A really bad work environment can suck out so much of your soul and self-confidence that it ultimately won't advance your career.

This. I took a $10K pay cut to move from my last school to this one, and it was worth every lost penny.

I am going to be blunt. Being an adult means not giving a rat's ass about your uncle's expectations for *your* career.

Also this.

I am going to be blunt. Being an adult means not giving a rat's ass about your uncle's expectations for *your* career.

I don't seriously expect to fulfill that expectation, but I do think I should be watching out for my career in general. Because...careers are good? I don't know; maybe I should attempt to become a drug safety person instead. But that's not really what I want to do. I'd rather be writing in some capacity for money, even if it's medically.

You should absolutely be watching out for your career and I am not suggesting otherwise. But you depend a lot on what your uncle thinks of everything (car, work, women) and until you can shake that dependency off, and take his opinions with the same grain of salt as everyone else's, you're not an adult.

PC I know you've had issues with your family and their expecations but really it is your career and doing something that you want to go to work for.

I have a co worker who was offered a job elsewhere that was more money and guaranteed advancement (versus here where it will probably happen but there are a couple obstacles) but she chose stay because of her previous job. Which she was at for a decade and hated, but the money and benefits were so good she didn't feel she could afford to quit. She said most of her coworkers felt that way and stayed until the location was closed and everyone was laid off. She (and everyone else) was relieved to be laid off and not have to deal with that whole situation. So she's staying where she is because she is extremely happy in the work environment and she gets along great with her boss.

OMG so maddening! I think staying home is the best option for your sanity.

Yes it was maddening. My anxiety level has gone to zero and I'm so relaxed. Dad did call me to say he was leaving this afternoon and did I want to go . But declined. Especially when I heard he was planning on driving straight through and was going a route where earlier today part of the road was closed but he's sure is opened now.

You should absolutely be watching out for your career and I am not suggesting otherwise. But you depend a lot on what your uncle thinks of everything (car, work, women) and until you can shake that dependency off, and take his opinions with the same grain of salt as everyone else's, you're not an adult.

That's easier said than done. I've tried not to care what he thinks, but family is...family.

Also, I think mentioning my uncle has derailed my conversation. Honestly, that whole thing doesn't factor into my dilemma. I know it's silly. My issues are my own.

I do think I should be watching out for my career in general. Because...careers are good?

That's a fairly important ellipsis there.

I'm going to go slightly different, and say that if you really want to be a medical writer, you shouldn't stick around and be something else for too long, lest you get stuck there and have people looking at your resume going "Well, you don't really have experience with this" and you're having to apply for jobs that look like they're below your experience and pay grade. IJS. Plus, why assume that if you're applying somewhere else, it'll be a worse place? Sure, maybe the place you're at now is awesome, but there are other awesome companies too...

Family is family it's true. No one here is suggesting that you reject your family. But ultimately your happiness depends on holding onto your values, not your family's.

Not to pile on but if my life were decided by my family, I'd be a practicing Catholic, married to an alcoholic man, and living in the deep South. And I'd be deeply unhappy.

I'm going to go slightly different, and say that if you really want to be a medical writer, you shouldn't stick around and be something else for too long, lest you get stuck there and have people looking at your resume going "Well, you don't really have experience with this" and you're having to apply for jobs that look like they're below your experience and pay grade. IJS. Plus, why assume that if you're applying somewhere else, it'll be a worse place? Sure, maybe the place you're at now is awesome, but there are other awesome companies too...

This is exactly my thinking.