Encountered problems at university? Share your experiences!

Here are the pages I have created so that students who are having problems at university can read other people's experiences, hopefully as a way of putting their problems in perspective: Those who dropped out of university and Those who are sticking it out.

Feel free to post up more experiences in this thread and I will undertake to move them across onto the wiki. Thanks to everyone who has contributed so far. Those who have earnt riches should be receiving them in the near future. Unfortunately, due to overwhelming response, no more riches will be offered for new contributions. See the content in the spoiler if you wants some hints on the sorts of things to include.

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Reply 1

weet_ABI_x

Last year I made friends with a literal psycho in halls who proceeded to destroy my year slowly bit by bit. Not sure if that's specific to uni though or just life!

Reply 2

Glee

great study!
i know i'll be reading

Reply 3

Antimatter

Being stalked, living with dealers.

Reply 4

llys

•

stalkers at societies or in halls

Reply 5

llys

Antimatter

Being stalked, living with dealers.

Haha. LOL. see above. :-)

Reply 6

Sabertooth

Being lonely.
Depression.
Unable to cope with the workload.

How did I solve it? :s-smilie:

I got my CPN to get in touch with the mental health services at my uni to negotiate extensions to deadlines and so if I'm not in seminars I don't get kicked out. Can't do anything about the loneliness though, I've joined societies and tried speaking to people at lectures but it's all for nothing.

Reply 7

-XxX-

They give us some kind of coursework or exam every week. I like the course and stuff but the workload..... :sigh:

HOW TO COPE: the list that they give you with extra reading on it? Do it. dont pin it up on your noticeboard and think "tomoroow for sure..."

My flat are anti social. Every time you walk in its like theres a funeral going on.
HOW TO COPE: Go to other peoples flats and only come home to sleep.

I thought it would be a problem that I dont drink alcohol
It isnt, everyone loves everyone :h:

People in our flat dont take responsibility to tidy up after themselves and our cleaners are crap
HOW TO COPE: i havent got round this on yet...we judt do our own dishes and leave everyone elses but that doesnt solve the mess in the kitchen problem

Reply 8

hannahhi

Struggling to keep on top of finances, but getting there now.

Reply 9

Singh_2

I haven't enjoyed my time much due to disability. I'm having to rush home for hospital appointments etc and I've missed a lot of lectures. I've also been depressed because of my situation, and it doesn't help that there are barely any other first years in my accomodation. I'm living with four 2nd/3rd year students.

I'd recommend talking to your personal tutor and disability centre within the uni asap. They really do help and things such as note takers can be put in place if, for example, you can't take notes properly.

I am going to resolve my problems by staying positive. I thought about giving up and applying again next year but I'd rather stick it out. I have been offered the choice by the uni to come back next year if I wish and have a gap year.

Hope this helped.

Reply 10

Aqualung

# University life may not 'live up to the hype'
# The course isn't what you wanted/expected
# Homesickness (not severe)
# Loneliness, or you haven't made as many friends as you hoped you would
# Can handle an LDR (long distance relationship), just don't want to
# You may feel you want to go to a "better" university
# Awful flat/housemates

I'm still in uni (2nd year). God knows why.

Reply 11

PhoenixFortune

A combination of loneliness, halls being rubbish, and the course not being what I wanted it to be.

Since I dropped out, I have a part-time job and am reapplying to a uni closer to home for 2010.

Reply 12

Annie72

My problem isnt even on the list!. But suffice to say I actually loved uni, but sadly had no choice than to drop out. :frown:

Reply 13

Singh_2

Annie72

My problem isnt even on the list!. But suffice to say I actually loved uni, but sadly had no choice than to drop out. :frown:

What happened? If you don't mind me asking.

Reply 14

Singh_2

fire2burn

People who become manically attached to you. You have a 5 minute convo with them after being shoved in a group with them and suddenly they're your best friend, adding you on facebook, adding your friends on facebook, tracking you down on other websites like TSR and chatting to you there, finding out your mobile number without you telling them, and then texting you at 3am proclaiming themselves to be bored and that you should come over to visit them. Then texting constantly when you don't reply as thought they're some needy puppy.

Utter utter weirdo.

How did you deal with this person stalking you?

Reply 15

Jonah Ramone

Singh_2

This is exactly the sort of post I'm after, thanks :smile:

Annie72

My problem isnt even on the list!. But suffice to say I actually loved uni, but sadly had no choice than to drop out. :frown:

Add your problem then! :colondollar:

What happened?

Reply 16

Melissa_xo

Not finding the people in my halls to be my type of people.
Good course/people on the course. Just the halls really.
Bored when no lectures are on.
Missing home so I have to go home every weekend...

Reply 17

Timmead

n/a

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 18

idesofmarch

For me the course wasn't what i imagined and i realised i wasn't committed to it after only a few weeks. I then decided a more general science degree was for me and after many sleepless nights and discussions with people, I decided to drop out.

Although the main reason was that the course wasn't for me, there was also homesickness and not feeling ready to begin studying again.

As for dropping out itself and sorting everything out once you're home, there is very little information available and student finance tell you different things each time you call.. so that is probs just as stressful as deciding to drop out lol.

I'm now reapplying for 2010 entry and have a part-time job to see me through the year!

Reply 19

alexa123

Right- i will try not to write an essay for you :smile:

Im in the dropped out of university section.

My reason was: The course.

That was really the only reason i had- but i felt it was quite a big issue, and the main part of being at university.

Basically the course wasn't what i expected. I was doing Psychology and found the course scientific. Which i was aware it would be- but when i was actually there doing it I realised it wasn't what i wanted to be doing. I really enjoyed it at a-level so was very disappointed.
Do i regret dropping out? NO, not really- i seriously miss my flatmates and the fact i loved the university (Birmingham). This made my decision harder, if everyone had been horrible it would have been easy to walk away, but i had such amazing flatmates i really enjoyed my time. But i don't regret dropping out of the course.

I have recently reapplied to university again, other unis but that is mainly because Bham didn't do the course i wanted to do- if it had i would have gone back there :smile:

I am currently looking for a job, ive had a few interviews last week and i am just waiting back on them.

I think it can be so hard to pick yourself back up again, but it takes guts to admit you made the wrong choice and start again rather than keeping up with something you know isn't for you.
Things will get better- When i came home i spoke to careers adviser who helped me with where to apply etc. and just gave me advice. She was very helpful and understood as her son had dropped out, he reapplied somewhere else and is now in his final year loving it still.

Another thing i would say is homesick, although it was only for 1 week in particular. I would say this isn't a reason to leave as it DOES usually get better- lots of people are feeling the same. And at the time i thought "well that doesn't really help me feel better" but if lots of people feels the same, lots of people stay at uni and enjoy it and therefore it will get better and you will cope with change.

edit: Any chance you can direct me to the article when you've collected it all together? And if you need anymore info, ask.