The Student Room Group

My "want to drop out" experience (with criminality!)

I just finished my first year at the University of Derby and this week began my second year. However, I've always wanted to go to Nottingham Trent and I'm considering making the move in 2012. That'd mean going from a 2nd year (£3k fees) to a 1st year again (£8.5k fees).

However, the year I've had at university has been extraordinarily ****. Not even in a teenage angsty way, in a full-on **** way. At the end of last year I had a DSLR camera and lenses (£2000 value) stolen from me by a student on my course. We had no proof until last week, so now we're taking it to the police and trying to come to an arrangement with his parents outside of it. After me and my friends confronting him, we gave him three opportunities to admit to the truth, but he adamantly swore that he did nothing. Only after I revealed that camera's have a funny thing called a unique serial number, which we'd verified, did he fess up. Throughout the year prior to that, the guy had been harassing me (in what he justified as 'nasty banter' but I don't think there's such a thing) and making my life a misery. It's a difficult experience to describe, but being in the same room as him during lectures is unbearable. I'm on edge whenever I see him come in and I'm always trying to remember to look away. I can't really explain it, but it just makes me uncomfortable and throws me off. I can't enjoy the lecture when he's around, and what's worse is that he's pretty integrated into the friendship group of the people I live with, so it means I have to ostracise myself from that group too.

I'm not a shy person, I'm actually pretty outgoing. I don't really miss home either. I love clubbing and socialising and meeting people. I've met a pretty cool group of people outside of my class, but the people on my course that I'm friends with are so dissimilar to me. I live with three students from my course who are full-on gamers, and while that's fine, it's completely disconnected from what I like. They don't really drink much or go clubbing, so when I go out with people from other houses it's always a sort of odd "see you later" thing.

Then there's the issue of the university. I don't want to sound elitist, but Derby is poor on the league tables, and the whole place reeks of cheapness to me. Someone I talked to the other day was surprised when I mentioned I'd received an A at A Level. I realised that the people I'm studying with are, to be fair, not the brightest. They are genuinely nice people, but I don't feel intellectually stimulated in conversation with them. This feeling extends to the class where I don't particularly feel challenged (though I know first year is always a kind of easing-in).

The course is Film and Video Production, so it's an art degree. I don't think the degree would be of much use to me even if I stuck out 3 years. A theoretical subject (Media with Communication) from a more reputable university (Nottingham Trent) sounds like a much better offer for me. The only problem of course, is that I'd have done 5 years in higher education and I'd have wasted 2 years (of time and money) towards this degree. The thing I'd need to stack up is whether it would be worth the MONUMENTAL extra money investment. Ideally, I'd have gone to Trent in 2010, but I can't turn back time now :tongue:

I'd really like to get anyone's input on this. Sorry if I come across blunt, I'll gladly answer anything!
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 1
If you have 3 A's then why didn't you apply for a really good top 10 or top 20 Uni?
Reply 2
Original post by bronc.
If you have 3 A's then why didn't you apply for a really good top 10 or top 20 Uni?


Wasn't 3 As, sorry, it was A B C.

But I chose Derby as an Extra choice based on the excellent facilities they had; camera equipment for students. Turned out when I got here though that the actual good stuff is reserved for third years. Oops.

In fairness, I was very directionless during my initial application, hadn't gone to many Open Days and didn't really know many places I wanted to apply. When I went to a Trent Open Day later, while I was at Derby, I felt a real passion.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 3
Boo-freeking-hoo.

So appart from coming across like an axnsty little teenager what was the point of your thread? Do you want advice? Do you want people to confirm what you've already decided? Do you want someone to tell you to stick it out? You DO already know the answer otherwise you wouldnt have made the thread. If you know the answer then get on and do it...

Sorry to come across as harsh, but what did you expect? Things get nicked all the time, you didnt get on with someone, you made the wrong choice in your initial application - hardly unusual things... All part of 'life'.
Original post by BenKing
Wasn't 3 As, sorry, it was A B C.

But I chose Derby as an Extra choice based on the excellent facilities they had; camera equipment for students. Turned out when I got here though that the actual good stuff is reserved for third years. Oops.

In fairness, I was very directionless during my initial application, hadn't gone to many Open Days and didn't really know many places I wanted to apply. When I went to a Trent Open Day later, while I was at Derby, I felt a real passion.


Well in the long run the fees wont affect you signifcantly just means you have to pay more for longer it wouldnt make you like bankrupt so its up to you however two more years of uni will soon be forgotten when your 30 so it depends what side of the coin your looking at...

And about this guy i knew a dicky guy who harassed my GF on the first week of uni i wasnt around the first week so he didnt know i existed i turned up monday on the second week someone told me as my GF didnt want me to overeact and i walked up to him in front of around 80people spun him around and punched him in the nose he left her well alone after that, i didnt overeact see i told her in the end :rolleyes:
Reply 5
Original post by Riderz
Boo-freeking-hoo.

So appart from coming across like an axnsty little teenager what was the point of your thread? Do you want advice? Do you want people to confirm what you've already decided? Do you want someone to tell you to stick it out? You DO already know the answer otherwise you wouldnt have made the thread. If you know the answer then get on and do it...

Sorry to come across as harsh, but what did you expect? Things get nicked all the time, you didnt get on with someone, you made the wrong choice in your initial application - hardly unusual things... All part of 'life'.


I get what you mean, but I haven't made any decision, no. What I kind of want to know is if doing the risky jump of leaving university after the second year to apply again is worth it, undertaking that additional time and debt. It's hardly an easy decision. There are people here who've presumably transfered and come through the other side so I thought it can't hurt to ask for that perspective.
Reply 6
Original post by BenKing
I get what you mean, but I haven't made any decision, no. What I kind of want to know is if doing the risky jump of leaving university after the second year to apply again is worth it, undertaking that additional time and debt. It's hardly an easy decision. There are people here who've presumably transfered and come through the other side so I thought it can't hurt to ask for that perspective.


I suspect that if you're really honest with yourself you know what you want to do. Whether or not you have the balls to do it is something different, and thats why you want people to tell you to go for it/ not do it.

Follow your heart, your head just sorts out the practicalities.....
Original post by BenKing

The course is Film and Video Production, so it's an art degree. I don't think the degree would be of much use to me even if I stuck out 3 years.


Correct.

A theoretical subject (Media with Communication) from a more reputable university (Nottingham Trent) sounds like a much better offer for me.


Ah...you were doing so well :facepalm: You might as well carry on with your previous **** degree if you plan on swapping to do this.

And seriously, don't worry about the new fees, it isn't that big of a deal.
Reply 8
Degree wise I doubt there's much difference between Notts trent and Derby, maybe the employer links are but you have to decide whether or not its worth it.
Original post by BenKing
I just finished my first year at the University of Derby and this week began my second year. However, I've always wanted to go to Nottingham Trent and I'm considering making the move in 2012. That'd mean going from a 2nd year (£3k fees) to a 1st year again (£8.5k fees).

However, the year I've had at university has been extraordinarily ****. Not even in a teenage angsty way, in a full-on **** way. At the end of last year I had a DSLR camera and lenses (£2000 value) stolen from me by a student on my course. We had no proof until last week, so now we're taking it to the police and trying to come to an arrangement with his parents outside of it. After me and my friends confronting him, we gave him three opportunities to admit to the truth, but he adamantly swore that he did nothing. Only after I revealed that camera's have a funny thing called a unique serial number, which we'd verified, did he fess up. Throughout the year prior to that, the guy had been harassing me (in what he justified as 'nasty banter' but I don't think there's such a thing) and making my life a misery. It's a difficult experience to describe, but being in the same room as him during lectures is unbearable. I'm on edge whenever I see him come in and I'm always trying to remember to look away. I can't really explain it, but it just makes me uncomfortable and throws me off. I can't enjoy the lecture when he's around, and what's worse is that he's pretty integrated into the friendship group of the people I live with, so it means I have to ostracise myself from that group too.

I'm not a shy person, I'm actually pretty outgoing. I don't really miss home either. I love clubbing and socialising and meeting people. I've met a pretty cool group of people outside of my class, but the people on my course that I'm friends with are so dissimilar to me. I live with three students from my course who are full-on gamers, and while that's fine, it's completely disconnected from what I like. They don't really drink much or go clubbing, so when I go out with people from other houses it's always a sort of odd "see you later" thing.

Then there's the issue of the university. I don't want to sound elitist, but Derby is poor on the league tables, and the whole place reeks of cheapness to me. Someone I talked to the other day was surprised when I mentioned I'd received an A at A Level. I realised that the people I'm studying with are, to be fair, not the brightest. They are genuinely nice people, but I don't feel intellectually stimulated in conversation with them. This feeling extends to the class where I don't particularly feel challenged (though I know first year is always a kind of easing-in).

The course is Film and Video Production, so it's an art degree. I don't think the degree would be of much use to me even if I stuck out 3 years. A theoretical subject (Media with Communication) from a more reputable university (Nottingham Trent) sounds like a much better offer for me. The only problem of course, is that I'd have done 5 years in higher education and I'd have wasted 2 years (of time and money) towards this degree. The thing I'd need to stack up is whether it would be worth the MONUMENTAL extra money investment. Ideally, I'd have gone to Trent in 2010, but I can't turn back time now :tongue:

I'd really like to get anyone's input on this. Sorry if I come across blunt, I'll gladly answer anything!


I am your nasty banter, btch.
Obviously change University. The fee's will be paid off later in life and the degree you get will pay for itself.
If you think the degree is pointless to you, leave. If you think it's of some use, stick it out.
Reply 12
Original post by A level Az
Ah...you were doing so well :facepalm: You might as well carry on with your previous **** degree if you plan on swapping to do this.


I know, sorry :tongue: It's hardly Physics, but it's closer to the kind of vibe I like. It (the Communication pathway mostly) is about ideas and strategy. That appeals to me more than producing film projects, which I did in my last year, getting actors to a set and running everything on schedule and that kind of humdrum thing.
Reply 13
Don't switch unis nottingham trent is hardly worth it. Five years for one degree when you can do two in six years..think about this well :smile:
Reply 14
Plus you wont get funding for all 3 years of another degree... not if you've already done 2 from your previous degree.
Reply 15
Original post by Riderz
Plus you wont get funding for all 3 years of another degree... not if you've already done 2 from your previous degree.


Ah, well that's annoying. I didn't get loans for this university, just grants. Would really need to have loans for the higher fee though...
Original post by BenKing
Ah, well that's annoying. I didn't get loans for this university, just grants. Would really need to have loans for the higher fee though...


If you switch to Trent Uni then you would probably have to pay the fees for the first year yourself seeing as Student Finance only fund you for 4 years max and youve already had 2 years funding. That also applies even if you didnt get the tuition fee loan. I dont think that course at Trent is any better tbh. Im at Derby and I think its a great uni based on my experiences despite its ranking in the league tables.

Quick Reply

Latest