I graduated from doing a Bachelors degree with Honors recently, but I didn't get into the postgrad degree I need after that. That's probably not due to any failing of my own - it's super-competitive, with several hundred applicants for less than 20 spaces per year, so the majority of people who apply don't get in the first time around.

I've been telling my parents that I got a casual job in a semi-related field to get myself in a higher standing for when I apply next time, but I'm really just doing a liberal arts degree to fill in time because I have barely any work experience (I'm applying for work as well, but it's pretty much useless when there's very few every entry-level jobs in my area, and the few there are demand 2+ years of experience). On top of that, the degree I have is useless for finding a job without that postgrad degree on top - but they don't know that.

I live on my own, and my parents don't have the time to check up on me regularly, so it's been easy to keep the ruse going so far - but unless I can actually get into the degree next time around, I doubt I can keep it hidden forever, especially since I have no intention of keeping this bullshit degree going for a second year. I'm trying to find volunteer work to pad out my resume though, so there's that (although I'm pretty certain I have undiagnosed ADHD-PI, so trying to find motivation to do that has almost been impossible).

This has seriously been fucking with my head, so I'm glad this thread's come up. It's reached the point where I've recently been considering buying some helium from a party supply store, putting a bag over my head with the gas pumping into it, and just letting myself die of oxygen deprivation - I'm glad I'm able to tell someone, at least.