I’m 20 years old and graduating college this year. After graduation, I’ll be switching paths and entering an accelerated nursing program starting January 2027 (roughly 12–14 months).
I wanted to share my experience in the market and how I’m approaching investing going forward.
Between ages 16–20, I lost a little over $30,000 in the stock market, mostly from options trading. This included following trades from social media, paid Discords, and eventually making trades on my own. While I don’t blame any single source, I’ve realized that for me, options trading turned into behavior that felt much closer to gambling than investing.
Currently, I have about $5.5k in cash and $7.5k in a brokerage account, and I’ve made the decision to step away from options entirely. My focus now is capital preservation, consistency, and building long-term habits while I’m still working part-time and preparing for nursing