[nickd2001]

Here's my advice after 25+ yrs dev't. Certain things make a job nice or not. Specific workplace and colleagues make huge difference. Poorly paid, "boring" work can be fine with super nice colleagues. Trying to chase faddish constantly changing tech (e:g js frameworks), is stressful and draining. Gradually becoming a wizard in the likes of Linux, command-line , FOSS, can be very fulfilling, you're your own agent, not at the whims of a vendor, and opportunities exist in many different types of orgs including public sector. Alternatively, maybe you could try some time out, even if just to work in a hotel for ski season or suchlike? That can give perspective. Some things are better outside of S/W, but many things aren't. If you see the grass isn't entirely greener, maybe you'll become content on returning. (I've done this). For learning, there's many free resources, college not necessary IMHO. One trick is pick a tech you really want to get into, play with it a bit then apply for underpaid jobs in that field. ;) Then after a while you can job hop if the pay doesn't increase cos by then you'd have experience. Working with a crowd that isn't all young, instead having a few older more chilled out less-to-prove colleagues can help :) Sometimes working in the least fashionable part of a company can have the most chilled people. For example QA. (well in my experience that was true)