My outlook on O&G isn't as much about the industry as it is about myself, though it's definitely true the industry is cyclical. I was fortunate to survive some down times during the years I did it without ever having any periods of unemployment. My job was very white-collar, not labor intensive at all, but it required constant travel and the ability to be on your feet for long periods at a time. I have a number of physical issues these days and that's not doable for me.
A couple years ago, on our first anniversary, I took my Longhorn wife to a Texas game which she really enjoyed as she'd never been to a UT game. It was the week before LSU came to town, go figure. That was well past my limits, physically, and I don't think I'll be trying that again. I may have spent my final gameday at DKR......watching Texas and La. Tech.
I'm in a Data Science program. I found the format and pace quite challenging. Might work out, might not. We'll see how it goes, I'm just trying to start the process of doing something different. False starts don't really bother me anymore.