u/likilekka

The trip I was planning for is 7-9 days with the travel time. Ideally I want 9 days, if I can get the leave and budget allows it. I really want to go Tokyo and Kyoto but it seems rlly overwhelming the amount of things to cover. my Instagram feed is telling me all these good spots to cover and I've saved many, its hard to decide now which to leave in Tokyo and which in Kyoto, esp for the food, and activities like yukata rental and photos.

Usually I go by tour to Japan and its very touch and go. The last time I went Japan was quite some time ago like 9 years ago, mostly been to Hokkaido 2 times, and some Osaka and Kyoto and Tokyo but I barely remember it was very touch and go, as well as Okinawa.

The last time I went Tokyo and actually explored it was in 2007 which I cannot remember.

This time I wanted to explore Tokyo more but lots of the historical things and other activities are mostly in Kyoto. The nearby towns are also nice to explore, but im not sure if I should stay there for 1 night each , especially with the transport and luggage. Since it's not by tour it would be train? or better to book a tour/ driver. I do want to be able to customise my trip this time.

I also plan to go Disneysea , I wanted to go universal studios but its in Osaka. I've thought about going Tokyo, mt fuji, Kyoto then Osaka, but will it be too rushed?

I don't want to touch and go again , but I don't want it to be too city and not enough traditional things in Tokyo.

For day trips I thought about hakone, kamakura, and maybe some onsen place, but the transport does stress me out.

But because I will be bringing my family, mom and dad im bit stressed about it

Since my brother and I we are planning it, we are more flexible, we can drag the bags etc and are ok to stay in the city of Tokyo or day trips etc and do shopping, anime stuff etc.

\- What do you guys suggest to go?

\- Do you think using the train/ public transport is better esp if staying until late, or doing those klook day trip tours where it's less flexible, but with car transport,

\- or staying there overnight?

\- If so do you also rent a car to go there or train?

I am going in mid June.

Thank you in advance !

The trip I was planning for is 7-9 days with the travel time. Ideally I want 9 days, if I can get the leave and budget allows it. I really want to go Tokyo and Kyoto but it seems rlly overwhelming the amount of things to cover. my Instagram feed is telling me all these good spots to cover and I've saved many, its hard to decide now which to leave in Tokyo and which in Kyoto, esp for the food, and activities like yukata rental and photos.

Usually I go by tour to Japan and its very touch and go. The last time I went Japan was quite some time ago like 9 years ago, mostly been to Hokkaido 2 times, and some Osaka and Kyoto and Tokyo but I barely remember it was very touch and go, as well as Okinawa.

The last time I went Tokyo and actually explored it was in 2007 which I cannot remember.

This time I wanted to explore Tokyo more but lots of the historical things and other activities are mostly in Kyoto. The nearby towns are also nice to explore, but im not sure if I should stay there for 1 night each , especially with the transport and luggage. Since it's not by tour it would be train? or better to book a tour/ driver. I do want to be able to customise my trip this time.

I also plan to go Disneysea , I wanted to go universal studios but its in Osaka. I've thought about going Tokyo, mt fuji, Kyoto then Osaka, but will it be too rushed?

I don't want to touch and go again , but I don't want it to be too city and not enough traditional things in Tokyo.

For day trips I thought about hakone, kamakura, and maybe some onsen place, but the transport does stress me out.

But because I will be bringing my family, mom and dad im bit stressed about it

Since my brother and I we are planning it, we are more flexible, we can drag the bags etc and are ok to stay in the city of Tokyo or day trips etc and do shopping, anime stuff etc.

\- What do you guys suggest to go?

\- Do you think using the train/ public transport is better esp if staying until late, or doing those klook day trip tours where it's less flexible, but with car transport,

\- or staying there overnight?

\- If so do you also rent a car to go there or train?

I am going in mid June.

Thank you in advance !

Daily headaches and tension makes the fatigue worse

I’m currently working in a graphic design role in medium corporate local SME in Singapore and honestly, it’s making me feel extremely depressed and burnt out.

My job situation:

Long hours + commute (7am–9pm including travel, ~70 mins each way)

No mentorship (boss gone for 2 months, expected to figure everything out myself) even when here there barely any guidance. As a fresh grad and entry level role I thought mentoring exists like in Australia ? Or like western countries ?

Toxic colleagues (shouting, blaming, making me feel stupid for things I can learn quickly if explained properly) Rude communication style and sarcastic remarks.

Work is not aligned with what I expected (mostly digital ads/banners which I find very dry and uncreative)

Doing unrelated tasks like data entry. Restrained to corporate style boundaries but at the same time want to be “creative” and not boring . Corporate is boring what do you expect.

Pay is low compared to the others and the working hours . The pay is low for creative industry in general .

I rlly regret it . I should have did engineering or smth high paying but I’m not rlly good at that and I don’t like it either.

Wish I was born talented enough at art to make money or just naturally love STEM so I can have high pay .

I’m good at talking though- maybe a people job?

But things like sales feels unethical and also pointless like just doing it for the money for me at least

On top of that, I have health issues (chronic pain, tension, headaches, Crohn’s/IBS, reflux, anxiety) which have worsened due to long hours and sitting all day.

How this is affecting me:

It’s making me feel really depressed and honestly like life is meaningless if this is what it’s going to be like long-term.

I wonder a lot :

what’s the point of living like this? Everyday I just live in limbo hoping the time goes by but I know I’m wasting my life away. For what? I didn’t think this is how life will be after school or uni.

Makes me feel depressed and not really wanting to continue anymore . Because I feel so trapped.

If I knew I would have not been stressing out so much during school abt grades or family drama cuz now I’ll never have any peace ever again with all the adult responsibilities or mental rest for the rest of my life as long as I don’t have financial stability or lots of money

If I could just travel, create, and spend my time on art/storytelling, I feel like I would actually be happy and fulfilled. But realistically, that kind of life seems like you have to already be rich or successful first — so where does the income come from?

At this point, I sometimes feel like I’d rather do something simple like farm work or hands-on craft work or be in nature, because it feels more real and less mentally draining.

But:

those paths usually don’t pay well or allow savings

and my health (chronic pain, low stamina) might not even be able to handle physical work long-term

So it feels like I can’t fit into either path:

corporate work destroys my mental health

alternative paths feel financially unstable or physically unsustainable

Career confusion:

I studied graphic design thinking I’d enter a more creative, fulfilling field (like art direction, film/media, storytelling), but now it feels like corporate work with no creativity, long hours, and no work-life balance.

I don’t want to continue in corporate graphic design anymore.

What I’m actually interested in:

storytelling / worldbuilding (film, manga, animation)

illustration, fine art

content creation, photography, travel

event / experience design (e.g. themed events, creative brands)

possibly running a creative business (merch, stationery, bakery, etc.)

But these paths feel:

unstructured and unclear

risky without stable income

require skills/experience I don’t have yet

hard to break into without mentorship or guidance

I also struggle with creative block and decision-making, especially without proper training or support.

Studying again?

I’ve considered studying other things like:

art / illustration

baking / culinary

even psychology (since I like understanding people and analysis)

But:

it feels like more time and money spent again

no guarantee of a stable job or work-life balance after

I’m worried I’ll just end up in another situation I don’t like

it feels like I already “wasted” my degree in graphic design

My concerns:

What if all jobs in Singapore are like this?

I can’t keep quitting every few months—it looks bad

But staying feels like I’m wasting my life and dragging through each day

I don’t want to force myself into jobs I don’t even want just for money

I’m scared of failing if I try a creative/self-employed path

Worried about resume gaps and lack of structure

Bigger question:

Is life really just:

work for ~45 years → save money → retire → finally live?

Because right now it feels like I’m sacrificing my health and happiness for a job I hate, just to survive.

What I’m hoping to get advice on:

Has anyone been in a similar situation and transitioned out of this?

Are there realistic paths from graphic design → more creative/storytelling roles?

How do you explore creative careers without burning out or taking huge risks?

Is it better to quit a toxic job without a clear plan, or endure while figuring things out?

Are there actually less toxic / more balanced roles in Singapore?

I feel really stuck and lost right now, so any advice or perspective would help.

I’ve thought about going back to Australia since I have PR but I don’t have family there or housing and the costs of living is insane , with the lower salary I won’t have savings . I don’t even want to do graphic design corporate anymore so idk at this point

Working at cafe or baking seems more fun and less stressful . But could get boring over time

Hybrid and remote and less hours would help a lot . Coming back at 9 pm everyday with my health issues is hell