Almost 22 - completely lacking direction and feeling unaccomplished

[S_Cooper]

I'm turning 22 this year and I feel like my life has hit a bit of a wall - career wise. I was on a great track. Finished highschool, went straight into uni and graduated with an undergraduate degree in architecture. I took some time off before I was meant to start my masters of architecture (according to my plan), because I felt like I wasn't sure if I was going down the right path anymore.

Long story short I got so overwhelmed with making a decision about what to do that I overthought everything to the max. I made a decision to start a primary school teaching diploma this year (which is a one year course) and even though I'm more than half way through the semester, I again, don't feel great about it. I almost feel like I'm giving up and worked so hard for 3 years only to not finish architecture.

My reasons for teaching also align with the fact that architecture is a damn hard industry to 'make' it in, ESPECIALLY for women. And I guess when I attempted to weigh everything up I thought teaching is great for having a family too - I'm thinking to myself, you can still be ambitious and be a teacher right? But the other half of me is saying - what are you thinking. Right now I'm feeling so unaccomplished and lacking direction, big time. I almost feel like teaching isn't enough of a challenge after how complex my architecture course was, I feel like even if I one day am I deputy or principal I still may not feel accomplished. And to even get to this point or any point in my career for anyone, you need motivation and commitment and even though this is how I would've described myself for so long, I'm lacking it all. I feel no motivation to put 100% effort into teaching and succeed and that's scary.

(I mean absolutely no offence to anyone who is a teacher by the way - it is an incredibly demanding job) Also am i crazy for thinking the career doesn't show enough advancement? It almost like I went to primary school, high school and uni just to go back to square one.

Yet again my alternative is to go back and start my masters. I just feel like a constant yoyo.

I feel like I'm getting older and have less and less options and my career is slipping away.

Would appreciate any advice on the situation - thanks

[Zeal]

Hi S.Cooper,

Welcome to the forum!

It sounds as though you are feeling anxious and apprehensive about the choices you face, and the potential for these choices to affect your future. An important question to ask yourself is, "Putting aside practicalities and future job prospects, what am I most passionate about?" If you don't pursue the option that naturally attracts you the most/inspires your interest, you may eventually regret this. Whether you continue down the teaching path or decide to study your Masters in Architecture, there will be career challenges. If you don't mind me asking, what first attracted you to architecture?

Having completed an undergraduate degree in Architecture before you're 22 is an achievement in itself. Many students change course with study (pardon the pun!), take time off, or go back to study as a mature-age student. I only finished my undergraduate degree in psychology at the end of last year, when I was 23. I wasn't ready for the rigours of university after Year 12, mainly because of my struggles with mental illness. I recently turned 24, and I started Postgraduate Counselling and Psychotherapy this semester. Next year will be my Masters year, which I will finish when I'm 25. I have never had a full-time or even part-time job. The only paid jobs I've had are one brief retail job at 18, and years of casual babysitting. I've been volunteering since the age of 21, which seems to put less pressure on me while studying.

I just wanted you to know that it's natural to have doubts and delays. This doesn't mean it's any less frustrating or anxiety-provoking, of course. If you don't mind me asking, have you had mental health challenges in the past, or think you're experiencing them now? What you are feeling could be general worry and apprehension, so I am not assuming or even suggesting that you have a mental illness. It's just something I feel is worth asking.

Checking in with a university counsellor or career advice worker is a good option.

If you'd like to talk further, you can post back at any time!

Best wishes,

Zeal

[Wolf8619]

hi S.Cooper

As zeal said you have done outstanding work to be able to do a undergraduate degree in architecture but perhaps the course put to much stress on you as i would think a masters degree is the ultimate goal but at the same time the most challenging and if were under fair amount of stress during your time of doing the undergraduate degree in architecture then the stress you felt from that was maybe giving you a signal about doing the masters degree hence why you gave it a break and doing something else.

Both careers are amazing and you are still very young I would think you would get a lot of enjoyment out of teaching as its a more family originated plus if your teaching you get the same school holidays as the children do so that gives you time to spend with love ones or go on a holiday to relax and if you are qualified to teach after doing primary school teaching diploma. You could teach for a few years and see how you go after a few years can have another look at doing your masters as you won't even be 30 yet so you have time.

Another way of doing it is write down what everything that is involved with a architecture and teaching and compare the 2 if your interested in money do lil bit of research who gets paid more or if you have a passion see what career pulls at your heart, In regards to both courses what is acceptable amount of stress you can you cope with as i would think both are stressful but you don't want to burn yourself out ether but most of all you have time your still a young person you still have time so from what ive read doing the teaching gets you into a career quicker by then your still young and have plenty of time to see what its like try it out for a bit and if you decide have a go at your masters I think you will do very well and at the end of it you will still have time to do the things that make you happy.

[S_Cooper]

Hi Zeal,

Thank you for your advice! Sorry about the late reply.

What drew me towards architecture was the idea that it was a combination of both art and science. I love being creative but I also like to be practical and so I thought the career would be a perfect unison between the two.

I would say that making this decision has caused a huge amount of anxiety; lack of sleep, appetite loss, lots of tears. Alot of people would describe me as someone who gets stressed easily but its that pressure that I put on myself that has always pushed me to achieve success and go the extra mile if that makes any sense!

I have spoken to a variety of people in both careers and have spoken to the university careers adviser plus additional university staff to be as well informed as possible but in all honesty that has probably made me more confused and caused me to overthink everything.

A really big issue that I'm dealing with is just telling people what I'm doing at the moment when they ask. I know this is going to sound completely horrible but I'm embarrassed of it, I'm embarrassed that I say I'm doing teaching, I'm embarrassed to say what university I'm studying at (completely superficial, I know, but the university I was at before was held in much higher regard), I'm embarrassed that I'm only coming out with a grad dip qualification but could have had a Masters degree. I felt like I was more unique in doing Architecture and looked upon better. When you tell someone - I'm going to be a teacher - its common and you don't get much of a reaction but as soon as you say - I'm studying architecture - they look impressed. Not that anyone else's opinion should matter but to me it really has mattered. I've worked so hard to achieve the marks I got and want that to be acknowledged and visible.

I'm trying to push it aside and get involved in my teaching course and I'm trying to get motivated but even on prac recently I've just been annoyed with alot of things - alot of petty things you have to deal. All of this is making me think whether I should just do my Masters in Architecture but I feel like I've already screwed up - I've wasted atleast a semester if I do that and it just feels like I'm going backwards.

Sorry if this all sounds a bit complicated - I could honestly write a 10 000 word essay outlining everything I've thought about regarding career choice.|

Thankyou!

[S_Cooper]

Thanks for your advice Wolf8619!

Without a doubt the course was very stressful and I know masters will be on a whole new level regarding stress. However even though the undergraduate was stressful, I was so proud of the skills I learnt and the work I produced. One of the things I keep thinking about is these skills will be lost (e.g. learning new complex programs -Revit, photoshop etc.) and that makes me really sad because I did enjoy using them and know how much of an asset it is to have them.

I have written an extensive pros and cons list but it's a bit difficult to decide based on that because some points have more weight than others.

I really have put alot of thought into the aspect of one day having a family too and what career would assist with that or fit well into it. Obviously teaching is the answer but then again do I really want to choose a career based on that fact and later on resent not fulfilling my own passion (selfishly).


I really appreciate your advice! and definitely think there is alot more that I need to do and consider to be content with this all!