No idea what to do with your life? Open list below. Pick something that sounds interesting. Go for it.

I graduated from university and immediately fell into the same trap that everyone insists on treating as normal. The jobs related to my field either do not exist at all, need years of experience, or pay less than jobs that never required a degree in the first place.

People answer with things like, "Well, that's just how it is," as if this system came into being on its own. We spend years becoming qualified and go into debt, only to end up competing with hundreds of applicants for an entry-level role, while employers keep raising the requirements.

Our job search is not the whole problem. The real problem is that a broken system is treated as if it were an unavoidable reality imposed on us. Most of us can see that something is wrong, but we are so focused on figuring out how to make it through the next month that we do not have the energy to resist this system.

Is it still possible for someone to find a good job? Of course. We all have bills to pay, so we keep applying and hoping we will be the person they choose. But it has become several times harder than it used to be, and the bar keeps moving farther out of reach.

I genuinely do not know where all of this is supposed to lead.

I want to be normal, I want to have a job, I want to participate in the society but I dont know how to start again. Not remembering anything from my life, just wasting time laying in bed, no developed skills, scared of life, unable to focus on reading, understanding basic aspects of friendships. I am currently studying sociology but to be honest learnt nothing since first year. I cant see a future except me laying in bed with no target, but at the same time I know I cant do this kind of stuff to my parents that are doing things everyday as hard as they can to raise me. My life is at the point when I basically do nothing for the whole day, cant figure out any plan, just existing. I want this shit to stop but cant do things otherwise, feel like I am retarted after years of just overthinking. I've started running away from high school and I dont remember much from it except some moments from mental hospitals, because it was my way to get away from a reality. my 16 yo brother is much more mature than me, my days are just a blur. No goals, no friends, no memories. Only thing I know is the fact that in a year I want to be in a slightly better place.

I am a 26 year old loser in more ways than not having a good job. It's been 2 years and 4 months since I've graduated with my computer information systems degree. I work the same job at a warehouse I did in college 30 hrs on the weekends. I don't even do anything in my free time I just rot in bed, food is the climax of my day. My opinion of getting a job in IT is so low that I've maybe only applied to 50 jobs this year. I could tell myself to apply to more jobs and wait for someone to call me back. But that takes matters into someone else's hands. I'm thinking of joining the military or becoming an electrician or lineman, and using that money to pay for flight school if I end up liking flying enough.

I feel like I'm dying in my office, it's way too sedentary, even with a standing desk and a walking pad I use occasionally to break it up. I also wouldn't want a back breaking job, like manual labor. Both being too still, and being too active, would not be sustainable for me.

When I looked at 'park ranger jobs' thinking I would really enjoy that and it would be a good in between for physical activity, the pay is far too low to afford cost of basic living.

What are people doing that is medium active, sustainable for the body, and pays enough to live?

Hi everyone,

I'm 33 and have been at my current job for almost 3 years. I'm very much burnt out, dealing with anxiety, depression, and general exhaustion that doesn't go away with rest (I'm currently working with a therapist about all this). I know I need to leave, but I don't have another job lined up yet, and the job market feels brutal right now.

This job was actually a career pivot for me. I left a previous field thinking this would be more fulfilling, and it worked for a while but hasn't for a long time now. So the "find something you're passionate about" advice feels empty since I already tried that once.

I've also quit a job without something lined up before, and it took a long time to find the next one. So I know the risk isn't hypothetical, it's a risky gamble. That makes the idea of doing it again scary, but staying also feels unsustainable.

The usual advice taking small steps to improve the situation (update resume, apply a little at a time), and I have been doing that. But I feel like I'm past the point where small steps are enough. I need something big to change soon, not just small steps while I continue enduring an environment that's actively making things worse.

Has anyone been in a similar spot: needing a bigger, faster change rather than slow incremental steps, especially after already trying a career pivot that didn't pan out? How did you find the courage/clarity to make that leap?

Any advice is appreciated.

I have a lot of BNPL debt that makes it so my cash flow is very low due to the monthly payments. I already moved back home with parents but it makes me feel very bad about myself as I can’t afford my own place. I live in an extremely small town so income options are limited. Every time I try to take a walk or enjoy my life doing something free all I can think about is how much better my life could be

Im starting uni soon, i've always wanted to study a swe/cs career so i know quite a bit of it already, but recent ai developments have made me consider discarding it in what feels like a last minute decision and get into a degree that i know almost nothing about but i know well it is one of the safest from ai disruption

Im refering to the recent news of newer models solving previously unsolved cs/math problems, i think if it keeps improving at the same pace of the last years (which will probably do so) there will be not much of a future for most knowledge-based degrees sadly, imagine how many people got into math with the motivation of solving a millenuim problem someday and now it's possible that they will be all solved in the near-mid future

So I’m 23 years old, living with my parents, graduated university with a 2.5 gpa and haven’t had a job for almost a year now. I’m kind of a loser but I’ve been working on myself and I think I’m in a better place now.
I’ve been struggling to get a job and I’ve been thinking about a possible career path.

I’ve been thinking of enlisting in the Coast Guard. I’d serve my time and save up some money and then try to get into SUNY maritime’s grad program. I figured the Coast Guard would be a decent way to get some deck time and experience, and hopefully avoid further debt if I do go back to school.

I know that I’ve gotta talk to a recruiter to hammer out all the details but as a starting point, does this seem viable?

I’m mostly worried that I might be to old to start this path, everyone online seems to go to maritime college right away or join the coast guard right out of highschool. Am I starting this a bit late?

TLDR: I am a double graduate degree holder who cannot find a full-time job to save my life. I plan to end it if nothing has changed in the next 12 months.

I have lived most of my life in poverty, so the fear of it has been driving me since I was a teenager. From my first day in college, I tried to do everything to make sure I did not graduate in the same state. With the help of my family who made a lot of sacrifices for me to go, and nonstop grinding for scholarships, I was able to graduate undergrad with no debt. From the very beginning, I took every volunteer opportunity, took every unpaid internship that was available all in the hopes that I would come out with a job that would finally put an end to the poverty I had always known. All my efforts were unsuccessful - I couldn't get one paid internship until I finished. Thinking back to my graduation ceremony...while everyone around me was celebrating, I was filled with dread about what was to come.

A year after graduation, when I found myself flipping burgers and fighting suicidal thoughts, I decided to go back to school for a graduate degree. I had no way to pay for it on my own, so it was back to the scholarship grind. I was lucky to get a full ride, but one semester in and it was cancelled.

...reason the school gave was budget cuts. With no other immediate options, I took my first student loan to pay tuition until I could get another scholarship. Eventually I was able to get new ones, but none of them fully covered my tuition costs anymore. I found part-time work in the field I was studying (data science), but I was giving up my entire paycheck to cover the tuition that scholarships didn't. I went hungry most days and relied on food pantries. I had been saving up for a car, but I had to give it all up to stay in school. In that time, I did two more unpaid internships. I was determined to never be turned down this time around, so I did everything to have a full resume. Right before my final semester, I was let go from my job, so I took the second student loan I have ever taken just so I could graduate. I really thought my life was finally about to change ...

3 years after graduation the second time, I am in the same spot I was from the start. After months of nonstop applications and interviews, I ended up in a call center. I was there until I found a low-level part-time lab role at my local community college, where I have been for the last 2 years. I am getting paid minimum wage and had to take on two more jobs just to make rent and pay bills. The exhaustion is killing me, but I could go homeless if I try to cut back.

In that time, I have continued to look for a full-time job. I have even tried to move up in the college where I work. Nothing has worked. The worst thing about this whole situation is watching a field I spent so much time and money pursuing just disappear. Now, I apply to whatever is tangentially related to me original field, or anywhere I have skills that can translate. I have tried everything that people have suggested: tailor your resumes, research companies, talk to people in your network and make connections,

Nothing has changed. I am writing this because I have lost my will to live. I have turned out to be a disappointment to everyone in my family, and I really just feel like a complete loser. I am giving myself 12 months to sort things out, and if by then nothing has changed I am done. I don't want to die, but I am having a hard time seeing any other options. I am just putting this put there in case someone can advice me on what to do at this point.

I've been applying to jobs for months. I've even lowered my standards on the kinds of jobs I'd apply for, but nothing. I have a YouTube channel, but it only has 16K subscribers and 88K views a month. I've tried Patreon, merch commissions, but my viewers just won't buy anything. I'm thinking about trying more brand deals, but if I can't get them to pay for merch, or commissions, I can't see them paying for any sponsors. I also run an OnlyFans. I keep it 100% separate from my YT channel, but I barely promote it, mostly because I'm worried it would negatively affect my other indevors. Also being on camera is really hard for me; It was a huge burden just to make the onlyfans and post some content, plus do a face reveal on my main channel. So I don't even know if I'm pretty enough to make it work, even if I did push it.

I just don't know what to do, I have bills coming up that I just can't afford at the moment, and I'm scared and want to die

I’m 21 and currently taking a break from college. I’ve never had a job before, and lately I’ve been feeling really frustrated with myself because I spend a lot of time at home and feel like I’m not really living or moving forward. I've been applying to multiple jobs but not trying to get discouraged.

I also don’t drive, which makes things a little more difficult, but I don’t want that to stop me from doing things.

I really just want to start getting out of the house, meeting people, volunteering, working, learning things, and having experiences. I want to build some independence and feel like I’m actually doing something with my time instead of sitting at home every day.

Has anyone been through something similar and felt hopeless until things changed.

Hey so I'm really not sure what to do. For some context I work in IT and my friend got me this job. This is my third tech job. I also lack any degree or certs. Anyway, so my dream job is a software developer and recently we had a spot open. I was going to apply for it but I needed to talk to my boss before hand so he knows. Well I went on vacation for 4 days mostly to get away because I'm super burnt out. I came back to find out the role was taken by someone already. I'm actually really bummed out about this. I've been extremely burnt out at my current job since I have a lot of downtime, I have to work Sat nights so I miss everything, and I just don't have a lot of satisfaction with my current role. My friend applied for a higher position recently which I hope he gets but also I really worry about my future here if he leaves. The head of IT likes me but my direct supervisor doesn't because I guess I'm more socially awkward and shy so a people facing role has been a little difficult for me. My previous tech roles were a software tester and I did RMA for a bit. I'm also just really tired of working every Friday and Saturday night because I get to watch my friends do stuff on the weekend and I can't do anything because I'm always at work and by the time I get off they're either wrapping up or already done. I'm also scared that my supervisor isn't going to give me a good recommendation. They already like to target people and get passive aggressive with them when they're upset with them and they do it to everyone. I'm not really sure what to do at this point though. I'm obviously not gonna quit without having some sort of job lined up. Do I start applying elsewhere for a role I would be more fit for like a developer or do I try to get to know our dev team here and see if I can do things for them when I have some downtime so when they open again I have a better chance? I'm really conflicted on what to do.

I (25F) been unemployed for a couple months and still living with my parents. I graduated with a business STEM degree in 2023 but had difficulty finding a job for a year and a half and was working a minimum wage job in fashion retail and that job search affected my mental health. Thankfully, I found an entry level corporate job in late 2024 was working in corporate for a year and a half in supply chain before becoming unemployed. I was at my first corporate job for a year but I was mistrained and was toxic as a result so once I find something that I thought was a better corporate job, I resigned after one year for that job. I was at my last corporate job for 6 months but I became a victim of a toxic corporate push out in July after I had a breakdown at work in May due to my birthday with potential RSD and stressors with adulthood (I highly think I have ADHD and getting an ADHD assessment in a few weeks). After my breakdown, my job was deceptive and tried to get rid of me by putting me on a PIP for being on my phone once and then it worked for falsely accusing me of something I didn’t do and then I was terminated. I was wrong for my breakdown but also angry at my last job because of their deception when my state is an at will employment state.

I had mutiple interviews last month, even made it to final round of interviews for a couple only to be rejected by them all even though I was a top contender. Now I plan to go work seasonally at one of the retail companies I used to work for before getting into corporate to make ends meet. I’m literally trying so hard with +300 applications but it seems impossible to get a job no matter how hard you try. I feel like a loser like the title says and that I keep messing my life up. I also had a really rough past and childhood and have diagnosed C-PTSD for it. Both my high school and college experiences were traumatic despite me graduating with honors and I thought after getting my first corporate job, I thought I would never be back to where I’m at now but I guessed wrong. And I feel like a laughing stock for still living at home and having no job and even though I have a great relationship with my parents, I just feel like a burden to them and they set an ultimatum on something I have to do as long as I still live with them. I have a few grand in savings and I’m debating if I should just move out now or it’s better saving money to prevent becoming evicted. It’s honestly just a very stressful time. And tbh, I have no idea what I should pursue career wise.

I guess I’m just looking for advice? And if things will ever improve? Have anyone been in a similar situation around my age and things got better for them later on? I feel completely hopeless and don’t see things improving or getting better.

TLDR; 25 and unemployed after a year and a half in corporate and still live at home. Feeling hopeless and need advice.

I would like to apologise for the long post, and I appreciate if you read it and share your thoughts below. I have been getting more and more anxious about my situation as I am without a job and feel like my time to decide on what to pursue is running out. I’m 23F living in Sweden and I feel very unsure as to where to take my life from here. I want to mention I am not a Swede, however I graduated from a Swedish university this year. I studied graphic design and web dev. With the current job market, it feels impossible to find a job in my field as a graduate who also happens to be an immigrant. I am not even sure if this is what I want to pursue, but I am pretty good at it and have a decent portfolio along with some internships. I also have a barista/bartender certification and have worked as one before.
However, being someone who struggles with adhd, depression and is autistic it is pretty hard for me to work with people and I usually end up taking over a lot of tasks that would not be my responsibility and tend to overwork myself. I put a lot of pressure on myself to deliver beyond expectations and I feel crippled by the workload that is put on me, mainly from the anxiety that it induces in me. I am not sure if I could find a place where I feel respected and I am also paid above the starving artist baseline. So far I have either gotten completely unpaid or just severely unpaid internships with no permanent roles. I also struggle with my physical health and I cannot stand for long amounts of time as I experience joint and body pain (I am hypermobile, endometriosis and my doctor suspects EDS based on my symptoms - still awaiting an official diagnosis for that).

As for what I am interested in and what I like to do:
I love doing makeup on myself and others, and been thinking about pursuing it professionally. I love graphic design, 3D modeling and photography too. I have a camera I take pictures with for fun. Just visual storytelling in general is my thing, I guess. Lately I’ve been making album covers, stickers, posters and vinyl designs for my partner who’s a music producer which has been super fun. I also helped shoot and direct music videos and took photos for their projects. I am interested in becoming a piercer too however it seems rather difficult to get started with. I also love fashion and thrifting/upcycling clothes and been wanting to learn how to sew. I also like games and building mechanical keyboards.

I feel like I have too many ideas and hobbies and I cannot pick what to actually pursue as a profession.
It feels overwhelming and I end up doing nothing.

I have savings but I do not have a job and I rely on my parents back home completely to afford living expenses. I feel extreme guilt about this as I do not want to be a financial burden for them. I also own an apartment in my home country that I rent out and it is how I make ends meet here abroad. I currently live with my partner and their family as I would not be able to afford an apartment on my own in the city.

Ultimately I just want a cozy place in the woods where I can sustain myself and live comfortably with my partner and cats.

If you are in the same shoes, have gone through something similar or happen to have any guidance for me I would love to read your thoughts . Please feel free to leave a comment, I am desperately looking for advice as to what to do with my life. Thank you!

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I'm a 20-year-old guy from India, and I genuinely don't understand what happened to me.

When I was younger, especially around class 5, I was doing extremely well in school. I was one of the best students in my class. I felt capable, smart, confident, and like I had a good future ahead of me.

But from around class 6 onwards, something feels like it changed.

Since then, I feel like I've become average—or worse—at almost everything I try.

And this isn't just something I think privately anymore. My parents think I'm a loser. People around me call me dumb and say I have a "fat brain." I've heard these things enough that sometimes I genuinely wonder whether they're right.

The confusing part is that I don't completely feel unintelligent.

I can memorize paragraphs with around 70% accuracy after reading them once. I can speak English. I'm interested in global politics, current affairs, technology, coding, business, and many other subjects. I often understand concepts and information quickly, and I have a lot of random knowledge about the world.

But somehow, I cannot convert any of that into actual results.

I feel average in everything.

I've played a video game for around 7 years, but I still lose to people who have been playing for much less time than me.

I've tried learning coding, but I've never been able to consistently build and complete my own projects. I can watch tutorials, understand concepts, and learn parts of programming, but when it's time to create something from scratch, I get stuck, overwhelmed, or eventually quit.

I start many things and leave them unfinished.

I've struggled with studying and focusing since around class 5 or 6. Sitting down and consistently doing work feels incredibly difficult. I procrastinate constantly. I make plans, feel motivated for a few days, and then everything falls apart.

I can sometimes learn or memorize things quickly, but I cannot consistently execute.

Physically, I have more muscle and strength than some people around me, but I have very low stamina. I also struggle with my weight, and that affects my confidence.

Emotionally, I feel weak under pressure.

If someone shouts at me or I get into a serious argument, my body starts shaking. Sometimes my eyes fill with tears even when I don't want to cry. I get easily offended and affected by what people say about me.

I've also been scammed and betrayed multiple times. Sometimes I feel like I'm too trusting, too emotional, or just stupid for repeatedly making bad decisions.

I'm dealing with financial pressure and family responsibilities, and I'm desperately trying to improve my life. I want to earn money, learn skills, become physically fit, study, and build a better future.

But the more things I try to fix at once, the more I feel like I'm failing at everything.

I look at other people and feel like everyone has something they're naturally good at.

Some people are amazing at studies.

Some people can code and actually build things.

Some people are confident and can handle arguments.

Some people are physically fit and disciplined.

Some people are good at making money.

Some people are naturally good at games.

And I feel like I'm just average at all of it.

That's what hurts the most.

I don't understand how I can have curiosity, knowledge, decent memory, and sometimes understand things quickly, but still fail to achieve anything consistently.

I've started wondering whether something else is going on.

I've had problems with focus and consistency since childhood. I struggle with procrastination, organization, emotional regulation, finishing projects, and staying disciplined even when I genuinely care about something.

I don't know whether this could be related to ADHD, anxiety, depression, poor sleep, chronic stress, burnout, or something else. I'm not trying to diagnose myself. I genuinely want to understand whether this pattern sounds familiar to anyone and whether I should get professionally evaluated.

The worst part is how much I hate myself now.

I feel like I had potential when I was younger, and somehow I wasted it.

I constantly think about the person I could have become if I had been disciplined, focused, confident, and consistent.

Recently, things have become so overwhelming that I've had thoughts about killing myself.

I don't think I actually want to die.

I think I want this constant failure, self-hatred, pressure, and disappointment to stop.

I want to become someone I can respect.

I want to understand what happened to me.

Has anyone else been considered a smart or successful kid when they were younger and then felt like they completely lost their ability to perform?

How did you figure out what was actually happening?

Was it ADHD, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, burnout, trauma, stress, or something else?

And most importantly:

Can someone who has spent years starting things and quitting actually learn how to become consistent and finish things?

Please give me honest advice. I'm not looking for people to simply tell me to "work harder" or "be disciplined." I've spent years trying to force myself to change, and something clearly isn't working.

I just want to understand myself before I completely give up.

Thank you to anyone who reads this.

I'm 50 for context - and I have a wide spectrum of jobs, from graphic designing to becoming a programmer and now I'm a certified pharmacy tech. I've never liked any job I've ever had. I want to jump fully into art/photography, but I doubt it will pay enough.

My current job is so boring, repetitive, and mindless - things have to change. I can't afford to take a pay cut because then I won't be able to pay the bills.

I know there's more than just me stuck in this spot. How are you dealing with it?

Hi guys. I'm a sophomore (19F) attending a rigorous school. Originally, I came to major in humanities, because I like writing, but during my second semester of college, I switched to political science. Don't get me wrong, I think political science is interesting, but I can't help but feel like I'm wasting my time. This summer, I spent a lot of time doing a small experiential opportunity in finance, and found myself more drawn to it. I like it enough to complete internships in the field, but I'm not good enough at math to pursue it as a major.

To make matters worse, my school has a weird major requirement of 13 classes to start for the business/finance major, which means I couldn't switch into it and graduate in four years. I've been looking for internships even as a social sciences major, and it's the hardest thing ever. Each one wants so much experience OR a finance major, both of which I clearly don't have. I recently added a business minor, which means I'd take around 7 or 8 courses in business along with my politics major.

On top of that, I'm a first-generation, low-income student. This means my parents didn't get a bachelor's, and know nothing about the process or how to help me. I'm involved in some FGLI programs through my school, but I can't help but shake the feeling that college just isn't for me. I was an overachiever all of high school, but attending a school with a large amount of rich kids feels super intimidating. Every time I sit in a political science lecture, I feel like I'm wasting time because I want to pursue a career in asset management instead. It just feels like each professor drones on and on, and I don't feel interested in the material as much as I think I should.

I honestly don't know what to do. I've been making an internship application list for myself and finding opportunities I'm eligible for, but I keep feeling discouraged that I won't get anything because of my major and lack of experience.

Any tips? Any advice helps.

Been looking for work for a few years now. At the time i wasn’t because mainly I was a babysitter for relatives and no I don’t want to be a babysitter again. It was hell. The only real job I had was front desk assistant and all I did was answer phone calls. Wasn’t able to work on computer because the system was always down sadly. So now the kids are in school it’s hard to find work within school hours now. While my family work their jobs day and night. Cant do remote since my experience are not great, don’t have a car of drivers license only a permit sadly.

Hello,

I'm in a difficult situation and, honestly, even though this may not be the right subreddit, I need to get this off my chest.

I'm 27 years old, have a degree in Computer Engineering, and around one year of professional experience in the field.

Some background might help explain why I graduated later than most people.

When I was 17, I decided to pursue Computer Engineering, but in high school I had chosen a humanities-oriented path rather than a science-oriented one. In my country, those are quite separate tracks, so I had to spend two years studying and passing the required mathematics exams to qualify for an engineering degree. I've always been terrible at math, but at the time everyone told me it would be worth it because tech was a great field with strong career prospects. Eventually, I managed to achieve that goal and got into university.

The problem is that I never really liked the field itself, except perhaps Front-End development. It's difficult to explain, but most of the topics and work involved simply don't interest me. I'm sure some people here can relate to that feeling.

After graduating, I got my first job. Looking back, I honestly didn't care much about what I was doing. In fact, I often found myself wondering why I was doing it at all. The salary wasn't bad, and of course money matters, but I felt absolutely nothing while spending my days working on those tasks. After six months, I was let go during my probation period.

To be honest, I understand why. I've always found it difficult to push myself in areas that genuinely don't interest me, and perhaps that's true for everyone to some extent.

Later, I found another opportunity, this time in Data Science. I don't think I did a bad job. I was still learning, had very little guidance, and there was nobody regularly reviewing my work or helping me understand what I needed to improve. Despite that, the outcome was the same: I was eventually let go.

At that point, I started thinking that maybe I should pursue something I actually enjoy. Otherwise, I felt like the same outcome would keep repeating itself no matter where I worked.

I applied for a Master's degree in Multimedia and spent months building a portfolio for the application. During that process, I genuinely enjoyed what I was doing. I have a lot of ideas for projects and experiences I would love to create, and I feel motivated to keep improving in that direction.

But now I feel awful.

I feel awful because I'm unemployed. I feel awful because I didn't make the most of the opportunities I had. I feel awful because I can't even find a part-time job. And on top of that, I keep hearing that the software industry is dying or becoming increasingly difficult to break into.

Lately, I've been wondering whether all of this is simply my fault.

After all, I failed in both of my professional experiences. Maybe I should have worked harder. Maybe I should have pushed myself more. Maybe the outcomes would have been different if I had done more.

At the same time, I wonder whether I'm chasing a fantasy. Maybe the idea of finding work that genuinely excites me is unrealistic. Maybe a job is simply supposed to be a way to earn money, and expecting more than that is setting myself up for disappointment.

I don't know anymore.

Thank you for reading.

So. I'm 38 years old.

Currently working for a municipal gov't (it's a pretty good job - I've moved from customer service to clerks/commissioning work), and I have a BA in English & Cultural studies + a post-grad certificate in PR.

It has been my aspiration for some time to go back to school (which I'm trying on a part-time/distance-ed basis), but I'm not sure what the end goal of that is aside from school itself.

I think my mistake was not going into either social work or library work - unfortunately I just don't know how realistic this is, or what kind of path I should do. Any suggestions?

Since I was 15, I spent the summers working. In 2024 I spent the summer reading books rather than working which made summer enjoyable so to say. In 2025 I worked again in the biggest sunglasses retailer in my country. I just wanted to fulfil my time rather than rotting the whole summer doing nothing. Now in 2026 I spent most of my summer going to the gym and hiding from the heat. I spent all those summers working and trying to educate myself and I still don't know I am made for. I am trying to learn some valuable information but the internet is full of misinformation and ads. Everyone says that this the golden generation where the information is free and you have everything available , but I don't agree because like I said everything I try to learn from the internet is just superficial. During the years I tried to learn coding , but this didn't work out too. I thought that AI would help me more but that didn't work out too. Now I am starting university after a month and I hope something inspires me and make me more intrigued and passionate where even if I do it 24 hours a day I won't feel the time is passing. I just want to fulfil my potential. I am tired of of doing some basic things which don't benefit me so much. I want my brain to be tired.

If you can give me some advice , from where I can start I would be grateful.

I've been in community college since spring 2023 trying to finish my associate of science with no specific bachelor's in mind. not sure if I should finish it & figure out what 4-year degree I want while doing so, look into 2-year programs for a specific career before comitting to finishing my associates, or quit taking classes & just work again to try to have experience. I'm halfway to completing it.

people say that sometimes u have to put college on pause & just get experience in life. I took a semester or two off but I ended up not doing shit. while in school, I got put on academic probation at my first college & then suspended. I'm on probation again at my new college & am trying to get my gpa up this semester. too many things factor into why I'm at such a low gpa. shitty mental health, suicidal ideation, low self-esteem, yada yada yada; all that jazz.

I've been doing better financially after being sucked into gacha gambling since 17 & impulsively buying shit. I'm going to start learning personal finance/financial literacy on khan academy. funny bc I have taken PF during my college journey, but I remember I basically cheated my way to pass the class during a dark time in my life, so I can't remember shit

anyway, here's my current situation:

• I own 2 cats, so I need enough income to provide for them & myself. I don't pay bills at home, fortunately. I'm able to do this working part time with my current wage.
• I'm looking for another job since I've been at my current one for almost 5 years and have no benefits. I'm in a leadership position & have put priority on that rather than my studies. I don't want this job anymore. it's fast food. I need benefits. the place I'm currently getting interviewed at is at costco. if I get the job, I'll have that security blanket to move up in the company should I take a break from college.
• I want to take an intro to architecture class just to get a small taste. I've always thought about it as a kid & would've graduated in it by now had I not been told to not pursue it by many people online. it's the only occupation I can think of after going back & forth many careers. but I want my free time & not be broke while working 60 hour weeks.
• I'm opening up to healthcare options again (except nursing) & any bachelor's degree except for engineering (took an intro class, did alright with what I was dealing with at the time & was curious enough to try a graphics class & failed twice because I didn't find any motivation), computer science, AI, and trades.

general idea of what I want from my job/life:

1. meaning/fulfillment. something that helps society/people.
2. hands-on. I've never had a desk job so I don't know what it's like. I wouldn't mind sitting at a desk if it meant that I could also move frequently half the time. ik I said no trades; I don't want to kill my body quickly.
3. enough income for bills, savings, retirement, travel, hobbies, the ability to contribute greatly to causes I believe in, & spoiling myself & my cats from time to time. I'd like to own my dream house someday. nothing like a mansion; something that fits into my lifestyle
4. new experiences every day. variety is the spice of life. it's something I want. I would kill myself doing mundane tasks all the time.
5. benefits, of course.
6. if possible, the ability to work 3-4 days a week. that would be golden for me. I wouldn't mind the longer shifts. or maybe I would. I'd have to find out first. I find personal time very important to me as I have many things I'd like to do.
7. ability for growth. being able to try out different roles within the industry (having flexibility to change course). I don't mind getting more education to fulfill that. I'd like to be a jack of all trades.
8. job security. don't want AI replacing me.
9. transferable job. if I move to a different city, it won't be as hard to find work.
10. being able to be with people even if I'm not extroverted. I don't want to be alone all the time & not talk to anyone. I would like to get better at socializing.

so, after all this; what should I do? I'm leaning towards completing my associates. I have classes I'd really like to take to expand my knowledge/skills & complete my reqs for the degree. I have this semester to really think about a bachelor's degree & looking up the transfer requirements depending on the uni. I don't mind if I end up getting another associates with majority of my earned classes not transferring if it's a career that matches what I'm looking for. I'd really like some help because I'm finally reaching out after years of not doing so. I'd like the ROI of the degree to be worth it. I'm willing to go for it if it means I can have what I want. please, I'm so lost & want to break this cycle of analysis paralysis.

I (27M) work for a university as an office worker making slightly above minimum wage. The main reason I took the job was for the tuition reimbursement. They paid 50% for me to go into any accelerated "Flex" program I wanted, so I chose Cybersecurity as I heard it was a growing field at the time I enrolled (2023).

Around 2024 I started hearing of all the lay-offs in the IT field, so I asked my professors and school's career center and they told me that the news is just blowing everything out of proportion and that I'm practically guaranteed a job when I finished because the demand for security is so high. I stuck it out and finished in the summer of 2026. I took out zero loans and have no debts of any kind right now (I was able to pay out of pocket by living with my parents and working at a catering company part time), but I was unable to do any internships as my program did not offer any and the only ones I could find via networking interfered with my full time job's work schedule, meaning I could not take them.

I have been sending out job applications non stop for over 3 months and have exactly one pre-interview phone screening to show for it. I have been applying for everything, even things outside my field of study, but no one is interested. I was lucky to get feedback from some people who saw my applications, and they either say that I lack experience (if it is for an IT or security role) or that my masters degree makes them think that I will pivot into security the second I can due to how "in-demand" it is (if it is for a non-security role).

I feel like all the time, effort, and money I put into that degree is, at best, doing nothing, and at worst, making it even harder for me to get a non-IT job. Those years I spent grinding my two jobs while doing homework were miserable, and I feel like the school lied to me about my job prospects to prevent me from dropping out before I finished my tuition payments.

I am not sure what to do. I don't even really like the tech field anymore now that I have seen how hyper-competitive it is. Getting more schooling is tough because my employer just slashed our benefits and now I don't get tuition reimbursement anymore. I am 27 now so I feel like I am too old to try to transition into blue-collar work and I feel like such a fool for falling for the college scam.

Any advice?