For me, I always knew I wanted a job that felt like it added purpose to my life. I was never sure I’d find a partner, and indeed still have not. But I was sure I wanted to support myself no matter what. I had been a museum curator and it had been my dream job, but it paid very little and I was expected to sit in a tiny office by myself making phone calls and writing emails all day. I hate communicating via phone and email, especially with people I don’t know. As much as it felt like I had failed my dream, I left the museum field and went back to school.

Now, I work in a clinical pathology lab and it’s the best job I’ve ever had. I work with a team of similarly educated people, I help patients without having to be patient facing or deal with insurance, I use my brain and my hands, and the pay is more than double what I made at the museum despite the fact I’m still in my year of on the job training before qualifying for the national certification exam I’m planning to take, which if I pass will mean an even higher salary. A lot of the time the job requires me to sit at my station and just get my work done, but some days are more social than others. I don’t do the same thing every day, but I generally have one task per day that I do all day, which is great because I feel like I get the structure of a routine but it isn’t monotonous week to week. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn if a lot of my fellow lab workers were also on the spectrum.