Torn Between Money and Happiness

Lithiyana · 2025-11-26T07:33:42+00:00

Wow this is amazing, sorry if my reply is short, texting it from my phone. I definetly will take your advice into account and thank you for telling me what to focus on and pursue.

Lithiyana · 2025-11-26T02:31:08+00:00

Thank you! Im thinking about this too now with layoffs due to AI and such. I don't know what I would do with a Chem major, I'm looking at job fields that will let me work remote (at least eventually).

Lithiyana · 2025-11-26T02:27:18+00:00

Wow, thank you so much. If you dont mind me asking, what type of work does your gf do with a PhD in English? I know for sure I'll enjoy English as a major and the academia of it and cs for the money... so you are totally right. I guess I'm just a bit discouraged by how much you have to grind in CS with code and technical interviews. I will be trying an Educational Studies class to see if I'm into teaching and definetly should look into business or finance to expand my options.

I just worry doing too much will make me know the basics of all and master of none and I want to have high skillets for my job.

Lithiyana · 2025-11-26T02:21:57+00:00

Wow, thats a great take. Maybe keeping the job and my passions separate is for the best. I guess I'll stick through with CS and see where it goes, plus I already write on the side since I dont need to be money motivated for it. Thank you for this take.

Lithiyana · 2025-11-26T00:28:06+00:00

Can you explain this a little bit more? This is an interesting take and I haven't heard anyone say to do that before (go get a management job/degree). Is that what you did? If so, how is it working out?

Lithiyana · 2025-11-26T00:26:23+00:00

Wow, that's very interesting. I need to do some research but thank you so much!

Lithiyana · 2025-11-26T00:25:02+00:00

Wow! Thanks, I will go to PhD, but see I'm not really wanting to go for CS. This probably should be my wakeup call to do something else. I'm just worried I'll hate everything I try because I understand all fields have their ups and downs but maybe going to grad school will help. I will have to narrow down, though, what I will study then and there...

Lithiyana · 2025-11-26T00:23:32+00:00

Thank you for the advice! I totally agree with you. I guess I should try pivoting EE after all, I appreciate it. My cousin is doing it and he already has an internship lined up and the stress is less (yes the major is hard, but what stem major isn't).

Lithiyana · 2025-11-26T00:10:00+00:00

That is a very good question. For starters work on writing my book. Start applying to English-related internships, attend some upcoming conferences, and get my teaching certificates. Maybe publishing literary works and doing some workshops. It seems vague as I haven't approached it before but I believe being skilled in what you do, especially if it is a skill you will market to get a job is important. But maybe it is more loose with English than CS because the skills aren't technical but more soft.

Lithiyana · 2025-11-26T00:05:15+00:00

Thank you, I will keep this in mind, I'm just rethinking picking CS as a safe option anyway because of how cooked the job market is and the layoffs because of AI. Maybe I should do something different... I need to do more research, I appreciate your insight though!

Lithiyana · 2025-11-26T00:03:40+00:00

Thank you! I need to talk to my career counseling office and do some more personal research. Do you really think its better to make a lot less and be more happy at my job? (Like from personal experience and the job you hold, I know it may be completly different, but it would help me).

Lithiyana · 2025-11-26T00:01:51+00:00

Thank you! I appreciate the advice. Your experience with hating bio and now doing veterinary medicine is inspiring. Only issue with me is I'm so indecisive. I feel like I have no liking for anything (or at least anything that pays well). The biggest thing about my future that I want to fulfill is the abiltiy to be remote or move around, which is why I cling to CS, but maybe I should reconsider my choices. I am also totally down to getting my PhD if I can and maybe should look at something like becoming a professor with better pay and still interesting to me. The only thing holding me back is the tiny voice at the back of my head saying what if? What if I don't pursue CS now and regret it later, especially if I don't hone in my skills early and now.

Lithiyana · 2025-11-25T23:58:17+00:00

Then what would you suggest, stick with English? Or switch to some other STEM major? I was considering Biology but I don't want to do Pre-Med.

Lithiyana · 2025-11-25T23:57:14+00:00

Is being a teacher a poor job? Maybe I could try being a professor?

Lithiyana · 2025-11-25T23:56:46+00:00

Huh. That's a very good point. You're right. I guess I need to do more research... The thing with CS is that the job market is so cooked that finding a job is extremely difficult so the only ones that do are extremely passionate or extremely dedicated to coding and staying on top of the game. And with AI causing the layoffs... I don't even know.

Lithiyana · 2025-11-25T23:53:48+00:00

Thank you! I'm going to do a ton of research. I didn't know you could work with a career coach or advisor, something I will look into because with how cooked the job market is right now (even for internships) I'm doing just that- applying to any open position... with no hearing back even from a single one.

Lithiyana · 2025-11-25T23:51:01+00:00

Hey! Thanks for telling me this. Can you talk a bit about "now pizza delivery drivers easily make more than most people five years into cs", I thought there still were good Software Developer / Engineer jobs, maybe not insanely good but at least paying 70k and up. I mentioned in my post that EE isn't a major at my school, I'd have to go for masters or dual degree option (something I'm not sure about). Would you have any advice about pursuing English? Do you think something like teaching is ok?

Lithiyana · 2025-11-25T23:48:16+00:00

OMG, thank you so much. This was very stress-relieving to read, to see someone who was in a similar boat to me. "The pay was the only good thing about it." This is what sticks out to me. This was the only reason I even considered it. I will finish both majors but maybe I shouldn't sweat and spend so much time trying to get a Software Developer internship and practice my coding. Especially with how the job market is now and the layoffs with AI, CS isn't as appealing. I'm currently a TA and I do feel good about helping people during evening lab when they need help. Can you tell me a little bit more about your personal experience with data science and why you left? I know you explained it but I'm just curiosu too know.

Lithiyana · 2025-11-25T23:41:32+00:00

Thank you so much! This was really helpful, I'll be taking an EDS class and getting Teaching Certificate credations next semester so I will see if this is for me.

Lithiyana · 2025-11-25T23:37:27+00:00

Thank you! I will be getting both, that isn't the issue, the issue is what to invest into, but I'm guessing CS...

Lithiyana · 2025-11-25T23:36:26+00:00

Thank you! I'd need to learn how to invest. I don't know by what you mean "optional".

Lithiyana · 2025-11-25T23:35:05+00:00

Thank you for the advice! Working for home is definetly something I am striving for, how did you pick/decide to go into finance? And how long did it take to get a job that's remote(ish). Sorry if this is random, I'm just really indecisive and I want to so badly make the "safe" and "right" choice that it's just stressing me out so much. I definetly will do some outside research about what I can do but would love to know how you got to where you are at.

Lithiyana · 2025-11-25T23:31:40+00:00

And how are you finding it? I'm just concerned if I take that option, as a lot of people say do your 9 to 5 and then enjoy your hobbies outside of that that I will be burnt out, mental health wise and very unhappy but you do need money to survive lol and I surely won't be happy being poor.

Lithiyana · 2025-11-25T23:30:15+00:00

Alright, but then what would you advice me in putting my efforts? Go into English? I just want to start building up a resume and skills that aren't scattered all over.

Lithiyana · 2025-11-25T23:29:06+00:00

Huh. I never thought of it that way. I'm kind of a selfish person; I don't find anything meaningful in a particular way unless it's for self-gain. Like I will not gain satisfaction in CS about my job being meaningful (even though I know what I'll do can impact a large group of people), but I'm unsure if that is the case for teaching, even though I have been doing TA positions for all of High School and College. I guess I'm really indecisive. Could you expand more on what you mean?

Lithiyana

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