Lessons learned and moving on

I’m 20 years old and graduating college this year. After graduation, I’ll be switching paths and entering an accelerated nursing program starting January 2027 (roughly 12–14 months).

I wanted to share my experience in the market and how I’m approaching investing going forward.

Between ages 16–20, I lost a little over $30,000 in the stock market, mostly from options trading. This included following trades from social media, paid Discords, and eventually making trades on my own. While I don’t blame any single source, I’ve realized that for me, options trading turned into behavior that felt much closer to gambling than investing.

Currently, I have about $5.5k in cash and $7.5k in a brokerage account, and I’ve made the decision to step away from options entirely. My focus now is capital preservation, consistency, and building long-term habits while I’m still working part-time and preparing for nursing