u/Less_Mistake2304

I applied to a fulltime position there months ago. They came back saying they would want freelance instead but couldn’t guarantee hours but mostly hover around 10 hr/wk off and on. I said sure seemed kinda manageable with my fulltime job and nice to get extra money.

Then they ghosted me for weeks. Now they are asking for 25hr-40hrs a week and eventually brought on fulltime. Umm wildly different and also I currently have a fulltime role… so I said I couldn’t do fulltime freelance until I could be sure they were being honest. Not just quitting my fulltime role in this job market for inconsistent freelance work.

I signed the contract and said we would meet next week to kick things off. Then got asked to hop on a call the next day instead because they needed “immediate” help. Ok. Hopped on and they blew me off for 15 mins to then call back saying “can you call back in a half hour”… ok. Then got explained their working style and it became obvious this is really a fulltime role they are trying to fill as quickly as possible with a freelancer. They warned me it was chaotic working for them and said “so fair warning.”

I asked about what project I could start with and was basically told to get a company email and slack set up by EOD so they could send me docs over the weekend and then meet again about what project I wanted. So I email my contact asking about setting all that up and then pretty much ghosted the whole day. At this point I’m not sure it’s worth the headache? Do I quit now before I go too deep?

Love my mom but over time I have realized how not normal my parents were growing up. They seemed normal when I was a kid because I didn’t know better. But they basically just let me figure out life on my own 95% of the time growing up.

My older sister I suspect had undiagnosed mild autism but can’t be sure as of course they never got her therapy or anything even when she struggled socially in high school and failed out of freshman year of college because she was afraid to leave her room. But that’s a whole other thing.

My sister is now 40 and lives across the country and doesn’t understand how to keep in regular contact with her family. My parents spiral that she was murdered regularly because they don’t hear from her months on end. Instead of calling her and being direct like “hey haven’t heard from you for the holidays just want to make sure you’re ok” they call me in a panic telling me to call her. My mom is basically scared of my sister and honestly I don’t think she knows how to be a mother. She is afraid if she’s direct my sister will just never speak to her again. I recently told my parents I’m done parenting my adult sister FOR them.

Ever since this incident I can barely stand my mother. We previously had an ok relationship until I went to therapy. Now I’m completely angry and bitter over all my mom’s shortcomings. Now as an adult I feel like I’m being treated as my mother’s mom and so frustrated by her inability to function in society beyond going to her job and doing housework. Anything else she cannot handle. She does all tasks last minute and can’t even drive herself to my home. I suspect my mom has been depressed my whole life and this “last minute” for any tasks like buying Christmas gifts, scheduling doctors appointment comes from that.

My question is how do I get over this anger? Being around her now makes my blood boil I almost wish I hadn’t gone to therapy in the first place because previously I blamed myself and had not self esteem. Now I’m just pissed off at her. Anyone have something similar? How did you get past it?

Sorry if this is the wrong group for something like this. I was looking to make a career change and go to night school cosmetology after being in corporate America for 10 years. Night school so I could keep working for now felt like the safest option.

I did an “interview” and signed some paperwork but supposed to have a follow up meeting about financial planning (aka loans, grants or out of pocket payment plan). I haven’t even seen a finalized number for tuition and they want me to start in less than a month. I sent an email to the financial aid director and have not even received an email back almost a week later.

I know cosmo school is more chill then say a 4 year college of course but this is a big name chain. They are responsible for recording my hours to get a license and 18k (roughly the estimate) is a big amount to risk on a career change!

Am I just getting cold feet or is it reasonable for me to now be weary and withdraw my application based on this?

It’s one of my favorite rituals, I love love preparing it, love the taste, enjoy feeling more awake, but I think I need to admit it contributes to my anxiety and mental spiraling. I hate the taste of decaf but I think I need to adapt. Anyone else feel similar?

So I’m kind of in a bind about 12 times out of the year while I’m at school. School requires physically being in the classroom as I need a certain amount of logged time to pass boards. this would require me traveling only half days each day (it’s a 2hr drive from the office to my classroom/hometown). I can’t just take those in office days off as I’m “required” to swipe into work all those days. This school is NOT related to my current job so I don’t want to tell my boss but wonder if I can’t avoid it?

This next one coming up I told my boss I couldn’t come in because I had “appointments” every day right at 5pm and she was cool with it. But I don’t think I’ll be able to use that 3 more times. It’ll look like I’m just trying to avoid the office

I don’t want to talk specifically about the exact location but it’s in a midsized city in the northeast. It’s really my only option for night school as I have a fulltime job. I currently make good money but my specific job is quickly getting eaten up by AI and it’s becoming more and more difficult to find roles. I’m also sick of corporate world, it’s not for me. So I’m trying to pivot to something I could do more locally and I enjoy being creative and being more social.

I don’t want to give up my job right away as I make a lot more than I would initially as a stylist and would like to keep saving as long as possible. My husband can and is willing to support me those first few years as a working hairstylist as I know it’ll be low paying especially at the start compared to what I made before.

PM is not cheap but really my only option to keep my job during school and overall I did like the highly professional vibe. My biggest concern is paying 15k out of pocket (I don’t qualify for financial aid and don’t want pay interest loans when I have the money and no my state doesn’t have any community colleges with a cosmetology program) and I just want to be sure finding employment won’t be impossible out of school. I’m currently running into that issue now with my current job that I had to earn a bachlors degree for so I’m extra cautious.

What was your experience? Especially in 2024-now given the economy. I do live in an area with a high concentration of salons so I don’t know if that’s a good or bad sign lol

I started volunteering at an animal shelter. Did not originally realize I had to commit to 1 4 hour shift a week for 1 year minimum and they ask 2 weeks notice if you are leaving.

The staff are nice, I love what they stand for and enjoy being around the animals. However, I’m expected to be comfortable around an 1000 pound cow and ex race horse and often exposed to being in their enclosures and areas they have free reign in to complete my chores/duties even if not directly caring for those large livestock.

In that short period of time I’ve had 2 scary encounters with both the horse and the cow. They weren’t outwardly aggressive with me but they are more unpredictable then I’d like and given how little experience I have with large animals I’m uncomfortable being in spaces with them coming directly up to me.

My last shift we gave medication to one of the goats and the cow ran after us and got very close following behind me and into my personal space. I was trembling with fear. I try to avoid the cow but this showed me I can’t meaningfully avoid him. I was obviously freaked out but the head staff doesn’t seem concerned at all. they are very short staffed and expect everyone to be comfortable with everything it’s little oversight.

The head staff member had me walking the horse with them when he got spooked by a stump (known issues she downplayed to me) and got on its hind legs almost and ran off full speed with the lead attached. I told her I thought the horse seemed freaked before and she minimized it. Later she was confused what freaked him out and I told her the stump. She brushed my concern off.

The experience with the horse and cow spooked me to the point I’m ready to quit effective immediately without the 2 weeks notice (if I email today it gives them a week to figure out coverage). They are short staffed but my particular shift has the most people but the experienced volunteers are students about to leave for the summer and it makes me even more worried I’ll be put in positions I’m not ready for.

I care about the cause and feel bad but I don’t think I have the right temperament for working in an animal sanctuary. Even the peacocks scare me at times. But I also feel like me being nervous around the animals makes me more of a liability. I also find the staff members minimization of my fear very off putting like she thinks I’m being unreasonable and why volunteer at a sanctuary if I’m not comfortable with all animals. She has said this about past volunteers who quit. Am I an asshole for quitting so soon?

I often feel like the cow is stalking/messing with me whenever I have to go into its field (which is often) for a shift at the sanctuary I’ve been volunteering. He has run from the farthest field to suddenly follow me very close and slightly heard me towards the fence. I felt very unsafe and almost left in tears. A staff member told me he has mounted her and sent her to the ER but said you just need to “be assertive” personally I don’t think volunteers should be in his space and don’t love the idea of him being a heard animal alone. Am I overreacting or is this a valid reason to leave a volunteer role?

I emailed a sanctuary saying I was willing to volunteer my time and had a background in marketing so could help in that regard. They called me asking what times I could commit to coming in and then would send me some training docs. Once signed up I Basically found out they want 1 full year commitment, at least one 4 hour shift a week (you cannot leave early and must do 4 hours at a time), need to give them 2 weeks notice if you can’t make your regular shift and need to “make it up” at another time that week.

I understand that animals depend on them and they need committed people but once I got there it became clear this place CANNNOT function without volunteers. Besides administrating medication volunteers are expected to do everything full time staff does. I was expected to get in very close contact with huge animals like cows and horses without any fear and be able to come in for a shift and eventually need no guidance.

I work a fulltime job so come in during the weekends. I love the animals and am fine doing dirty work but I am not comfortable around the large animals and don’t like getting into stalls with them as they can be unpredictable and I don’t want to get kicked in the face or seriously injured. 2 times I have had scary encounters with the bigger animals in the fields and they seem to sense my fear and pick me out because of it.

The staff even mentioned they sometimes get volunteers who are afraid of the animals and don’t understand why people like that volunteer. I wanted to say “because they didn’t expect to get into stalls/fields with large animals and do the work of fulltime staff.”

They have a variety of animals at the sanctuary like sheep, pigs, birds and alpacas which I have no problem being around. But huge cows and horses make me nervous. I have tried keeping my distance but often get asked to go in places the large animals hang out and after a few scary encounters I am close to tears and not thinking I’m cut out for this?

Do I give my notice? I enjoy the people and they are low on volunteers so I feel bad leaving. But I also don’t think I can get past my fear of the larger animals and didn’t expect this intense of a commitment? Is this normal for a sanctuary?

I don’t enjoy my career anymore and I don’t know if I ever really did. It’s also a career that will become more and more limited and competitive given all the AI advancements coming out (graphic designer). I make good money right now and work remotely which is the only reason I’ve stuck it out this long the past few years. But I need a change and can’t for the life of me find another job in my area without a 2+ hour commute and pay cut. And remote jobs are absurdly competitive, I’ve applied to 100s with only a handful of interviews. Honestly I’m just so tired of corporate in general and I don’t feel like I’ve made the progress I’d like 10 years into a career. I know I could stick it out and suck it up with my current role but I will eventually be laid off (company does constant rounds of layoffs and looking to replace us with AI).

Anyways I have been talking to a local cosmetology school where I can do night classes while I work fulltime. I love hair, would like to have a more social day to day, and I already do work where I “make a client happy” but it would be nice to do it for people and not corporations. plus I’d love to do something more physical and away from a screen. I know it’s still a tough job, can be low paying and not all roses and flowers. But I think overall I’d be happier.

My husband supports me, I have the money to pay for school outright and if I continue to work I’ll not even need to drip into my savings too much. However, it’s still 18k and I have just paid off my undergrad loans this year. I just got to a healthy place with my savings the last few years after living paycheck to paycheck for almost all of my twenties. This feels like a huge gamble to make less than I currently make now.

How do I get over my fear that it’s too much money to spend? My car is paid off, my mortgage is cheap (by today’s standards), my husband makes a lot, so in theory this shouldn’t be a big deal (for gosh sakes it’s less then a car loan now) but I’m freaking out about almost draining my current savings? Anyone else go through something similar? I just have never “gambled” on myself financially before like this. I feel like I’m sabotaging myself?

I have been working in corporate creative for 10+ years and honestly have hated it for a long time. I make good money but a layoff is impending at my company. It’s remote and pays well so I’d like to continue as long as possible as I don’t think I’ll find another job as well paying again (especially not remote). my husband makes enough to pay our bills and some.

So I don’t qualify for Pell grants and most likely above the threshold for financial aid. I have enough savings to pay for school but would like to keep working during school because it just gives me more savings and a financial cushion for taking lower paying jobs right after. I’d like to do an apprenticeship after school as I’ve heard that’s the best way to gain connections and a better foundation.

I have plenty of friends who got additional degrees while working fulltime. However, cosmetology school isn’t the same as getting your masters degree online part time. It’s so much more physically demanding and requires me to be at school until 9/10 pm most nights. But I figure because my job is remote it’ll be ok?

Thoughts? Anyone experience something similar? Should I consider quitting and going to school fulltime to get it done quicker?