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Assalam alaykum

The answer to your dilemma lies right there in your post.

1. In your hear, you desire to become better, you do not like the bad things you did in the past and wish to improve on your current behavior.
2. Your question about 5 daily prayers; Yes, Yes, Yes; please do your 5 daily prayers. Try and see how each day becomes easier for you insha Allah. Those acts that you are not proud of will slowly become less desirable to you.
3. Your reason for wanting to be good should be purified only for the pleasure of Allah, after that , everything else you seek (job, wife, health, kids, money, whatever) will come easy to you insha Allah.

May Allah ease our paths, Amin

Assalamu alaykum. Am not good at giving advice but i noticed something in your post, that "you were a flirt" in school.
If u know your "badboyrism " has affected any body at all, and you know where to find that somebody or his contact, try hard and see to it that he forgives u.
I also heard that reciting " Astagfirullah " repeatedly, as many times as you can, can eliminate hardships from one's life.
Have you tried midnight prayers? it works a lot.
There is a verse in the Qur'an that reads "...and seek My help through patience and prayers......." so be patient and pray as much as u can for Allah loves the patient.
Ma'assalam

9rah:

Depression has really made me remember God. Please I just want your advice & no one to judge me because we are all sinners & I don't think anyone is already sure of his fate on judgement day.

Dear brother, assuming someone (or people)judged you by your deeds, will that make you lose hope or continue depressed? Are you that afraid of human impression about you? How many righteous servants of the Most Merciful have been Judged by men to be evil! How many evil men have been adjudged to be 'saint'! Human judgment or impression is insignificant for Man only judge what is apparent.

The All-knowing and All-Seeing, whom no affair pass-by is the best Judge. He knows what is hidden and apparent. He knows and closer to the thought of the thinker than the thinker himself. So be worry and wary of Him.

9rah:

I didn't grow up in strong Muslim home but I want to change by all means cuz the distraction of this world is nothing but vanity.

By default, growing up in a 'muslim home' (should) make one a 'practicing muslim'. And vice versa. But the truth is its not automatic even if the % is not 50 - 50.

Sooner you realize 'who you are', the 'Goal of life,' and 'your responsibility in life', then it doesn't matter where or who you are.

Some people thought the Prophets of God, for example, are automatically created to know God and work righteously. Nah! They were human like us with feelings, desires, distractions etc. What make them unique was the fact that they realize the bold^ earlier in life. And Allah says:

"And (as for) those who strive hard for Us, We will most certainly guide them in Our ways; and Allah is most surely with the doers of good" ~Sura al-Ankabut : 69

9rah:

I was flirting too much

9rah:

I mean after yr 1 in school I kinda forgot God sha & that was d time I kinda started this whole having fun of a thing with girls & playing around.

9rah:

That aside, D thing is till date I still fornicate, I feel more like a heavy sinner

Fornication (zina) is termed "fa'sha (Indecency)" according to Qur'an. Really its a sin detested by Allah. How? It destroys the sanctity of man before his Creator. It destroy the relationship between man and his society/environment. Yet, it is not a major sin before Allah for He termed 'those major sins' "su'u" (evil) e.g Murder. Alas! If care is not taken an "indecent act" can lead to "an evil" act. However, by His Mercy, He forgives ALL sins.

I felicitate with you my dear brother @bold^ why? Because you are remorseful of your Indecent acts. Qur'an describe three kinds of Nafs (soul):

* an-Nafs Amara - A damned Soul (Here Satan has taken over completely)

* an-Nafs Lawamah - A self-reproaching soul

* an-Nafs Mut'main'nah - A satisfied/purified soul.

Where are you? Where am I out of those three Nafs? The middle I believe. Alas! It can move either way (Amara or Mut'main'nah) at the end, everything boils down to our free-will.
"And (By) the Soul and Him Who made it perfect,

Then He inspired it to understand what is right and wrong for it;

Success is he who purifies it

And damned is he who corrupts it
~sura ash-Shams: 7 - 10

It is obvious from these noble verses man is created with pure soul. There's no destiny here (of good or evil to fixed souls). Man chooses by his free-will. Even Satan only invites, he doesn't have authority over any soul(Sura Ibrahim: 22). But there's Rahma (mercy) ONLY when you strive hard towards Allah. Again this beautiful verse:
"And (as for) those who strive hard for Us, We will most certainly guide them in Our ways; and Allah is most surely with the doers of good"
~Sura al-Ankabut : 69

And there's caution whenever man moves towards perdition:
"...and there is not a people but a warner has been sent to them"~sura Fatir: 24

9rah:

But d thing is I really stopped 5 daily prayers because of depression & other stuffs.

Hmmm...this is one of what makes it (those indecent acts) seem unstoppable. Salat (daily prayers) is designed, if perform as it ought to be performed:
"...surely prayer keeps (one) away from indecency and evil, and certainly the remembrance of Allah is the greatest, and Allah knows what you do" ~Sura al-Ankabut: 45

9rah:

There is light in islam but I sometimes feel its too difficult sometimes to practice & enter into islam completely.

Dear brother, you see that underlined phrase^ is insinuation of shay'tan (satan). Look at his vow the day he was removed from God's kingdom of extra-Mercy:

"...I will certainly lie in wait for them in Thy straight path. Then I will certainly come to them from before them and from behind them, and from their right-hand side and from their left-hand side; and Thou shalt not find most of them thankful" ~sura al-A'raf

However, what Allah needs from you is great determination and strive towards Him.

There was this woman in Islamic history. She was a LovePeddler of highest order. During her time, no prostitute can be compare or compete with her. But she never feel right with her 'job', and eventually, she won the race against her soul and decided to call it quit and seek God. If you move sincerely with great determination by an inch towards Him, surely Allah will move by miles towards you. This woman became one of the best saint in Islam, the type of whom no one exist during her time.

Read his own clarification, and Allahs'
"...I (satan) will certainly make (evil) fair seeming to them on earth, and I will certainly cause them all to deviate except Thy servants from among them, the devoted ones.

He (Allah) said: This is a right way with Me:

Surely, as regards My servants, you (satan) have no authority over them except those who follow you of the deviators" ~sura Hijr, 15: 42

Who says you and I cannot be among those devoted servants of the Most Merciful! It only require determination, dedication and continuity.

9rah:

Though I fear God.

How much, dear brother? How much?
Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) says"there are three levels of fear of God. One - the level of which you 'see' Him with your 'eyes' (thereby sins and evil acts become forbidden for you); Second - the level lower from the first of which you cannot see Him but you firmly believe He sees you. And the Third level, the level of disbelief: you know He sees you yet you commit sins and evil".

There's a silver-lining just before the level Three: "Level of Gaflah - forgetfulness".

"O Lord! I dare not sin while I know nothing is hidden from you...but I was carried away excitement..."

Here my dear brother, I'd like to recommend Du'a Kumayl. Kindly take your time and go through and digest the contents line by line. While you will realize the greatness of Allah in this Du'a, you will also realize 'yourself', in sha Allah. If you cannot read the Arabic it doesn't matter. Here's it:
www.duas.org/kumayl2.htm

Then, try to do often:
Yaa Dalilal Muta'ayirin - Oh the Guide of the Waylaid. Do as much as you can.

9rah:

As I speak I've lost faith.more like I don't have Iman at all. I kinda only pray in d morning tho. I really want to be a better Muslim,

"“Say: O my servants! who have acted extravagantly against their own souls, do not despair of the Mercy of Allah ; Surely Allah forgives the faults altogether; surely He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.” ~Surah az-Zumar 39:53).

“… Surely none despairs of Allah’s Mercy except the unbelieving people.” (Surah Yūsuf 12:87)

Kindly find time to read:
www.nairaland.com/2007099/second-greater-sin-despair

9rah:

Should one still keep praying 5 times daily evn while fornicating. Cuz I just feel its somehow u kno. I really want to b a good practicing Muslim but some of know that it is easier said than done to stop fornicating.

Just like ayinba1 advice, please no matter what do not neglect your 5 daily salat. If I may add, pray awwalil wakht (prime time) - pray each at the exact time.

Then, keep away from bad influencing friends. Keep away from anything you observe that divert you away from Allah e.g phonorgraphics pix or films, bad influencing music - audio or video etc. And keep the company of "those that invite to good deeds and forbid evils."

In sha Allah, Allah will refine you, internally and externally.

9rah:

Someday I'll stop, especially wen am 4 or 5 years away from marriage bcuz that costs money .

What gives you guarantee you will live before then? And what gives you guarantee of the year to marriage? The earlier the better. May Allah preserve us.

9rah:

Also how does one strengthen Iman & deal with this depression because I don't kno y av lost faith already on getting a good job with a 2.2 because of so much hardship that already exists in the country. Second class lower peeps are rarely given any chance to prove theirselves

I believe you've read above what answer this part, in sha Allah.

9rah:

I hope you guys advice me cuz my life jus b like say e no get direction right now.

We are here to advice ourselves. May we all get a better guidance from Allah. Please feel free to discuss. I salute your courage a lot.

Wa salam alaykum.

Assalamu alaykum

I understand what you are going through.
I've been in your shoes, but not exactly.

You see, at some point in everyones life. We go through hardships, anxiety, depressions etc

But it is important that whatever we're going through, we should never forget why we're in this world.

Allah (SWT) brought us into this world for nothing except to worship him.

My advice to you is to remember Allah wherever you are, make alot of supplications, accept what has happened to you as destiny (but that doesn't mean you shouldn't strive to be better

Ibn Abbas RA said: One day, I was riding behind the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) when he said, "O boy! I will instruct you in some matters. Be watchful of Allah (Commandments of Allah), He will preserve you. Safeguard His Rights, He will be ever with you. If you beg, beg of Him Alone; and if you need assistance, supplicate to Allah Alone for help. And remember that if all the people gather to benefit you, they will not be able to benefit you except that which Allah had foreordained (for you); and if all of them gather to do harm to you, they will not be able to afflict you with anything other than that which Allah had pre-destined against you. The pens had been lifted and the ink had dried up." (Tirmidhi)
 

For the fact thatu think islam is difficult.
Brother, I will tell you that islam is the most simple religion.
It all depends on how you see it.

It is also a good thing that you feel bad for yourself and want to change.
I would want you to read and digest this hadith

Reported by Wabisah bin Ma’bad (RA): I went to Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and he asked me, “Have you come to inquire about piety?” I replied in the affirmative. Then he said, “Ask your heart regarding it. Piety is that which contents the soul and comforts the heart, and sin is that which causes doubts and perturbs the heart, even if people pronounce it lawful and give you verdicts on such matters again and again.” (Ahmad and Ad-Darmi)

Always remember that hell and jannah are real

Reported by Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri (RA): The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “There was a dispute between Hell and Jannah, and Hell said: ‘The haughty and proud are in me.’ The Jannah said: ‘In me are the weak and the humble.’ Thereupon Allah, the Exalted, judged between them saying: ‘You the Jannah are My Mercy, and through you I shall show mercy to those whom I wish.’ (And addressing the Hell) He said: ‘You are My punishment to punish whom I wish amongst My slaves, and each one of you will have its fill.”’(Muslim)
 

May Allah (SWT) make us among the inmates of jannah.. ameen

Seek Allah's pardon

Reported by Ibn ‘Abbas (RA): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “If anyone constantly seeks pardon (from Allah), Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide sustenance for him from where he expects not.”(Abu Dawud)

May Allah forgive us All

It would also be a good development if you take your sallah seriously from now on, and stop committing the sin you know you're commiting

The importance n use of sallah is illustrated in this hadith [ there are so many]

Abu harayrah (RA) said:
"The prophet ( peace be upon him ) said: 'the five daily prayers from friday to Friday is an expiation for the sins committed in the time between prayers, so long as no major sins commited'" (muslim)

The major sins are

Reported by Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Al-’as (RA): The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “(Of the) major sins are: to ascribe partners to Allah, disobey parents, murder someone, and to take a false oath (intentionally)”. (Bukhari)

May Allah ( SWT ) guide us all

Ameen

Bissallam