I’m curious if anyone else has experienced this. You go through years of education, get a degree, have plans and expectations for yourself… and then life doesn’t really work out the way you thought it would. Maybe the job market is bad, maybe you had personal issues, maybe things just didn’t line up. So you end up working a minimum-wage or low-paid job, even though you’re qualified for more.
What makes it worse is randomly running into old friends, classmates, or people you went to school or college with. They ask what you’re doing now, and the moment you tell them, you can feel the shift. The subtle judgment, the awkward silence, or even direct comments that make you feel small. Some people genuinely don’t mean harm, but others clearly look down on you or mock your situation, as if your job defines your worth as a person.
It really messes with your confidence, especially when you’re already trying to get back on your feet. Just wondering if others have dealt with this, and how you handled it mentally or emotionally.