Ask HN: Tips on coping with my quarter-life crisis
I believe I am going through a quarter-life crisis and although this is not directly related to technology I feel that a lot of people on hacker news will be able to relate.
First let me present my situation (which might be a bit gloomy). I just graduated with a masters in electrical engineering and have been depressed for the last 5 years (almost as long as it took me to get my masters). Although I dislike offices and love being outside the offers I have right now are for 9 to 5 jobs in offices abroad. Despite these jobs are highly paid I am afraid that my depression will get worse since I will feel that I am not leading a meaningful life. Although what I feel I need right now is a job which will allow me to communicate with others I am heading towards a coding job which will likely involve many hours of being alone. I keep having thoughts telling me that I don't want to be a programmer and ask me why I keep on doing this. The only sincere answer I can think of is that I am afraid of breaking out of this role play I am putting up for the last years of my life. I believe I would enjoy being a ski instructor since it combines both communication and being outside. I am thinking of accepting a coding job and when I earn enough money to become a ski instructor, change careers. Does this sound logical to you or am I just wasting time?
Did you have similar thoughts when you were 25? Did you make a decision in a similar situation that you regret? What would your advice be?
First let me present my situation (which might be a bit gloomy). I just graduated with a masters in electrical engineering and have been depressed for the last 5 years (almost as long as it took me to get my masters). Although I dislike offices and love being outside the offers I have right now are for 9 to 5 jobs in offices abroad. Despite these jobs are highly paid I am afraid that my depression will get worse since I will feel that I am not leading a meaningful life. Although what I feel I need right now is a job which will allow me to communicate with others I am heading towards a coding job which will likely involve many hours of being alone. I keep having thoughts telling me that I don't want to be a programmer and ask me why I keep on doing this. The only sincere answer I can think of is that I am afraid of breaking out of this role play I am putting up for the last years of my life. I believe I would enjoy being a ski instructor since it combines both communication and being outside. I am thinking of accepting a coding job and when I earn enough money to become a ski instructor, change careers. Does this sound logical to you or am I just wasting time?
Did you have similar thoughts when you were 25? Did you make a decision in a similar situation that you regret? What would your advice be?