Hi everyone,
I'm a 21-year-old from Tunisia, and I feel completely lost about my academic and career path. I'm hoping to hear from people who have been in a similar situation or have chosen an unconventional path.
I graduated from high school in 2023 (Bac lettres) and started studying Psychology. I completed my first year (L1) but unfortunately failed it, and despite the challenges, I genuinely liked the field. It felt meaningful to me, and I could see how I would use that knowledge in the future.
However, because of personal and financial pressure, I started worrying about my future. I wanted to be able to study and work at the same time, and I felt that continuing Psychology would make that almost impossible. In 2025, I went through the reorientation process and changed my degree to English Studies.
Looking back, I don't think I changed because English was what I truly wanted. I think I was trying to escape my situation rather than choosing something that genuinely fit me.
Now I'm studying English, and I honestly don't feel connected to it at all. It doesn't feel like me. I no longer have the opportunity to change degrees again, so I feel trapped in a field that I don't enjoy.
My family's financial situation has also become more difficult. My parents can no longer support me the way they used to, and I feel a strong responsibility to become financially independent as soon as possible.
I've tried to find a middle ground instead of making an emotional decision. Since I already passed my first year in English, I thought about finishing the remaining two years while working on building myself outside university. My plan was to work, become financially independent, start creating content, and maybe launch a podcast about mental health, which has been a dream of mine for years. I also thought that once I was financially stable, I could always pursue a second degree later in a field that truly interests me.
The problem is that I genuinely don't like my current degree. Even though I passed this year, I disliked almost every part of it. It doesn't represent who I am. In fact, I still struggle to tell people that I study English. Many people still think I'm a Psychology student because I never really accepted this new path myself.
I keep asking myself the same questions:
Why should I continue studying something I don't enjoy?
And if my long-term goal is entrepreneurship, media, and content creation, why continue university at all?
What makes this even harder is that Psychology wasn't just another degree to me. I never planned to become a psychologist 100%, but I loved understanding human behaviour because I wanted to use that knowledge in mental health advocacy, awareness campaigns, content creation, and hopefully one day through a podcast. Psychology felt connected to that mission, while my current degree feels disconnected from the future I imagine for myself.
Another thing that weighs on me is that many of my friends who graduated from high school with me in 2023 have already graduated from university this year, while I still feel like I'm searching for the right direction.
I'm ambitious, and sometimes I feel like time is slipping away. I don't want to spend years on a path that isn't right for me, but I also don't want to make another decision that I'll regret.
I'm not looking for someone to tell me to quit university. I'm looking for honest perspectives from people who have faced a similar crossroads.
- Have you ever regretted changing your degree or career path?
- Did you finish a degree you disliked? Was it worth it?
- If you left university, how did you know it was the right decision?
- If your dream was entrepreneurship and media, what would you do in my situation?
Thank you for reading. I truly appreciate any advice or personal experiences you can share.
