Finished a degree I hated, now stuck in a job I hate

My story is a bit of a mess. I ended up enrolling in a school because everyone told me
it was the "right move," even though it wasn't what I actually wanted.
I pulled decent grades there, but I absolutely loathed the coursework. One specific subject was a total nightmare—the professor basically made it her mission to pick on me. It was so bad it messed with my body; I dealt with irregular cycles for months and even broke out in cystic acne just from the sheer stress of being in that classroom.
Now comes the second act of this tragedy: I’m working in that field now and I hate every second of it. I have to drag myself out of bed at 6 AM to go do a job that offers zero fulfillment. This whole industry just doesn't interest me at all.
So yeah, I’m basically carrying the weight of a career I never wanted for the rest of my life. 😵

It’s just one long chain of stress.

They really aren't kidding when they say if you spend your whole life listening to everyone else, you end up stuck in a rut.
Life is way too short to waste it being this miserable, but man, I’d give anything to be doing something else. I really regret not going into something like dental hygiene or esthetics. I didn't even go to college, but my actual dream was to be a preschool teacher.
That would’ve been the perfect gig for me.
But nope, nothing came of those plans. 😠

I'm 24, but honestly, it feels like I'm just stuck in this endless loop. You grind away at some soul-crushing job you absolutely despise just to stay afloat
so you can afford to go out and spend money on stuff...

You're still pretty young, though. What's the rush to enroll in a teaching program at a state college right now?

You can still sign up for cosmetology school 🤷

So how is he supposed to shop if he actually types something in? 😳

redbear2 said:So how is he supposed to shop if he actually types something in? 😳

😁

I mean, it just makes sense to me that things get a whole lot tougher once you hit a certain age, I guess. You basically have to pick something you can actually master on your own terms without it being a total nightmare.🤷
Plus, most adults probably have actual jobs to worry about, right?🤣

There are plenty of career paths out there where a formal degree doesn't actually matter—what matters is what you can actually do. And honestly, these days, all the specialized knowledge you could ever need is sitting right there on the internet, just waiting to be picked up.

Look, I don't know, all I know is that grinding away at a job you hate is a total nightmare.

You can always love what you do, 😵
but if you ask me—and I’m looking at everyone except maybe research scientists or surgeons—people ought to switch gears every five to ten years.
Sure, you might love being a hairstylist, but what if you're actually terrible at it? Then the whole town is stuck waiting for you to hit retirement age before they can get a decent cut. 😒

wiredangler71 said:You can always love what you do, 😵
but if you ask me—and I’m looking at everyone except maybe research scientists or surgeons—people ought to switch gears every five to ten years.
Sure, you might love being a hairstylist, but what if you're actually terrible at it? Then the whole town is stuck waiting for you to hit retirement age before they can get a decent cut. 😒

😵👍 Top tier!

Look, if you hadn't made that wrong turn, you might never have actually learned anything at all. So, honestly? Just take the lesson, give thanks to that messy life experience for the wake-up call, and start listening to your gut more. Just keep pushing forward.

There’s one thing I know for sure—you can definitely finish your degree and you can absolutely do whatever career you want. But whether you *actually* do it... well, that's entirely on you. You've got to figure out your priorities, weigh your options, and really sit down and think about how much sweat you're willing to put in to make it happen. It isn't some walk in the park, trust me, but it’s worth it.

If you want my two cents: go work abroad for a bit. Head somewhere else, stack up some cash, then come back, knock out that degree you actually want, and find a job you don't hate. Who knows, maybe working overseas will end up opening doors you didn't even know existed.

I made that exact same mistake myself—and man, was it a big one. I went ahead and finished a degree that I didn't even want in the first place. But, luckily enough, I’ve already managed to turn things around halfway 🙂 . And once I wrap up my current studies, I’ll have finally corrected the course completely!

If I could offer you any advice, it would be to follow that same path. It is never too late to achieve something great in life—honestly, the only time it's truly "too late" is when they're lowering us into the ground, and then we're really out of luck
.
So, just charge ahead with courage and try your best to tune out all those people trying to hold you back. I know firsthand that it isn't easy—believe me, I've been right there in the trenches—but damn it, you can absolutely do this 🙂 🙂 🙂 !

neonsailor26 said:I made that exact same mistake myself—and man, was it a big one. I went ahead and finished a degree that I didn't even want in the first place. But, luckily enough, I’ve already managed to turn things around halfway 🙂 . And once I wrap up my current studies, I’ll have finally corrected the course completely!

If I could offer you any advice, it would be to follow that same path. It is never too late to achieve something great in life—honestly, the only time it's truly "too late" is when they're lowering us into the ground, and then we're really out of luck
.
So, just charge ahead with courage and try your best to tune out all those people trying to hold you back. I know firsthand that it isn't easy—believe me, I've been right there in the trenches—but damn it, you can absolutely do this 🙂 🙂 🙂 !

😂
you’re quite the optimist, aren't you?
It’ll be "too late" long before anyone starts digging a grave—probably well before forty. That’s just how the American corporate machine works. They want youth; they want "fresh blood." Even today, people hitting their 40s—regardless of how much experience or expertise they bring to the table—find themselves struggling to land a job unless they are top-tier specialists in some niche field.
The advice to get moving by age 24 is solid...
It’s just a shame we don't know what specific career path she's stuck in.

You’re not too old for this...

You’ve picked up some solid life lessons along the way:

1. Stop listening to everyone else when they claim to "know" what's best for you
2. Money doesn't mean much if you're miserable deep down inside

It won't be too late—honestly! I know that's how you see it, and I respect your perspective, but if you ask me? I'm telling you right now, we aren't running out of time...

Find another guy you can absolutely loathe and just marry him instead.😬

I suppose I couldn't help myself... I have to vent a little bit.🙂

What can one even say? Life is a bit of a mess... honestly, it really is. And even when things seem to be at their absolute peak—well, even then, nothing lasts forever. Even during the low points, there's always the possibility that things might take an even sharper turn for the worse.😵

I guess the best policy is to hope for the best, while simultaneously bracing yourself for the worst.🧐

Your job can be absolute garbage even if you actually love what you do. A huge chunk of that comes down to who's signing your paycheck. Honestly, I’d suggest just getting used to the idea of jumping ship every few years and simply aiming to be damn good at whatever task is currently on your plate. You'll stay much more sharp that way than if you decide to cling to some sinking ship like a drunk sailor.

Jeffrey Fisher5 said:😂
you’re quite the optimist, aren't you?
It’ll be "too late" long before anyone starts digging a grave—probably well before forty. That’s just how the American corporate machine works. They want youth; they want "fresh blood." Even today, people hitting their 40s—regardless of how much experience or expertise they bring to the table—find themselves struggling to land a job unless they are top-tier specialists in some niche field.
The advice to get moving by age 24 is solid...
It’s just a shame we don't know what specific career path she's stuck in.

Management? Give me a break. 😢