Hey Reddit. I’m a bit stuck right now.
I’m 28, working as a freelance translator but have no degree due to some major mental illness/ADHD struggles that caused me to drop out in my first semester, and a lot of time afterwards spent in recovery.
Despite that I managed to self-teach Japanese all the way up to N1 and have been lucky enough to get a decent-paying freelance gig, but I don’t get enough assignments to cover bills so I’ve been hopping between various entry-level part-time jobs in the meantime. I want to restart college even if I have to push myself hard, since it’s a necessity if I ever want to study at a graduate level or work in Japan which I most likely need in order to reach my desired level of fluency. I had Japanese coworkers at one job and could communicate relatively easily, but I still miss things native speakers would pick up on and don’t feel up to par with the pros.
It’s frustrating to have experience equivalent to 4 years of Japanese study but have no opportunities since I don’t have a piece of paper proving I jumped through the right hoops. But that’s life, and it’s not my place to complain. I’m close to trying college again here in the US, but since I’ll already be graduating in my 30’s it’d be nice to have a more directed education rather than studying something random as a means to an end.
What are my options in terms of programs overseas, if any? I’m concerned that 28 is too old for any place to consider me, especially since I have a previous withdrawal on my record. I’ve tried to do research but I’ve had a hard time making sense of what’s available to someone in my situation. It’s starting to feel like I’ve messed up too bad already and should just throw in the towel and leave this field, but it’s the only thing I’m good at. 🙁 I’m not dead-set on living in Japan either! In fact, I’m very scared of the challenges it’ll present. But I want to increase my competency and I’ve hit a ceiling on how much I can improve with self-study.
Sorry for the length, and also sorry if I asked any dumb questions. Please be kind as it took a lot of courage to post. If anyone has advice to offer or can point me to a more appropriate place to ask, thank you in advance.
2 comments
This is a copy of your post for archive/search purposes.
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**28, N1, no degree but want to pursue advanced study, preferably abroad. Possible as an undergrad?**
Hey Reddit. I’m a bit stuck right now.
I’m 28, working as a freelance translator but have no degree due to some major mental illness/ADHD struggles that caused me to drop out in my first semester, and a lot of time afterwards spent in recovery.
Despite that I managed to self-teach Japanese all the way up to N1 and have been lucky enough to get a decent-paying freelance gig, but I don’t get enough assignments to cover bills so I’ve been hopping between various entry-level part-time jobs in the meantime. I want to restart college even if I have to push myself hard, since it’s a necessity if I ever want to study at a graduate level or work in Japan which I most likely need in order to reach my desired level of fluency. I had Japanese coworkers at one job and could communicate relatively easily, but I still miss things native speakers would pick up on and don’t feel up to par with the pros.
It’s frustrating to have experience equivalent to 4 years of Japanese study but have no opportunities since I don’t have a piece of paper proving I jumped through the right hoops. But that’s life, and it’s not my place to complain. I’m close to trying college again here in the US, but since I’ll already be graduating in my 30’s it’d be nice to have a more directed education rather than studying something random as a means to an end.
What are my options in terms of programs overseas, if any? I’m concerned that 28 is too old for any place to consider me, especially since I have a previous withdrawal on my record. I’ve tried to do research but I’ve had a hard time making sense of what’s available to someone in my situation. It’s starting to feel like I’ve messed up too bad already and should just throw in the towel and leave this field, but it’s the only thing I’m good at. 🙁 I’m not dead-set on living in Japan either! In fact, I’m very scared of the challenges it’ll present. But I want to increase my competency and I’ve hit a ceiling on how much I can improve with self-study.
Sorry for the length, and also sorry if I asked any dumb questions. Please be kind as it took a lot of courage to post. If anyone has advice to offer or can point me to a more appropriate place to ask, thank you in advance.
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It sounds like the biggest barrier for you is being highly-skilled or having at least a university degree for the visa. I know you can get exemptions if you are highly skilled (I don’t think that means N1, but much-needed skills like being a mechanical/civil/software engineer). I myself have worked remotely for Japanese companies, and I think those opportunities are coming up more commonly post-pandemic. So, the question becomes, is moving to Japan what you want/the best fit for you? My initial thought is, can your experiences get you an expedited degree pathway? I don’t know how those things work, but it’s worth trying to see all your options. Doing a four-year degree with an exchange year and moving to Japan could be amazing for you either (so long as it’s not extortionately expensive). Likewise, working remotely might suit you far more. It does sound to me like you feel you’ve lost too much time and are panicking a bit. You’re 28, young. Even taking 4 years to do a degree, you’ll have A LOT OF TIME LEFT IN YOUR LIFE. Do you know how many people are in their 40s and 50s having done absolutely nothing? You’ll sense what you really want to do. Follow that. Good luck.