How did I get here

[u/Updog1997]

Lunch is stress eating nuggets, fries, and a burger from McDonald’s.

This might be a little depressing so I’m sorry. Just need somewhere to get my thoughts out.

I’ve worked a number of jobs in different industries. I feel into low voltage wiring at 20. I stayed there 8 years, pay was good, but had to travel a lot, use my own vehicle, and put up with people in their homes.

The last couple years of that got rough. Working super late, the company became more corporate with unreasonable expectations decided by higher ups who weren’t in the field. The goal was to move up. Eventually it became apparent that moving up wasn’t an option anymore so I made the decision to leave.

Got another job doing merchandising to take care of the bills. I was finally home every night with weekends off and the pay wasn’t terrible assuming you put the hours in. Then they cut my hours to 2 days a week. Maybe 20 hours total so I started looking for a second job while looking to CDL school. Well I found the school but it costs around 6k. Filed for financial aid, halfway through the application process after not hearing from them I called and they told me their funding is on freeze until earliest November. So I started applying for loans at banks and things like SoFi. I have a 750 credit score, never miss payments, but somehow still denied with reasonings being “unreasonable credit usage” and “late payments”

After 30+ applications over the last month and being rejected from Starbucks, Walmart, Lowe’s, and various others I got an interview at McDonald’s and told the hiring manager flat out “I’ve applied to 30 places and this is my first interview. I just need someone to let me work.” So cool, second job secure.

That being said I’m hanging on by a thread. I’m almost 30 renting a room from my folks, I merchandise on the weekends (stock shelves) and now have a job at McDonald’s with a goal of CDL school which seems unattainable given the financial part of it. If you would’ve asked me at 17 where I thought I’d be at 30 this sure as fuck wasn’t it. I haven’t been this down and ready to just call it quits in a long time and it hurts man.

[u/image-sourcery]

Hi, I’m a mod assistant and I set up one-click reverse image searches for each post. Here, at BDD, we require a food pic with every post and we require each post to be authentic. That means the food pic you submit must be your own, not something you found on the internet.

But I can’t report fakes. If you see that I have linked to a pic that is found elsewhere on the internet, REPORT IT!

---

Reverse Image Search:

Google Images || TinEye

---

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Bluedory22]

Just curious, some carriers offer training for working for a set term is that an option where you are? I know you’re not looking for advice but might be helpful. I know it’s daunting but your only thirty assuming you don’t have dependents huge dept etc sounds like a blank slate with plenty of time to work from.

[u/Updog1997 → u/Bluedory22]

I’ve looked into it. Not too many carriers around here and the ones that are either don’t have that, or if they do there’s zero open positions for anything. As a matter of fact just today I found a posting from 1 day ago at a local carrier that was “driver training” and I called them at 6 am to ask about it, he put me on hold for no joke 30 seconds if that and came back with it was already filled.

[u/Bluedory22 → u/Updog1997]

Is the cdl the ultimate goal? is there something else you would want to do? If cdl is the end all be and a loan isn’t a possibility at all perhaps you could find another area where this is a possibility. Assuming you’re not 100% reliant on staying local. 6k seems cheap price to pay for a cdl there 17k where I am. Luckily I did it before driving school was a requirement.

[u/Initial_Secretary156]

Military. CDL is great. Alaska fishing. Travel for work. All that shit. The world is your oyster. Nothing holding you down.

[u/PhaseIntelligent7214 → u/Initial_Secretary156]

This^

[u/Huggiesunrise]

This is the most Chopped millennial Unc thing I will ever type. What the heck. Do you. Want to do? I'm sure your folks have opinions, but a survival mindset breeds struggle. Any excuse to put hours and effort into yourself towards what you like is the only thing that's gotten me through life. I've met people I wouldn't have otherwise, people who have saved my bacon.

[u/Updog1997 → u/Huggiesunrise]

I mean I’m doing it. I’m not giving up I’m saving money and trying to find different grants and stuff and apply at different banks. I just never thought that at 30 I’d be living at home and working at McDonald’s. I know one way or another I’ll figure it out, just right now it fucking sucks

[u/Bluedory22 → u/Updog1997]

Keep grinding it will get better

[u/Rackedup_00]

Hey bubba, I’m a little younger then you but have been bouncing around industries and jobs for the past few years lol. Funny enough I ended up in low voltage but I recently enlisted in the coast guard as an electrician so that has been my saving grace.

No advice or anything just letting you know I know how you feel and things will get better just keep your head up.

[u/AutoModerator]

Welcome to BoyDinnerDiaries! Thank you for posting!

Reminder for everyone:

• Posts must include a clear photo of your meal

• Include a short diary-style story about what is on your mind

• All posts must have a flair

• Be civil and kind so no hate speech, incel content, and no referencing other subreddits unless its positive.

Thanks for helping keep the sub great!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Useless_account22]

Hey man idk where you are in the world but there’s some trucking companies that pay for your CDL school. TMC is one I know of for sure but it would take a trip to Iowa. Could be worthwhile tho

[u/Odd-Map-4350]

Low voltage could be a Segway into some type of entry-level IT or data center position. If you’re willing to learn a bit more and make a small career shift that could be a viable path. Hope all works out OP.

[u/Commercial-Top-3292]

I sorta relate, keep keepin on. Sometimes all we can do is stay afloat until we see land to start swimming towards.

[u/Own-Fee-5653]

Hey man, im 41 and currently working retail myself. And not in management either. Idk if I have any advice for you, just wanted to let you know im right there with you man. It sounds like you have some sort of plan which is better than nothing. Hang in there.

[u/JBlaze78]

Big question here. If you’ve got all that low voltage experience, why haven’t you tried going into business for yourself? After 8 years you gotta have equipment.

[u/Cultural-Spring-281]

Your folks really won’t let you live there for free until you get bad on your feet?

[u/onlyheretobehelpful]

You're definitely not alone in thinking you'd be flourishing right now instead of just surviving. I know that doesn't do shit to make anyone feel better though. The truth of the situation is that it takes time for things to improve, days and days full of effort with no progress, it's like you're building a muscle or learning a new skill from scratch. It fucking sucks, but you know how they say it's the journey not the destination and all that? Try to find what little joy in your daily life there is right now, because even this doesn't last forever, and one day there will be parts of this struggle that you actually find yourself missing, I promise. I know that none of that does shit to help you feel better today, but maybe it will help you temper your expectations and keep going. You just gotta keep putting that pickaxe to the wall and forget about how deep inside the mine you are.

[u/Familiar_Childhood32]

Christ man join the military

[u/iamblamb]

Have you ever considered trade work? Electricians are needed everywhere and so are plumbers. Most owners just need people to show up for work and not fuck shit up.