I remember turning 30. It was a sobering number for me too. The felony: in some cases an attorney can get these reduced to a misdemeanor if you stay out of tro

I remember turning 30. It was a sobering number for me too. The felony: in some cases an attorney can get these reduced to a misdemeanor if you stay out of trouble several years after your probation is over. You might look into this. The career: there probably aren't any shortcuts. Like a lot of other things, it's a numbers game. Keep sending out resumes and applications, the more the better. Try not to get discouraged (or, at least, don't let that stop you from putting out another resume and application). Do some work in the field. Do anything you can to get your foot in the door somewhere, to keep moving towards your goal. Internship maybe? Somewhere out there is someone who will give you an opportunity. You have to find them. Keep working on and improving yourself. Get out and socialize if possible. (Meetup is good for this in a lot of areas.) Don't wallow too much in self-pity; learn to be happy with yourself and others will be happy with you too. Your 20s is disappointing because you screwed up in a way that's going to affect you for a long time. So don't screw up; make your 30s about working towards your goals and recovering from your past decisions. Be stable and reliable and responsible -- become an adult.