Depression, University and retaking a year - decisions.
Hi guys,
I thought I would throw this open to people wiser than I, as I've been unable to come to a conclusion myself.
A (brief) run down of the situation: Im a Law student, looking towards a career in commercial litigation in the City post-graduation. So, pressure is a given. Now that was all well and good until, due to a student finance cock-up, I was down around £2000. This forced me to get a job at the start of second year, as it was that or leave Uni due to non-payment of rent - so I ended up in a hellhole of a contact centre that heaped pressure and stress on me, whilst also consuming my week.
Because of this, I fell behind in my uni work, which led to subsequent poor marks in second term. During second term, my relationship with my then-girlfriend broke down, and we split up at the end of term. By this point, I had already been granted mitigating circumstances for one of my assessments. Aside from this, my father had also been very sick (and remains so), obviously adding to the problem.
I went home at the end of second term, exhausted for about a week, intending to return to Uni and complete my assessments over the Easter holidays to get the year back on track. However, due to my father's illness, my parents were forced to move to a smaller house, and I was required to return home for the move as Dad was too unwell to do much. When I was home, my mum broke her ankle, which required a 10 day hospital stay, right over the move date, so I ended up moving the majority of the stuff and looking after my family etc etc. What was supposed to only be a weeks stay to move turned into close to three, meaning I had lost most of my holiday.
When I got back to Uni, I basically stopped functioning completely, and was subsequently diagnosed with clinic depression following a nervous breakdown, and was prescribed anti-depressants with the aim of getting me through my exams, with the intention of doing my assessments for the summer extended deadline. I naturally had the side effects of the medication, and over the course of third term was upped from the lowest dose to the highest (150m/g Sertraline daily) in two increments, meaning I lost more time to side effects as I was unable to function. Shortly after exams, I went home for my Dad's birthday, and for the second time in 3 months he expressed his wish to die, that he was hanging on for my younger sister, and that when he was gone I must promise to take care of her, as Mum wouldn't. Naturally, I returned to Uni in a bit of a state, which set me back a fair bit.
Now, time has gone on, and whilst Im functioning better than I was over Easter, Im sadly far from okay. My extension runs out next monday, and as yet haven't started. Im a bright guy, I could get it all done - but I lack the motivation. I simply don't care about it at the moment, I feel completely beaten. Now I suppose my question is, do I look at retaking the year? The thought of a fresh start is incredibly appealing, but I obviously would hate leaving my year group behind, a good proportion of which are excellent friends.
So apart from that, how would repeating the year affect my graduate prospects (as in, having to explain the repeat) versus simply getting a poor grade (by which I mean mid to high 2:2) that I can pull up to a 2:1 in third year?
As you can tell, Im a bit lost. Any advice would be appreciated.
I thought I would throw this open to people wiser than I, as I've been unable to come to a conclusion myself.
A (brief) run down of the situation: Im a Law student, looking towards a career in commercial litigation in the City post-graduation. So, pressure is a given. Now that was all well and good until, due to a student finance cock-up, I was down around £2000. This forced me to get a job at the start of second year, as it was that or leave Uni due to non-payment of rent - so I ended up in a hellhole of a contact centre that heaped pressure and stress on me, whilst also consuming my week.
Because of this, I fell behind in my uni work, which led to subsequent poor marks in second term. During second term, my relationship with my then-girlfriend broke down, and we split up at the end of term. By this point, I had already been granted mitigating circumstances for one of my assessments. Aside from this, my father had also been very sick (and remains so), obviously adding to the problem.
I went home at the end of second term, exhausted for about a week, intending to return to Uni and complete my assessments over the Easter holidays to get the year back on track. However, due to my father's illness, my parents were forced to move to a smaller house, and I was required to return home for the move as Dad was too unwell to do much. When I was home, my mum broke her ankle, which required a 10 day hospital stay, right over the move date, so I ended up moving the majority of the stuff and looking after my family etc etc. What was supposed to only be a weeks stay to move turned into close to three, meaning I had lost most of my holiday.
When I got back to Uni, I basically stopped functioning completely, and was subsequently diagnosed with clinic depression following a nervous breakdown, and was prescribed anti-depressants with the aim of getting me through my exams, with the intention of doing my assessments for the summer extended deadline. I naturally had the side effects of the medication, and over the course of third term was upped from the lowest dose to the highest (150m/g Sertraline daily) in two increments, meaning I lost more time to side effects as I was unable to function. Shortly after exams, I went home for my Dad's birthday, and for the second time in 3 months he expressed his wish to die, that he was hanging on for my younger sister, and that when he was gone I must promise to take care of her, as Mum wouldn't. Naturally, I returned to Uni in a bit of a state, which set me back a fair bit.
Now, time has gone on, and whilst Im functioning better than I was over Easter, Im sadly far from okay. My extension runs out next monday, and as yet haven't started. Im a bright guy, I could get it all done - but I lack the motivation. I simply don't care about it at the moment, I feel completely beaten. Now I suppose my question is, do I look at retaking the year? The thought of a fresh start is incredibly appealing, but I obviously would hate leaving my year group behind, a good proportion of which are excellent friends.
So apart from that, how would repeating the year affect my graduate prospects (as in, having to explain the repeat) versus simply getting a poor grade (by which I mean mid to high 2:2) that I can pull up to a 2:1 in third year?
As you can tell, Im a bit lost. Any advice would be appreciated.
I'll only answer from the social aspect. I have no clue for graduate prospects.
Friendship is something that comes and goes. You will always be able to make new friends. Being in a new class is a perfect opportunity for this. I don't think that you repeating your year will make you lose the friends you already have, you'll just keep in contact outside class hours. You will also be able to meet new people, and doing something you already did will be easier, you'll have more time for yourself and you can use this to your advantage (concentrate on yourself, go to the doctor's to seek therapy etc.)
But I'm not sure that repeating your year when you've passed is possible. You have to check with your university. I know that mine doesn't allow it (unless you completely failed the year.)
And if you're sure you can pull up your grade to a 2:1, I'm not sure there really is a point in repeating your year.
Best of luck anyway though!
Friendship is something that comes and goes. You will always be able to make new friends. Being in a new class is a perfect opportunity for this. I don't think that you repeating your year will make you lose the friends you already have, you'll just keep in contact outside class hours. You will also be able to meet new people, and doing something you already did will be easier, you'll have more time for yourself and you can use this to your advantage (concentrate on yourself, go to the doctor's to seek therapy etc.)
But I'm not sure that repeating your year when you've passed is possible. You have to check with your university. I know that mine doesn't allow it (unless you completely failed the year.)
And if you're sure you can pull up your grade to a 2:1, I'm not sure there really is a point in repeating your year.
Best of luck anyway though!
Original post by Anonymous
do I look at retaking the year? The thought of a fresh start is incredibly appealing
Well...
Original post by Anonymous
I obviously would hate leaving my year group behind, a good proportion of which are excellent friends.
Would you really be leaving them behind? And don't forget you'd be making a lot more friends too...
Original post by Anonymous
how would repeating the year affect my graduate prospects (as in, having to explain the repeat) versus simply getting a poor grade (by which I mean mid to high 2:2) that I can pull up to a 2:1 in third year?
I can't imagine it's going to matter. You'll have to do some explaining either way. But your chances of getting a better grade will increase by retaking the year, and it will generally be a much happier time for you. Retaking a year is a scary prospect, but sometimes it's exactly what you need.
Original post by miniteen
I'll only answer from the social aspect. I have no clue for graduate prospects.
Friendship is something that comes and goes. You will always be able to make new friends. Being in a new class is a perfect opportunity for this. I don't think that you repeating your year will make you lose the friends you already have, you'll just keep in contact outside class hours. You will also be able to meet new people, and doing something you already did will be easier, you'll have more time for yourself and you can use this to your advantage (concentrate on yourself, go to the doctor's to seek therapy etc.)
But I'm not sure that repeating your year when you've passed is possible. You have to check with your university. I know that mine doesn't allow it (unless you completely failed the year.)
And if you're sure you can pull up your grade to a 2:1, I'm not sure there really is a point in repeating your year.
Best of luck anyway though!
Friendship is something that comes and goes. You will always be able to make new friends. Being in a new class is a perfect opportunity for this. I don't think that you repeating your year will make you lose the friends you already have, you'll just keep in contact outside class hours. You will also be able to meet new people, and doing something you already did will be easier, you'll have more time for yourself and you can use this to your advantage (concentrate on yourself, go to the doctor's to seek therapy etc.)
But I'm not sure that repeating your year when you've passed is possible. You have to check with your university. I know that mine doesn't allow it (unless you completely failed the year.)
And if you're sure you can pull up your grade to a 2:1, I'm not sure there really is a point in repeating your year.
Best of luck anyway though!
Yeh - mine is the same, you can't resit unless you fail the year. However (fortunately, I suppose) if I do not submit the assessments next week, I will fail the year, enabling me to explore resitting (which is what I've just confirmed with Uni).
Original post by flibdoo
I can't imagine it's going to matter. You'll have to do some explaining either way. But your chances of getting a better grade will increase by retaking the year, and it will generally be a much happier time for you. Retaking a year is a scary prospect, but sometimes it's exactly what you need.
I can't imagine it's going to matter. You'll have to do some explaining either way. But your chances of getting a better grade will increase by retaking the year, and it will generally be a much happier time for you. Retaking a year is a scary prospect, but sometimes it's exactly what you need.
Yeh, I think thats what Im hung up on - the prospect of having to resit the year, versus the prospect of not doing well enough to get the kind of job I want, in addition to simply not being well enough to function through third year.
Such a tough choice.
You still have a whole week ahead of you! Try and get it done, then work harder next year rather than wasting another year which will result in an extra year of paying fees etc. It'll cost you money and time. Plus, the leaving friends behind and effects of it on your future prospects.
bit of a shameless bump with an addition question -has anyone here actually done it? and how did you find it? any subject, not just Law.
I would definitely advise re-taking the year. Though I haven't done it myself, I have friends who have had really bad years (as a result of stuff cracking off at home or otherwise) and have found re-taking to have worked out great.
I really wouldn't worry about losing friends. If they're decent friends anyway then they'll stay in contact, and you can pick up tips on third year modules etc before you start.
On a more career orientated note, I should think you'd be in a far better position to apply for vac schemes etc if you retake. I should think that a year retaken is far easier to explain in the circumstances as opposed to a 2nd class mark. Plus, you'd have the time, drive and focus next time around to get stuck in to applications, which evidently you haven't had this year.
Also, I certainly wouldn't feel beaten!! If this happened to me I'd definitely be re-taking the year - you can't control the circumstances you've been in.
I really wouldn't worry about losing friends. If they're decent friends anyway then they'll stay in contact, and you can pick up tips on third year modules etc before you start.
On a more career orientated note, I should think you'd be in a far better position to apply for vac schemes etc if you retake. I should think that a year retaken is far easier to explain in the circumstances as opposed to a 2nd class mark. Plus, you'd have the time, drive and focus next time around to get stuck in to applications, which evidently you haven't had this year.
Also, I certainly wouldn't feel beaten!! If this happened to me I'd definitely be re-taking the year - you can't control the circumstances you've been in.
Thanks guys - really appreciate the support. I've decided to re-sit the year and boss second year how I should have done in the first place. Really appreciate the advice 
