[Abysseus]

I'm struggling with my course and am seriously considering quitting. It could just be motivation. It could be my innate thickness. It could be that I'm just not really that interested in the subject (biology). It could be that I have some undiagnosed disorder like ADHD. It could be that the teaching methods at my university are too biased towards "independent learners" as opposed to bigmouths like me, "social learners" (their methods strike me as pretty "low input": lots of one-way monologue lectures, few opportunites for questions, next to no well-structured tutorials). But I just can't get excited about my course material.

I've got a theory about experts and specialists: not only do they have incredible IQs and unfathomable ability to focus most of their attention on one or two subjects, they have an unearthly source of motivation, willpower and patience!! I mean, how do people manage to stay enthusiastic about something so dry and intangible as this: ? It's all so impersonal and abstract and so difficult to relate to. I wish I could be like this for just a while, but to be honest I think I'm just a bog-standard generalist. What the hell do generalists do??? And why don't I want to be one? Does generalist equal thickie? Low earning potential dumbass???? Aaaaaargh!!!

[Pt40]

What course are you doing? and why did you pick it?

[whiskydrinker]

If you're a generalist and like working with people rather than academic learning, you might be better off trying to work your way up in the world of work rather than plugging away at uni. Or, if you want to stick with the degree, do the absolute minimum required to get a 2:1 and show off your practical skills by doing lots of extracurricular activities. Although it's not necessarily at all true that people who aren't interested in academia can't be good managers or salesmen, try focusing on the significant drawback not having a degree will be to you in the future - maybe fear will motivate you better than trying to get interested.

[Barden]

Originally Posted by Abysseus

I'm struggling with my course and am seriously considering quitting. It could just be motivation. It could be my innate thickness. It could be that I'm just not really that interested in the subject (biology). It could be that I have some undiagnosed disorder like ADHD. It could be that the teaching methods at my university are too biased towards "independent learners" as opposed to bigmouths like me, "social learners" (their methods strike me as pretty "low input": lots of one-way monologue lectures, few opportunites for questions, next to no well-structured tutorials). But I just can't get excited about my course material.

I've got a theory about experts and specialists: not only do they have incredible IQs and unfathomable ability to focus most of their attention on one or two subjects, they have an unearthly source of motivation, willpower and patience!! I mean, how do people manage to stay enthusiastic about something so dry and intangible as this: ? It's all so impersonal and abstract and so difficult to relate to. I wish I could be like this for just a while, but to be honest I think I'm just a bog-standard generalist. What the hell do generalists do??? And why don't I want to be one? Does generalist equal thickie? Low earning potential dumbass???? Aaaaaargh!!!

i dont understand why we have to pay....anything...when most stuff at degree level is self taught

[Baz1990]

it could be dyslexia or something similar, a lot of people have these kind of things and don't even realise it for ages, I didn't realise until I was 16, I thought that I was just a bit thick

[Abysseus]

Originally Posted by Pt40

What course are you doing? and why did you pick it?

Master's in biology: biodiversity, evolution and ecology. Got a degree in Environmental Management, thought it was the natural progression and this looked the least boring from the relevant options. Am starting to realise it's just not the right course for me. I can't get enthusiastic about the material because it simply doesn't float my boat. Took this online test: http://www.truecolorscareer.com/quiz.asp and it's all starting to make sense.

[Abysseus]

Originally Posted by Barden

i dont understand why we have to pay....anything...when most stuff at degree level is self taught

Whilst I'm starting to realise that this course just isn't right for me, I still agree to a large extent with this sentiment. At my uni lecturers are not required to have teaching qualifications and oh my god is it apparent!! Time after time it's the case of the godlike genius/expert being incapable of imparting their vast knowledge to mere non-expert mortals (i.e. students!). It's all the cliches!!: Jargon, 140 powerpoint slides for a 90 min lecture, complex diagrams they use all of 5 seconds to go over before moving onto the next, microscopic text on slide after slide, moving too quickly through their presentations, not allowing time for questions, expressing mild annoyance at questions midway through, not speaking loud enough, monotone voices, speaking too quickly, not giving examples to illustrate points, doing student's exercises for them when they ask for help rather than helping them to do it themselves, etc, etc, etc. It all boils down to communication skills and lack thereof, and I'm frankly sick of it. I honestly think that some lecturers are in it for the status, the research grant, the steady wage and one-off genius-student they might get every decade or so. Otherwise they just don't give a faeces about the actual teaching aspect of their job. Experts = they're interested in their field, status, family (sometimes) and the power knowledge yields them, screw the rest! Sorry, am I sounding bitter?

[Kyoujin]

Sorry that this doesn't really help you in any way, but are all lecturers like this? I'm heading to uni next year and I'm not quite sure what to expect, but the way you put it it's a wonder anyone passes a degree. I suck at self teaching, I just can't learn stuff by reading paragraph after paragraph. Should I quit whilst I'm a few thousand pounds better off?

[tigermoth99]

Things are different at the postgraduate level, OP. The emphasis is more on independent research and focusing on what interests you. I found this out at my first tutorial the other day when I was discussing an essay topic I had to come up with and research.

Perhaps you would be more geared towards taught, classroom-based masters with the emphasis on seminars.

[Summer241]

Speak to student services if you think you might have ADD or something similar, they can diagnose it and offer you some help.

I'm finding it really hard at the moment, everyone told me access courses were 'easy' before I started. So either I'm very thick or they were lying!
Don't give up, though. Keep trying your best, it's all you can do. It's only for a year and once you've completed the course you'll have so many opportunities available to you.
I was a terrible quitter when I was younger, I've now adopted the "Even if I'm crap I'm not quitting, you'll have to kick me out if I'm not good enough" stance I'm surprising myself so far, I'm getting good grades even though it feels like none of the material is sinking in. Maybe it's a psychological thing related to poor self-esteem?