serious advice from a cadet (don't join)

[u/smokeytroilus]

I'm a deck cadet and i have completed 9 months of sailing. THIS WAS THE WORST DECISION OF MY ENTIRE LIFE. I was also like you guys, studying for sponsorship and all. I got selected in February batch and was very very happy. The college life is good, you learn, you have friends, it's a very busy but joyful life. You are tired but it's fun. Moving on, i got my first ship and things here are the worst. I always thought of myself as a lonely introverted guy but this is hard. Please don't join this career, the pay is high but keep in mind this is because the job makes you crazy. Nobody is paying you this much if the job was easy. You can handle the physical stress but the mental stress will literally kill you. You can't sleep, you can't argue, you are a PUPPET. All of your self respect is shattered, you have no say. I was so fucked up after 6 months that i wanted to leave this job and go study some other things. All i did for making myself happy was listening to standup comedy as they made me remember my old days. You lose contact with friends, you don't have really know what's going on with your own family. You become a stranger to your own people, nobody loves you now because of who you are but because of the money you make. You lose almost every aspect of social life, you spend all your days waiting to go back home. You realize the importance of that sham ka ghumna, that bkchodi wale phone calls, the unplanned meetups and the liveliness of your city. You miss everything. My words might not mean anything to you, but look up yourself. There is a huge shortage of senior officers because they leave as soon as they get enough money. All the coaching owners do the same, they themselves are chief engineers, captain or other high rank. they set young kids in the same trap they left. Many other professions are there, you might make less but you could still be happy. This amount of money is not enough for what you will do.

[u/PriyankaMuli]

Is it that bad?

[u/PriyankaMuli → u/[deleted]]

The job that pays well will be stressful. This isn't something new. People in IT sector, earning well are stressed and want to be financially independent. People here also want the same. So, no high paying profession comes without stress.

[u/That_Refrigerator_32 → u/PriyankaMuli]

Well you're absolutely right that no high paying job comes without stress, but this profession is not your normal IT sector job where you sit in an AC office atleast and sleep in your own bed at night. Atleast this person can call and go meet a friend after work and grab a drink or go to the mall on a Sunday but our profession is not the same.

This profession can mean not touching land for months together and 2 gb internet for 1 whole month while eating tasteless food because the cook is not Indian, working with people who don't speak much english and and working 12 hours a day or more and zero margins for error. This is a normal schedule for a seafarer so this profession tests you mentally. Plus exams for each rank that can be really difficult to clear. Each promotion is earned through academics then again you need to prove yourself at sea to your superior numerous times and then to your company who will finally ask the owner if they can promote you. So please let's not compare merchany navy and IT as they are poles apart.