Work in D.C. or move back home and go to college?

Hey everyone,

I’ve been going back and forth on where to drop this thread, so I figured I'd just put it here—admin, feel free to nuked it if it doesn't belong.

Here’s the deal: I’ve always dreamed of living the big city life, and honestly, I made that happen. I’m 24, wrapping up one degree, and looking back, I crushed high school and really thought I’d be heading into some technical field. Instead, I’m finishing up a different major that I don’t just hate—I absolutely despise. I am working, too; it’s nothing special, but it pays enough to live decently.

But there’s this constant itch to go back and actually study something technical. The problem is, my heart wants one thing, but reality is throwing a massive wrench in the works. If I want to pursue the degree I actually care about, I’d have to move back home. My folks are struggling as it is—they’re barely scraping by, and even with the help I send them sometimes, things are tight. Staying in Washington, D.C. isn't an option because I’d need to work to survive while paying for a whole second degree. So, it's either stay in the city where I'm comfortable but miserable about my career, or head back to a place where I know I’ll be unhappy, just so I can study what I love. It wouldn't be forever, but it's still a long haul.

I’m stuck in this mental deadlock. On one hand, I stay where I am, life is "fine," but I feel like this missed opportunity is going to haunt me for the rest of my life. On the other, I pack up and head back to a rough situation just to chase a passion—maybe I could grind through the summer to make the finances work, but still.

The whole thing is mentally draining, and honestly, I think I'm screwed regardless of which way I lean. I genuinely don't see a way out of this bind. 😢

At a major state university, you’ll find pretty much every technical major imaginable—plus, the flexibility to work while you're finishing up your degree...

Don't bother coming back home if it doesn't actually make you happy.

Why did you even sign up for a major you hate so much?

Did you move to Washington, D.C. right at 18 just to start college?

If you didn't jump straight into school and spent a year or two saving up instead, do you think that cushion—plus some summer jobs—would be enough to get you through studying in Washington, D.C.? It wouldn't be some luxury lifestyle, obviously, but at least you'd be studying something you actually care about...

Or maybe look into going to school abroad? Most developed countries have student loans designed to cover more than just tuition; they can help you stay on top of your bills and rent while you're in school...

How much does the major you’re finishing now actually align with that technical field you're looking at?
Would you be content if you didn't follow that specific technical track perfectly, but instead found a way to bridge what you already know with a technical perspective or application?

Regarding that technical specialty—are you certain a university degree is absolutely necessary for it?
For instance, you can teach yourself programming. I guess the catch is that a lot of self-taught people never reach the same level of depth as someone with a degree, often ending up stuck doing game design or other mediocre junk. For "real" programming, you need math and statistics. You could probably learn it all on your own while working a job to pay the bills, and then eventually look into taking exams or earning the right certifications down the road.
An online bootcamp or community college setup is fairly respectable, and they're specifically designed for people who are already working and looking to pivot careers.

In America, we still tend to obsess over paperwork and certificates, but in other parts of the world—and this approach is slowly making its way here too—the focus is shifting toward what you can actually do and the quality of your experience, rather than just documentation and diplomas.

If it’s feasible, try to steer the skills you've built up over the years toward your ultimate goal. Maybe try to lose as little ground as possible while gaining as much as you can.

Mind if you share which degree you're finishing up and what you're planning to major in next? We're working with pretty thin info here, and it's hard to give any useful advice without those details..