I'm Stuck

I'm 18 years old and just finished at Sixth Form (Senior Year). It's been around three months now and most of my friends are attending University. I also was going to attend University but changed my mind and decided I didn't want to sit in lectures, make notes and then be examined on those notes later on. I feel like I'm at a place where I just don't know what to do.

Career-wise, I know I like children and the course I was going to study at University was a Primary Education one, that later gave me my Teaching Certificate. I think the main thing that put me off university was the travel and yes, I would like to commute everyday. However the campus itself was not in the city centre like the main University campus but instead quite on the outskirts. I would have had to take two trains just to get there every morning. The other thing was the huge debt I would be paying off after University, and if and when I land my first teaching job, it's not like I'd be earning huge sums of money. I thought University was completely off the table for me but the more I talk to my friends about their experience so far, the more it appeals to me.

However, I was recently looking into 'boring' office jobs and realised that I wouldn't mind sitting in front of a computer, or being someone's assistant all day either. I applied for a few Admin Apprenticeships and really like the idea more and more. I just haven't been successful in getting the job. I don't know if it's my interview skills, my CV or just me as a person that doesn't appeal to the employer.

I guess I have lost confidence in myself seeing as it's been three months and I'm still stuck at home, being bored out of my mind. I do spend a lot of time on job websites and going out into town and some cities to hand out my CV.

One thing you should probably know about me, is that I'm a Muslim. I wear a headscarf and recently, I've felt that it's become a barrier for me. I feel like a lot of employers probably don't want to hire me because I wear a headscarf. I don't know if it's just my anxiety getting the best of me or if in fact what I'm thinking is true. My family is quite strict on my wearing of the headscarf so taking it off is not really an option. I can't use the excuse that "I think it's obstructing me from being hired" as my older sister went to University, got her degree and has landed her dream job all while wearing a headscarf.

My parents aren't quite the loving, caring parents that I can be completely open with, so that's why I felt the need to seek advice from complete strangers.

I'm just stuck on what to do and feel that if I don't make a decision soon, I'll be stuck at home for the rest of my life or if and when I finally land a job, it will be menial.

I'm stuck and it's stressing me out that I really don't know what to do. Does anyone have any advice? If not, thanks for reading anyway.