🎭 Scene 1 – Family “What Should I Do With My Life?”

“What Should I Do With My Life?”

Based on the original script by the young creators of “You’re Fried!”
(All characters are preserved and voices honored.)

The scene opens in a family living room. A young person — thoughtful, unsure, hopeful — brings up the idea of doing an apprenticeship. It's something they're curious about. They want to learn on the job, gain practical skills, maybe even earn a bit of money while they do it.

But the parents push back.

The mother is puzzled. “An apprenticeship? Isn’t that just for people who couldn’t get into university?”
The father frowns. “We didn’t raise you to settle for less.”
They speak with love, but also with fear. For them, university equals safety, success, respect. They see anything else as a risk — or worse, a failure.

The young person tries to explain, but it’s hard to speak clearly when your future feels like it’s being graded at the dinner table.

There is no shouting. Just the quiet, slow build-up of misunderstanding.

That same afternoon, there are guests in the house. Extended family have come to visit — and they bring big news: their child has just been accepted into one of the country’s top universities. The room lights up with congratulations. They speak of prestige, bright futures, pride.

The comparison hangs in the air like smoke.

The young person shrinks back a little, suddenly self-conscious.
Their parents’ tone shifts.

“See? Now that’s a real goal.”
“And here you are, talking about learning on the job. Is that even a plan?”

The young person tries to explain — the appeal of working while learning, the feeling of being stuck at school, the anxiety about debt — but now they’re not just fighting misunderstanding. They’re fighting shame.

The conversation tightens. Smiles fade. The judgment comes not through shouting, but through silence, glances, and everything that goes unsaid.

This scene is no longer just about one life choice. It’s about comparison, family pride, and the weight of social expectation. It shows how even casual comments — especially in front of others — can turn dreams into doubts.

This scene isn’t just about one conversation — it’s about intergenerational confusion, about how class, culture, and hope get tangled when it comes to youth and work. It’s about how hard it can be to choose your own path when your family only sees one road to success.