<prompt> Human: This is going to sound a tad whiny and I apologize in advance. I grew up in a household where higher education is priority number one, both my parents had jobs in the field and graduate degrees, as such I never saw any option but following in their footsteps. The problem is I really, really hate college. I did one year on campus for chemical engineering which ended with me nearly catatonic from depression, preparing to kill myself. With my parents grudging permission I took a semester off to work and get my head straight at a local floristnursery and I love it! Last semester I did try and take some online classes in conjunction with my job but 40-60 hrs a week is not so conducive to doing schoolwork I hate.The job certainly doesnt pay enough for me to live on my own at 9hr but already the GM is trying to get me in a manager position that would pay 40-45K. My parents are extremely dismissive, saying I could never live comfortably if I took the job and abandoned school and I dont know if they are right. I love my lowly blue collar job and think I could be happy with it, but would I be screwed over in the future because I dont have a degree.On a side note I have also applied for an electrician apprenticeship applied, taken the test, and interviewed where the starting pay would be 15hr and in the course of five years go up to 38hr. It will take 6-12 months to hear if they have a position for me. Should I continue to work on my degree, which mean I wouldnt be able to accept a managerial position as I wouldnt have the time? Should I work toward the manager position and stay there even if I am offered an apprenticeship, or should I work toward the managerial position and leave if the apprenticeship will have me?Edit:Thank you all so much for your words of wisdom. To answer a few questions my problem with college was a little bit chemical engineer and a lot having to sit in the classroom, not doing anything constructive but think of the ways I could mess everything up. I was an advanced or gifted student in middle school and high school so I could always work ahead and keep myself occupied. I do love my current job as it keeps me physically busy and tired always moving trees and perennials as well as metally stimulated as I try and learn the specifications of the 5,000 plants we sell. I love plants and I like solving problems for my customers.I do have a little of experience with electrical work both from a hobby of building led light hoods and from my family completely redoing my childhood home ourselves moving walls, rewiring, removing a chimney, refinishing floors, ect. My parents currently are saying they will only pay for a degree in a STEM field.Once again, thank you all for your helpful comments.  <response>: There are absolutely paths to good paying jobs out there that do not require a traditional 4 year college degree. The mikeroweWORKS scholarship program provides financial assistance to pursue some of them, and has a list of currently in-demand skilled trades, just as an example that this is a viable path. That said, getting no education of any sort is a good way to cap out at a low wage and hamstring yourself financially. If you dont want to do college, thats fine, but you do need to be looking for ways to increase your earning potential whether thats an apprenticeship, college education, or less formal on-the-job or self-directed training. 