Zara Dar, a YouTuber known for her tutorials on machine learning and neural networks, recently announced a life-changing decision: she is leaving her PhD programme to become a full-time OnlyFans content creator. In a candid YouTube video titled “PhD Dropout to OnlyFans Model”, Zara shared her emotional journey, which has sparked conversations about career choices, financial independence, and personal fulfilment.

Zara explained the decision wasn’t made lightly. “I’ve cried so much over this decision to quit my PhD because it’s a stressful decision, not that I’m particularly sad,” she said. With over one lakh subscribers on YouTube, she had been an advocate for women in science and technology, but her shift signals a desire to break free from traditional paths.

“Moving on to doing OnlyFans and content creation full-time, it’s not just a career choice—it feels kind of like a gamble on the direction of my entire life,” Zara said.

Reflecting on her time in graduate school, Zara said she could envision herself in academia or working in a polished corporate environment. However, the trade-offs associated with such lifestyles didn’t align with her vision for her future.

“People whose lifestyles I thought I envied are tied to someone else’s vision. They’ll spend their lives working for a company and doing things they don’t necessarily enjoy,” she explained. Zara criticised the lack of recognition and financial stability in academia and corporate jobs, highlighting that much of the wealth and fame generated by workers often benefits others.

“Expendable, they will constantly worry about getting laid off and planning their lives around their salaries,” she added, outlining a future she was determined to avoid.

A significant factor in Zara’s decision was her financial success on OnlyFans. Initially a side project during her PhD, the platform has enabled her to earn $1 million, which she used to pay off her family’s mortgage and purchase a car.

“Now I have an investment portfolio and I am planning to buy my own house,” she shared. Zara contrasted this with the average life of American professors, who she noted earn $100,000 annually while juggling grant proposals and administrative burdens. “This is not the life I envisioned for myself,” she said.

Zara said her new career gives her the freedom to explore topics she is passionate about without being bound by the constraints of academic institutions or corporate offices. She ended her video by encouraging others to reimagine traditional career paths and pursue what truly fulfils them.

“All of these achievements are just reminders of the tangible rewards of carving my own path and the freedom that comes with it,” Zara concluded.

Her story continues to spark debate online, with supporters applauding her bold choice and critics questioning the broader implications of abandoning academia for a non-traditional career path.