I recently graduated college with a degree in psychology. I graduated a year earlier than my class with Honors and I'm taking time off right now because the burn out has been awful. I got a full ride because both my parents are immigrants and didn't have money to send me to college. So all my life I've been working my ass off. Got my first job at 15, have been working every day since, and managed to go through college debt free.
Usually, people would congratulate me and then immediately ask me what I plan on doing next. But I'm so burnt out and exhausted. I'm currently volunteering and spending my time volunteering in a different country to help me feel something different. And it's been amazing! I volunteer and get food and shelter in return. But now I don't want to go back to the USA. I know I have to return because I can't live like this forever. But every time I look for a job, I become so fucking depressed. My options are either to work a shit job that pays like 15 an hour and struggle or go back to college and I'm still burnt out like fuck.
I'm so happy because I'm living a good life and I'm experiencing something new every day while being able to help people which feels incredibly. I love it. But I'm also so sad with the looming thought that one day I'll have to go back to the grind and give myself back to the fucking rat race I've been running since I've been 15 (I'm 22 now).
I just wanted to rant because the US system is fucking broken and I needed to just vent into the void. Thanks for listening.
TL;DR I got a degree, I'm debt free, but the looming thought of going back to the rat race of America fucking sucks ass