SINGAPORE: Many of us grow up believing that once we land a stable, decent-paying job, life will finally feel settled: study hard, get the job, and earn your own money. That’s the goal. But what if you reach that point and still feel empty?
A 23-year-old Singaporean woman recently shared online that this is exactly how she feels.
In an anonymous post on a local forum, she revealed that she’s been working a full-time office job for almost a year, but it hasn’t brought her any real fulfilment.
“As much as I’m grateful, it sucks,” she wrote. “I can feel my life draining.”
Because of this, she’s been seriously thinking about switching to a career that makes her happier, particularly something more nature- or outdoor-focused, like working in Singapore’s wildlife parks. She’s also been toying with the idea of going back to school to continue her education.
“I’ve also thought of going back to school; I currently hold a private diploma,” she shared. “I’ve been looking at uni applications, etc., but it’s been two years since I graduated.”
Looking for advice, she asked fellow Singaporeans, “Is it a big gap to go back to studying? Plus, I want to do something not related to my diploma (not sure if it’s doable), so technically I’ll have to start from scratch. Now I’m stuck.”
“How late is too late to start over? Should I go back to studying? Should I change career paths now?”
“It’s never too late.”
In the comments, many readers encouraged the post author to return to her studies, reminding her that she is still very young and has plenty of time to pursue her goals.
One shared, “I went into uni at age 27, graduated at 30-31, and am doing pretty ok. 23 is far from too late.”
Another chimed in, “It’s never too late to do anything you set your mind to! I did a career switch from teaching to a corporate job after 3 years in education—no regrets! Think about it this way, female life expectancy is 85 in Singapore. You’re not even 30% through your life yet—many things ahead to explore and experience!”
A third commenter suggested looking at the situation from a different angle, writing, “2 years of not studying since you graduated is basically the same as the guys serving NS for 2 years then going back to uni, also not mentioning the point of the other commenter on how some people started over at an even later year and still managed to do well. So you can just apply and give it a shot!”
A fourth added, “You’re 23. I started over at 35, 7 years ago. And I went back to study last year and am currently taking my master’s after more than a decade of not studying. It’s never too late. And anyone telling you otherwise is just bitter that they don’t have the same courage to do it.”
In other news, an employer took to social media to express her frustration over difficulties communicating with her Indonesian helper, who has limited English skills.
On Saturday (Feb 21), she explained that while her helper is generally hardworking, she struggles to follow instructions. The helper often nods along during explanations but does not actually understand many of the tasks.
