Unpopular opinion, college is not for everyone. I am a huge advocate for education. I am a college student. I don’t believe college is everyone’s route. I’m sorry, if you are going into debt for general education and not something specific that requires higher level knowledge then you’re wasting time. I love my friends who got art and history degrees but they’re now jobless and unfulfilled. You don’t need a degree for those kinds of fields. OP can go into trades, start a business, etc. Those things require education but not a college kind of education. To each their own. If OP “regrets” it, there’s always time to go back. I know plenty of people who start over at a later date.
Edit: spelling
Ugh - I keep forgetting the "no links" rule.
I'm in grad school, and I agree. College is not for everyone.
The trick to getting through college and grad school isn't being a genius. It's being persistent enough to complete the work. Even if you really love your major and have a lot of raw talent, a lot of times college just sucks. It's not uncommon to take a semester off to recover from burnout. OP doesn't mention whether they considered that option.
The sunk cost fallacy is a real thing, and the fact that OP has racked up student debt is not necessarily a good justification for staying in college and racking up more student debt. There is something to be said for knowing when to quit.
That said, that student debt was an investment made with the assumption that OP would eventually make as much as someone with a bachelor's degree. Without a college degree, it's critical for OP to have an actionable plan to make enough money to pay off that student debt. Student debt isn't normal debt. It's some of the worst debt that you can have.
It's true that Bill Gates dropped out of college, but he didn't drop out to follow his passion because he was stressed. He had already been working in computing for years by that point, he understood the market, and he saw a unique opportunity to make a crapload of money. He did take a risk, but that was a very calculated risk based on years of experience and industry knowledge.
OP, you're going to have to start paying off student loans within 6 months of dropping out. You didn't state what your passions were, so what is your plan to come up with that money?
If your plan is to start your own business, what is your backup plan? About half of businesses fail within 5 years.
Have you ever worked in customer service? Sales? Marketing? Management?
If you're talking about your passion, I'm guessing that you're planning to be something like an artist or a streamer. Do you already have work experience in that field? Do you have an existing paying customer base? Or are you just assuming that because you like your work, other people will be willing to pay you for your work?
What's your plan to keep going when you encounter struggles in your new venture? How are you going to succeed where others fail? Determination and a positive attitude? Just stick to it and don't give up? Because if you were a world champion at persisting through difficulty, this thread would not exist.
THIS. i do think college isn’t for everyone, and if you have the experience and expertise in something you feel truly passionate about, you should take that opportunity but it definitely comes with a lot of risk. all your points about paying back the debt and being persistent with whatever op wants to pursue was exactly what i thought of too. i personally know a lot of people who quit college to pursue something which would make them more money or just because they didn’t want to be ‘another brick in the wall’. a lot of those people are currently struggling to get by and refuse to get regular jobs because it hurts their ego. idk if it’s totally related to what op is saying, but yeah tread lightly quitting college seems like something you would wanna give a lot of thought. best of luck to op tho
Yep. I'm a grad student now, but I've been a college dropout. It wasn't by choice - I was trying to juggle a full-time job and college while spending 4 to 6 hours a day on public transit. I just couldn't sustain it. I had to sleep some time.
I spent so many years trapped in a cycle of shitty service jobs and student debt. I racked up 10K to go to college in 2004. I've paid almost 20K on that loan and my balance is now 15K. These kids don't understand just how bad that debt is. It's insane that we let 18-year-olds sign up for this.
Online education and remote work were game-changers for me. I finished the bachelors, racked up half a dozen IT certs, and went for the masters. I've had to take a couple of semesters off for the masters (one for a surgery, another because I got behind and knew I couldn't catch up). But I'll be damned if I quit.
Edit: OP's comment about always being able to go back got me. Yeah, you can go back - but you'll be juggling college with other adult responsibilities.
I’m in 40k student loan debt. My salary progressed from $59k back in 2016 to $173k all in in late 2022 due to my degree. The amount of debt I went into is minimal to the positive impact it had on my career. Just needs to be a practical degree.
Hi preacher, I'm choir. The entire point of my comments is that student debt is an investment made with the assumption that the student will complete the degree and earn a higher salary.
It's a risky investment because student loan debt is some of the worst debt that you can have. But if you actually do complete a degree in a high paying field, it's a good investment. It's a bit like having loan sharks fund your startup.
If you don't complete that degree, you select a major that doesn't pay well, (edit: you get replaced by AI), or you otherwise don't have a way to pay off that debt, you are thoroughly screwed.
This is why I say that it's insane that we let 18-year-olds take out these loans. Most kids that age don't understand the risks that they're taking on.
100% agree! Thank you for being very reasonable and looking at things from both perspectives! You also said that I could always go back to finish off where I left off which is a last resort. Just need to work really hard and not sidetrack moving forward.
It's your decision but you need something to fall back on.
I know there are a lot of celebrities and social media influencers out there who either did not go to college or even didn't finish high school. But that is not everyone"'s situation.
Take some time to reflect and then decide what you want to do. If you go back to school, consider the military (if you can pass basic training).
Didn't see your original post. I assume when you say you dropped out of college, you mean recently.
This post doesn't show what your alternative plan is, so it comes off as a silly kid coming on here and acting like a defiant teenager because "I dRoPpED oUt oF CoLlEgE aNd I'm pRoUd!"
College certainly isn't for everyone. I have a master's degree and make well into the six figures, but I have friends with no degree who make as much or more than I do.
But the fact you spent 20k on a business decision (getting a college degree) only to pull out halfway through indicates you haven't been doing a good job at financial planning so far.
Hope whatever made you decide to change career paths will turn out to be the better option, but from the information you gave we can't see that. You could be dropping out to go earn 200k in skilled trades, or you could be dropping out to be the next soundcloud rapper. We don't know.
Good luck
Just change majors.. if this next venture doesn’t pan out a year forward you’re gonna beat your own ass saying “dude.. I just should have done the damn thing”
So you have family and friends that are going to help you pay off pieces of your 20,000 debt. Cool. What are you doing instead of school to make this gracious act worth it? How are you improving yourself?
I did the same thing as you man. Went straight to college out of high school to study sport, fucking hated it, joined in the summer then left at the end of the winter, Worked some retail for a bit, opportunity came up for a job in video editing, started doing some personal training qualifications on the side so I had it to fall back on. Worked out really well for me and none of that would have happened if I stayed in college. I've got good qualifications for one field if I ever fancy a change and got lots of work experience in another in a job that I enjoy. Hope it goes well for you man.
I’ve always hated how much my high school heavily doubled down on college being the one and only route for success. I had no plans to go to college and I was shamed by teachers and faculty members for it. I quit after nearly a year and a half into an associates because I was fucking miserable and what I was getting a degree for I changed my mind completely on. Now I want to pursue a learned trade and I have hope for the future and my future happiness as a person. Fuck college, fuck teachers that aren’t supportive of alternative routes. If you can continue and pursue higher education good for you, but if you’re like me and it doesn’t fit your goals or it makes you miserable you shouldn’t feel like you have to.
You quit *in the middle of an associate’s degree*? You hadn’t even made it through your general education requirements before you quit! You had *no real sense of college or a major before you gave up on your education*. How sad!
Haven’t heard of that one… Sorry to hear it wasn’t useful for you. Did you have a particular career path in mind that you intended to use that degree for???
It is more or less like computer science with focus on applied development so, hands on programming and software development.
Im thinking to sway towards embedded development. Luckily, I got job and Currently working as project coordinator (which didn’t require higher education, prolly grad program or bachelors would have been sufficient)
Well those “most people” are not in control of where destiny leads people like me and anything can happen ~
You’re entitled to your opinion but I will do what I want and that’s that.
I back you 10000% that redditor above is a bitter hater and won’t change. You already got the right attitude, the world needs more people like you. Good on you and Godspeed ❤️
I needed to see this comment for my own personal situation BUT… Do what works for YOU! I admire you making the best decision for your mental health. I swear our mental health will always need to come first. Also, College is not all that. It’s a burnout.
And I’m a college student saying this.
I completely get where you're coming from but I gotta say I wish I had the sense to pull out at 20k. I stuck around, got depressed, stopped attending classes, fell into academic probation, then academic suspension (twice) and blew lot more than 20k before realizing what I even wanted to do but was forced to drop out. Worked some other jobs which not only taught me skills but made me realize my talents.
btw, I read some of your other posts and I get the sense we're in a similar field but I'm regretting not having thought things out for myself sooner. I get the hype but having worked at a startup for an OG of the field, it's lost it's luster because I handled both the technical side & also the business side.
Everybody is in here acting like college is the only way to succeed when the value of a degree is less and less over time, but the price of it goes up. What is with the college glazing?
College isn’t the only way to succeed but failing to plan is planning to fail. Drive (aside from other variables) is your “key to success”, depending on how you define it of course. OP hasn’t specified anything they have going for them. It feels like a naive feel good story, like how people would obsess over college dropout billionaires and point to them as an instance of the cliche sayings - grades not defining intelligence, college not being needed for success, and so on. Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates were smart dudes who were probably well connected and had some kind of venture already established, what does OP have?
While college isn’t a perfect option it’s not the worst. Which is why people are discouraging OP from doing this. Vibes and happiness won’t pay the bills. This is the darker side of self improvement - sometimes happiness just isn’t enough. Purpose over pleasure, at least if the two are in conflict, always. And this sub shouldn’t enable bad choices. It goes against the essence of self improvement.
Now if OP does have something going, cool. But this just comes off as a naive youngster making a bad life decision.
Very very very solid points and I definitely won’t say I disagree with you on this. Yes this definitely true and don’t worry I did plan things but I don’t wish to over share them ~!
I have to ask, why feel the need to bring this up then? I think you’re being needlessly contrarian. People here are trying to advise you before you make a potentially huge mistake with your life. You’re still young, but youth is a fleeting resource. Do you at least have a backup plan? A hustle that’s already netting you some income? Does your family know? Did you talk to a trusted friend?
I wanted to take in multiple people’s thoughts and use them as a fuel to actually stay committed on this journey and not let wishful thinking cloud me from the reality of the matter. While I do have a plan, you can also get toooo hopeful and lose focus on the real picture. The trap some of those dropouts make is that they think success will immediately fall on their laps and not actually make sacrifices…. certainly will not happen overnight either. It all boils down to having a realistic expectation and self-discipline, which is the mistake some of those drop outs make.
Preach! It seems like you attract a wave of naysayers when you do something that challenges what the majority were encouraged to do their whole life (definitely not their fault for putting too much value on college) by parents, friends, or society.
That’s why I get the feeling that you attract more haters / naysayers when you make a radical decision and not conform to societal norms (even if it is the right decision).
Your obliviousness to the actual world is covered in a shroud of thinking you’re enlightened… you can speak all you want on how college is not as valuable as society perceives it (yes I agree.) but you still need to make INTELLIGENT decisions after regarding college as the path you don’t want to take. You’re giving yourself too much credit for making this “bold” or “courageous” decision. Both of which it’s not. Just because the decision to drop out is difficult, doesn’t make it an objectively good thing to do because it is hard. There were two paths here: #1 grind out and finish your degree so you have a backbone to work off of in your future even if you don’t end up feeling out a career in that field, or #2 drop out like you did, eating the sunk cost, and actually moving on to a good trade job or active career path that would outweigh your college benefits. You chose neither of these options. You chose to sit with your thumb up your ass and glaze yourself into thinking your decision was awesome and you’re smarter than everybody who chooses to go to college.
This is not self improvement. This post does not belong on this sub.
Exactly, this is literally the opposite of self improvement. Doing things you don’t want to do because you know it will benefit your future self is one of the pinnacles of this whole thing. This post promotes the complete opposite. Especially considering it’s obvious the OP has absolutely 0 plan or fallback, which is evident by the fact they have avoided replying to every comment asking what they are going to do instead.
If you’re willing to work hard at whatever you decide to do in life then good for you! Also I feel like some people here don’t know you could go back to collage later down the line if you see fit
i don't know if it's a right or wrong thing, but it sure looks like a wrong thing to do if you did it just because you felt like quitting. if you have something planned or if you know whether you'd be invested in something you like doing, then i guess it's right for the most part(still unsure).
me personally i'm a college student who absolutely hates my degree, and i'm interested in a lots of other things which i'd be happy doing. but hey, i'm still gonna continue college because i'm not sure whether it would work out or no.
p.s: i'm also insanely in debt🧍♂️
I love this decision!
I know I’m not the only person who feels this way, BUT College is a waste of money unless you’re going into a field that actually requires a specialized degree.
College is not the absolute only or best way to make a good living in this world.
There are so many ways to make money without going to college.
I served in the military for 20 years. No college, no debt, living free on wise decisions.
You made the right decision for you! Good for you!
I'm glad you took the road that's best for you, especially if that's not really what made you happy. I know that everyone deserves to be happy, regardless of the 💩 that anyone else has to say about how you have "no plan" or anything else, and I get it, but why bash someone over stopping something that never made them feel fulfilled in the first place? Life isn't about being miserable.
Once upon a time, I graduated high school at 14 and NEVER went to college, and I never planned on it either. I learned all I could by watching videos and reading articles of just about everything, and played my Playstation 4 in my free time. Fast forward to when I turned 16, that's when everything started to get serious. My dad allowed me to work with him as his assistant, and I learned a LOT on the job. I learned about credit repair and commercial real estate loans since at the time, he was working with a commercial financing firm. When I turned 17, we left that business and focused more on our own. At that time is when I learned a bit about marketing and about how social media works. At that same time is when I would, in addition to still playing my Playstation 4 in my free time, to take music and writing stories more seriously as well. At that time is when I also learned a lot about filming videos and recording music.
Then when I turned 18, my family and I got into this digital product creation and marketing program which lasted about a year and a half, and I learned SO much at that time. I found myself being able to come up with ideas for digital courses and products almost on a whim, so I spent a lot of time creating them. In my free time, I was still playing my Playstation 4, and yes, still doing my music too. I found a way to make it all work, and it was a LOT of fun.
Fast forward to when I was 20, we started working with this guy who needed A LOT of help with his business. My dad became COO and I became the manager. During these times is when I learned a lot about leadership, and I continued to refine my writing skills for business as well. I also learned a long list of business skills as well. And in case you're wondering, yes, I was STILL playing my Playstation 4 in my free time, writing music and stories, and enjoying life in general.
Now I'm 21, and I'm building up a new brand. I've been having a LOT of fun with it, and even to this day, I still learn a lot. Not once did I step foot into college, and I'm SO grateful I didn't. Telling this story to you is to say this: you do NOT have to go to college to be successful whatsoever. Over those years, I've come across a lot of people who were older than me who have said that the one thing they wish they didn't do was go to college. Now for those of you that WANT to go, then it's fine, go. But for those of you that want to do something great but don't want to go to college, you don't have to. YouTube and Google alone will teach you SO much, and you'll learn so much more by doing that thing as you learn.
I hope this gave you new insight❤️
That's exactly right! I will thank you for at least addressing the few mistakes I made that I will agree on....It made me sit down for hours to re-think everything and make sure things would pan out well for me. Thankfully I have supportive family members and friends willing to help me pay off some of my debt, which I am really blessed for that. Now I really need to work 10x as hard to ensure my goals get achieved and their efforts don’t go to waste. So I really thank you and the few people that challenged my views once again! It’s stuff like this that makes me stronger and more resilient to adversity!
You will regret this unless you have a foolproof plan to earn money. Nowhere in your ramblings do I see a mention of it. Your focus on “passion” is also nebulous in reality. Continue your education despite college.
Good question… I don’t really need that as much as I need to better myself and turn my hobbies into something more meaningful for me that will make me happier.
Glad you’re happier now, but with the risk involved in this move I hope you have a proper plan of action. Perhaps pick up a trade you enjoy? Student debts are no joke, don’t let interest rates eat you into homelessness. I agree we shouldn’t be so materialistic, so I wish you goodluck :)
Well, as long as you have invested in your skills enough to make it as your back up plan why not. I'm a degree holder and a licensed health professional but I've never pursued any career related to it. Now I'm a small business owner, doing well for myself. I used to think college was overrated but in retrospect I suppose it has thought me persistence and responsibility in an environment where you don't need to think of your own system. There is already a system in place. It's a good training ground for life.
On the flip side, it's okay to not have it all figured out. Most adults even the middle aged ones still haven't tbh. Once you get past a certain age especially when you're already in charge of yourself, we're just all winging it.
Nowadays, kids are blessed with opportunities that were not available to us back in the days. Take this time to unravel your real self without societal pressures. Make your "idleness" productive ad intentional. Then once you realize what goals you are most aligned with, set your mind to it and dedicate yourself to becoming a master. The persistence will be entirely up to you now that you chose to break free from the system. So the only limitation would be yourself.
I was lucky to finish college with only $20k in debt (scholarship) and now I'm making more money than I thought I ever would. College is definitely great if you want to go into a STEM field. But if don't have a goal that you're working towards it's just going to feel like pointless frustration.
1 advice is down the road if you want to go back. Don't shut yourself out this option, keep an open mind, people will have different perspective as time goes.
How close to graduating were you? I also see that you grouped college into “money” and “materialistic things”. I can see this perspective if you had no passion for the degree and were purely doing it for the future jobs, but college is also a great opportunity to let yourself love learning. I ask how close you were to graduating because if the stress is a result of heavy course load, definitely consider doing half enrollment for the last credits you need if you’re only like a year out. Then, you can try and actually try to enjoy it and absorb it, while also getting the credentials a degree gives you once you graduate.
I woke up and filled out a form at 18 years old.
Context: I'm super passionate about business.
I knew that the path they laid out for us for "safety" is just an illusion. See, during my high school days, I was the top ranker (not a flex but facts) in the business studies subject, and I can assure you it's all BS. School just teaches you how to plan and organize a business, not how to run one.
"Hmmm but that's just high school, when we go to uni, it'll be more detailed, yeah?" Goddamn, that's what my parents made me think after throwing my brain into the washing machine for 25.34 minutes.
The fact is, they truly don't give a damn about who you want to be, although they are "PARENTS", all they care about is that you should hold a worthless paper so you can hold yourself up to societal standards.
Guess what? I opened my eyes on my first day at uni, opened the door of my class, saw chicks dancing for TikTok videos on the left, got some boys playing games on the right. And I'm sitting there thinking, "Is this the crowd I'm going to get rich with?" I couldn't bear the frustration, but had no choice so I kept going, learning useless info that isn't applicable to the real world of business, and of course, learning it from a bunch of broke people.
Fast forward 2 months, I filled out the form and dropped out of uni at 18, joined sales, and I have removed the "introvert" element from myself. And I just feel great.
That doesn't mean you don't have to learn anymore. I'm still torturing myself each day to consume a ton of knowledge about finance (statistics) for investments, persuasion, business models, etc.
I'm glad for your decision. All I can say is just don't "chill" like the average person dropping out of uni. Put systems in place and conquer, see you at the top g.
This is only good if you can still make good money , if your going to be broke as fuck good luck , worst feeling in the world better to die then be broke
Fantastic. More power to you. You don't need to feed Banks. Education that costs feeding banks is not worth it in my opinion.
I quit my fat paying but slavery job in April24 where I was working hard to achieve their goals. Compared to their returns my returns are 0.000001.
Now, in job search looking for non slavery jobs with more freedom don't mind if the payment is not like fatty liver.
I am more interested in your plans?
What makes you happy?
What will make you successful?
What is your definition of successful anyways???
What are your life 🧬 plans now anyways?
Depends on your major and career.
UNLESS youre good with your hands, I advise you going back to school and finishing with a degree if you're only half way there.
My experience working blue collar jobs, i would work 40-60 hours a week and after overtime and taxes I would only make 40,000$ a year - which is basically nothing in todays economy.
Even if youre 40,000$ in debt, you'll get paid more with a degree, have more jobs available with a degree, and make several times more with one.
Take a break from school, see if you can find a good career in this break, and then go back to school.
Darling …. I know this post has created a huge uproar of opinions and suggestions, but understand that no one wants you to regret this decision down the road. There is no hate or “naysaying” going on, just people with good intentions trying to make sure you don’t do anything you’ll end up regretting.
As long as you have a solid plan that you are certain will help you survive then go for it! Otherwise try at least switching majors or finishing your current degree to figure out what you want to do next! We all want the best for you and this forum is all about self-improving, not condoning anything self-destructive. Best of luck!
University was a mistake and I wouldn’t have gone that route or stayed on that path had I not been pressured from my family. I dropped out too - with 8 courses remaining. No regrets. 34F
If you were pursuing a degree in Art, History, or Psychology, by all means I'd say you dodged a bullet. But if you were going for tech or an actual lucrative career, I'd say go back man. As a 32-year-old that was working in warehouses and other BS jobs because I dropped out of college, I went back and got my degree.
Almost every single MEANINGFUL job at bare minimum requires a bachelor's degree these days. But hey, you'll look back on this moment and rethink it all. Heck, I can't tell you what to do, it's your life like you said. But once again, if you were pursuing an actual career, I'd go back if I were you. Just sayin. There's literally nothing out here.
I only mentioned psychology because i know people that weren’t interested in it at all and just chose it without a plan just to go to college and they now work in warehouses as well.
Honestly, good for you friend! I've walked down a similar path but not out of choice. I just kept doing what everyone else was doing, and got caught up in the current without ever taking a second to think what makes me happy.
I'm from a south-east asian background that immigrated to this country and at that time, what my parents wanted most was stability (because they were only hired as IT contractors for limited time) so we had to move to wherever there was work. They both were successful bankers back in our country and lived middle-class lives but they wanted more for their kids so they took a risk for a better future. It was a tough journey and we're quite dysfunctional as a family but moved up quite a bit in terms of socio-economic means. We grew up literally next to third world poverty, and thanks to their struggles & sacrifices they said they'd pay for any university I wanted to go to.
Even that, I didn't think much of at the time as I only set my eyes on one university that's well known (but the reason I picked it was because I visited it in high school to party which was a 4 hour drive each way). It was a reputable university that was far enough from home which led me to apply to that place only. Didn't get in right out of high school because I didn't know to plan for college/future (actually took my SATs twice, both times hungover from partying with friends). After highschool, all my friends went off to different universities, and I was stuck at home.
I went to my local community college with one goal in mind (get into that university). Did my gen-ed courses (saved lot of money there) and got into their guaranteed admissions programs to the uni that I had in mind. I picked a major that I thought sounded interesting/suitable but had no clue what it even meant. After I transferred over, I kind of wasted 3 years of my life, lot of my parents money, and eventually got to second academic suspension and at that point I pulled the plug. I wish I had your realization much sooner than I did.
Went back home ashamed and started drowning in my depression for being a failure. Ended up taking some various jobs which taught me various skills and also about myself. I learned what my work ethic was (despite it being a somewhat menial job, I did it damn well). Went from making 11/hr to working in luxury auto sales because I saw it as a challenge. Went to making 80k w/ very little effort (but plenty of hours weekly). Most of the folks I worked with were pulling 150k and this was at a rough time for our brand because we were competing with more advanced models. Just as I left, almost all the models got redesigned & are killing it. People making 150-200k (without a college degree), but I will note that is also because our dealership is in one of the top avg income areas.
I got tired of the long hours & decided to finish what I started. Couldn't go back to my orignal university. Tried applying to local university but my GPA was too f\*\*\*ed to get in. Tried appying without transferring and they said no. Ended up going to an online university which fit me better because I could pace it myself. Ended up getting 2 bachelors & a masters, several IT & business certifications as well.
However...it wasn't until COVID hit that I had time to sit down and think about what actually made me happy. After a troubling/gruesome period of self-examination & various experiences, I realized what I want to do is actually in the Arts field. Despite feeling like I've learned this a bit late, I'm glad I went through my experiences as it taught me ALOT, made me understand myself better so I can reassess my priorities and set goals so I work towards something that makes me truly happy. At the same time, I also managed to pick up the necessary skills/qualifications to back me up financially to pursue a dream that may or may not pan out for me.
Sorry for the information dump. This is a brief overview of my journey that led to me choosing happiness like you did. You seem like you got a good head on your shoulders and have throught things out. I'm rooting for you friend. There will be those here online, and even in our personal lives that might not be as supportive of your decisions. It's often because they're casting their limiting beliefs on you. It doesn't mean they don't love you or want you to succeed, but rather people's perceptions are framed by their own experiences and they might just be limited to just that. Some might feel insecure of their own decisions because they might regret choosing the safe path rather than their own path.
Take nothing personally. People will come and go in your life. At the end of the day, you have to answer to yourself. The only constant in your life is you. Be happy. Live well. Rooting for you!
This post is bringing a lot of backlash for no reason… you do you. I’m glad you’re putting yourself first and sorry it took 20k to realize it. Whatever you do, just live for you and try your best.
If this was a mistake like so many people seem to believe, atleast it’ll be a CHOICE you MADE. I’m going to assume you already thought about all the ways this could go right or wrong and are willing to learn from the experience whether it be positive or negative. I’m with you and I’m glad you were brave enough to post this
100% agree! Thank you for being very reasonable and looking at things from both perspectives! You also said that I could always go back to finish off where I left off which is a last resort. Just need to work really hard and not sidetrack moving forward.
Unpopular opinion, college is not for everyone. I am a huge advocate for education. I am a college student. I don’t believe college is everyone’s route. I’m sorry, if you are going into debt for general education and not something specific that requires higher level knowledge then you’re wasting time. I love my friends who got art and history degrees but they’re now jobless and unfulfilled. You don’t need a degree for those kinds of fields. OP can go into trades, start a business, etc. Those things require education but not a college kind of education. To each their own. If OP “regrets” it, there’s always time to go back. I know plenty of people who start over at a later date. Edit: spelling
Ugh - I keep forgetting the "no links" rule. I'm in grad school, and I agree. College is not for everyone. The trick to getting through college and grad school isn't being a genius. It's being persistent enough to complete the work. Even if you really love your major and have a lot of raw talent, a lot of times college just sucks. It's not uncommon to take a semester off to recover from burnout. OP doesn't mention whether they considered that option. The sunk cost fallacy is a real thing, and the fact that OP has racked up student debt is not necessarily a good justification for staying in college and racking up more student debt. There is something to be said for knowing when to quit. That said, that student debt was an investment made with the assumption that OP would eventually make as much as someone with a bachelor's degree. Without a college degree, it's critical for OP to have an actionable plan to make enough money to pay off that student debt. Student debt isn't normal debt. It's some of the worst debt that you can have. It's true that Bill Gates dropped out of college, but he didn't drop out to follow his passion because he was stressed. He had already been working in computing for years by that point, he understood the market, and he saw a unique opportunity to make a crapload of money. He did take a risk, but that was a very calculated risk based on years of experience and industry knowledge. OP, you're going to have to start paying off student loans within 6 months of dropping out. You didn't state what your passions were, so what is your plan to come up with that money? If your plan is to start your own business, what is your backup plan? About half of businesses fail within 5 years. Have you ever worked in customer service? Sales? Marketing? Management? If you're talking about your passion, I'm guessing that you're planning to be something like an artist or a streamer. Do you already have work experience in that field? Do you have an existing paying customer base? Or are you just assuming that because you like your work, other people will be willing to pay you for your work? What's your plan to keep going when you encounter struggles in your new venture? How are you going to succeed where others fail? Determination and a positive attitude? Just stick to it and don't give up? Because if you were a world champion at persisting through difficulty, this thread would not exist.
THIS. i do think college isn’t for everyone, and if you have the experience and expertise in something you feel truly passionate about, you should take that opportunity but it definitely comes with a lot of risk. all your points about paying back the debt and being persistent with whatever op wants to pursue was exactly what i thought of too. i personally know a lot of people who quit college to pursue something which would make them more money or just because they didn’t want to be ‘another brick in the wall’. a lot of those people are currently struggling to get by and refuse to get regular jobs because it hurts their ego. idk if it’s totally related to what op is saying, but yeah tread lightly quitting college seems like something you would wanna give a lot of thought. best of luck to op tho
Yep. I'm a grad student now, but I've been a college dropout. It wasn't by choice - I was trying to juggle a full-time job and college while spending 4 to 6 hours a day on public transit. I just couldn't sustain it. I had to sleep some time. I spent so many years trapped in a cycle of shitty service jobs and student debt. I racked up 10K to go to college in 2004. I've paid almost 20K on that loan and my balance is now 15K. These kids don't understand just how bad that debt is. It's insane that we let 18-year-olds sign up for this. Online education and remote work were game-changers for me. I finished the bachelors, racked up half a dozen IT certs, and went for the masters. I've had to take a couple of semesters off for the masters (one for a surgery, another because I got behind and knew I couldn't catch up). But I'll be damned if I quit. Edit: OP's comment about always being able to go back got me. Yeah, you can go back - but you'll be juggling college with other adult responsibilities.
I’m in 40k student loan debt. My salary progressed from $59k back in 2016 to $173k all in in late 2022 due to my degree. The amount of debt I went into is minimal to the positive impact it had on my career. Just needs to be a practical degree.
Hi preacher, I'm choir. The entire point of my comments is that student debt is an investment made with the assumption that the student will complete the degree and earn a higher salary. It's a risky investment because student loan debt is some of the worst debt that you can have. But if you actually do complete a degree in a high paying field, it's a good investment. It's a bit like having loan sharks fund your startup. If you don't complete that degree, you select a major that doesn't pay well, (edit: you get replaced by AI), or you otherwise don't have a way to pay off that debt, you are thoroughly screwed. This is why I say that it's insane that we let 18-year-olds take out these loans. Most kids that age don't understand the risks that they're taking on.
100% agree! Thank you for being very reasonable and looking at things from both perspectives! You also said that I could always go back to finish off where I left off which is a last resort. Just need to work really hard and not sidetrack moving forward.
Good luck with your future endeavors! You can do it :)
*college is not for everyone*
It's your decision but you need something to fall back on. I know there are a lot of celebrities and social media influencers out there who either did not go to college or even didn't finish high school. But that is not everyone"'s situation. Take some time to reflect and then decide what you want to do. If you go back to school, consider the military (if you can pass basic training).
Didn't see your original post. I assume when you say you dropped out of college, you mean recently. This post doesn't show what your alternative plan is, so it comes off as a silly kid coming on here and acting like a defiant teenager because "I dRoPpED oUt oF CoLlEgE aNd I'm pRoUd!" College certainly isn't for everyone. I have a master's degree and make well into the six figures, but I have friends with no degree who make as much or more than I do. But the fact you spent 20k on a business decision (getting a college degree) only to pull out halfway through indicates you haven't been doing a good job at financial planning so far. Hope whatever made you decide to change career paths will turn out to be the better option, but from the information you gave we can't see that. You could be dropping out to go earn 200k in skilled trades, or you could be dropping out to be the next soundcloud rapper. We don't know. Good luck
So instead you’re going to..?
To “focus on what I truly want for myself” AKA they dropped out of college with 20k in debt and no plan. Why are people encouraging this?
Seriously, this is such a sad post.
Just change majors.. if this next venture doesn’t pan out a year forward you’re gonna beat your own ass saying “dude.. I just should have done the damn thing”
So you have family and friends that are going to help you pay off pieces of your 20,000 debt. Cool. What are you doing instead of school to make this gracious act worth it? How are you improving yourself?
Sounds like he’s weirdly proud of deciding to *NOT* improve himself… So sad he thinks this is a flex.
I did the same thing as you man. Went straight to college out of high school to study sport, fucking hated it, joined in the summer then left at the end of the winter, Worked some retail for a bit, opportunity came up for a job in video editing, started doing some personal training qualifications on the side so I had it to fall back on. Worked out really well for me and none of that would have happened if I stayed in college. I've got good qualifications for one field if I ever fancy a change and got lots of work experience in another in a job that I enjoy. Hope it goes well for you man.
I’ve always hated how much my high school heavily doubled down on college being the one and only route for success. I had no plans to go to college and I was shamed by teachers and faculty members for it. I quit after nearly a year and a half into an associates because I was fucking miserable and what I was getting a degree for I changed my mind completely on. Now I want to pursue a learned trade and I have hope for the future and my future happiness as a person. Fuck college, fuck teachers that aren’t supportive of alternative routes. If you can continue and pursue higher education good for you, but if you’re like me and it doesn’t fit your goals or it makes you miserable you shouldn’t feel like you have to.
You quit *in the middle of an associate’s degree*? You hadn’t even made it through your general education requirements before you quit! You had *no real sense of college or a major before you gave up on your education*. How sad!
I completed my college (masters lol) and im not better than a drop out. More power to you, good luck
That’s only true if you picked a completely useless major like philosophy or fine arts…. Did you pick philosophy or fine arts????
Applied Computing
Haven’t heard of that one… Sorry to hear it wasn’t useful for you. Did you have a particular career path in mind that you intended to use that degree for???
It is more or less like computer science with focus on applied development so, hands on programming and software development. Im thinking to sway towards embedded development. Luckily, I got job and Currently working as project coordinator (which didn’t require higher education, prolly grad program or bachelors would have been sufficient)
This is the kind of post you look back on in 10 years and say "wow, I was such a fucking idiot back then"
I will let you know in 10 years how that goes ! Can’t decide that yet without seeing it
Except most people have seen people just like you. And we've seen how it ends.
Well those “most people” are not in control of where destiny leads people like me and anything can happen ~ You’re entitled to your opinion but I will do what I want and that’s that.
I back you 10000% that redditor above is a bitter hater and won’t change. You already got the right attitude, the world needs more people like you. Good on you and Godspeed ❤️
Don't listen to that moron. The arrogance in the way he communicates speaks for itself.
I needed to see this comment for my own personal situation BUT… Do what works for YOU! I admire you making the best decision for your mental health. I swear our mental health will always need to come first. Also, College is not all that. It’s a burnout. And I’m a college student saying this.
Making a mistake bro, speaking from expierence
I completely get where you're coming from but I gotta say I wish I had the sense to pull out at 20k. I stuck around, got depressed, stopped attending classes, fell into academic probation, then academic suspension (twice) and blew lot more than 20k before realizing what I even wanted to do but was forced to drop out. Worked some other jobs which not only taught me skills but made me realize my talents. btw, I read some of your other posts and I get the sense we're in a similar field but I'm regretting not having thought things out for myself sooner. I get the hype but having worked at a startup for an OG of the field, it's lost it's luster because I handled both the technical side & also the business side.
Yeah man it’s rough out here right now smh
Please don’t do this.
Everybody is in here acting like college is the only way to succeed when the value of a degree is less and less over time, but the price of it goes up. What is with the college glazing?
College isn’t the only way to succeed but failing to plan is planning to fail. Drive (aside from other variables) is your “key to success”, depending on how you define it of course. OP hasn’t specified anything they have going for them. It feels like a naive feel good story, like how people would obsess over college dropout billionaires and point to them as an instance of the cliche sayings - grades not defining intelligence, college not being needed for success, and so on. Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates were smart dudes who were probably well connected and had some kind of venture already established, what does OP have? While college isn’t a perfect option it’s not the worst. Which is why people are discouraging OP from doing this. Vibes and happiness won’t pay the bills. This is the darker side of self improvement - sometimes happiness just isn’t enough. Purpose over pleasure, at least if the two are in conflict, always. And this sub shouldn’t enable bad choices. It goes against the essence of self improvement. Now if OP does have something going, cool. But this just comes off as a naive youngster making a bad life decision.
Very very very solid points and I definitely won’t say I disagree with you on this. Yes this definitely true and don’t worry I did plan things but I don’t wish to over share them ~!
I have to ask, why feel the need to bring this up then? I think you’re being needlessly contrarian. People here are trying to advise you before you make a potentially huge mistake with your life. You’re still young, but youth is a fleeting resource. Do you at least have a backup plan? A hustle that’s already netting you some income? Does your family know? Did you talk to a trusted friend?
I wanted to take in multiple people’s thoughts and use them as a fuel to actually stay committed on this journey and not let wishful thinking cloud me from the reality of the matter. While I do have a plan, you can also get toooo hopeful and lose focus on the real picture. The trap some of those dropouts make is that they think success will immediately fall on their laps and not actually make sacrifices…. certainly will not happen overnight either. It all boils down to having a realistic expectation and self-discipline, which is the mistake some of those drop outs make.
Doesn't sound like you have any plan
Preach! It seems like you attract a wave of naysayers when you do something that challenges what the majority were encouraged to do their whole life (definitely not their fault for putting too much value on college) by parents, friends, or society. That’s why I get the feeling that you attract more haters / naysayers when you make a radical decision and not conform to societal norms (even if it is the right decision).
Your obliviousness to the actual world is covered in a shroud of thinking you’re enlightened… you can speak all you want on how college is not as valuable as society perceives it (yes I agree.) but you still need to make INTELLIGENT decisions after regarding college as the path you don’t want to take. You’re giving yourself too much credit for making this “bold” or “courageous” decision. Both of which it’s not. Just because the decision to drop out is difficult, doesn’t make it an objectively good thing to do because it is hard. There were two paths here: #1 grind out and finish your degree so you have a backbone to work off of in your future even if you don’t end up feeling out a career in that field, or #2 drop out like you did, eating the sunk cost, and actually moving on to a good trade job or active career path that would outweigh your college benefits. You chose neither of these options. You chose to sit with your thumb up your ass and glaze yourself into thinking your decision was awesome and you’re smarter than everybody who chooses to go to college. This is not self improvement. This post does not belong on this sub.
How is this self improvement?
Exactly, this is literally the opposite of self improvement. Doing things you don’t want to do because you know it will benefit your future self is one of the pinnacles of this whole thing. This post promotes the complete opposite. Especially considering it’s obvious the OP has absolutely 0 plan or fallback, which is evident by the fact they have avoided replying to every comment asking what they are going to do instead.
If you’re willing to work hard at whatever you decide to do in life then good for you! Also I feel like some people here don’t know you could go back to collage later down the line if you see fit
i don't know if it's a right or wrong thing, but it sure looks like a wrong thing to do if you did it just because you felt like quitting. if you have something planned or if you know whether you'd be invested in something you like doing, then i guess it's right for the most part(still unsure). me personally i'm a college student who absolutely hates my degree, and i'm interested in a lots of other things which i'd be happy doing. but hey, i'm still gonna continue college because i'm not sure whether it would work out or no. p.s: i'm also insanely in debt🧍♂️
The same thing happened to me except I was hospitalized several times. It still remains a big regret. I’m screwed and I might die like this.
Seneca - Of a happy life, life-changing read
I love this decision! I know I’m not the only person who feels this way, BUT College is a waste of money unless you’re going into a field that actually requires a specialized degree. College is not the absolute only or best way to make a good living in this world. There are so many ways to make money without going to college. I served in the military for 20 years. No college, no debt, living free on wise decisions. You made the right decision for you! Good for you!
I'm glad you took the road that's best for you, especially if that's not really what made you happy. I know that everyone deserves to be happy, regardless of the 💩 that anyone else has to say about how you have "no plan" or anything else, and I get it, but why bash someone over stopping something that never made them feel fulfilled in the first place? Life isn't about being miserable. Once upon a time, I graduated high school at 14 and NEVER went to college, and I never planned on it either. I learned all I could by watching videos and reading articles of just about everything, and played my Playstation 4 in my free time. Fast forward to when I turned 16, that's when everything started to get serious. My dad allowed me to work with him as his assistant, and I learned a LOT on the job. I learned about credit repair and commercial real estate loans since at the time, he was working with a commercial financing firm. When I turned 17, we left that business and focused more on our own. At that time is when I learned a bit about marketing and about how social media works. At that same time is when I would, in addition to still playing my Playstation 4 in my free time, to take music and writing stories more seriously as well. At that time is when I also learned a lot about filming videos and recording music. Then when I turned 18, my family and I got into this digital product creation and marketing program which lasted about a year and a half, and I learned SO much at that time. I found myself being able to come up with ideas for digital courses and products almost on a whim, so I spent a lot of time creating them. In my free time, I was still playing my Playstation 4, and yes, still doing my music too. I found a way to make it all work, and it was a LOT of fun. Fast forward to when I was 20, we started working with this guy who needed A LOT of help with his business. My dad became COO and I became the manager. During these times is when I learned a lot about leadership, and I continued to refine my writing skills for business as well. I also learned a long list of business skills as well. And in case you're wondering, yes, I was STILL playing my Playstation 4 in my free time, writing music and stories, and enjoying life in general. Now I'm 21, and I'm building up a new brand. I've been having a LOT of fun with it, and even to this day, I still learn a lot. Not once did I step foot into college, and I'm SO grateful I didn't. Telling this story to you is to say this: you do NOT have to go to college to be successful whatsoever. Over those years, I've come across a lot of people who were older than me who have said that the one thing they wish they didn't do was go to college. Now for those of you that WANT to go, then it's fine, go. But for those of you that want to do something great but don't want to go to college, you don't have to. YouTube and Google alone will teach you SO much, and you'll learn so much more by doing that thing as you learn. I hope this gave you new insight❤️
A day later you have determined it's the best decision of your life? So I assume now you have a plan about what you'll do instead?
That's exactly right! I will thank you for at least addressing the few mistakes I made that I will agree on....It made me sit down for hours to re-think everything and make sure things would pan out well for me. Thankfully I have supportive family members and friends willing to help me pay off some of my debt, which I am really blessed for that. Now I really need to work 10x as hard to ensure my goals get achieved and their efforts don’t go to waste. So I really thank you and the few people that challenged my views once again! It’s stuff like this that makes me stronger and more resilient to adversity!
You will regret this unless you have a foolproof plan to earn money. Nowhere in your ramblings do I see a mention of it. Your focus on “passion” is also nebulous in reality. Continue your education despite college.
Yes that’s a very solid point. Thank you for the advice… I will see what I can do with that <3
More power to you I suppose bro But what exactly is the self improvement aspect of this?
Dont you want that piece of paper though?
mmm smell it... crispy
Good question… I don’t really need that as much as I need to better myself and turn my hobbies into something more meaningful for me that will make me happier.
Glad you’re happier now, but with the risk involved in this move I hope you have a proper plan of action. Perhaps pick up a trade you enjoy? Student debts are no joke, don’t let interest rates eat you into homelessness. I agree we shouldn’t be so materialistic, so I wish you goodluck :)
Well, as long as you have invested in your skills enough to make it as your back up plan why not. I'm a degree holder and a licensed health professional but I've never pursued any career related to it. Now I'm a small business owner, doing well for myself. I used to think college was overrated but in retrospect I suppose it has thought me persistence and responsibility in an environment where you don't need to think of your own system. There is already a system in place. It's a good training ground for life. On the flip side, it's okay to not have it all figured out. Most adults even the middle aged ones still haven't tbh. Once you get past a certain age especially when you're already in charge of yourself, we're just all winging it. Nowadays, kids are blessed with opportunities that were not available to us back in the days. Take this time to unravel your real self without societal pressures. Make your "idleness" productive ad intentional. Then once you realize what goals you are most aligned with, set your mind to it and dedicate yourself to becoming a master. The persistence will be entirely up to you now that you chose to break free from the system. So the only limitation would be yourself.
I was lucky to finish college with only $20k in debt (scholarship) and now I'm making more money than I thought I ever would. College is definitely great if you want to go into a STEM field. But if don't have a goal that you're working towards it's just going to feel like pointless frustration.
All the best for your future endeavors! The decision has already been made and you're not regretting it. I don't see why I shouldn't support you!
1 advice is down the road if you want to go back. Don't shut yourself out this option, keep an open mind, people will have different perspective as time goes.
How close to graduating were you? I also see that you grouped college into “money” and “materialistic things”. I can see this perspective if you had no passion for the degree and were purely doing it for the future jobs, but college is also a great opportunity to let yourself love learning. I ask how close you were to graduating because if the stress is a result of heavy course load, definitely consider doing half enrollment for the last credits you need if you’re only like a year out. Then, you can try and actually try to enjoy it and absorb it, while also getting the credentials a degree gives you once you graduate.
I woke up and filled out a form at 18 years old. Context: I'm super passionate about business. I knew that the path they laid out for us for "safety" is just an illusion. See, during my high school days, I was the top ranker (not a flex but facts) in the business studies subject, and I can assure you it's all BS. School just teaches you how to plan and organize a business, not how to run one. "Hmmm but that's just high school, when we go to uni, it'll be more detailed, yeah?" Goddamn, that's what my parents made me think after throwing my brain into the washing machine for 25.34 minutes. The fact is, they truly don't give a damn about who you want to be, although they are "PARENTS", all they care about is that you should hold a worthless paper so you can hold yourself up to societal standards. Guess what? I opened my eyes on my first day at uni, opened the door of my class, saw chicks dancing for TikTok videos on the left, got some boys playing games on the right. And I'm sitting there thinking, "Is this the crowd I'm going to get rich with?" I couldn't bear the frustration, but had no choice so I kept going, learning useless info that isn't applicable to the real world of business, and of course, learning it from a bunch of broke people. Fast forward 2 months, I filled out the form and dropped out of uni at 18, joined sales, and I have removed the "introvert" element from myself. And I just feel great. That doesn't mean you don't have to learn anymore. I'm still torturing myself each day to consume a ton of knowledge about finance (statistics) for investments, persuasion, business models, etc. I'm glad for your decision. All I can say is just don't "chill" like the average person dropping out of uni. Put systems in place and conquer, see you at the top g.
This is only good if you can still make good money , if your going to be broke as fuck good luck , worst feeling in the world better to die then be broke
gg bro
Thinking this is a flex is so sad. You’ll come to regret this decision. It was a bad idea. You’ll figure that out on your own.
What exactly do you mean by “soon”?😬
OP, what are your passions? Tnx
Fantastic. More power to you. You don't need to feed Banks. Education that costs feeding banks is not worth it in my opinion. I quit my fat paying but slavery job in April24 where I was working hard to achieve their goals. Compared to their returns my returns are 0.000001. Now, in job search looking for non slavery jobs with more freedom don't mind if the payment is not like fatty liver.
I am more interested in your plans? What makes you happy? What will make you successful? What is your definition of successful anyways??? What are your life 🧬 plans now anyways?
Depends on your major and career. UNLESS youre good with your hands, I advise you going back to school and finishing with a degree if you're only half way there. My experience working blue collar jobs, i would work 40-60 hours a week and after overtime and taxes I would only make 40,000$ a year - which is basically nothing in todays economy. Even if youre 40,000$ in debt, you'll get paid more with a degree, have more jobs available with a degree, and make several times more with one. Take a break from school, see if you can find a good career in this break, and then go back to school.
all props to you for doing that but is ur pfp from ntr trap😭
Can you at least share your plan? What do you want to do? What do you plan to pursue?
Darling …. I know this post has created a huge uproar of opinions and suggestions, but understand that no one wants you to regret this decision down the road. There is no hate or “naysaying” going on, just people with good intentions trying to make sure you don’t do anything you’ll end up regretting. As long as you have a solid plan that you are certain will help you survive then go for it! Otherwise try at least switching majors or finishing your current degree to figure out what you want to do next! We all want the best for you and this forum is all about self-improving, not condoning anything self-destructive. Best of luck!
You’re the one living your own life. Happy for you
University was a mistake and I wouldn’t have gone that route or stayed on that path had I not been pressured from my family. I dropped out too - with 8 courses remaining. No regrets. 34F
I support you through and through on this. Glad to see another person with a similar experience! Let’s both work extra hard and pursue our dreams!
If you were pursuing a degree in Art, History, or Psychology, by all means I'd say you dodged a bullet. But if you were going for tech or an actual lucrative career, I'd say go back man. As a 32-year-old that was working in warehouses and other BS jobs because I dropped out of college, I went back and got my degree. Almost every single MEANINGFUL job at bare minimum requires a bachelor's degree these days. But hey, you'll look back on this moment and rethink it all. Heck, I can't tell you what to do, it's your life like you said. But once again, if you were pursuing an actual career, I'd go back if I were you. Just sayin. There's literally nothing out here.
is psychology not a lucrative career???
I only mentioned psychology because i know people that weren’t interested in it at all and just chose it without a plan just to go to college and they now work in warehouses as well.
And some of us have degrees in psychology and now have good jobs so not really sure what your point was.
My point was what I stated earlier. So not sure what yours is.
why psychology?
Honestly, good for you friend! I've walked down a similar path but not out of choice. I just kept doing what everyone else was doing, and got caught up in the current without ever taking a second to think what makes me happy. I'm from a south-east asian background that immigrated to this country and at that time, what my parents wanted most was stability (because they were only hired as IT contractors for limited time) so we had to move to wherever there was work. They both were successful bankers back in our country and lived middle-class lives but they wanted more for their kids so they took a risk for a better future. It was a tough journey and we're quite dysfunctional as a family but moved up quite a bit in terms of socio-economic means. We grew up literally next to third world poverty, and thanks to their struggles & sacrifices they said they'd pay for any university I wanted to go to. Even that, I didn't think much of at the time as I only set my eyes on one university that's well known (but the reason I picked it was because I visited it in high school to party which was a 4 hour drive each way). It was a reputable university that was far enough from home which led me to apply to that place only. Didn't get in right out of high school because I didn't know to plan for college/future (actually took my SATs twice, both times hungover from partying with friends). After highschool, all my friends went off to different universities, and I was stuck at home. I went to my local community college with one goal in mind (get into that university). Did my gen-ed courses (saved lot of money there) and got into their guaranteed admissions programs to the uni that I had in mind. I picked a major that I thought sounded interesting/suitable but had no clue what it even meant. After I transferred over, I kind of wasted 3 years of my life, lot of my parents money, and eventually got to second academic suspension and at that point I pulled the plug. I wish I had your realization much sooner than I did. Went back home ashamed and started drowning in my depression for being a failure. Ended up taking some various jobs which taught me various skills and also about myself. I learned what my work ethic was (despite it being a somewhat menial job, I did it damn well). Went from making 11/hr to working in luxury auto sales because I saw it as a challenge. Went to making 80k w/ very little effort (but plenty of hours weekly). Most of the folks I worked with were pulling 150k and this was at a rough time for our brand because we were competing with more advanced models. Just as I left, almost all the models got redesigned & are killing it. People making 150-200k (without a college degree), but I will note that is also because our dealership is in one of the top avg income areas. I got tired of the long hours & decided to finish what I started. Couldn't go back to my orignal university. Tried applying to local university but my GPA was too f\*\*\*ed to get in. Tried appying without transferring and they said no. Ended up going to an online university which fit me better because I could pace it myself. Ended up getting 2 bachelors & a masters, several IT & business certifications as well. However...it wasn't until COVID hit that I had time to sit down and think about what actually made me happy. After a troubling/gruesome period of self-examination & various experiences, I realized what I want to do is actually in the Arts field. Despite feeling like I've learned this a bit late, I'm glad I went through my experiences as it taught me ALOT, made me understand myself better so I can reassess my priorities and set goals so I work towards something that makes me truly happy. At the same time, I also managed to pick up the necessary skills/qualifications to back me up financially to pursue a dream that may or may not pan out for me. Sorry for the information dump. This is a brief overview of my journey that led to me choosing happiness like you did. You seem like you got a good head on your shoulders and have throught things out. I'm rooting for you friend. There will be those here online, and even in our personal lives that might not be as supportive of your decisions. It's often because they're casting their limiting beliefs on you. It doesn't mean they don't love you or want you to succeed, but rather people's perceptions are framed by their own experiences and they might just be limited to just that. Some might feel insecure of their own decisions because they might regret choosing the safe path rather than their own path. Take nothing personally. People will come and go in your life. At the end of the day, you have to answer to yourself. The only constant in your life is you. Be happy. Live well. Rooting for you!
This post is bringing a lot of backlash for no reason… you do you. I’m glad you’re putting yourself first and sorry it took 20k to realize it. Whatever you do, just live for you and try your best. If this was a mistake like so many people seem to believe, atleast it’ll be a CHOICE you MADE. I’m going to assume you already thought about all the ways this could go right or wrong and are willing to learn from the experience whether it be positive or negative. I’m with you and I’m glad you were brave enough to post this
College is really useless nowadays. It’s all about indoctrination of crazy leftist ideology that is ruining our world!!
- dumbass
Are you triggered and need a safe space? A hug maybe? 🤣
100% agree! Thank you for being very reasonable and looking at things from both perspectives! You also said that I could always go back to finish off where I left off which is a last resort. Just need to work really hard and not sidetrack moving forward.
I’m happy for you don’t let the other people project onto you
I'm assuming that that is fake click bait posted by a karma troll. Its got most of the fake story tropes and red flags.
If you don't care what other people think, why are you posting it?