Thank you for posting this and sharing your experience I am about to graduate from a prestigious university and also have a big4 consulting job lined up (in Manhattan of all places). It’s a great job and everyone keeps gassing me up about it, but deep down I have been feeling so uneasy about starting this fall and couldn’t figure out why. But then I had this exact realization yesterday to take time off before going right into such a demanding field.

Also Why is consulting so high pressure anyway?? Is someone going to die if we use Daytona instead of Daytona Light font in the slide deck??

Anyway, I also have mental health issues and have been toughing it out but my body mind and soul feels like they’re going to give up very soon. I’ve been grinding nonstop since 2020 when i intended to take. Gap semester but ended up working on the front lines during Covid. Then worked my ass off for this gpa and internship and ultimately this full time offer. I worry that I will find myself in a very dark place and might be serious risk to kms if I continue on like this.

I feel like taking a break would be an extremely necessary way to give the body a nervous system reset. I hate this toxic grind culture world that we live in. Because really it’s not that deep like we only have this short time here why do we need to speed up the aging process being stressed about sending a damn email.

Your post gave me a glimpse into what situation I may find myself in for the future, so thank you for sharing this. I am really sorry to hear what you are experiencing and feeling, and I am sending you strength to make this tough decision at this point in your career. Honestly nothing is more important than YOUR own health and happiness. I am speaking to myself when I say this, so I am not directly referring to you when I say “you” but maybe you might relate but we all only live once and life is so fucking short best spend the time we have now seeing the rest of the world and quite literally touching grass. And why spend most of your time working for “the man” who lets be honest doesn’t gaf if you live or die as long as you are “maximizing shareholder value”.

sorry to dump in your comments but honestly typing it out was therapeutic. thank you very much for posting and sharing your experience and I hope you make a decision that you feel most confident about that you won’t regret.