<prompt> Human: Im a 23 year old graphic designer. I finished all of my career-related classes in November, and had to take two remaining gen eds this fall. I went to a private college near home for 2 reasons: 1- It has a phenomenal art department and I feel like I would not have gotten anywhere near the quality education I received at cheaper options in the area. 2- I was not emotionally stable enough at the time to move far from my parents. I was suffering from BPD, severe depression, and anxiety still am but its so much more controlled and livable now. All of this is to say I only partially regret my university choice. I regret it when I look at the accrued 130,000 debt. Its staggering. I feel smothered. My loan payments, which come due in November of this year will be 800 a month. I was lucky enough to find a rare job right down the road from where I live in a pretty dry area in terms of artistic opportunity and I enjoy what I do, but Ive learned over these past few months that no one at this growing company has received any raises over the past 4 years it has been in business. Ive proved myself very valuable to the team, but I know I am the lowest paid employee and it is a struggle to justify staying at a job that I enjoy and barely make enough to eke out a living. Here are the specifics broken down:So. I make 30,000 a year take home is about 1800 monthly. I have 800 monthly loan payments, and owe my mom close to 6000 for expenses over the years cameras and equipment, a new iMac, new bedroom furniture, clothing, so Im also paying her about 500 monthly until that gets paid off. My boyfriend has a guaranteed job offer at the hospital hes interning at now for when he graduates from his program next May. The job will pay 45,000 take home will be around 3000 monthly. He also has a young daughter, so there are added expenses. We both currently live separately at our own parents homes. I worked out a tentative budgetsavings plan for us based on the expenses we have to pay, combining the money I can save until May with the money he and I can save together thereafter.Childcare: 150Transportation: 300Personal CareGroomingClothing: 500Loans: 1300BirthdaysChristmas: 50Entertainment for the three of us and meals out: 200That comes out to 2500 in expenses, subtracted from a combined income of 4800 is 2300 to save monthly. If we were to live in an apartment, the rentgroceriesutilities, etc. would pretty much completely take up all of the savings per month, meaning we would be living paycheck to paycheck and would have to stay in an apartment forever. The other option is to stay in undesirable living situations, separate from one another and with difficult families for the next 2-3 years until we have saved enough to afford a home.I know owning a home at 26 is pretty much where most people want to be. But I feel like Im really struggling with seeing how much more I could be making in a bigger scarier, further away from parents, unfamiliar city, or even more in a different STEM-related field. I wouldnt be happy during 40 hours of my week, doing something in the medical field or tech field or whatever. Im already really having a hard time adjusting to what little time I have to myself as is, and Im in a job I enjoy. I cant imagine how much more unhappy and unfulfilled I would feel in a non-creative field. But then I could comfortably and quickly afford a home. I could afford vacations with my kids. I could afford little luxuries that I enjoy, like nice clothing or good dinners out on a rare occasion... I just dont see how I can have a good, enjoyable life outside of work on the salary I have now. Tbh Im not even sure if its livable, with groceries and rent and bills... I dont know what to do. Im scared of more debt and going back to school, but that might be the answer to getting a life worth living. But is it worth living if you dislike work every day? HELP. Please. This is scaring me and I feel like Ive ruined my life with debt, all for the wrong choice.  <response>: Yeah thats called growing up. If I had to guess a very high percentage of people dont like what they do for work. This is not new, ask your folks. If you dont know what you want to do welcome to the club. I know of only one person who knew what they wanted to do work wise and stuck to it. Most will change careers many times. The disruption that AI and automation will bring in the next 20 years will ensure that many of the jobs today will not even exist in the near future. So I will give you the advice that I gave my kids: Get out of the family home. You cannot grow up living with your folks and will not be well prepared for life. Living at home is not free, the emotional toll has a price. You can rent or buy, choose one. I like owning Both of my kids owned in mid 20s Dont be reactionary and go back to school. Work and take some time to reflect. A person in their 20s is still very young and just starting to figure things out. Yes, this included me. Try not to beat yourself up. No one cares if you dont like your work. You can work at a crappy job with some grace and have fun on off times or be that negative, whiny person everyone hates. If your current job doesnt pay enough find another on or a PT job. Again that is life. If you feel like you arent in control then you probably arent. Find a path that works.Life is great if you dont weaken. Figure out a plan that works for you. Avoid negative people like the plague. Believe in yourself. Good luck. 