u/Klutzy-Flatworm-7484

Hi all,

I just want someone to answer my question because I'm so anxious that I feel almost nothing but constant worry anymore.

With declining enrollment across the country and layoffs happening in almost every field, what is the job outlook like for my role? I am a first year adaptive sped teacher in Georgia, and my class is specifically for kids with autism. I don't service kids with anything else, just autism. And right now, I have 6 kids in my class in grades K-2. After grade 2, they go to a different school.

Questions I'm struggling with specifically:

If my school no longer needed my role, what would happen to me?

Should I be worried about enrollment?

Are there really enough kids to fill my class each year?

Please don't be super technical like people on here like to be. Obviously, I know that nobody can answer these questions with a 100% guarantee, but give me what you know. Don't comment about my anxiety. I'm an anxious person, always have been. I can do my job fine. Telling me to get therapy or to turn off my anxiety helps no one.

I have bad stress over layoffs every since I've gotten laid off before, and it ruined my life.

I just know that I could probably reach the level of happiness that I used to have years ago (before my layoff) if I wasn't strangled with this fear and anxiety. And I'm a question asker - I ask A LOT of questions. I've noticed that people tend to get upset by that.

So, please, give me something so I can live my life bc I feel like I'm dying more and more.

Let me say that if you purposely use someone's friendship as a means to get a relationship out of them, then you are fundamentally a low person. This is especially true when you know that they dont feel the same. Believe it or not, you don't *have * to seek/ pressure someone to be "more" with you just because you have known them for a long time. Friendships are important for a reason.

I have given my best friend over a decade of loyalty, companionship, and memories. I have friends, but having a "best friend" has always been a significant part of my life. He has filled this role perfectly until the past 2 years. In this time, he's been open about his feelings towards me and how he wants us to "grow" and be more. I don't want this. For one, I don't date friends. I find that weird. Secondly, I don't want to ruin something that has been great otherwise. The risk just isn't worth it.

I've told him all of this. Still, I'm met with overbearing comments along the lines of, "Why should we be stagnant?" And "It's normal for best friends to date each other." The thing is, I feel betrayed. Yet again, i feel like I'll never be good enough for someone as I am or with what I give. I always have to bend to someone else's expectations. I've been ghosted by my last two best friends of many many years, so now I have to deal with this. Those experiences shaped the person I am and how I view people. He knows this. I want a BEST FRIEND. Why am I never good enough for this??

I told him that he's AGAIN proven that I'm not worthy as I am. The fact that every time we do something together is an opportunity to get closer to his "goal," which is us together as a couple. This is sick. And yes, I don't want us to change, I want us as we are, forever. I call that a bond. He calls it stagnant.

I've invested so much for so many years all to be shown that it was never enough. Not mention that it gets so disgustingly old that everyone yerns for a relationship to the point of ruining things around them. Grow up. So, what now? Either he leaves because I don't give him what he wants or he leaves because the feelings are too much. I'm ghosted again, more than likely. I feel used and lonely.

And what advice will he get? Probably that he needs to give our friendship a break so that he can get over his feelings? Cool. Either way, I lose. It's so sickening.

Animals are fun. Animals are cute. I understand the yerning to adopt or "rescue" as many as you can. Oftentimes, this is ok. However, there's a time to stop.

This came up in conversation, which is why I'm typing this: My friend house sat for a couple a few years back. They gave my friend permission to throw a Halloween party while they were gone. Me and some other people were invited. While there, I noticed that they had SIX cockatiels all crammed into one cage. These poor things had a tiny water tray and no room to even stretch their wings out if they wanted. I noticed that one of them looked like he'd been plucking feathers from his belly area, which is a sign of illness or stress in birds.

This really upset me. My friend said that the couple she was house sitting for loved birds, that's why they had so many. Ok cool, but if you "love" them so much, why do you treat them like collectibles with no feelings or needs? Animals are not objects. You shouldn't just go getting more simply because you can.

To add insult to injury, these people traveled for work. They were hardly home. So, these birds would go extended periods of time with no human interaction or fresh water. They had a pet sitter come to feed and water them every few days when my friend wasn't there, but that's it. All these birds had was their cramped cage and each other (which was part of the problem).

So, my thing is this... why? For instance, I LOVE cats. Cats are the best things in the world to me. If I had the means, I'd have a house full of them. However, I know that isn't right. I don't need a house full of cats if I don't have the space, time, and supplies needed to give them all a good life. Right now, I have 4 inside cats. That's enough. I know of a few cats right now in desperate need of a good home. It's tempting to take them in. But that would be a disservice to them because having that many cats in a small space would be unhygienic and stressful for them. So, I calm my temptation as any sensible person would. Why am I able to know when to stop despite my strong love, but these other people treat their animals like crap?

Disclaimer: This is not about anyone who has some kind of illness because I know that has gotten brought up a lot.

I 'grinds' my gears when someone is a grown adult but has the palate of a six year old. I genuinely get annoyed at being around those who can't just eat like normal people. Instead, they have a list of 10+ things that they don't like and won't eat. How can you go through life only eating a few things? I just don't get it.

I think a lot of this has to do with having an ex that was a picky eater. We would only eat at like two places. I couldn't cook anything because he would refuse to eat it. He'd eat only hamburgers, spaghetti, pizza, chicken nuggets, or fajitas. It got so old; never being able to have new food experiences. Now, I'm with someone adventurous that will try anything at least one. I can cook for him and he won't complain. It's amazing.

Yes, we all have things we don't like, that's normal. And no one should be forced to eat what they don't want to eat. Still, how can you just hate more food than you can count on both hands?

This grinds my gears in the same way with people who put hardly put any seasoning on food. I don't want to eat naked food, and I especially don't want unsalted food. Life is too short to not put salt on everything.

This kills me more than anything! DO NOT get an animal if you expect them to act like a breathing statue/object! Guess what? A cat is going to climb on stuff, they don't like staying on the ground. It's literally in their nature! Also, if you get a loud breed dog, expect them to be loud! They are going to bark. Why do people get so surprised by this??

I've know people that willingly get animals, but their animal can't do anything without getting yelled at and reprimanded. "He's not allowed on the couch." "We don't let them in the bedroom with us."

*Screams at them when they get the zoomies*

For example, anytime the cats start playing together and one of them makes the tiniest noise, my grandma has to get up and yell at them. If they run too much? They get yelled at. Let the animals be animals!!! They aren't breaking anything, they aren't hurting each other, they are just playing!

Secondly, my aunt got a dachshund years ago, guess what? That breed barks a lot. That's one reason I'm not a fan of them. But if she barks, like what they are naturally known for doing, everyone freaks out on her. Get a quieter breed then!

One of my friends hates when his cat lays on him or asks for affection. He pushes him away! Why get a cat then??? Especially a male cat??? They tend to be very affectionate! He says that he sheds too much. Ok? Ever heard of a lint roller? I have 3 inside cats. There's A LOT of hair around here. I'm the one who signed up for it. I keep a lint roller on the table by the door, and I have one in my car. Problem solved.

If you think this sounds like to much work, don't. Get. An. Animal.

Also, because I have 3 cats, I gave up worrying about trivial things. One of my cats likes to sit on the edge of the counter to watch me cook. I'm not going to lose my shit because she's on the counter. Why? Because she's a cat that likes to be up high! They are just going to be on the counters if I'm not home anyway? Why try to fight it?

And I know what people are gonna say... No. I don't let her walk around the food. She just likes to sit on the edge because she is curious. Yes, I know they get into the litter box. I wipe down the counters daily with lysol, and I do it everytime before I cook. Yes, I do believe in disciplining animals. They aren't allowed to do just anything they want. My point is that I'm not going to fight against something that is in their nature to do ***as long as it's not harmful***. For example, if I had a dog, I would not put up with them chewing everything to shreds. I don't let my cats claw the couch- I keep their claws trimmed. When they try, yes, I do reprimand them.

[[[[Again, I let them get away with the stuff that is natural and causes no harm to themselves, us people, or any belongings.]]]] I know people reading this will think that I am saying that pets should just do whatever they want, and no. That's not my point. My point is to stop being a dick to the animals you chose to have! Why can't your animal cuddle with you? What's the big deal of they are on the couch or bed? They are going to get hyper, why freak out?

Imagine how it would feel if you could never be eye level or close to your person? You were always expected to just stay on the floor and maybe the one or two spaces that are designated for you to lay? That's just sad!

One of my best friends has my dream life. She works a remote job that pays 70k a year. There's no set schedule. She just has to get the assignments done by their deadlines. Because of this job, she has the freedom to go where she wants, stay out late if she wants, take breaks whenever, be in the comfort of her home, so on.

I have fantasized about having a remote job for forever. I am naturally introverted, and I don't care if I have limited contact with coworkers. I actually prefer it. My commute to work is 40 minutes, whereas she has no commute at all. This especially sucks because I am the opposite of a morning person. I HATE mornings. In fact, don't invite me anywhere if I have to be there before 12pm. Also, my passion in life is traveling. Obviously, work kinda gets in the way of that. If I worked remote, I could work from anywhere. I imagine myself sitting by the beach on my laptop. Instead, I'm stuck in a building all day watching the clock begrudgingly.

Please, please do not get me wrong, I am happy for my friend. I'm not one of those losers that let their envy corrupt a wonderful friendship. And just because she has what I want does not mean that I want her lifestyle taken away from her. Two things can be true at once, I can feel sad that it's not me but also be happy that she's happy.

Anyway, it just sucks to feel this way. It sucks to see her having fun nights out on the town on random week nights while I have to be in bed by 9pm, struggling to fall asleep because I'm anxious about the coming work day. It sucks that I spend all day on Sundays stressing about Monday. I'm thankful to have a job, but I can't deny how I feel. Looking for a remote job has proven to be almost impossible. Plus, with all the layoffs happening these days, I'd be afraid to accept one even if it did come my way.

This usually happens to me on Sundays. If I have to work on Monday, I cannot truly enjoy Sundays. I know not everyone is off on the weekends, but still. Do yall struggle to truly enjoy a day off if you work or have to wake up early the next day?

For me, part of the enjoyment I get out of being off is knowing I don't have to wake up early or do anything the next day. I feel good on Saturdays because I know I can go to bed when I want and not have to worry about being woken up by an alarm. Having the next day off is SO exciting! Sundays just feel 'ok'. Not exciting or relaxing. They even feel stressful a lot of the time. So, I'm curious how common this is?