Devogorgon
Devogorgon

A subconcious insecurity

My overall education started a bit late than normal people due to my fathers transfers and school admission rules. Consequently when I applied for JEE Advanced back in 2017 i was 19.5 years old. I got it but wasnt satisfied so dropped a year and got a better rank. I was 20.5 years old when I finally joined IIT. Somewhere subconciously throughout my college life i felt that I did achieve what I wanted to but really late. I know theres nothing I could do about it but this was something still killing me inside. Most of my batchmates where 18 year olds and even the ones who dropped where at most 19.

I always wanted to pursue my masters and phd but somewhere at the back of my mind I feel I would have to go theough the same feelings again. It just kills me so much inside.

Currently I have completed 2 years as a software engineer and I am 26 years old. On one part my mind tells me that I am made for much more than just an IT job and should go to academia. On the other hand it feels like I am too old for it.

I dont know what to do. I am not able to rationalize my thoughts. I am not able to understand how can I bring myself to overcome my fears and achieve what i really want in life.

5mo ago21K views
Peahen
Peahen

This quote I read - you will get old irrespective of your masters and PHD degrees too. Might as well be old with them.

Devogorgon
Devogorgon

True.

There are people who passed out at 23 and started job at 26 because they were preparing for UPSC and couldn’t qualify. There are people who started 1 year later because their offer got revoked or delayed. There is a friend who has still not started that journey because getting a job is tough in this market. Everyone has their own journey and you’ll always have overachievers and underachievers around you.

A little controversial opinion: GV is filled with overachievers ranting about their first world problems.
Someone earning 70LPA crying about not finding a better job that pays more than 70lpa coz no company can afford that #sufferingfromsuccess Someone from IIT again earning a ridiculously high amount talking about not finding a spouse coz his standards are set too high Someone as young as 26 earns more than most people on this platform complaining about age??

I really can't empathize with these problems (except 2nd which can be solved if the guy just lowers his expectations a little)

I do hope your insecurity fades away with time but sorry brother I have no solution for this.

Devogorgon
Devogorgon

Probably you are right and I might be addressing the problem from a privileged point of view. But I thought it is something worth sharing. There's a possibility that If I have it in my mind then someone else has it too.

FunnyBones
FunnyBones

Comparison is the thief of joy. You’re just a late bloomer. Pretty sure there will be huge age range in masters & phd. So take the chance if u don’t want regrets. But make sure u have the financial safety net to spend years in academia.

DryGoodie55
DryGoodie55

Dude, just get married and have a beautiful life ;) I think you are just searching for a purpose

chyawanprash
chyawanprash

hmm interesting, but academia is better than getting married bro, life changes 360 post marriage and he can't drop out from that once committed unlike academia

DryGoodie55
DryGoodie55

But this fellow needs better life not academics, who knows he might become great dad material with unconditional love. I chased academics 20 yrs back, its not worth. my kid is in KG, now i cannot run behind him, its just age factor. My generation chased money for better living conditions, this generation is chasing money to live life on superficial conditions, so either way we forgot what is life

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