I'm 21 and feel completely stuck in life. I don't know what to do anymore.

Hello everyone,

I'm a 21-year-old guy from India, and I honestly don't know what to do with my life anymore. I've been overthinking so much that I have constant headaches. I'm always worried about my future and scared that I'll never be able to build a good life for myself or support my family.

I completed my Bachelor's degree in Arts. I got good marks throughout school and college, and I was always considered a good student by my teachers. I studied in government schools because my family couldn't afford private education. Looking back, I regret choosing Arts because it doesn't seem to have much value in the job market where I live.

After graduation, my family's financial condition became worse, so I had to find a job as quickly as possible. The problem was that I had no practical skills. I eventually got a job as an Operations Executive, but in reality, it was mostly warehouse and manual work. My daily tasks included receiving shipments, unpacking products, checking inventory, labeling items, packing orders, moving boxes on trolleys, weighing packages, preparing dispatches, and even cleaning the work area whenever needed. It wasn't the kind of work I had imagined, but I accepted it because I needed money.

Around the same time, my sister was getting married. My family was already in debt, and we needed financial support for the wedding. I took a personal loan of ₹200,000 to help my family. Now I have to pay an EMI of ₹10,554 every month for the next two years.

Later, I lost that job and had to find another one immediately because of the loan. Now I'm working in a pharmaceutical company as a packing worker. I honestly hate this job. Every day I have to stand for long hours, pack products continuously, lift and move cartons, label boxes, do repetitive manual work, and sometimes help with loading and unloading. The work is physically exhausting, there is almost nothing new to learn, and I don't feel like I'm building any career or useful skills. I go to work feeling stressed and come home mentally and physically drained.

My salary is only ₹14,000 per month. After paying my EMI, almost all of the remaining money goes toward travel and basic expenses. I can't save money, and I can't afford a laptop or courses to learn new skills.

I apply for jobs almost every day, but most companies reject me. The only jobs I get are similar packing or warehouse jobs with the same salary, and I don't want to spend my entire life doing work that makes me miserable.

I'm also doing my Master's degree alongside my job, but honestly, I don't even know if it will help me get a better career. A few years ago, I completed a basic computer course where I learned Tally, FoxPro, HTML, and some other basics. But because I never had a laptop or computer to practice on, I've forgotten almost everything. Right now, even my typing speed is poor, and I've forgotten Excel as well.

I feel like I'm trapped. I can't leave my current job because I have a loan to pay, but staying in this job is affecting my mental health. I don't have savings, I don't have strong technical skills, and I don't know what direction my career should take.

I'm not looking for sympathy. I'm genuinely asking for advice from people who may have been in a similar situation or know what I should do.

If you were in my position, what would you do?

Should I continue with this job while trying to learn new skills somehow?

What skills would you recommend for someone who has very little money, no laptop, and works full-time?

Is there any realistic career path that could help me improve my life over the next 2–3 years?

Any honest advice would mean a lot to me.

Thank you for reading.