I understand how it can be miserable, especially if one has been raised in an environment where marks and discipline.

Not exactly. I get OP’s point. I’m 25 so I’ve experienced both, and they weren’t the same for me.

School is more about the experience and the journey than the results, or at least that’s what it feels like. It’s the place where you get to spend time and joke around with your friends while developing knowledge together. Your teachers form genuine connections with you, and most of them do care about your well-being and development. If you’re lucky, you get to have a mini party on your ride home with fellow students singing and dancing on the school bus. You get to go on fun outings and field trips. You’re ultimately responsible for no one but yourself, and every day yoy learn something new.

With work, there’s a very hostile environment. Everyone has a huge ego problem, your boss makes it clear that they’re not your friend, you’re forced to collaborate and be friendly to your colleagues even though you may not like some. You can’t just decide to take a day off because clients and colleagues are depending on you. It can be monotonous and stressful. Your only social activities are probably icebreakers or eating out on a day that’s supposed to be relaxing (like Christmas holidays and whenever you’re nearby). You have other responsibilities when you get home as well, which aren’t a sports club or music lessons but chores and admin stuff.

I know not everyone’s experience is the same. For some, school is where they met their worst bully and had a miserable time whereas work was where they met their best friend and had fun. This is just me explaining why I relate to OP in our view of school vs work.

School didn’t even feel obligatory for me, it was just a planned fun day. I enjoyed most of it: the teachers, the students, the timings, the duties. I even enjoyed some of the homework (and I hate the idea of homework)! There were little tasks that seemed exciting like taking the attendance to the administration’s office, going around picking up each class’s donations and consent forms, decorating the classroom door for the Christmas competition, getting the keys for the teacher from their staffroom, going next door to borrow a marker, doing group presentations, and being my turn to read the class book, and so on. Work usually lacks these little everyday tasks and just focuses on earning the company money and being professional. It kills joy and personality.

Oh how I miss that 💔 Mine passed away two years ago, and I used to love it whenever we slept next to each other. Sometimes, mine even liked to rest on my pillow like a human. I keep having this recurrent dream about her mysteriously coming back to life (which is funny because her remains are ash) and it breaks my heart every time when I wake up. I know that you already do, but please cherish these moments with everything that you’ve got! Observe as many details as you can like the facial features, the size, the ears, the softness of the fur… One of my many fears is that I’ll forget what my dog looked like and felt like.

Sorry if this is melancholy, but I just had one of those dreams last night and your comment moved me.

I just woke up so I’ll talk about yesterday. I made a very solid self-development plan for 2026 and I feel proud of it. I have general anxiety so I tend to overthink and overcomplicate things, but I think I kept it as minimal and realistic as possible. I’m trying to focus on progress over perfection, so I feel relieved not to have the pressure to be “done” by the end of every month. I’m mainly doing this because it helps to know what comes next and that I’m waking up every day with a plan. Otherwise, I get overwhelmed with what to do and experience executive dysfunction. So I’m happy that I took some time for myself, reflected deeply, and invested in my future :)

I thought the kitten was a sticker

This cat seems young and playful so I might try playing with a toy. I love it whenever I catch the cat burying its poop 🤣 I also heard some feisty screams with my other neighbour’s cat so I know that there’s some drama going on haha

That’s true. I’ve been very tempted to feed it a few scraps of food (like breadcrumbs or leftover canned tuna), but I know some animals don’t respond well to some food and I’m not used to cats yet. I had a dog so I know not to feed dogs any chocolate, grapes, or nuts, but all I know is that [most] cats can eat tuna so I didn’t want to risk potentially making my neighbour’s cat sick, or worse.

I have been researching animal sanctuaries to start the process of getting a cat though, so eventually I’ll have some actual cat food. Maybe then I’ll try to feed this one a few bites, but I think I’ll ask the neighbour first because I don’t know if this cat is allergic to a specific ingredient or anything.

I did because I know that some cats prefer it if you wait until they get comfortable with you and that cats are really the ones who decide if you’re friends, not you. We’ve gotten as close as getting a few sniffs of my hand. Whenever I open the door, the cat happily comes inside. Lately, I’ve been leaving the door open and letting the cat roam about. It’s usually just a quick routine exploration from the kitchen to the bedroom and then the bathroom before it quickly leaves. It lasts maybe 5 minutes, but I’m just happy I get a visit. I noticed the cat is very interested in my bathroom window, which leads to the same yard it comes from but there’s a bush right underneath so it can’t jump. I once found muddy fingerprints on my bathroom sink and it felt so wholesome 🥹

My neighbour’s cat sometimes sneaks into my apartment. It has explored pretty much every inch of the apartment, including the bathroom sink, under the sofa, under my bed, the kitchen counters, the shower… but it still wouldn’t let me anywhere near it. Sometimes I let my main door open just for the cat. I’m hoping one day we’ll form some sort of bond and I’ll be able to give some pets. I’ve never owned a cat before but this one made me desperate to get one.

(I’m referring to the cat as “it” because I don’t know the sex)

Me with IBS-M, PCOS, possible autism (getting tested), keratosis pilaris, ultra-sensitive skin that itches endlessly, general anxiety disorder, horrid hair shedding, asthma, vitamin D deficiency, and vitamin C sensitivity 🙃

I’m only 24, I don’t want to find out what’s coming. Depression, diabetes, and arthritis run in my family so I already know I could develop those…