Hmmm...don't look back at the past.You should try to be more successful in the future.You're 24,young,and there is plenty of time to reshuffle things.Don't lose confidence in yourself.I think you should get professional help about this.It will really help.

The fact that you graduated at all puts you a full step above greater than 50% of people in your age group.

I think it's useful, when you're stuck, to consider that you're addicted to something. It's like having one foot nailed to the floor: no matter how hard you run, you just go in circles. So what are you addicted to? What is it that gets your jones going, that you just can't walk away from? Note that I think some of the best answers to that question aren't completely obvious, which may be why they go undetected for long periods. Some examples: "Addicted to feeling guilty": feeling guilty about something that happened long ago, can't let go. Why? Because the guilt is safe... it justifies not taking any risks. By sitting around and sulking in guilt, talking to myself about what a bad person I am, I have a built-in "problem" that I have to solve before I can take on any responsibility. If I solved the problem, I'd have to be responsible, and that's scary. Better to stay stuck. "Addicted to being a bad person": I'm just no dang good, I fail at everything, and I'm selfish and don't love anybody. This one may, perhaps, allow one to avoid the risk of love and commitment... the fear of opening up to others keeps the behavior in place. I could go on. I don't know you, but these things work in seemingly counter-intuitive ways: they only make sense when you see "the payoff"... the payoff tends to be one or more of: a- The belief allows me to be right and make others wrong b- The belief allows me to dominate others and avoid domination c- The belief allows me to avoid responsibility or risk When you see the payoff clearly, a CHOICE appears: you can't keep fooling yourself any more, but you can choose to continue or interrupt the addiction. It takes discipline, awareness, commitment. And most of all, it takes realizing that nobody is coming to save you -- we're all on our own for breaking through the self-created prisons and living a life worth living.

First, put your degree to use. do not waste it. Second, while your degree is working for you, you might just find Mr. Right. Living in the past will give you ulcers. Tell yourself that you are changing the pages of your life into a new chapter and never look back.

Perhaps if you re-frame your past experiences you can accept them with a little more comfort. I am three times older than you and would first say you have plenty of time ahead of you to be successful or not-successful. You might consider just how you want to measure success. For instance, over 60% of first-time marriages end in divorce...so I would guess that among your married friends, more than half will be divorced in less than 10 years. Also, if you're measuring success by economic means, the book hasn't been written yet. There are many who have achieved "success" by beginning at an age well over 30, over 40, over 50 and so forth. It really is a matter of how you look at things...and if you change your viewpoint you will realize you have already achieved great success just as you are.

You've got a lot of life ahead. Life may seem like it sucks RIGHT NOW, but you can make your future into something good. You can grow into a life that you love if you work at overcoming your problems, no matter how difficult they may seem. Just remember, suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. (I know you didn't specifically mention suicide, but feeling like you want to die is pretty close to that).

Gaining a degree at 24 is perfectly normal, in fact it's pretty young. I got mine at 27. Nobody cares except you. To move forward try to focus on what you can do with it.

Do you know I ACTUALLY know what you're talking about! I had a "crapola" childhood myself! But I decided one day, quite deliberately, that "today is the LAST day I'm going to live in the past"! That's simply all you have to do! Choose NOT to live in the past any more. . . . .and move on with your life in a positive way! Otherwise, life WILL eat you alive! I promise you that!

Listen. You look in the mirror right now. You tell yourself what I am saying because I am filled with admiration for you. I am not a quitter. I kept going and did what most people who have had trouble fail to do. I kept going and succeeded. I have my whole life ahead of me and if I can do this, I CAN DO ANYTHING. I did not quit. I am successful already. Most people in the world don't even have a grade school education do you know that? Most people that have faced any challenges in school give up and don't go back. You did an amazing thing. You should be very very proud.

First of all: be proud of what you've accomplished! I'm in college myself, but prolly won't be done untill I'm 25 at the least, not even taking into account my own stupid behavior that will most likely add one or two years to that as well :P. Second: i think to let go of the past you need to find a future you can live for. I myself am dreaming of a position at NASA, or since I'm dutch more likely ESA. Could I ever get there? who knows?!? But I'm going for it wholeheartedly anyhow ;)

Odd, but what I see in your question is that you are using your past as an excuse not to move forward. Sometimes it is easier to throw your hands up in surrender than it is to make your feet move. Stop looking at what you don't have, what your friends are doing, or what you might have done "if". Just stop it. When it occurs, think of how to color popcorn and still have it remain edible. Think of what you will get for your mom for her birthday.... You don't make yourself let go. You make yourself move on.

I think your full of shit

your an attension seeker and you need mental help

Stop the poor me thing.. Realize that nobody gives a shit except you and your own downgrading gets you utterly nothing. I know because i spend way to many years doing the exact same thing. Here I am at 50, no degree, broke and unemployed. That's life. it sucks then ya die and that's it. Degree or no degree life will suck just as much as if your "friends" care or not. Find some new friends and quit wasting time with losers who judge you on petty bullshit. If you can't find friends unwilling to not judge you then remain friendless. I do for the most part. I have a few acquaintances, but even fewer friends because most of them are back stabbers anyway. The rulez: 1. This is it! 2. There are no hidden meanings. 3. You can't get there from here, and besides there's no place else to go. 4. We are all already dying, and we will be dead for a long time. 5. Nothing lasts. 6. There is no way of getting all you want. 7. You can't have anything unless you let go of it. 8. You only get to keep what you give away. 9. There is no particular reason why you lost out on some things. 10. The world is not necessarily just. Being good often does not pay off and there is no compensation for misfortune. 11. You have a responsibility to do your best nonetheless. 12. It is a random universe to which we bring meaning. 13. You don't really control anything. 14. You can't make anyone love you. 15. No one is any stronger or any weaker than anyone else. 16. Everyone is, in his own way, vulnerable. 17. There are no great men. 18. If you have a hero, look again: you have diminished yourself in some way. 19. Everyone lies, cheats, pretends (yes, you too, and most certainly I myself). 20. All evil is potential vitality in need of transformation. 21. All of you is worth something, if you will only own it. 22. Progress is an illusion. 23. Evil can be displaced but never eradicated, as all solutions breed new problems. 24. Yet it is necessary to keep on struggling toward solution. 25. Childhood is a nightmare. 26. But it is so very hard to be on-your-own, take-care-of-yourself-cause-there-is-no-one-else-to-do-it-for-you grown-up. 27. Each of us is ultimately alone. 28. The most important things, each man must do for himself. 29. Love is not enough, but it sure helps. 30. We have only ourselves, and one another. That may not be much, but that's all there is. 31. How strange, that so often, it all seems worth it. 32. We must live within the ambiguity of partial freedom, partial power, and partial knowledge. 33. All important decisions must be made on the basis of insufficient data. 34. Yet we are responsible for everything we do. 35. No excuses will be accepted. 36. You can run, but you can't hide. 37. It is most important to run out of scapegoats. 38. We must learn the power of living with our helplessness. 39. The only victory lies in surrender to oneself. 40. All of the significant battles are waged within the self. 41. You are free to do whatever you like. You need only face the consequences. 42. What do you know... for sure... anyway? 43. Learn to forgive yourself, again and again and again... That's it..