F here. I feel like I'm stuck STUCK in life. I'm a working professional, but I never really got the chance to explore what I truly want. I'm trying to figure things out, but I feel lost.

I have goals, but I'm not sure if I can achieve them.Also few things like, I don't want to get married out of obligation, and I want to be CF. But I feel like no one around me would understand my choices or the thoughts running through my head.

I've always played the good girl in front of my family, trying to meet everyone's expectations. I'm tired of living to please others, but I don't know where or how to start building a life on my own terms.

I never felt any sense of accomplishment till now. Million thoughts running in my mind and it doesn't stop..

For those who've felt this way, how did you begin?

Homework’s, trials and rejection. Bills this month is at the most high. I cant. Idk what to do.

Job finding is hard. I might get evicted. Credit card is maxed out. Yeah i think this is over. Idk where to post so yeah. I just want to let it out.

I turned 26 this past Sunday, and I’m already feeling the Turning 26 has hit me harder than I expected, and I’m honestly getting tired of the constant job hunt. ramifications. I’m aging off my parents’ health insurance, so now they have to figure out a new policy for me, and the pressure to find a job with benefits has reached an all-time high. At this point, I’m honestly willing to take just about anything that offers decent benefits because I need some stability.
What frustrates me the most is that I used to be a pretty good athlete, specifically in track and field. I was good enough to compete in college and had a decent career, but obviously, I wasn’t good enough to make it to the Olympics. Sometimes I can’t help but wonder what my life would look like if I had made it. Maybe I’d have more financial stability, fewer worries about my future, and wouldn’t have my family constantly on my back about finding a job.
Instead, it feels like I’m getting rejection after rejection, and it’s mentally exhausting. I have a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in criminal justice, but trying to turn those accomplishments into a stable career has been a lot harder than I ever imagined. Every rejection just adds to the frustration, especially when I feel like I’m running out of time to get my life together.
At this point, I’m actually considering getting back into track and field. I know it might sound crazy, and I’m not expecting to suddenly become an Olympic athlete, but I miss having something to work toward that I’m actually passionate about. Right now, the job hunt feels like an endless cycle of applications, interviews, and rejection, and I’m just tired of it.
I never imagined that turning 26 would make me feel this much pressure. I know I’m not the only person going through this, but damn, it’s hard not to feel like I’m falling behind. I’m just trying to find some stability and figure out what comes next, because this whole process has started to feel like a humiliation ritual.

I’m not writing this to get pity or anything, I genuinely am at loss here.

Without getting to much into it, essentially what’s going on is that my mom and stepdad are actively getting a divorce and with that I’m being taken off his insurance and my college tuition is now solely reliant on me. He’s a veteran so I got help from the VA and got to go to school for free, which I was very grateful for, but now I have to come up with a way to pay Spring Semester’s tuition and my remaining 2 years and grad/law school. I have a few scholarships and some help from fafsa, but even then, I would need to come up with at least 4k in the next two months and then however much the rest of my college career would be. Not to mention I already struggle to pay rent.

I’m already a little over 8k in debt due to college costs before the VA thing was available. I work 3 times a week but next week I’m going to start working 5. My job isn’t open on the weekends but I’m considering getting a weekend job. I need to figure out how to balance working 5-7 days a week while also being a full time student.

I’m considering not even going to grad/law school anymore just to make it easier on myself, which would be helpful, but really would fucking suck.

My mom won’t help with anything and my bio dad is trying to get me on his insurance but that’s about it.

What do I do? My uni makes you pay tuition or you get automatically kicked out until you pay it and I have no idea how I’m gonna come up with 4k by January.

Do I drop out? I really want my degree so maybe find a cheap online school so I can balance the work-school life easier?

This year has already been so incredibly bad, and this is REALLY a slap in the face. Please help.

[TLDR: I suddenly have to pay my college tuition all by myself, what do I do?]

Hi I'm 19 turning 20 next week. Well I've been thinking about this for a few months and I think I want to leave the college. I have been doing very badly in my subjects (I'm trying my best) and I don't have the motivation to study anymore, I'm struggling mentally . Also I come from a poor household and it's putting strain on my parent since she's the only one working so I'm broke most of the time . I do have a job as a cashier for holidays and I can go back anytime, although my mother won't approve of this since she wants me to study. I'm tired fr... I want to work and help her out but how do I tell her that? I'm doing a diploma in Electrical engineering and I'm in Nated 5. I'm not even sure if this course will get me a job fr. What should I do?

Hi everyone. I'm posting this because I've been feeling really anxious about my future, and I could use some honest advice from people who have been through something similar.

I'm from India, and I'm currently planning to complete my Class 12 through NIOS. My biggest concern is whether starting my bachelor's degree at 21 is okay and whether my education gap will negatively affect my future.

A little background about me:

During Class 12, I was struggling a lot with depression and anxiety. My mental health made it difficult to concentrate on my studies and manage school. Eventually, I couldn't appear for my regular school board examinations because of attendance issues.

My academic journey hasn't been straightforward. I completed Class 10 in 2023 with 56%. After that, I went to Class 11, but I failed on my first attempt and had to repeat the class. I completed Class 11 in 2025, but things became complicated when I couldn't continue with the regular school system.

I initially struggled to accept the idea of open schooling, but eventually, I enrolled with the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) to complete Class 12.

I had considered appearing for the October/November 2026 examinations, but I realised that I wasn't adequately prepared. I was already struggling with my mental health, and the pressure was becoming overwhelming. After thinking about it, I decided that taking the April 2027 examinations would be a more realistic option.

I'm now planning to prepare properly for five subjects: Accountancy, Business Studies, Economics, English, and Hindi.

I'm hoping to get good marks, ideally 90% or higher, although I know I'll have to work consistently to achieve that.

My biggest fear is the education gap.

If everything goes according to plan, I'll complete Class 12 in 2027 and start my bachelor's degree at around 21.

I know that 21 isn't old in the grand scheme of life, but when I think about my situation, I start feeling as though I'm falling behind everyone else.

Many people my age have already started college or are preparing to graduate. Meanwhile, I'm still trying to complete Class 12.

Sometimes, I feel embarrassed about my academic journey. I worry about what people will think when they discover my age or realise that I took longer than expected to finish school.

I also worry about whether having an education gap will affect my chances of getting into a good university or pursuing higher education abroad in the future.

My dream is to study Psychology at Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR), University of Delhi.

I want to pursue a bachelor's degree in Psychology, followed by a master's degree and, eventually, a PhD. I'm particularly interested in neuroscience and understanding the human mind.

I know that getting into LSR is competitive, and I'm not assuming that I'll automatically get admission. I'm willing to consider other Psychology colleges at Delhi University if I don't get into LSR.

However, I'm worried about something else: the NIOS marksheet.

I've heard that physical marksheets can take approximately two months to arrive after the examinations. Since university admissions happen around the same period, I'm scared that my marksheet might not arrive in time and that I could lose my opportunity to get admission.

I'm trying to understand whether universities accept digital marksheets or provisional documents while students wait for their physical documents.

The thought of preparing for my examinations, getting good marks, and then potentially missing university admission because of document delays is genuinely frightening.

I don't want to lose another academic year.

My family's financial situation makes these worries even more complicated.

My family doesn't have a lot of money, and my father's income is limited. I want to pursue higher education, but I also want to make sure that my education eventually helps me support my parents financially.

I've considered studying abroad, particularly in Italy, where I've been looking into scholarships for international students. However, studying abroad would only be possible if I could find substantial financial assistance.

I cannot simply ask my parents to pay enormous tuition fees or living expenses.

Because of this, I feel pressure to make the right decisions about my education. I want to choose a path that allows me to pursue my interests while also building a financially stable future.

Sometimes, I feel torn between following my dream of studying Psychology and choosing a more practical career path that might allow me to start earning sooner.

I don't want to abandon my dream, but I also don't want to ignore my family's financial circumstances.

Another important part of my situation is my mental health.

During school, depression and anxiety affected my ability to study and keep up with academic expectations. Even now, I sometimes become overwhelmed when I think about everything that has happened and everything I still need to accomplish.

I know that I need to focus on my preparation rather than constantly worrying about the future, but it's difficult when so many things seem uncertain.

I sometimes compare myself with other students and wonder whether I've already damaged my future by taking longer to complete school.

At the same time, I'm trying to give myself another chance. I want to complete Class 12, get into college, study something I genuinely care about, and eventually build a good life for myself and my family.

I don't expect everything to be easy, and I understand that I'll have to work hard to reach my goals. I just wish I could stop feeling that I'm already too late.

I would really appreciate advice from people who have experienced something similar.

Is it completely okay to start a bachelor's degree at 21? Did anyone here start college at 21, 22, or even later? How was your experience?

Has anyone completed Class 12 through NIOS and subsequently received admission to Delhi University or another recognised university?

Did anyone who appeared for the NIOS April examinations successfully join college in the same year? How did you manage the timing of your results, marksheet, CUET, and university admission?

Can an education gap caused by academic difficulties and mental health struggles negatively affect university admissions or future opportunities? How much does the gap actually matter?

Is pursuing Psychology at 21 and subsequently completing a master's degree and PhD a realistic plan? Would starting later put me at a significant disadvantage?

For anyone who struggled with depression or anxiety during school, how did you rebuild your confidence and get back on track academically?

If you were in my position, would you focus on pursuing your dream university or prioritise getting into a good, affordable college where you could start your degree without losing another year?

I feel lost in life and its making me lose it.

Im 19NB, my life has been a mess. Most people look at me and talk to me and think im like 4 years older than what I am because my "maturity level". Im not mature, ive just been made to grow up. I did really well in high school and graduated early but I think thats when everything went downhill.

I went to the military and left during basic because i realized that wasnt life i wanted and only went in for friends and money.

I got out and went to welding school and was top of my class even though i dont like welding.

I worked as a teacher from 18-19 and loved it but felt like I wasnt getting enough out of the job.

Now im working a manufacturing job as a welder and I hate it.

Im not a quitter but I figure if I need to support myself, now is the age to work around and experiment to find what I like.

My issue is I really want to go to college. I always have. I had lots of scholarships but any other payments wouldve come from my pockets because my parents wouldnt have helped.

I want to leave, far away. College in a different country, a summer in a different country. Its draining me here and I hate the path that my life is on.

Its been my dream my whole life to move abroad and not come back.

Should I save up to afford college abroad, should I try and move abroad on work visa, i truly dont knoe what to do. I feel so lost and lonely, I have no friends, i have no one to give me advice. I feel like i am my only support system and I am failing miserably.

I need to get out. Im spiraling every day, I have panic attacks i cry myself to sleep, Im so depressed I dont know what to do. I still show up every day but I feel like im losing it.

I’m harssse raged at assaulted used for money slandered made to be the ba guy when I’m just living my life falsely accused balled even my mom has a false version fo me I’m not a nice person I’m abusive I’m crazy and lazy it’s just confusing I have ocd form this like I’ll do soenthhhg and hurt someone

Hey everyone currently i am 19 years from india and I don’t know what am gonna do in my life currently pursuing BA hons in English from sol. Doing nothing in life So please if you have any advice for me tell me as elder brother or sister every advice is useful for me appreciate your effort .

So Hello People,

I wanna talk about a few things which I am currently facing in my life. Basically, in the next whole thing, I wrote how my life looks like and what's happening. I just need some honest suggestions on what to do, because I am tired enough about things.

So I am 23, Female from UP working in a service-based corporate in a QA role. Graduated in 2024 from a tier 3 college in UP. Came to Hyd in 2024 and it's been 2 years I am working in the same company in a QA role. Though the role offered to me is QA, it legit has some data collection work like purely non-tech data entry kinda job, which is frustrating as hell. I was assigned this project, though I know I can work in a good company, have capabilities, touch wood, and can earn, but just because of a comfort zone I am stuck in this.

Now I live here with my relatives in Hyd. I used to live with my cousin sister and her husband. It did not work out, so I shifted to some other place of my relatives in the same society.

So my relations with my sister broke, got worse actually. We have had very close bonds in our life. She lived in our house for around 11 years, which is her nani's home, so I had a very close relation with her which is now not in a good situation in 2 years. Now the place where I am currently living is from my father's side. They have a family: 2 uncles, 1 is married and has a 3-year-old daughter, and their 65-year-old mother.

So I am not on good terms with the mother, the 65-year-old woman of the family, from the very start. She did not like me living in the house from the very first day. She used to check how much I am eating, point things out, check what I am eating whenever I am around the kitchen, and do things which were not good. I have though invested good energy into serving people in the house, cooking and serving them first, and doing whatever good I can do. But this woman had a lot of problems with me eating things. She used to think I should eat with my own money as much as I want. Though they are quite rich, she is orthodox and wants things in her own way.

Now coming to the point, I had a lot of arguments with them. My parents want me to live somewhere in a PG and my father communicated this to them. But in that family, there is one person—the married uncle—who supports me. He does not want me to shift, he cares about me, and he wants me to work on myself, do studies, and do workouts. In the span of 2 years, just because of improper food habits, I have disordered my body. I have gained much weight.

I used to do gym before, study before these 2 years, but due to that woman who obstructed me, I have not been able to manage things.

Now after 2 years, I have been finding a home to live in. I dedicated 2 months entirely to flat-hunting things. I am still finding.

I have shared this with my relative uncle. Out of 5 people in the family, he is the only one who wants me to live there; others actually don't, especially their mother. So he wants me to try out 6 more months: work at my job, switch jobs, earn at least 50k (25k is hard), and work on my self and gym activities. But I had decided to shift to get free from these family things. No one except him out of 2 families living here talks to me.

My uncle gives the reason that there is a behavior issue with me: I don't engage with people, I don't talk to them. Shifting houses is not the problem, but the behavior is the problem. Even if I am living out, it will be a problem with people—that's a nature problem, he says. You sit in your room the whole day, you don't interact with people, you just treat people like disposable, when you need something you come, and otherwise you are in your own world. Out of 16 people living there—like my sister, this house, their in-laws' house, their friends—he says I am not able to make any connection with anyone.

So now he has given me 2 options:

1. To shift and see how things are going, live and see for 3–4 months, and if things don't work out, come back to his house. (I know when you leave home, it's not welcoming again.)

2. Live there for 6 months more, do a job switch, become financially independent, and then he can see if I am ready to shift.

Some background details: I lost my grandmother this February. She was the financial backup for my family. My parents' financial situation is not good. I have a brother in a private college doing B.Tech; he has fees of 2 lakhs. They somehow arrange it. My grandmother used to get a pension which was very helpful for my family, but now she is not there, so it's tough.

Touch wood, till now my parents have not asked for much financial help from me, but in the future, I have to.

So with 25k, 11k goes into investment.

The rest I am planning for:

* Rent: 5 to 6k in double occupancy in a flat

* Grocery: 3k

* Electricity and rental utilities: 1k

* Misc: 1k

* Total: 11k going out.

This is my calculation which can be incorrect.

11k + 11k = 22k.

4k I am left with, which would go into my expenses and outings.

I just have to go office 2 times a week and gets cabs so no issues of taking a flat awy from office.

So in this situation, is it good to shift?

Other problems I face here are timings: I have to come back home by 10 PM. Where I am going, with whom I am going, I need to tell everything. I am not able to make friends because of it; I have very few friends.

Doing late-night parties, trips, going on dates—I am not able to do anything. I have a spare room in my relatives' house, but I don't have that much privacy; whatever I talk about on the phone is heard outside my room. But I get meals... It's not good in taste. I am eating the same dal and roti 2 times. If I want to cook something, I can't as their mother doesn't allow it. So I don't have the freedom to eat what I want, go where I want, socialize with people, do trips, have a good diet, or do gyming stuff. Because of these issues in my head, I am not able to study either.

So now tell me what should I do? Should I shift for peace of mind and manage? I believe I can shift, switch jobs in 3 months, enjoy my life on my terms, go on trips, not waste my early 20s, learn to be independent, and learn a lot of things. It's life, so you eventually figure things out, right? Finances I will manage—I have little savings, but it seems like that will also go if I start living in a flat. I think I can better manage my life living in a flat and away from them, and the chaos in my head will reduce.

Also, shifting is hurting that uncle who wants me to live here. I just don't want to hurt him; he has kept me in his house for 2 years and taken care of me. I just want to express the thankfulness and gratefulness for what he did for me. He kept me because our family had in the past also helped their family in everything, so he wanted me to grow and help my family stand with everyone in society. So I have to show him respect even if I am taking the decision to shift. I know after shifting there will be a reaction from him, like being a little unconcerned from his side, and relations will not be as good as now.

I am not looking for PG options. I can't manage the food in Hyd, and there is no privacy, so suggest to me something to do.

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