I graduated HS in 2019 and my parents basically forced me to go to a community college. I went as a liberal arts/undecided major and took a bunch of courses and got credits but I never finished my degree and just dropped out in the beginning of this year b/c I felt that I was wasting their money and wasting my time. My parents want me to go back and they’ll pay for the education if I decide a degree but I don’t know if college is even right for me or if I know what to do.
I’m 20 turning 21 in 2 weeks and I feel like it’s just too late for anything. I’m unemployed, been living off my parents, I don’t really go outside to go out, party, etc. I don’t really have any friends and the loneliness is starting to get to me and I just break down a lot at night b/c of it. I don’t have a gf and I never been in a relationship and I’m a virgin as well. I’m pretty sure I have social anxiety and I have a slight stutter and that’s basically the reason why I’m scared to get a job b/c I’m too shy.
I really wanna start just living life and making friends and going out and being with sb I love but I’m not sure where to start. I’ve been so demotivated these past years and it hurts. My graduating class of HS is supposed to be getting their degrees next year (C/O 23) and I haven’t even gotten an associates and I feel like I’m too old to go back to school or try again.
3 comments
Consider learning a trade (plumbing, electrician, etc). It’s different for every state and region, but often you can earn as you learn and once you go off on your own you’ll be able to find a job most places. Most trades are needed everywhere.
Time isn’t running out, it’s never really too late to start something new. Lots of people that are much older then you still feel lost. But, I think it’s important for you to understand that there’s still time and you have to allow yourself that time. Find something you’d think you can be good at and try to go to school for that. Could be anything but you’ve got to do something with your life anyway, right?. You could have a dozen friends and still feel lonely but I would suggest spending more time around things you like cause then you’ll be more likely to find people with similar interests. If you want to meet girls make tinder or dating apps, don’t have to date and go out with them, but it’ll definitely give you practice and confidence to talk to them and the more you do, the better you’ll be at it.
Can I be so bold as to suggest that what the most important thing right now is fixing your mental health.
You are not travelling well.
I would go to your parents and say that. And tell them that you don’t need to go to school, or trade school. What you need is their support to get counselling, and get your mental health working well. Nothing else matters.
Let’s say for arguments sake, that you spend three years intensively working on getting your mental health working. Might not take that long, but for arguments sake let’s say it did. So you are 25. Your mind is working really well. You go to college then. You do really well, because your life experience is high, your emotional intelligence is sky high, you do amazing things. And are soon rocketing ahead of your peers.