‘I feel stuck and discouraged’: 24 yo local who stopped studying after N-levels says she regrets not continuing her education

SINGAPORE: A 24-year-old Singaporean woman has taken to Reddit to share her growing regret over not continuing her studies, explaining that her limited qualifications are now making it difficult for her to build a stable career.

Posting on the r/singaporefi subreddit on Monday (Dec 1), the woman revealed that she stopped studying after completing her N Levels because she was heavily “bullied” in school. At the time, stepping away felt like the safest choice for her mental well-being. Years later, however, she says that decision has begun to weigh heavily on her, especially as she struggles to secure long-term employment.

She explained that she has been unable to stay in most of the jobs she has taken up this year. “I switched several retail roles this year, each lasting less than a month. Some workplaces made me feel out of place, some supervisors seemed to single me out, and I often end up feeling like I’m not coping well. My longest job was a 3‑year retail position, but due to internal rules and past issues with a supervisor, I can’t return to that company,” she shared. 

“I’ve also applied to many roles—some interviews went well, some didn’t. Even packer positions turned me down. My mother believes my bad luck this year might be related to 太岁 due to my zodiac sign (Snake, born in 2001), but regardless of the reason, I feel stuck and discouraged. I don’t know how to move forward career-wise,” she continued.

Worried that she’ll soon become a burden to her parents, the woman said she’s been planning to continue her studies. “I’ve been thinking of going back to study eventually, but I hoped to save a bit more first. I currently have about S$20k saved.”

Curious if there are other ways to improve her situation aside from resuming her education, she asked other Redditors for any guidance. “I’d really appreciate any practical advice or perspectives on how to restart, rebuild confidence, or find more stable employment pathways.”

“Focus on doing what you must, and learn to ignore what anyone says negatively about you.”

In the comments, many people encouraged her to put her education first. Some suggested that if money was holding her back, she could look into “study loans from local banks,” which usually don’t charge interest until after graduation. This way, she wouldn’t have to worry about the cost and could focus fully on her studies without added stress.

Others reminded her that with S$20,000, she “could afford to go back to school” and urged her to take the step sooner rather than later so she could start moving forward.

One user added, “There is a lot of good advice here; I’ll add by encouraging you to build on resilience—learn to not care what others think, because this is something that will continue everywhere in society. Even in offices where everyone has a degree, this ugly human behaviour will turn up and derail you. Focus on doing what you must, and learn to ignore what anyone says negatively about you.”

Another advised, “In my opinion, you should first look at your output at the moment. Is there any feedback that you’ve gotten that you think you can work on? Do you generally get along with your colleagues? Secondly, what do you enjoy doing? You should find roles in those industries that you find interesting.”

In other news, a 16-year-old Singaporean has opened up online about a painful and almost unbelievable situation at home: Her father refuses to contribute even a single dollar toward the family’s rent.

She shared her story on the r/askSingapore subreddit, explaining that this has been going on for years.

Read more: Singapore teen reveals father refuses to contribute to household rent, asks Reddit for advice