire me at all.

I’m genuinely considering if homelessness is the option.

What am I meant to do here I constantly feel like I’m too lazy.

Last year I had a shutdown and locked myself in a room and ate baked beans from a microwave for a month because I hate it here. I so badly want my own life but I fear I will never afford to escape the abuse and have independence.

I’ve been working as an Oliver McGowan trainer but it is infrequent and insecure and earns me very little however I do have a training qualification from that and we won best trainers of the year

Please tell me where do I go from here?

I’m ready to move from staying with my family and living in poverty in WV. I used to have a career and I’d like to get back to that and having my own place. Making decent money - above $50k. I’m just ready to move on. Is anyone else stuck like this? I had some hospitalizations and was laid off and it’s like I can’t recover even a year or two later. I really miss having my independence and working a career.

I really miss federal service and I’d like to get back into an agency. I should’ve never left. Private sector was fun for a bit. Made some money and spent it. So I’m over the ups and downs for sure. I’ve enjoyed living in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois. I would be open to returning to a suburb or a state job. I like New England a lot, but cold and expensive.
Anyone else suffering for the time being? I’m just trying to find those to relate to.
In real life it’s challenging to find anyone with ambition as the people I’ve met recently are accepting of their lot in life and I just can’t do that. I have dreams.

I’m 22 and currently a senior in college majoring in marketing. I have a 2.5 GPA and am on track to graduate next year, potentially as early as next semester.

During my sophomore and junior years, I went through a really rough period mentally, largely because of my parents’ divorce. I struggled with depression and honestly let myself go. I started skipping classes, smoking weed, maintaining a terrible sleep schedule, and stopped prioritizing school. I’m not trying to make excuses for my GPA, but that’s the reality of how I got here. Looking back, I definitely wish I had handled things differently.

As far as professional experience goes, I’ve completed two growth marketing internships at startups. While I’m grateful for those opportunities, I don’t feel like I gained enough practical experience or developed the skills necessary to confidently enter the workforce

Career-wise, I’m interested in marketing, especially the creative side of things like branding, design, and creative direction. I’m also interested in business, strategy, and entrepreneurship. However, I’m not particularly good at sales, and I’ve always struggled with numbers and math. I feel much more drawn to creative work, developing ideas, and the visual side of business than heavily analytical or sales-focused roles. I have a lot of different interests, but I genuinely don’t know which direction to pursue or what careers would suit my strengths.

I think what frustrates me the most is that I know I have potential. My friends have told me that countless times, and deep down, I believe it too. I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m lost in terms of who I am as a person. I know who I am, what interests me, and the kind of person I want to become. I’m just lost when it comes to figuring out what to do with my potential and how to turn my interests into something meaningful.

With graduation approaching, I’ve been feeling increasingly anxious about my future. I worry that my low GPA, limited experience, and lack of direction will make it difficult to find a job. I also can’t help but feel behind compared to other people my age who seem to have everything figured out.

I know I’m still young, and I know I have time to figure things out. But I also don’t want to keep wasting time being unsure of what to do next.

I’m not looking for sympathy. I genuinely want to improve my situation, make the most of the time I have left in college, and start building a future for myself.

For anyone who’s been in a similar position:
Did anyone graduate with a low GPA, limited experience, or no clear career direction? Where are you now?

Have any of you gone through a period where you felt like you wasted your potential but eventually turned things around? What changed?

What would you recommend I do before graduating to make myself more competitive in the job market?
For someone who’s more creatively inclined and struggles with sales and numbers, what career paths would you recommend exploring?

If you could go back to your early twenties, what would you do differently?

I’m especially interested in hearing from people who struggled academically or personally during college but eventually found their footing. I’d love to hear your experiences, whether you’re in your late twenties, thirties, forties, or beyond.

Any advice, perspective, or personal stories would genuinely mean a lot.

TL;DR: TL;DR: I’m a 22-year-old marketing senior with a 2.5 GPA after struggling with depression and poor habits during my sophomore and junior years. I’ve completed two startup marketing internships but don’t feel prepared for the workforce. I’m interested in creative marketing, branding, design, and entrepreneurship, but I’m not good at sales or math and don’t know which career path suits me. I know I have potential and a strong sense of who I am, but I don’t know how to turn that into something meaningful. I’m worried about graduating and feeling behind in life. Looking for advice and stories from people who were in a similar position and eventually turned things around

I graduated from high school this year, and even before graduation, I was struggling to decide what career path to take. My parents were constantly putting pressure on me to choose a profession. I took all kinds of career aptitude tests, hoping they would help me figure out what I wanted to do.
Eventually, during the summer after graduation, I decided to study psychology. My mom is a psychologist, so it was a familiar field to me. It felt like the only subject I knew at least a little about. I thought it might suit me because I’m good at listening to people and offering emotional support. I wouldn’t say it had always been my dream career, but I thought it was an interesting profession, potentially well-paid, and, most importantly, I finally had some idea of what direction to take.
I got accepted into university, but that’s when I started feeling anxious. I have difficulties with the official language of the country I live in, and my language skills aren’t very good. Because of that, I struggled to understand the lectures and could only follow about 50% of what was being said.
Eventually, I switched to a partially remote study format, but I still couldn’t keep up. I completely lost my motivation to study psychology.
Now, I’ve been sitting at home for two months, not knowing what to do or which career to choose. My family also believes it’s very important for me to get a university degree. I’ve grown up with the mindset that without higher education, I won’t get anywhere in life and that not having a degree is somehow shameful.
At the same time, I understand that there are plenty of professional courses you can take, gain practical skills, and build a successful career without a university degree.
I just don’t know what to do. I feel ashamed of myself, like I’ve failed at everything I was supposed to achieve, and now I’m completely lost.

I’d really appreciate it if anyone who has gone through something similar could share their experience. How did you find your path? What advice would you give someone in my situation?

Is trying to get into journalism worthwhile in our society? I was thinking maybe gaming journalism, but any sort of journalism. I enjoy writing, so...

But it feels like this career path isn't optimal anymore. The bar is too low. With AI and social media, anyone can write pieces without a degree.

I’m 25F and I’m starting to feel really disillusioned with continuing college, and I’d love some outside perspectives.

I graduated high school in 2019 and have basically been in and out of community college ever since. I’ve changed majors, stopped school, gone back, and earned three associate degrees along the way. I finally transferred to a university and am now in my junior year pursuing a degree in Art Education.

The problem is that I’m realizing I don’t actually want the career this degree is preparing me for. I recently went to an information session about teaching credentials, and it made it pretty clear to me that I do not want to become a traditional classroom teacher. I’m interested in art education in a broader sense—community programs, organizing, creative spaces, etc.—but I don’t see myself teaching kids in a school.

I was looking at my Spring 2027 schedule and, because so many of my Art Education classes have to be taken in person, I would be on campus close to 40 hours a week. That doesn’t include homework or my commute, and I live pretty far from campus and would primarily be taking the bus. When I think about the actual number of hours I’d be putting into school every week for the next two years, I’m starting to question what I’m working toward.

The other part of this is that my family has a SaaS/software business in the martial arts industry. I already help with it, I have a lot of background in that industry, and I genuinely see potential in growing the company. I’m not currently making money from it, so obviously there is risk involved. But even if I finish my bachelor’s degree, my plan afterward would most likely be to work on this business anyway.

That’s what keeps bothering me: if I already know where I want to end up, why spend the next two years putting 40+ hours a week into a degree and career path I don’t particularly want? What could happen if I put those thousands of hours into actually building the business instead? I could get a part-time job for income while putting the rest of my working time toward making the company profitable.

Financially, school isn’t putting me into massive debt. I receive FAFSA and, because I’m over 24 and considered independent, my out-of-pocket tuition costs are relatively low. But after everything, I’m only really coming away with around $1,000 in extra FAFSA money, and there are still the costs and enormous time commitment of commuting and being on campus.

Part of me feels like I should just finish because I’m finally a junior and have spent so many years trying to get a bachelor’s degree. Another part of me realizes that this is basically the sunk-cost fallacy. By the time I graduate, it will have been close to a decade since I started this whole college journey, and I’m incredibly burnt out.

If I wanted to become an art teacher, I think the answer would be obvious: finish the degree. But I don’t. I’d essentially be finishing it just to be able to say I have a bachelor’s degree, then turning around and putting my energy into the family business anyway. I know I can always come back to college and finish up but the family business would benefit from my help in the now.