I'm considering college atm, but I have little to no knowledge on how the process works, credits, the difference between majors minors masters, Core classes etc.. It's all alien to me. Information on the subject on the internet is surprisingly sparse, and public school did nothing to explain college to me, seems like most people are just born knowing how that works. I have no Idea where to start.

Incoming a lot of words. I haven't done anything productive or left the house much since last year. Turned 18 in March. Became a bit of a NEET at 17, dropped out two days into my senior year and just barely scraped by in my third year because I hardly went to school. This isn't a pity party but to describe my situation. I actually am very smart book-wise but I stopped applying myself and doing any work due to depression so my grades slipped from 90s to all 0s. Just recently "snapped" back into my life, realized I mentally checked out in 2023 and now I am reaping the consequences. I've already re-enrolled in my school but because all my friends graduated this year I've planned to just hide in one classroom all day and do my work. Luckily the school is accomodating so I only have to go a couple times a week. 

I think my problem is, once I realized I was becoming older I just gave up, I didn't want to put in effort because everything made me stressed. It was easier to simply "not be stressed". It's hard to drag myself out of it now because, whenever I think of changing my future after being stagnant for so long, my mind stops me and says "it's too late now". I'm on government assistance because my mom stopped getting money for me once I turned 18, too afraid to apply for a job as I can't commit to school every day so it seems far too optimistic. I also suspect I'm autistic, but a diagnosis costs money, and I've already been to two psychiatrists and a counselor with no progress so I have a distrust or simply uncare for medical professionals. Even though I live with my mom she often leaves for days on end, so I'm home alone all the time and it's my responsibility to feed myself, clean and motivate myself to go to work/school. I know this sounds like easy tasks but again, I suspect that I'm autistic or developmentally delayed in some way which makes everything difficult.

What advice do you have for me? For my life or even just my mindset? How do I "start up" again? I feel like I've thrown out all the opportunities that I was on my way to getting, and they've already passed me by.

I have done unimaginable things that has damaged me deeply. Do everyone deserve love and a second chance in life? Will my past always hunt me later in life? Even though I am 21 years old and have turned my life around for the better and made good changes. Do I have to lie about my past if I want to meet a good guy?

Do not give me nice and kind answers, give me hard and direct answers. I need to know how reality actually displays. Do not pity this and just be honest. :)

I don't know if this is the right thread to post in, but I resonated with some of the other posts here. I'm 28F, and I've never felt like I've had control over my life. All of the major life decisions in my life were made by other people, and so now, I find myself living a life I feel I did not choose, and the disatisfaction and resentment is eating me up.

For some background, I was raised in an immigrant family, and we moved around quite a lot throughout our lives (all across the world). Already, this lifestyle was forced on me as a kid who has no say- but my parents were good parents, they sacrificed everything for us, to give us a life better than they had. They're in their 60s now and still working hard.

Career: I've wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. But every child has crazy, unsustainable dreams I suppose, so when it came down to it, I followed in the footsteps of my family, and became a doctor. It didn't seem much of a sacrifice at the time, because biology was my second favourite subject after English Lit, and realistically and practically, medicine offers much more than literature would have. I figured I can always write on the side as a hobby, but to be honest, I feel so dulled down after studying so intensely pretty much all day, every day for the last decade. I feel so burnt out, and at this stage in my career, I feel like a fish trying to fly. To be clear, I wasn't forced into medicine; the pressure was definitely there, but I like to think that ultimately I made this decision myself. I still hold resentment against my parents though.

Marriage: In college, I fell in love with a guy from a different culture. My parents outright said no because of the culture and language differences. I had never felt so unconditionally loved and supported as I felt with him, he genuinely made me feel so much stronger- but alas, after 3 years of trying to convince my parents and the needle not moving at all, I broke up with him. Another factor was that I wanted to get married early, but he wanted 4-5 more years to build his career first- which just didn't allign with me.

Shortly after that breakup, I had a suiter- like an arranged marriage. Everything seemed to line up perfectly with him and we got married rather quickly. That whole first year of our marriage, I felt like I was still getting over my college ex.

My now husband is lovely and I do think that this worked out better than anything else could ever have- but still, a nagging feeling inside me tells me I was pressurized into this too quickly. And now, I feel like my husband has taken the role of my parents and often "chooses" things for me or makes decisions for me. Being married, obviously you can't make decisions freely anyway- you have to factor in a whole other person and their life decisions into yours. Like where we live, buying a house, pets, children, how much I pursuit in my career- I feel like my husband's decision is what will go in all of these. It triggers me, and I often find myself daydreaming of running off into the wild, living in some big bustling city, and being a published writer, and living my own life.

From the outside, my life seems ideal. I'm a doctor, married to the love of her life, my parents love me, everyone love me- and that's the thing right, I'm such a constant pushover for everybody in my life and I just feel like my soul has been neglected throughout all of it. I totally lack contentment and it makes me feel so ungrateful and guilty. Things are good, but I just can't seem to be happy. I know things could be way worse, and people's lives are much more dire than this, but I just feel stuck.

I'm trying to find a career that fulfills my main goals, which I list below. I have some ideas, but I wanted to hear about options I may have never considered or even heard of.

I just got my BS in Computer Science and am going back for an MS this year. However, I've discovered that I can't stand being a code monkey and just writing code or researching libraries all day. (I also hate machine learning.) On the other hand, I have enjoyed problem solving, algorithms, and network protocols. I also enjoy learning languages. I'm fluent in Portuguese and have started Japanese. I also enjoy designing apps, being outdoors, and politics.

I'm going to get my MS in Computer Science because why not at this point, but I'm also open to getting another degree. I've thought about maybe getting an MBA. My dad also constantly tells me I should look into a JD, which I'm not opposed to.

My goals in order:

1. make enough money that money is never a concern
2. strong work-life balance that gives time for other interests like family, travel, hobbies, etc.
3. involves foreign languages
4. preferably not in a depressing office space or cubicle

bonus points: fully remote or lots of foreign travel

I (31m) feel like every time I'm close to improving my life is fades away when I try to grasp it. I've been at a low paying dead end clerical job at a bank for the last 2 years and I can't get a better job to save my life. I still live at my mother's house and I never though I would at this age. Got rejected for a promotion.

I don't have any friends or a girlfriend which makes me feel worse. I'm not very good at finding either.

It's just really hard for me keep getting up every day and go to work since I don't feel like I'm going anywhere constructive in life anymore.

Where do I go from here? Can I realistically like my life?

Hi all. I am a recent graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies from a mediocre school. I graduated a year early and am not necessarily happy with my choice of major. I have no full-time work experience and am currently enrolled to begin a Master’s Degree in Management from a “public ivy” school, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, but am currently having second thoughts about that program because I worry it’s too broad and employers won’t know what to do with it. I also have the option of going to a much lower ranked school, but still AACSB-accredited, for a Master’s in Finance which includes foundation courses to level out my knowledge since I don’t have work experience in the field. I would be able to finish either program with no debt.

I have part-time work experience as a retail-store supervisor and originally began my bachelor’s degree for finance and do have an interest in finance and the broader field of business management. I feel that a second bachelor’s would not be the wisest use of time and money and would rather do a masters.

Any advice is greatly appreciated, thank you.

To add: I am trying to get an internship. Been having trouble getting one with my liberal studies bachelors, employers don’t see me as qualified. I’m trying not to have my head in the clouds and realize that an internship would be crucial during graduate school and know that I need to do one, which I will, permitted I get one.

Also, both programs are online, that’s how it would leave me debt-free. UIUC’s online program lacks access to career services, while the lower-ranked school’s online program does have access to career services.

I hope this doesn't become a long post but basically I have no idea what I want to do in the future, like I genuinely have no aspirations, no goals and no dreams for a career, I do know I want a career and I want to be financially wealthy but I don't know what path to take to get them.

A bit of my background, Family is Mexican so I can speak Spanish, but I was born in the US so I have an American passport, I never lived in the US however, I lived in Mexico for 7 years, then Panama for 3 years, then China for 8 years (so I also speak conversational Mandarin), and I've now spent the last 4 years in the UK.

I did A-Levels in China and I got AAB (Spanish, Biology & History respectively). I then went to the University of Warwick (a respected uni) where I did my BSc in Biomedical Science, then, I also did my MSc in Medical Biotechnology and Business Management at Warwick, where I achieved a Distinction.

After graduating I ended up working for an Investment firm in Canary Wharf even though I don't have much interest in Finance, but I was looking for work in the UK, in a place that offered visa sponsorship and good pay and benefits. I have now been here for a couple of months and there's already talks about which position I'll be moving into from my entry level role (all of which is to move to some sort of finance role).

However I feel like I'm having a crisis, I have 0 passion for what I'm doing or for finance, I find myself unable to know what I even want to do, I have lots of interest in topics but they're all topics for which I would have to go back to uni for, or I am not good enough at Maths/Computer Science for (Astronomy, Nuclear Physics/Radiobiology, Law, Forensics, Architecture, Aerospace/Medical Device Engineering, etc.), but I don't want to go back to studying yet. I didn't enjoy working in a lab as I enjoy social environments and the earning potential through academic research is challenging and not usually high. So I do enjoy science, but its difficult to pursue it in the UK (where Healthcare is public), if I'm working towards a certain lifestyle.

I was thinking of perhaps Medical Device sales as I am very extroverted and get along with most people and I like biotech, however, after working with the salespeople in my investment firm I realize that I wouldn't enjoy the pressure and stress of a sales job. I also know that I enjoy corporate jobs and I wouldn't want to do a trade job, as I worked in a pub for a year (during uni) and did not enjoy it, and it is not the kind of job I want.

So could anyone provide some recommendations for jobs that I could look into that fits in my skillset and aspirations? It could be anything as well, I was even looking at something like petrol companies as they tend to be corporate (higher up), they can pay well, and it could be an interesting topic (not saying its a goal of mine but that it can be something as far left as that).

Thank you for any replies and apologies for the long post!

I am 21M i am thousands of miles away from home for my studies which will have 0% helpful for me in future. It was the mostly the worst decision of my life. My parents took a student loan for me for this. I been to Canada for more than an year i was working for like 6,7 months as a Janitor part time. But due to my class schedule i had to leave it. So for survival i had to relay on my parents and we are middle class family. Not that it is a bad thing. My father did it all by himself when my grandfather wasn't in the picture. When my father was 21 he took care of everything for my aunt's wedding and when he was 22 he got settled in, Had me in his 24. I always look upto my old man but i can't be 10% of man he is. I looked for a part time job for 4-5 months and i finally got one as a delivery guy. But the pay is only up for my survival and gas. I still got tuition fees to pay for my upcoming sems. And I feel terrible to ask my parents for it. And my loving long distance gf left me. I mean no doubt it's not entirely on her. I had half maybe more to lead us into it. I was an introvert kid from the beginning and not a single girl showed interest in me ever except her. She was a beautiful thing happened to me. Even here i don't have anyone to call a friend TBH. My roommates i see them have fun all the time and everyday. I tried to approach plenty of time to mix in them. But things don't go well. When i am on call with my parents i pretend to keep a smile on my face so i don't make em more sad. Except them i only had her with me. I thought we could go through everything together. But that's not how it is. So can anyone please help me how should i get myself together to improve my life. So i can be a better son and an good elder brother. You can be blunt with your thoughts on me.

TLDR: Out of work for a year due to mental health issues and lack of findings. Want to move into my degree (politics) but I am struggling to make connections/land a job. Have considered switching fields to find a secure, stable job that pays well like the trades or something else. Wondering what's the best path forward and options to consider for both.

I'm currently at a point where I'm struggling to find the best path forward and wanted some suggestions/advice on what to do things I haven't considered. I have a double BA in International Relations & Asian Studies and a minor in Creative Writing. Live in Maryland.

I graduated in 2018, was 300+ lbs. and sadly had a bad mindset when it came to being motivated and getting a job.

In 2019 I started losing weight and in late 2020 got my first job at Trader Joe's. It was physical and involved customer work but I felt accomplished and motivated.

In early 2023 I got surgery to remove excess skin from the weight loss, achieved my final goal for that really, and came back to my job ready to pursue a better position or new job with the experience I had gained. I was sadly fired in July 2023 right before they were going to train me for manager as another manager who didn't like me got me fired for joking about the customers.

I was initially motivated to find something new and maybe go into my degree field of politics. But as the weeks and months added up with no callbacks or any information, I felt defeated. I slumped into a depression I didn't realize I was in and shut myself down in my room, saying I'd do better the next day but failing to follow through.

I'm much better now and have the motivation again but I'm running into issues I first encountered nearly a year ago; finding that new job. One part of me wants to move into my field and finally work for something I have an interest in. But getting in can be hard, especially with no political experience and knowing no one in the field. Being in school would've made that easier but hindsight is 20/20 hah. The other side says I should look into a job that's secure and pays well. While it might not be an interest/passion, it will provide the financial security needed to explore passions and interests on the side. Plus I could eventually come to like/enjoy the job.

What would you do in this situation? My experience is from Trader Joe's: a year as a normal crew member who did almost everything there and then 2 years as a section leader. I have an interest and passion for my responsibility as I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment and success for something I'm responsible for. Also enjoy solving the problems associated with that. Politics is something I can talk about for hours and would enjoy with a job but also have wondered if a different field to transition into would be better like the trades.

Thanks in advance for all your help and suggestions.

I started this new job in May and I keep messing things up. I got transferred from another team - they didn't tell me why and one coworker tried to convince me the company just does that sometimes but I know they pretty much just got rid of me without making it awkward. This new team I'm at, I try my best but I keep messing up. The boss doesn't say anything, but the anxiety is killing me. I don't wanna get fired, I like this job and this place, but I feel like my brain just lags sometimes, like it randomly decides to work against me. I don't know what is wrong with me. Should I take some meds to focus better? This makes me a bit worried for my future. I will never have a stable job like this.

I tried attending community college in 2021 but instead of graduating with a degree I met my husband. School was challenging for me. One of the reasons it was hard was that I was only taking my general education courses and didn't have a clear idea of what to study. When I was there I switched my major from cs to physical therapy assistant to occupational therapy assistant to just liberal arts transfer.

My husband also did not graduate college from there either but now wants to go back to school to get a culinary arts degree. I am in full support of this. However, I feel like now I have to hone in and discover what it is that I truly want to do career-wise.

Part thinks maybe I should go into the trades since I am not the best student. However, I don't want to work in a back-breaking industry or go to cosmetology school. Then part of me wants to go back to school but I am scared that I will fail like last time, and it will cost a fortune.

Also, I ideally would want a job that is easily explainable with just the job title. I know that I don't want to have a job that is so complex that when you are done explaining it to someone they still don't understand what you do. Preferably I would also like a four-day work week, not 100% behind a computer, to have a clear positive impact on the community and not in the food industry.

I moved a few years ago in LA pursuing acting. I booked a few films, mostly student films with no pay and footage was bad. I was hoping to get an agent through those but no luck.

I started working a lot, mainly in hotels and restaurants leaving me little time and also no enough money to attend classes consistently. Also I am older, early 30s but I was hoping to look younger.

Anyways all these jobs I have been working are filled with people in their early 20s. Even managers or HR people. They all form cliques and hang out after work and drink. I'm not getting invited and I guess they can tell I'm older than them. Like today my coworker who I only worked with came 2 hours later because she was drunk with my two managers and some other workers. They obviously didn't care that I had to come early in the morning, set up and have so many guests by myself. My managers told her she could come later whenever. It kinda made me jealous that she was invited (she is a new employee) but didn't invite me.

I am kinda tired waiting tables at this age and then always working with much younger people who are there just for some extra money. I like acting and I keep trying but I feel I can find student films at any state. I am also thinking to go to school but again I will be the old one.

Also most of the jobs I have had here are mainly younger people. Is it because of the hotel/restaurant business?

24, male, remote cybersecurity job making close to six figures, living at home with parents, no debt of any kind.

I’ve always felt pressured to have a goal that is tangible and “grand” (degree, job, hiking challenges, skydiving certification) but recently I’ve found that to be less interesting. I am more interested in healing “my inner child” as they say.

I have a lot of trauma: childhood divorce, childhood sexual abuse, a string of toxic relationships and more that have left me struggling with CPTSD, OCD, codependency, and a raging guilt complex.

These things have made it so that I feel incredibly stuck and uncertain with what I want to do with my life. I don’t feel of “sound mind and body” to be making decisions like backpacking Europe while working or doing van life visiting national parks like I originally planned to do with this part of my life.

Lately what I find a lot more attractive is devoting a year to healing through therapy, support groups, self help reading, staying single, creative hobbies - the whole works. What I’m wondering is if it’s “okay” to slow down like this? Like is it okay to take time for me to exist long enough to feel comfortable in my own skin?

(31m) I have a BFA in graphic design. I actually really like my job, I am great at what I do and have a strong reputation among my peers and co-workers. I graduated 2023 and had a job lined up at an agency that I've been working at since.

I'm doing ok financially, living expenses are low and I have no debt. But the pay is just ok at 52K. I have started looking and applying to other jobs that pay more, but are also in HCOL cities.

This gave me pause to think about what other possibilities there are. What other paths are good for someone with a degree like mine? I haven't seriously considered grad school but am open to it. If I continue down my current path, I can do well for myself but it will require a lot of work (like running my own business).

Hi guys, one week ago I turned 26 and this feeling of being too old now hit me up. December 2023 I closed off a toxic relationship with my boyfriend and I’m still suffering, I panick every time I try to go out with another guy, I still feel I love my ex even thought he is the wrongest persone for me and he ruined my last 4 years, and now I don’t have self esteem, like zero, I look myself in the mirror and I feel horrible. Even though I know people say I’m pretty I see my self as a trainwreck, phisically and mentally. I don’t know who I am anymore and now I’m 26 and I feel like I’ve lost in my life, it seems like it’s too late to start again. I didn’t figure what I want in life yet and for this I feel like I’m a disaster. People says that females after 25 lose their beauty so now I feel like I’m gonna be alone in life and no one will consider me anymore, feel like I waste my time loving someone who didn’t love me as much as I loved him and being honest probability don’t love me at all. I truly made everything to make things working out with him till I destroyed myself and I know I did wrong. But now I’m not 21 I’m 26 and feel like have no time anymore. Am I stupid ? Can life be better from 26? All of my friends are now engaged, I still go out with them but I know im not like “their priority” anymore. Please help me, just share your experiences with me don’t know, I feel my future is dark and I’m old now. Is this stupid? Can I start over or it’s too late now at 26?

EDIT: since probabile I expressed myself badly and people in the comment are asking why I’m dating if I steel feel something for my ex, I didn’t want to say I’m dating. Sometimes when I hang out with my friends it happens men to ask me out or asking me giving them my instagram and I was saying just the idea of going out with one them make me panicking cause I’m little bit traumatized and also not ready

What do you do for a living?

Knowing what you know now, what would you begin doing instead if you were to change careers?

Little bit of background: Vet here, possibly looking at 100% VA Disability in the future which is about 50k untaxed a year and able to work. Currently an Airport Firefighter after just switching from a municipality department. Awesome job, great crew, dope schedule... 48 hours on, 96 off. "Busy" hours typically end on shift at about 3pm and then I can workout in the pretty much full gym that we have. Lots of time for mini-cations, hobbies, etc. Pay sucks and benefits package isn't the best but it provides 401k with match, some pension after 30 years, health insurance.. Pay is about 51k a year before OT.

I have been accepted into a VA Program that will pay for the entirety of CAA (Certified Anesthesia Assistant) School and required pre-requisites that I am missing, I already have the Bachelors degree. School is about 28 months and pay out of the gate is about 150-180k. Working in the operating room at a hospital, multiple schedules are available but probably some from of typical 40 hours a week, 12, 10s, or 8's. Fast-paced, consistently busy.

What kind of person are you? If all goes well, 100% VA and my current salary would put me at 100k+/yearly with 50k of that untaxed... would you ride that out with such a chill job that you can workout at, play an instrument, and have four days off between shifts, and maybe seek another way to generate income on days off. Or are you more career-oriented, fast paced worker where the monetary cash is the difference maker? School is paid for. It would be about 4-5 years including all pre-reqs and the program itself. So far I've taken General Bio, A&P1 and 2, and College algebra., and holy schnitzel do I hate going back to school, the frustration, energy and time consumed learning things that will have nothing to do with the job. (Looking at you, math). I've been playing my guitar a LOT more and am picking up a lot more interest that previous in learning music, sometimes I just want to ride out my easy job and focus on music or other hobbies that I find joy in rather than forcing myself through this academic torture. On the other hand, throwing away a 200k paid scholarship for a job that will pay 180k on day one seems super dumb.. and my VA disability would be added to that as well, so 200K+ after graduating. Another enticing aspect of such a job, is that eventually one could move to part-time in order to have more free time, and even doing this job part-time would provide 150$/hourly. Currently 33.. so graduation would be around age 37. For now, I shall continue down my path of academic despair. As I know times goes by rather fast, and I will be 37 soon anyway..

In summary, Easy, chill job, TWO days on and FOUR days off. After 3pm can workout in the gym, play an instrument, watch TV, video games whatever. It's the firehouse at an Airport. Pay is 50k, but with VA disability the future potential is 100k, 50k untaxed.

OR

Would you suffer school for 5 more years to work in the OR at a hospital, busy, fast-paced, surgeons and nurses. Some form of most likely M-F (which scares me, hard to go back to one of those), of 12's, 10, or 8's. Although some 24's and other varying length shifts exists. Can probably retire earlier, or move to part-time after some years. 200k schooling is paid for, and salary range is basically 150-180k after graduating. General consensus is 200k+ In no time.

ba in english and mba. I don't know what to do anymore.

Hi all, 38F I have a bachelors degree in public health, I’m a nurse and studying for my masters in public health. Recent events in my work situation have just left me completely burnt out and discouraged. I need to get out of this working for other people box and always feeling like I’m living paycheck to paycheck. I want to do something that gives me the flexibility I need as a parent but make the money I need to not feel like I’m drowning all the time. I don’t feel fulfilled and I don’t know what my passion is anymore, I’m someone who needs to feel fulfilled. How do I find my passion? How do I figure out a way to make money in a less conventional entrepreneurial fashion? Where do I start??

Hi! I’m graduating college soon with my B.A. in English and Communication Studies. I am ISO Masters programs either in Comm/Rhetoric or Media/Journalism.

I’ve been working on research within the field of rhetoric but I also have experience as a staff writer and sports journalist. As well, I do creative writing and have published some of my written work.

I’m struggling to pin down a program since my interests are really broad.

I would love to go to a program that’s fully funded, stipend would be a plus.

Anyone have any good recommendations for programs? I’m located in the southeast USA but willing to move literally anywhere in the world for good education haha.

Thanks! :)

I just returned from an amazing trip where I travelled the world for 1.5 years and now feel a bit lost. I live in the UK, and am a programmer at a company with hybrid working.

I have a little portfolio and know a couple of programming languages but to be honest, it looks like it's pretty hard to find a job with just these skills (as adverts list so many skills that I've barely scratched the surface). I also haven't worked in this time.

So I started to think what my passions are and what I enjoy and travelling would be one of them, as well as giving advice and helping people plan trips. Also do enjoy creating websites, but yeah, I'm especially looking for something which can be done remotely. It'd also be nice to be self employed than to report to someone above.

I just have no idea how to get started with this, or what could be a potential career path so thought I'd come here for advice as I'm genuinely stumped on what to do (I'm 29, living in England)

I’m (27F) based in a major metropolitan area and currently have been working as a temp for four months now. The company pays by the hour and while I negotiated a higher hourly rate at my interview I obviously have no benefits, etc. The job is an absolute joke and I feel so underemployed, underutilized, and underpaid

However, I think it’s my fault as I realized recently it’s not that I’m incapable of finding a better job but that I simply don’t know what I want to do. Something tells me if I had a clear idea of what I wanted, I’d manage to find a way to make it happen

My entire childhood and early 20s were spent at a musical instrument. After studying in music school under scholarship for my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees which I started at an early age I achieved some success in that. Unfortunately, I hated teaching, realized that only 0.001% subsist on performing alone, and I realized I needed to expand my skills. I returned to school for another Master’s degree in business administration and graduated in 2022. I don’t know how I should position myself for corporate America and I don’t know how people get positions thru other people without making it seem totally transactional. I think I’m too straightforward and probably bad at networking. At this point, I don’t know if I even want to be a part of corporate America or what my other options are! It’s super depressing. I appreciate any advice or insights from this community ❤️

Between school and work, I barely get any time. I have to do all these as obligations, while there are so many questions and doubts pending up inside me that never gets solved. I have to do extra hard at school cause I failed some courses in the past. The time that is left is used for sleep or depression/confusion.

I'm from India and competition here is so bad, you can't slack of a bit or ppl will just find someone else.

I'm a 31 year old woman with a bachelor's in Psychology, master's in Cognitive Neuroscience and a postgraduate diploma in Mental Health Practice. I currently work in a Community Mental Health Team, organising the care of inpatients and people in crisis, helping them to integrate back into the community.

I have been experiencing burnout for a long time now, I would say for atleast a year. I have a caseload of approximately 60 patients, when guidelines for our team outline that each practitioner should have a maximum of 25 patients on their caseload. We are very short-staffed and I really like our manager, so I have been reluctant to leave. However, I do not feel like I'm doing right by my patients, they deserve better support but I feel snowed under by so much work that I'm only just able to give my bare minimum day to day.

Also, I live at home with my parents and siblings, culturally I cannot move out of the family home unless I'm married. I'm the eldest sibling and I help care for my youngest brother (21m) who has severe cerebral palsy and learning disability. My mum (61f) is his main carer. I suspect in the future that I will be the main carer for my parents and youngest brother, as my other siblings have not had these expectations placed on them. My sister (29f) has ADHD and was recently diagnosed with potential autistic traits, after she had a violent outburst with our parents and other brother (26m), she does not work currently and we let her do her own thing otherwise she becomes verbally and physically abusive. My (26m) brother is lovely but doesn't chip in with chores around the house and hasn't ever helped with our youngest brother.

I'm at the age now where I would love to get married, have my own space and support with my little brother where I can. I'm also torn about continuing to work in Mental Health, I feel like it's too late to switch careers and/or I'm operating on the sunk cost fallacy. Based on my qualifications, what other avenue can I go down? Things are a bit too much and I feel like I'm drowning, can anyone advise on how I can navigate and find a path that works for me, based on my qualifications and the support I would need to provide as my parents get older?

Thank you for your help!

(This will be a little scattered. I apologize. Each paragraph is meant to be a separate section/thought)

• So here's my situation right now. I have an English degree, and I'm currently working through a Technical Writing certificate. I chose both as a last resort. I only went to university because everyone else was going and I felt like I should. I did well in university only after things went online during COVID. It took me 8 years to finish my degree but I graduated top of my class with awards. I'm doing well in my certificate program so far but I'm not retaining any info. I know how to get good grades because I've learned the "skill" of school.
• I have job hopped for my entire twenties. Currently working in education because it was the first job I could get out of university, and I hate it. Not the kids but every other aspect of it. I've been burning out for the last 2-3 years.
• I'm married and we're talking about having kids within a year so feeling pressure there. My wife is very talented and amazing. I keep trying to keep up with her but I can't. She's on her way to getting a PhD, excels in her job, and has multiple jobs with ease. I've really struggled with life. I spent my 20s in bad relationships, jumping from job to job, doing really poorly in school, and partying way too much. I got sober around 3.5 years ago.
• I have no passion for Technical Writing so I don't know why I chose this degree. No tech background or interest. I also don't seem to have the attention to detail required for the job.
• I have ADHD and possibly ASD which makes work places and socializing in general really challenging for me. I prefer to be by myself and do repetitive tasks that require me to move around. The best job I ever had was as a janitor in high school. Worked alone in an empty building. It was amazing. Can't do that now because we need money for a house and for when we have kids. Janitor jobs in my area pay around $17 an hour.
• I have always been advised by people around me to go into the trades because "that's where the work is". I've never had the opportunity to try out trades work but there's always been this thing in the back of my mind that I should try it out. I grew up without a father so I never really had anyone to show me the typical hands-on stuff. It would be a massive learning curve but there is an interest there. I just feel like I would do so much better working with things rather than people (machines, computers, etc) just because the social aspect is not there and I like problem solving. Unfortunately I lack experience using either outside of using computers for every day tasks.
• I'm very much someone who needs direction and to be told what to do and held by the hand until I get the hang of something. I make a lot of mistakes when learning something new. I prefer to do things the way they've been done before rather than in a new way. I don't really have what I would call "innovative ideas". I'm more of an order taker or grunt, I guess.
• Most hobbies or interests I have aren't really translatable to making money or the workplace. For example, I like reading old pulp horror paperbacks and trying to emulate the writing style to make my own. It's very niche lol. Most of my hobbies/interests are like that.

I think that's all of it. Any advice and/or comments?

TLDR: Have a degree/pursuing a certificate in fields I don't have any interest in; don't like my job; married and planning on kids soon; really struggling in the workplace; possible ADHD/ASD combo; no idea what to do.

Edit: added stuff

In this youtube video, Ali Abdaal has discussed about the top 5 high income skills for students.

And I'm a 17M student who is looking forward to starting my career. The thing is that I'm looking to start my career probably with a skill discussed in this video.

I want your help, guys. If I want to start off my career with one of these high-income skills, what's the way to go?

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks 😊.

Hi everyone. 28F currently pursuing Honours (I think it’s still undergrad outside my country) and thinking about grad school? (Masters). Apologies, the language isn’t used the same here. I’m studying Corporate Communication.

I want to end up working in Crisis Communication or PR. What’s the job pipeline look like? Is it internship/working at an agency/working anywhere really?

Pls help or any advice would be highly appreciated

31, male, single, live with parents, work full time (pays fine I think), no friends (selfinduced cuz introverted), no hobby.

Im not really "happy" nor "sad". Emotions come and leave in waves over short periods.

I don't particularly feel bad about having nothing going. The only thing I kind of convinced myself to hope for is "full dive" like from fantasy etc. But it seems already now to not be possible, whatever.

Im not socially retarded or something. I have no problems talking with ppl or make friends, I just think I dont want them :/ .

Money stacks itself when you live with parents, have no friends, no hobbies and no gf. Yet I don't want to buy anything.

Planning rn move out first and see if I feel the same when I'm "truly" alone. I work as a service technician so I get "plenty" human interactions at work tho, who knows.

I read a lot about ppl like me, but they feel miserable about their situation. I do feel an emptyness, but I don't feel like I have to fill it. Or "yet" according to ppl.

I cant be an odd duck right? There gotta be more aimless ppl around like me, right?

Are here some readers who are in the same situation and are 40,50, 60? Does anything change?

Hi, Im trying to find a degree that reaches my goals of getting a job at an airline, pursuing managerial roles then starting my own seperate company while also knowing finance so I can pick myself off the ground if I struggle financially whether it be from my company or just in general. I have these degrees noted but I have no idea which one would actually work or if theres another thats better. Masters business administration with finance concentration, Masters finance with corporate concentration, Masters applied finance, Masters Businesses management, Master business and finance. Also Im thinking about getting my CFP alongside whichever degree should I bother doing that? Maybe it could bring me to a different career or it could just help me even more.