u/KitchenPomegranate3

I’ve had a weird, winding path and am looking for some reassurance.

I went to a T10 undergrad, studied IR and got a strong GPA with great internships, but completely burnt out. Like, crashed and burned after graduating. Spent two years sort of floundering, and finally got a job in education policy working with underprivileged students. I don’t want to go into education, but it’s interesting experience. I’ve been doing it for a year.

I was going to apply for Masters this cycle but am feeling overwhelmed and confused by how my profile fits in. Without sharing too many details, I have some uniquely strong characteristics but also a nonlinear path compared to many.

If I go to grad school, I want it to be in a top program, and I’m just not sure I am there yet. At the same time, I’m already 25. Waiting another couple years means I’ll be 27/28 before I start, and many of my peers from undergrad were done by 24. I’m scared of being an outlier.

My goal programs are Kennedy, Princeton, SAIS, etc. I know they are reaches. Without being too harsh, can anyone offer some advice on my situation and (if applicable) assuage my concerns of aging out of the standard cohort? Thanks in advance.

I (25F) have intense under eye circles and the worst under eye wrinkles I've ever seen at my age. People have been commenting on how tired I look since I was about 7 years old, and I am utterly exhausted (ironic).

I'm ready to take a surgical route, but I have been consulting with oculoplastic surgeons for the last few months and keep getting different responses: some recommend just filler, some just blepharoplasty, some blepharoplasty with fat repositioning.

I think the third option makes the most sense but am at a loss for how to find a good surgeon, especially because I live in Southeast Asia long-term.

Photos attached are 1 and 2) looking up, 3) straight at camera, 4) smiling

My questions are:

For those with under-eye surgery / filler experience, what do you think is the best solution for me?
How do you find a trustworthy surgeon when everyone is giving different answers and I'm living abroad?
While I wait to figure out surgery, are there any non-surgical improvements I can make? I have done all the typical things people recommend – allergy medications, sunscreen, moisturizer. I'm considering cheek filler to help plump that area, but eye filler worries me.

I know I shouldn't care about my appearance so much, but it has become genuinely distressing given that I've been getting comments and noticing it in the mirror for decades.

27/28 too late to start an MPP?

Never seen under eyes like mine at my age. What can I do?