So, I (19F) have been dreaming of becoming a graphic designer for years. I’ve always loved art, and I’ve been working on building a portfolio, doing freelance work, and taking classes. Recently, I made the decision to leave college for a while to focus on my passion and build my career, and it felt like the right choice for me.

I’ve been close friends with Lily (19F) for almost 3 years, and we’ve always been supportive of each other’s goals. She’s super academic, and she’s always pushed me to keep going with school, but I’ve felt like my heart wasn’t in it anymore. I talked to her about my decision, and she just... didn’t get it.

She told me I was throwing my future away and that I should stick with school until I “figured it out,” even though I explained how much I wanted to pursue my passion. I thought she’d be supportive because she’s always been the one to encourage me to follow my dreams, but now she’s been distant. She started bringing up how she “can’t understand why I’d give up on stability” and how my decision might hurt my chances of success.

I feel hurt because I thought she was one of the few people who would understand me. But now, it feels like she’s just disappointed in me, and it’s made me question if I made the right choice.

AITA for feeling upset that my friend isn’t supporting my decision, or is it just because I’ve changed the path I was expected to take?

I just want to know if I’m being dramatic, or if it’s okay to feel hurt by her reaction.