u/riotrawr

I'm in my late 20s, approaching my 30s in a few years, and to be honest, I don't know where to start. I don't have many interests aside from art. I've heard from a few people that I should consider fields like healthcare, trade, sales, or even tech, but I don't think those would work for me. In school, I tend to procrastinate, daydream a lot, and often wander off mentally, not paying attention. Sometimes, I feel like I might have some mental health issues. I'm seeking advice from women who are either working or are working towards something in their late 20s or early 30s without a degree. Any guidance would be appreciated!

I’m 27 years old and have never attended college or community college. I’m not saying that college is bad or a scam—just sharing what I’ve heard from people on social media—but I’ve never had much interest in it. After graduating from high school in 2017, I decided that college wasn’t for me. Most majors don’t appeal to me, except for art. I love art and enjoy working in various mediums, from traditional to digital. However, it seems that my dream of pursuing art will have to remain a hobby for now. Mostly due to the career side of things, and that field is mainly hit-or-miss.

At the moment, I feel stuck and uncertain about what I should be doing with my life. Sometimes I feel left behind, ashamed, or like a disappointment to my parents because I haven’t accomplished much. Many people my age, particularly in my family (cousins), hold degrees, including master’s and doctoral degrees. Right now, I don’t have a job, and although I’ve been applying, I keep facing rejection. Additionally, I don’t drive or have my driver’s license—only a permit.

What would you do at 27 if you didn’t have a degree, a job, or keep comparing yourself to others, and sometimes felt depressed?

I’m 27 years old and have never attended college, neither in person nor online. I’m interested in becoming an archivist. Right now, the best option for me seems to be enrolling in community college to pursue an associate degree, mainly because of financial considerations. However, I’m unsure which major would best prepare me for eventually earning a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree. Many relevant programs are offered online, which is helpful. I feel a bit lost at the moment. Also, will pursuing a liberal arts or MLIS degree help me land an archivist job, or is there a better path?

Just a brief overview of my experiences:

Since childhood, I’ve had occasional bad dreams that I still remember vividly. As I got older, I started to enjoy dreaming and began recording every dream in my journal, noting details like changing settings and the people involved—including loved ones who have passed away and unfamiliar faces. In 2023, I went through an intense month of experiences that I had never encountered before. I often wonder if the figures in my dreams are still around or if they’ve truly moved on, influenced by my parents’ beliefs. (I’m bringing this up because I feel like no one will believe me.)

Note 1:

I hate to say this, but you'll see why. As a female, I sometimes struggle with lust—mainly with myself. I love myself and prefer to focus on my own well-being rather than risk catching something from the opposite sex. Anyway, one night I went to sleep, and around 3 a.m., my hand (the one I used) started burning. When I woke up, I had a few small scratch marks on my wrist—nothing too big.

Note 1.1:

I tried again, but a few days later, and this time I dreamed I was in a small shop. I remembered people fussing and fighting over something. I just stood there, confused. There was blood on the ground, and people were leaving, but the last person to leave was a shadowy figure—completely black, wearing a hoodie, skinny black jeans, and black shoes, with no face—just all black like a shadow. (My grandparents say that, in their experience, these are called demons.) As this shadow figure left, angelic babies appeared near my feet, asking repeatedly, “Are you okay?” but I couldn’t really speak or communicate with them. Suddenly, they all turned into demons. The craziest part is that after this, I experienced sleep paralysis. I’ve had sleep paralysis before, but not like this. Someone was on top of me, holding both of my arms down; the only part I could move was my pinky finger. I felt it distinctly. I don’t want to go into too much detail, but it didn’t feel right. I remember struggling to breathe, and then I suddenly woke up as if a heavy weight had been lifted. That morning, a black moth was on my wall. Later that day, hundreds of crows gathered in my yard. At that point, I knew something wasn’t just a dream—it was real.

Note 2:

After that, I had a few dreams where the shadow figure would just stand and stare at me, while I continued dreaming about other people. One time, a relative brought a flannel jacket from the thrift store, which they left out all day and kept at my house. I’ll never forget this. I resumed my lust habits and experienced sleep paralysis again. This time, I looked to my right and saw the shadow man wearing the flannel, just standing there and watching over me.

Note 2.1:

A few days later, I remember taking a quick nap in my room when I suddenly felt my body levitating, as if someone was trying to pull my soul out. I got up immediately and had to catch my breath at that point.

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Now, I still think about these experiences—they come and go. Right now, my dreams are mostly normal; I still write them down as much as possible and go about my day. But I’ve always wanted to understand the meaning behind those two major experiences I had.

I'm in my late 20s, and my family still brings up college at least once a month—whether it's community college or online courses. Most of my family members have bachelor's, master's, or even doctoral degrees. Some are still in school; they seem to have clear paths. But for me, I don't have a degree, and I honestly have no idea what to do or where to go.

I remember in my early 20s, I took a two-year break, and my parents were willing to help pay for community college. But when I told them I didn't want to go—mostly out of fear and lack of interest—I was shamed and made to feel bad about it.

Now, in my late 20s, I want to clarify that I don't think college is bad. I just don't want to earn a degree to work in a field I know nothing about. To be honest, I have no clear path. I love art and have always been passionate about it, but the art field often feels limited—either becoming a teacher or sinking into debt trying to climb the ladder through art school.

I'm in my late 20s and haven't attended college, but I need to find a job. Surprisingly, most positions in my area require at least a bachelor's degree. I was interested in pursuing art, but I've heard that it might not be the best career choice due to potential student debt from attending a large art school and finding a job. Now, I feel really unsure about my options. I’ve considered marketing or being a nutritionist, but that's about the extent of my ideas.

I am a 27-year-old woman living with my parents. I never attended college and haven’t had a job in seven years. I have limited skills and am currently responsible for caring for a relative we have custody of. I don’t have any friends, nor do I own a car or a driver’s license—only a permit—and I have no money.

I graduated high school in 2017 and have been on my own since then. My parents encouraged me to attend community college mainly because of financial reasons, but I didn’t want to go. I felt lost, anxious, and didn’t want my family to spend money on something I lacked motivation for. I struggled with focusing in class, daydreaming, procrastinating, and fear of speaking in front of people. There was a two-year gap after high school due to a surgery I needed.

Around 2019, I mostly stayed at home as a caregiver. I won’t go into too much detail, but I looked after a premature baby with autism. It was challenging, especially since my parents worked long hours, often day and night. Their jobs are demanding and can require them to go into a building or be called in at any time, which is still the case even now that the child is in school. I stay home to watch over the child and help with homework, studying, and daily routines.

I’ve been trying to find remote jobs, but those options seem impossible now. Even flexible jobs close to me are hard to come by. Job boards are stressful because many listings are scams. I’ve applied for administrative positions since I have experience as a front desk staff member for a temp seasonal program for the city, but I haven’t had any luck either.

My family has suggested I pursue online college or general studies for an associate's degree, but I find it hard to focus at home. Plus, I’m not interested in some majors, especially since I like art, but people warn me not to pursue it because of AI advancements that could make it less valuable financially. Also, I've been seeing that an association means nothing, especially on job applications where you will need a bachelor's, and those who have bachelor's tell me they can't get a job. Overall, I feel stuck in a loop, unsure of what to do next.