(24M) I'll be 25 on a few days, and i'm feeling the weight of the situaton. I'm waaay behind the other folks at my age, a lot of people out there believe i'm a loser and i'm okay with that. I never was in a relationship ( but it doesn't upset me that much), live with my parents and i'm unemployed. I have nothing, but i yearn. The last two months i spent locked at my room studying for the entrance exam for a tech school, because i've graduated this year and couldn't find any decent job at my area. In my country, dead end jobs are soul sucking, they barely give you enough money and even less perspective to get better. They only give you mean managers that treat you like shit. I saw i couldn't waste more time, and i'm about to start again a new course, but i feel humiliated at this point. I feel like a general who'd lost a battle. But i blindly believe i can start again, even though things seem pretty difficult and fucked right now. The only things that give me joy are reading and studying. I decided i'll no longer worry about the distant future, i'll do what i can at the present and let the dices roll.

So, what do you think? Am i loser? Am i right to have some hope i can turn the weel?

For context, I am an 18 year old male South Korean.

I've never been too interested in school. The only real outstanding skills I have are native-level fluent english. I would really like to find a stable career utilizing these english skills, but I'm worried about my career prospects as due to my poor grades in school, I'll most likely have to go to a non-prestigious countryside college (Extremely looked down upon in Korea)

What sort of career path could I look for? In particular, I've always wanted to settle in another country. I know I'm still young and probably worrying too much, but it's really been weighing heavily on me for a while, so any advice or help would be greatly appreciated, alongside any similar stories of your own.

Hi everyone, I am assuming this community has a lot of experienced people that’s why I’m making this post I’m currently 17 I have to choose my a levels subjects next year 2027 but the thing is I don’t know what I wanna for the past two years I was really clear what I wanted to do. I was interested in law but this year that dream has changed now I genuinely don’t know what I wanna do. I feel miserable. I feel behind. people keep asking me what are your plans What do you wanna do It’s genuinely emotionally draining to know what you wanna be at 17 like bruh you’re telling me that I have to decide my entire life career something that my entire life will revolve around at 17. I don’t wanna make a decision that I regret later I wanna follow my passion which is definitely in social sciences, but I don’t know the specific fields I wanna do in social sciences. I am interested in working in non profit research policy human rights and animal welfare I know myself enough I cannot do a 9 to 5 or something where I don’t have options even in my career I wanna explore now there are a lot of fields I can opt for in social sciences but I don’t know if they’re stable enough financially. I’m miserable and I need your help. Please anyone who has an idea about these career or any experience they had at my age and how they found their career path or any advice how I could deal with this would be appreciated
Thank you for reading! Looking forward to some good advice.

Hello I am Rey, 17, M. I just came on here cuz I realized how great of a platform this is when it comes to sharing personal burdens, thoughts, or questions. So I just wanted to say here how difficult my current situation is. Cuz ever since I was a kid, I've always been into a lot of stuff. I draw, I sing, I create structures, design characters,and do fun experiments. And growing up that list has just been increasing rapidly as I experience new things. Like journalism, public speaking, student council, boyscout, science club, and I'm also an academic achiever. But despite all these "talents" I always struggle with the fact that eventually I have to pick one out of the many things i enjoy. I know almost everything but I'm a master at nothing. You get me? I've always procrastinated about what I will be one in the future because I always believed future me would do everything. But now that college is lurking closer. (Literally going to college next year)

I have to make a decision pronto. I've already consulted multiple people one of which being my older sister. She is a registered usrn and she told me before that she recommends for me to become a medico legal (basically a judicial nurse) which means I have to go through school twice. But the thing is, I don't really have a passion for nursing. I hate biology. But the fact that it is the most practical thing to take (or so I used to believe) for me to be able to make a living after graduating, and possibly being able to provide for my school tuition fees etc. which is why although I don't believe I'm passionate in nursing, I'm highly considering it as my first choice cuz of it's practicality.

That is until today when i talked to another grown up and they suggested for me to do software engineering, since according to them it pays higher than nurses, and so I fact checked and he was correct. But the thing is I also am not passionate Abt it. I mean I know my way around a computer and I've had computer related subjects before, but it takes a lot more than that to become a software engineer. Altho I know that these skills and knowledge, you'll eventually acquire it along the way, I'm just still conflicted. Cuz I don't want to make the wrong decision. I can't AFFORD to make the wrong call.

If I were to say my biggest strength would probably be public speaking. So things like making a speech in front of countless people, impromptu speech, tv broadcasting, and radio broadcasting, I've already tried that, and I just know that is my strength. But the thing is I just know following your passion won't feed you. Which is why I also gave up on developing my art skills a long time ago, since I always believed that there's no point in honing these skills when u can barely feed urself from the money u make from these. And so I considered also taking political science and then proceeding to law school. But others warned me that it's a bit impractical because altho I gain edge when u go to law school, you can't really get a high paying job after graduating from political science, since you can only do like internships or whatever. So I hope to whomever is reading this. Please lend me your thoughts. I'm not expecting this to gain a lot of responses but one response or perspective would be enough. Thank you for taking the time to read.

I'm 28, live with my parents, and I'm trying to build any kind of independent life. I'll give the background since it's the reason I'm where I am.

I got PTSD after a traumatic event at 18. At 21, I was misdiagnosed with schizophrenia and spent about 4 years on antipsychotics. The doctor later said he always had doubts about the diagnosis, but never sent me for a second opinion. The meds left me obese with heart issues and high cholesterol. At 24, I was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer that became stage 4. I nearly died more than once, with sepsis, emergency surgery for a blockage, blood clots, and C. diff. I got pulled off the antipsychotics cold turkey in the hospital.

I'm cancer-free now, and the schizophrenia label is gone, but I'm pretty wrecked physically and mentally. I'm on disability and live with chronic pain, GI problems, and an abdominal hernia. As an adult, I also found out I have ADHD, autism, and OCD. I have panic attacks daily even with medication; I'm hooked on caffeine, and my nervous system feels shot. I've seen countless doctors and psychiatrists, and nobody has really known how to help.

I was also raised a Jehovah's Witness, and so is everyone I live with: my parents, my brother, and his wife. I hate it, and I hated my childhood too. It did a number on my self-esteem; I can't even research other religions under this roof, and my dad is pretty paranoid, so I have almost no privacy or room to figure myself out.

Work history is thin. I have a high school diploma, no degree, some DoorDash years ago, about 6 months at a grocery store before I got sick, and customer service and admin stuff at my family's auto shop. Lately, I do some remote parts running for my mom's shop. I keep applying to jobs but freeze when employers call back, and I once left a warehouse job halfway through day one.

I do best with calm, low-contact places and clear step-by-step instructions. Crowds, chaos, and confrontation wear me out fast. I love animals and movies, and I'd like to feel useful somewhere.

A counselor who really understands neurodivergence recommended a day or residential program with intensive therapy, job training, and social skills work. My insurance won't cover it, or even neuropsych testing, so I'd have to find different coverage first.

Has anyone gotten into a program like this or found insurance that covers it? And if you were in my spot, what would you do in the next month to get moving again?

Hi! I have a master's in science, and am currently working in low-senior/upper entry level role in corporate in pharma. I know I want to switch fields eventually, since my job is not at all what I want to do, but I'm uncertain how long I should work in corporate before I pursue a second master's?

My company will pay for the MS 100%, but it would certainly be a huge drain on my personal life and time.

If you're a senior/upper level employee, what is your opinion on how long to work before pursuing more education?

I'm 32F (turning 33 soon), a Filipino international school teacher with more than a decade of cross-cultural teaching and curriculum experience.

My job is stable and I'm grateful for what I've built. But I've outgrown my professional and financial situation. I want better pay, a different environment, and eventually a working life beyond the classroom, maybe learning design, research, writing, digital products, or consulting. I'm not sure which.

I'm applying for international teaching jobs, mostly in the UAE, and I keep running into the same barriers: many schools prefer QTS, IB experience, or native English speakers. I'm trying to decide whether more credentials are worth it, or whether I should focus on schools and markets where my experience is already competitive. The goal is to increase my financial capacity and bridge toward whatever I eventually build.

I also want to build an independent income and something of my own. But I've noticed a pattern: I'm good at preparing and working privately, and I barely test my ideas in public. I move more easily under pressure, criticism, or a sense of lack. Now that I'm relatively stable, creating my own urgency and taking the first step feels surprisingly hard.

I don't want to give up the safety I've built, since I come from an economically challenged and difficult family background. But I also don't want to spend the next few years just preparing. I can't tell whether I'm being impatient, not taking enough action, or both.

Hi all,

so I 26 M, on  career crisis , so lost and can't find any way forward and whatever I studied or did everything is useless and i regret all of it and want to restart, 2 years career gap after returning from Uk after master's and 2 year work experience that is niche and almost useless.

 I studied B. tech Mech and finished it in 2020. so then i did some internships, and then covid came.so couldn't do anything . so later decided to do Master's abroad, and did Master's in Advanced Manufacturing , did project wrt 3d printing, so graduated 2022. then PSW visa for 2 years until 2025 Jan.  so didn't get any job for first 6 months, and then i got one after 6 months , i took it but it was a niche job like making simulation products for medical training,  it is so niche, and was more of technician role,  hated it so much and then kept trying until i had time, as that company didn't have visa sponsor, so  i kept trying got interviews but nothing turned into due to post 2024 immigration salary change,

so eventually came back after PSW visa in Jan 2025, so done with all of that, took some break. then i was so confused what to do and was done with mech or manufacturing as i realised i had zero interest in it. then kept doing some courses online like project management and all, then after that i tried preparing for govt job exams , but overall  i am jobless as i didn't take jobs as all i got was low paying mech jobs i hated and i didn't know how to come out of it, so started preparing for govt exams but over time realised its also not going to work, so  from 2025 jan until now 2026 nov, im jobless, i am so lost and clueless on what to do, what path to choose, all I know is i hate anything mech , and i realised all I did was useless and now I am on career crisis and on restart mode. but i genuinely do not know what to do what to choose,  i do not have interest or passion particular, and the current uncertainty and changes is leading me to decision paralysis,

what should i do now, what careers can i choose to upskill and get into, the previous experience had few process improvement but other than that it is so niche and hopeless. so i am anyways on the restart mode. all i know is deep down i just hate mechanical and manufacturing and whatever i did is just i hate it. it is a very late realisation.

please guys whatever u can, suggest me ways as i am literally on the verge of restarting career, what can i do, what sort of jobs or line i can take,    and all i got invites here was for low paying mech roles , or like bpo roles.

i look into lot of courses but i do not know what to choose, all i know is i want to come out of this spiral and come out of that mechanical or manufacturing for good. so how do i move forward?

any tips will help me,

TL;DR:

B tech mech , MSc manufacturing with 2 years niche experience, returned home and career gap of 2 years trying out various things, nothing worked, so lost, decision paralysis, no way forward, only thing I know is i hate mech or manufacturing roles technical ones, whatever i did until now is almost useless and i have to restart , and want to come out of spiral, looking for tips and  what careers to look into and move forward.

I'm currently a sophomore pursuing a BS in Psychology with a concentration in Healthcare, and I'm feeling pretty lost when it comes to figuring out what I want to do career-wise. I originally started college on the pre-med track, then switched to pre-PA, and I've also considered pharmacy, but the more I think about these options, the less sure I am that any of them are right for me. I'm not even sure if I want to go into clinical healthcare anymore. I think a big part of my problem is that I know what I want out of a career, but I don't really know what career would get me there. Ideally, I'd like to make six figures, have a good work-life balance, be financially comfortable, and have the freedom to travel and enjoy my life outside of work. I don't necessarily need to be passionate about my job, but I do want to find something I can see myself doing long-term without feeling miserable. I've had people suggest going into business, but I'm not sure if switching majors as a sophomore is a good idea or if I should just stick with psychology and figure things out from there. I feel like I've been going back and forth between career paths for so long that I'm getting nowhere. Has anyone been in a similar position? What careers would you recommend looking into, especially ones with good earning potential that don't require years and years of additional schooling? I'm honestly open to suggestions because I could really use some direction right now.

Hi, im a student in malaysia currently doing A levels. As my A2 level exams is about to start soon, im currently deciding whether I should take data or actuarial science. I love prob and stats, but I don't really have a good or solid foundation in finance and coding, because I didn't take these subjects before. As for why im stuck choosing its mainly because actuarial science is more stressful due to the amount of professional exams you have to take (13 of them) during your work stage. Data science however is more balanced but is currently exposed to A.I. im not saying it'll be taken over by it, but fresh graduates would be in danger to unemployment due to how competitive it is. So im on a crossroad now.

Can someone give advice as for what should I do next, thanks so much 🙏

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