Ask HN: What is your biggest struggle right now? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: What is your biggest struggle right now?

7 pointsamzans20 comments

I had good enough grades to go to a top university and study something very technical. Instead, I picked an unusual subject that I liked at the time (this is outside the US so you pick a subject/major when you're applying), went to a low-ranked university and lost all interest after a year or two. Since then it's been a lot of struggle and additional effort to get my career back on track but because I work in a field that's very gate-kept by credentials (data science) some of the damage I've done seems irreperable. I find it hard to move on from knowing that I was in a very fortunate and advantageous position early in life and just gave that up for nothing in return.

I would suggest that data science is not in fact gatekept by credentials.

If you are encountering that sentiment I would encourage a big step back to determine if there is a different approach you can take.

Happy to discuss if you want to post details.

Yes, it would be great if you could expand on this. I'm doing okay, got a master's degree and have a data science job. My concern is that the best jobs in the field aren't available to me without a PhD or without attending a top university. The lack of a relevant undergraduate degree also looks bad regardless of how many mathematics or CS classes I take online.

Coping with aging and the narrowing of opportunities that it entails.

curious. how old are you?

Not able to land in any graduate program of US as an international student despite having sufficient GPA (around 3.75).

I do not know what to do if I do not get a PhD. This pandemic truly screwed me over.

Finding a way to make an income outside of tech, now that life circumstances + covid have ended my career.

Long-term Depression + a complete inability to focus on anything for more than about 3 minutes at a time have made this difficult.

Been thinking about politics or drug trafficking as better options than sysadminning.

Grinding Leetcode to land a job in a different domain, on a different stack while working full time.

Just don't get enough time to Leetcode -> I'm not confident enough to apply -> stuck in the same frustrating job -> Makes me want to quit

Just can't seem to be able to break the cycle.

Trying to buy my first house in a crazy seller's market while getting ready for our first child, during a global pandemic.

Getting people's attention on my post! :( https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26089745

Too much stuff to do in so little time and if you do some of them in the wrong order, they’re often made much more difficult:

My biggest struggles are fatigue, depression, executive function, and my codependent relationship with my girlfriend.

My girlfriend breaking up with me. Hah! Probably not the answer you expected didn't you!

Finding a long term career. No idea which one to pick for the moment.

to receive payment overseas without payment a lot of taxes. I've been doing it for 3 years but can't find a solution that is both good for me and the government.

Acquiring new clients for my software development company!

How to get money from angel investors To realize my project

Dude tell me more about your project

Getting good enough to pass technical interviews.

Covid restrictions

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