u/Embarrassed-Carob178

Hi everyone,
I am honestly going through one of the toughest periods of my life. I am considering leaving a 10-year relationship with someone I love and who still loves me.
We met in college shortly after I had gotten out of another relationship. At first, I didn’t like him romantically, but he tried again and again to win me over. He was always there for me. He spent hours talking to me and getting to know me. He was incredibly attentive, unlike anyone I had ever known.
The relationship had struggles from the beginning because I wasn’t sure about him and often thought I could find someone better. We broke up many times over the years, sometimes over small things. Our longest breakup lasted about a month. However, we would somehow always end up back together. He would consistently come back, and we would reconcile. Eventually, it became extremely difficult for either of us to leave. We both tried seeing other people, but we still came back to each other because we couldn’t stay apart.
Fast-forward to now: we finally decided to tell our parents. I waited a long time to tell mine because I wasn’t ready, and in my culture, once the parents know about a relationship, marriage is typically expected.
When my parents found out, they were completely devastated. They did not accept his cultural background because we come from different cultures, although we share the same religion. My parents felt that we were a poor match because my boyfriend came to Canada from his home country at age 14, while I was born and raised here. They believe we have very different mindsets and lifestyles. I did some research of my own and found many people expressing similar concerns.
In addition, my boyfriend is not financially stable. He is completing his master’s degree in architecture, but at age 30, he has no savings because he has spent most of his adult life studying. I have always worked, so I have accumulated quite a lot of savings. My family is also wealthy, whereas his family has significantly fewer financial resources.
My boyfriend also mentioned that he wants us to have one of our wedding celebrations in his home country. My dad was very worried about the thought of me travelling to a developing country for my wedding and about my boyfriend potentially expecting me to visit more frequently in the future. My boyfriend has promised that he would never expect me to stay there for longer than two weeks at a time.
Because of all of this, I have been receiving lectures from my parents every day. They cry and tell me they have a strong feeling that marrying him would be a very bad decision for me. My friends have said that their concerns make sense, especially because our relationship has been on and off for so many years.
However, despite all of these concerns, ending the relationship feels almost impossible. It feels as though a piece of me is being ripped away. I am having an extremely difficult time detaching from him. Every day, I decide that I am going to end the relationship, but then I wake up the next morning and change my mind.
At this point, I genuinely don’t know what to do or which decision to make. I am suffering deeply and would appreciate any honest advice.

TL;DR: I’m considering ending a loving but frequently on-and-off 10-year relationship. My family strongly disapproves because of our cultural and financial differences, his lack of savings at age 30, and his expectation of having part of our wedding in his home country. Although my boyfriend is loving and attentive, my parents and friends believe marrying him would be a mistake. I keep deciding to leave but changing my mind because losing him feels unbearable. Based on these concerns, would you stay or end the relationship?

Hi everyone,
I am honestly going through one of the toughest periods of my life. I am considering leaving a 10-year relationship with someone I love and who still loves me.
We met in college shortly after I had gotten out of another relationship. At first, I didn’t like him romantically, but he tried again and again to win me over. He was always there for me. He spent hours talking to me and getting to know me. He was incredibly attentive, unlike anyone I had ever known.
The relationship had struggles from the beginning because I wasn’t sure about him and often thought I could find someone better. We broke up many times over the years, sometimes over small things. Our longest breakup lasted about a month. However, we would somehow always end up back together. He would consistently come back, and we would reconcile. Eventually, it became extremely difficult for either of us to leave. We both tried seeing other people, but we still came back to each other because we couldn’t stay apart.
Fast-forward to now: we finally decided to tell our parents. I waited a long time to tell mine because I wasn’t ready, and in my culture, once the parents know about a relationship, marriage is typically expected.
When my parents found out, they were completely devastated. They did not accept his cultural background because we come from different cultures, although we share the same religion. My parents felt that we were a poor match because my boyfriend came to Canada from his home country at age 14, while I was born and raised here. They believe we have very different mindsets and lifestyles. I did some research of my own and found many people expressing similar concerns.
In addition, my boyfriend is not financially stable. He is completing his master’s degree in architecture, but at age 30, he has no savings because he has spent most of his adult life studying. I have always worked, so I have accumulated quite a lot of savings. My family is also wealthy, whereas his family has significantly fewer financial resources.
My boyfriend also mentioned that he wants us to have one of our wedding celebrations in his home country. My dad was very worried about the thought of me travelling to a developing country for my wedding and about my boyfriend potentially expecting me to visit more frequently in the future. My boyfriend has promised that he would never expect me to stay there for longer than two weeks at a time.
Because of all of this, I have been receiving lectures from my parents every day. They cry and tell me they have a strong feeling that marrying him would be a very bad decision for me. My friends have said that their concerns make sense, especially because our relationship has been on and off for so many years.
However, despite all of these concerns, ending the relationship feels almost impossible. It feels as though a piece of me is being ripped away. I am having an extremely difficult time detaching from him. Every day, I decide that I am going to end the relationship, but then I wake up the next morning and change my mind.
At this point, I genuinely don’t know what to do or which decision to make. I am suffering deeply and would appreciate any honest advice.

For context, my bf is from Pakistan and I’m from Afghanistan.

Hi everyone,

My boyfriend is doing his Master in Architecture. I’m wondering what jobs you can get out of school. How are everyone’s finances looking like for those who completed their M.Arch and was it worth it? I’d love to know if he would be financially stable :)

Thanks

My boyfriend and I have been together for 10 years. He is originally from Pakistan and came to Canada when he was around 14, while I grew up here.
Most of his family still lives back home and travels back and forth to Canada. He has two brothers, but they mainly stay in Pakistan and only visit Canada every few years. His mom, however, comes to Canada every year and usually stays for about three to six months.
I recently introduced my boyfriend to my parents, and during our conversations about marriage, I learned that his mom may live with us whenever she visits Canada because she wouldn’t have another place to stay. My boyfriend says he doesn’t really have a choice—she is his mom, and she would have nowhere else to go.
I understand his position and would feel guilty saying she couldn’t stay with us, but having my mother-in-law live with us for three to six months every year feels like a major commitment. I really value my privacy, especially as newlyweds, and I’m worried I may eventually feel uncomfortable or resentful in my own home.
Has anyone been in a similar situation? How did it affect your marriage and privacy? Is this something that can work with clear boundaries, or should I take it as a serious compatibility issue before proceeding with marriage? What boundaries or questions should we discuss now?

Hi everyone,
I’ve always been interested in psychology. I initially went to college for financial services, but I ended up taking several psychology courses. I later completed a bachelor’s degree in business and built a career in HR. I’m currently an HR manager, but I’ve recently started wondering whether a career in psychology or counselling would be a better fit for me.
I enjoy listening to my friends and giving them advice, and I don’t find it boring or draining. This has made me think that I may have some of the qualities needed to work in the mental health field.
I’m now deciding between two paths:
Complete my MBA and continue advancing in HR, which would likely offer a higher income.
Pursue psychology or counselling, which could allow me to leave the corporate world, have more flexibility and possibly work part-time in the future.
I’ve already been accepted into an MBA program and received a $10,000 scholarship. The entire program costs approximately $26,000. The psychology/counselling route would cost more than $40,000 because I would likely need to attend a private institution. If I chose the public-school route, I might have to complete another bachelor’s degree and essentially start over. I think my biggest stress is not having work life balance in corporate and having to work 5 days a week.
Has anyone faced a similar decision or worked in either field? I would really appreciate any advice about career satisfaction, income, flexibility and whether changing paths would be worth the additional time and cost.

Salam everyone,
I’m hoping to hear from anyone who’s been in a similar situation. Are there any Afghan women here who married Pakistani men? What has your experience been like?
How was the cultural adjustment? Was the culture shock significant? What challenges did you face, and what helped make the transition easier?
Is there anything you wish you had known before getting married? I’d really appreciate hearing both the positives and the challenges. Thank you!

Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some outside perspectives because I’m feeling really confused and heartbroken.
I’ve known my boyfriend for almost 10 years. We met in college, and he came into my life shortly after I got out of another relationship. At first, he honestly wasn’t my usual type, but over the years I grew to love him. We became best friends, and he has always been there for me through difficult times. He’s kind, supportive, patient, and has consistently shown up for me.
Last week, I finally introduced him to my parents.
For context, I’m Afghan and he’s Pakistani. My parents’ reaction was much worse than I expected. They said we don’t match culturally at all. They believe his family, who mostly live back home, will expect me to adapt to their culture, that I’ll end up being pressured to live there or follow traditions I’m not comfortable with, and that our lifestyles are too different.
They’re also concerned that he’s currently doing his Master’s in Architecture, so he’s still a student and isn’t financially established yet. They feel he can’t provide stability at this stage and that we’re simply not a good match overall.
The difficult part is that before this, I was happy in the relationship. Of course, no relationship is perfect, but I loved him and always pictured a future together. Now my family’s opinions have made me question everything, and I don’t know whether I’m ignoring real compatibility issues or whether they’re making assumptions based on culture and finances.
Has anyone been in a similar situation where your family strongly disapproved of someone you genuinely loved? Were their concerns eventually proven right, or did they end up being wrong? How did you figure out whether the concerns were legitimate compatibility issues versus fear of the unknown?
I’d really appreciate honest opinions, especially from people who have experience with Afghan/Pakistani relationships or intercultural marriages.

I’m a Talent Acquisition Manager and honestly finding the role a lot more boring than I expected.

Most of my time is spent in meetings, working groups, approvals, and managing a small team. The workload isn’t bad, but I often feel disconnected and unfulfilled. I sometimes miss being hands-on with recruiting and talking to candidates more regularly.

For those who have worked in HR, what roles did you find the most interesting or enjoyable? If you left Talent Acquisition or HR management, what did you move into and why?

Curious to hear what HR career paths people found more engaging.

I recently got a job as a Talent Acquisition Manager in Canada. The pay is about $78k, I get 4 weeks of vacation, and honestly most people think it’s a great job. I got the role without having a ton of management experience, but I interviewed well and managed to land it.

The problem is that after 6 months, I still don’t enjoy it.

The job itself isn’t particularly difficult, but I find myself getting annoyed or irritated by small things all the time. I’m not sure if it’s because I have no passion for the work or if something else is going on.

I have my own office and manage 3 employees, but I actually hate how isolated I feel. I have to keep going to other floors to talk to people, and it feels awkward because I don’t really connect with many of my coworkers. Most of them are either much older than me or very quiet.

In my previous jobs, I had a lot more fun because the environment was much more social. I worked with people closer to my age, there was more interaction throughout the day, and I wasn’t a manager. Now I spend a lot of time alone in my office, forcing small talk, attending meetings, and scheduling meetings.

I also have quite a bit of anxiety around meetings. I kept telling myself that after a few months I’d get used to them and feel more confident, but 6 months later I still dread them.

What confuses me is that objectively this seems like a good job. The pay is decent, the benefits are good, and the workload is manageable. Part of me feels crazy for wanting to leave.

Has anyone else left a job that looked great on paper simply because they weren’t interested in it or didn’t enjoy the day-to-day? Did it get better with time, or was leaving the right decision?

Hi everyone,

I’m feeling a little lost career-wise and would love some advice.

I did my undergraduate degree in Business, majoring in HR, and I’m currently working as a Talent Acquisition Manager making around 80K in a hybrid role. My background is a mix of recruitment and previous finance experience.

I recently got accepted into an MBA program, but now I’m questioning whether I should completely switch fields and pursue a Master’s in Counselling at a private university instead.

Part of me feels like if I continue with the MBA/HR path, I’ll stay stuck in the corporate world long term, whereas counselling seems like it could offer more flexibility and potentially a better work-life balance. I also worry that flexible jobs in HR are harder to find.

At the same time, I don’t necessarily hate my current role. I don’t love having so many meetings, but overall it’s not a difficult job either. I guess I’m struggling to figure out whether I should continue building on the career I already have or take a completely different path.

Would appreciate any thoughts or advice from people who have been in a similar situation.

guys,

I’m feeling really lost right now and would appreciate any advice.

I did my Bachelor of Commerce with a major in HR. I used to work at a bank and found it very stressful, so I decided to move into HR. Over the past 3 years, I’ve worked in agency recruiting, talent acquisition, and now I’m a Talent Manager role.

Recently I decided I wanted to go back to school, so I applied for an MBA and got accepted. But now I’m second guessing things.

My friend is applying to a Master of Counselling at Yorkville, and honestly it sounds really interesting to me. I’m tired of corporate and I’ve always wanted to eventually have my own business. I like the idea that, as a therapist, there could eventually be more flexibility and control over hours. I also genuinely find psychology and counselling topics interesting.

My concern is that I’m not sure if counselling would actually fit my personality, and I’m also worried about income and long-term opportunities. Right now my current job isn’t terrible, but I don’t love it either, and I’m making around 80k.

I have until next month to accept my MBA offer and now I’m wondering if I’m choosing based on stability versus actual interest.

Has anyone switched from HR/business into counselling or therapy? Or been stuck choosing between practicality and something that genuinely interested them?

Hi guys,

I’m feeling really lost right now and would appreciate any advice.

I did my Bachelor of Commerce with a major in HR. I used to work at a bank and found it very stressful, so I decided to move into HR. Over the past 3 years, I’ve worked in agency recruiting, talent acquisition, and now I’m a Talent Manager role.

Recently I decided I wanted to go back to school, so I applied for an MBA and got accepted. But now I’m second guessing things.

My friend is applying to a Master of Counselling at Yorkville, and honestly it sounds really interesting to me. I’m tired of corporate and I’ve always wanted to eventually have my own business. I like the idea that, as a therapist, there could eventually be more flexibility and control over hours. I also genuinely find psychology and counselling topics interesting.

My concern is that I’m not sure if counselling would actually fit my personality, and I’m also worried about income and long-term opportunities. Right now my current job isn’t terrible, but I don’t love it either, and I’m making around 80k.

I have until next month to accept my MBA offer and now I’m wondering if I’m choosing based on stability versus actual interest.

Has anyone switched from HR/business into counselling or therapy? Or been stuck choosing between practicality and something that genuinely interested them?

Hey guys,

I just got accepted to the MBA program for Fall 2026. Anyone else taking the program or have taken it before? Would love to chat!

I applied for the MBA part time program in Feb. I got an email from graduate admissions asking for more references which I provided couple weeks ago. I followed up to ask when decision is being made and was told a decision has been made and that I would hear back soon lol. Why can’t they just tell me, did anyone receive a reply yet for Fall 2026?