What’s your life story? How did you get to where you are today? What challenges have you faced? What lessons have you learned?

Looking to learn more about the people behind the anonymous profiles :))

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Grew up very poor, think food stamps/public housing and adhered to the typical story of getting in trouble with the law (nothing permanent thankfully), failing out high school, etc. Once I graduated high school I decided to get my act together and become an engineer: went to community college for 3.5 years to get my GED and work up through the remedial classes, transferred to a top 3 computer science program, got job at Big 4. Every once in a while I find myself crying out of happiness/guilt/resentment/self-satisfaction when I look at how easy my life is comparatively.

likeuplifting

First generation college student from the Midwest. We lost our house in 08. Got recruited to an Ivy for sports. Was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis when I was 19 while on a D1 team. Chose to keep competing and my classes suffered (graduated by the grace of God with a 2.7), but we ended up almost winning a national championship. Meanwhile, my father had two strokes during finals period and almost died. My parents were unemployed during my college years and so couldn’t really support me. I ended up being homeless for a summer while at school. Ended up developing a serious opiate addiction due to the pain of the arthritis and competing. Once I graduated, I built a model using the half-life of the drugs I was on to wean myself off. Kicked them in about four months. Got a sales job. Did well. Developed niche skillset. Joined BCG. Stayed for a few years, learned a lot. Married the love of my life. Struggled with alcohol. Quit BCG. Took a new job for double the pay, so now I can support our family in NYC (read: buy an apartment, holy crap) Two months sober. About to start tackling my anxiety. Feel like at any moment it can all come crashing down and I’ll be back in the streets again, but thankful I’m here all the same

likeupliftinghelpful
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Came from lower middle class family in India, studies here with scholarship, worked my ass off past 8 years and now in one of the big 4.. more to achieve. Nothing particular in challenging in this is new country in my 20s but working in consulting can be challenging sometimes.

likeupliftinghelpful

Came from upper class family, but was spoiled and pissed away great opportunities. Joined the military and finally got my life on the right track / the right work ethic. Anything is possible, just needed someone to point me in the right direction.

likeuplifting

Parents were immigrants and placed ultimate value on education. Took some time and a couple of degrees to figure something out. Mom committed suicide. Struggling now to find the meaning in life

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Raised by a single mom who worked in a warehouse, homeless at 18 due to family troubles, eventually put myself through community college, took out loans to finish up undergrad, then got a full scholarship to a top ten school for grad school. I'm an associate in my late thirties but feel lucky to be here.

likeuplifting

Upper/Upper middle class upbringing, grew up in a 6k Sq ft house in an expensive LA neighborhood. Parents are brilliant intellectually, Harvard Med surgeon-types and well accomplished and only passed these genetics to my little brother. Being the dumbest of the family, excelled in social skills and work ethic to compensate for my weaknesses. Got major scholarships to the UCs but got exiled from the country (by my conservative parents) for having a secret hot older boyfriend (26) at 17 that resulted in a rape case on my prom night. #MeToo. Lost everything. Studied abroad staying with grandparents at a no name school that mom still paid for while she bought a sports car with the money she had saved now that college cost pennies. Got super rebellious and was Queen of my city for an underground Mafia type business and made serious money for 3 years in undergrad. Came back to USA. Couldn’t get a job in the recession thanks to no name school and no real education. Worked minimum wage for 3 years and paid for online classes while living at home as the useless black sheep of the family. Got a Consulting job at a small firm. Met and married my soulmate. Got Deloitte. Beat up and pressed charges on coworker for overstepping bounds. #MeToo. Worked my way into a promotion. Parents are finally proud (proud-ish) Hit 30 and went on a whirlwind Europe trip. Typed this post. 😎

likeuplifting

I was raised by lions and they taught me to be a predator.

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Rust belt, two moms in the 90s (v confusing to navigate), they split up when I was fairly young. One lived a middle class life, the other didn’t have utilities, had food stamps, etc. I was split between those two worlds. I was the first one between them and grandparents to go to college or get my Masters. Did all of my education in 5 years. Less well off Mom had cancer twice while I was in undergrad but survived. Other mom currently has cancer. I now have her medical debt from helping her and school loans. Guess I’m not leaving consulting any time soon 🎉

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Middle class family in the farm belt. Mom taught grade school. Dad was ex military turned accountant after getting his degree while enlisted. They placed a high value on work ethic and education. Spent summers working on the grandparents farm and learning lots of survival skills around hunting and living off the land. Got recruited by some Ivy League schools and the Army senior year. Enlisted in Special Forces and spent some time seeing some of the world's garden spots during the 80s. Turned down the offer to switch to the agency and got out. Picked up 3 degrees to go with the 6 languages I spoke and have been in consulting ever since largely working with defense contractors.

likeuplifting

Born to immigrants who climbed from broke grad students and young parents to upper middle class because they're "big shot" academics (Professor and Dean, still both make more than me).

Grew up nurtured by family but racially secluded, which took a broad social toll. Have always felt exceptional but college (top public uni, mechanical engineering) almost broke me- I attempted suicide in 2012. I landed in the hospital the next day, truly at rock bottom. Since then I've been fighting for myself and for others to be mentally healthy and while I've had some ups and downs, what motivates me most is the opportunity to help others through what I've experienced first-hand.

Finished my degree, got this consulting offer before graduation, currently 3 years post grad, "on-paper successful" and still trying to re-orient myself towards my purpose/happiness. Started the anxiety and depression bowl on here and really proud of how it has grown into a supportive community.

Not sure where I'm headed next but seeing as I could have died before experiencing the last 6 years-- the freest, most eye-opening, most self-reflecting years yet-- I'm grateful for every day and its challenges 😊

likeuplifting

Bailing hay in a farm town > Taco Bell > Starbucks > big brothers big sisters > legal services research assistant > a local law firm RA > IT help desk > Infosys > Accenture > Google analyst > Google Product Manager

likeuplifting

Very middle class US family when I was born (parents: high school teacher and community bank jr loan officer) that ended up very upper middle class by the time I went to college (school district superintendent and private company CFO). Family put a high premium on education, so ink and grad school was the path of least resistance (although I took a while to get there). Overall born pretty lucky and didn’t fall to far off the path

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Grew up poor food stamps and working in the fields. Mother encouraged me to get an education if I wanted to achieve anything. Always wanted to do consulting, but struggled with finding a job after college. Worked at 2 small firms and then got acquired into big 4. Hit all my careers goals by 27 and then had no idea what to do. Consulting taught me to work in and do well in very demanding situation but there is very little fulfillment in the work. I often want to give back to communities like where I came from and dont talk about how much I make outside of my immediate family

likeuplifting

Reading these stories, it's no wonder I never lived up to my potential. Born to upper-middle class family (pilot and school teacher). Had great grades through high school and college. 1000% support and encouragement. No college debt. Full ride to school in the NE for Masters. Fast forward 20 years or so...the whole "fake it til ya make it" idea??? It's catching up. 10+ years at same level. Can't seem to get the hang of selling. Too young to even contemplate retirement. Finding it harder and harder to hold my tongue (yeah, I'm a bit sarcastic and passive/aggressive...NOT a good combination). What's left? Wendy's??

likesmartfunny

Same story as above. Except i started with a big four here and i faced a lot of resistance before coming here😅 i learnt i could do anything if i put my mind to it. However, consulting still eludes me. I still struggle each day and with each passing day, i realise i dont want this struggle.

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BCG1: wow! Bank Jr Loan office to CFO is a big jump in 15 years or so! All the best for your future. Hope the folks back home are having a good time with a beer bottle and a tv remote.

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Came to US on 6 months back. Still struggling with soft skills, rocking it with delivery. It’s bizarre to see my manager who struggles with selling and is very much a similar personality to mine but speaks English natively to provide feedback on soft skills.

likehelpful

Consulting taught me that I am just not my body and my mind alone. I am an electrical engineering, but work in the finance industry.
I am a hard worker and people love my work here at EY. I am originally from India. I have been here for 6 years now. Time flies..
This job has taught me that there is more to us all than what meets the eye. Peace out! May all have an amazing experience :)

likehelpful

Midwest middle class from a nothing corn town. Went to a large state school for a year, hated it, dropped out to join the Marine Corps. Enlisted five years then finished my bachelors on the GI Bill and did well. Spun tires at nothing jobs for months and joined a veterans training program. Hired to a huge firm and currently learning to adjust to an intense but luxury lifestyle.

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