Hesitation/Changing mind

At the moment i am starting to wonder whether ive done the right thing applying, not so much whether its the right course for me because i have done all the work experience and i do think its a job id enjoy, more the length and commitment the course requires. The more i think about it the more i dread the start of uni, i mean we've gone from loads of exams at GCSE to AS levels, now A2 and it just feels like a never ending barage of work. January exams were annoyingly placed around my 18th bday which was ruined by them, and as june exams are approaching, the thought of all the revision is just depressing. I just dont know whether i can cope with the thought of embarking on a 5 year course so soon after. Am i the only one thinking like this? Most people here seem really excited about the start of uni but im just not.

I thought about contacting the unis and seeing if i could change my offer to defered entry but i dont think i really want to spend a year working, when all my friends are off to uni. Its really starting to depress me and i dont know what to do about it..

I guess i just wanted to see if anyone else feels like this, or if its just me :frown:

Reply 1

northern_lass

1

if you really feel this depressed about revision, i would definatley defer entry. it is tough, there is no denying that, i was thinking the same thing last year, but i got into my exams, and i seemed to have a long enough summer after them, so it didnt feel too bad for me to start when i did. most of my friends had a year out, and im the youngest person in my flat because everyone else has had a year out or is american, so you wont be the odd one out if you do. and you can always use your gap year to travel or work to earn money for the course.

please dont go into it after all this work to get in, just to give up in the first term. stick with what you've been saying, if its the job for you, go for it, just do it at your own pace even if this means a gap year when everyone else is at uni :biggrin:

Reply 2

Fruit-cake

OP

9

how easy is it to defer entry? i havent really looked into it and i dont know where abouts to look...

i dont know how good a gap year would be for me though because i get bored working in the shop im at at the moment and i only spend a day a week there. argh this really sucks.

Reply 3

Hawk

1

mini_munchkin

At the moment i am starting to wonder whether ive done the right thing applying, not so much whether its the right course for me because i have done all the work experience and i do think its a job id enjoy, more the length and commitment the course requires. The more i think about it the more i dread the start of uni, i mean we've gone from loads of exams at GCSE to AS levels, now A2 and it just feels like a never ending barage of work. January exams were annoyingly placed around my 18th bday which was ruined by them, and as june exams are approaching, the thought of all the revision is just depressing. I just dont know whether i can cope with the thought of embarking on a 5 year course so soon after. Am i the only one thinking like this? Most people here seem really excited about the start of uni but im just not.

I thought about contacting the unis and seeing if i could change my offer to defered entry but i dont think i really want to spend a year working, when all my friends are off to uni. Its really starting to depress me and i dont know what to do about it..

I guess i just wanted to see if anyone else feels like this, or if its just me :frown:

I wouldn't make any rash decisions make sure to think carefully about the pros and cons of a gap year.. will you be able to get back into the habbit of study after a year out?
It may seem never ending exams at the minute but you have a good long summer coming up. I know for me the summer between a-levels and 1st year vet was the best ever.
You should perhaps talk with some of your teachers at school.
Which vet school have you accepted as firm? Some of the vet schools will not accept deferred applications, Glasgow definitly don't.

Whatever you decide good luck with it, and at the end of the day your still gonna be a vet no matter what route you take.

Reply 4

nina_100

12

I know exactly where you're coming from and have often found myself thinking have I really got the motivation to learn everything i'll have to learn at uni???

Right now i'm having to force myself to get up in time for college and the thought of revision makes me sick but I'm focusing on summer for now!! Just a month or so of hard slog and then about 3 to do nothing but doss!!!

I think starting the vet course will give you a whole load of fresh drive (at least thats what i'm hoping) because its something you totally enjoy and have worked your ass off to do! Don't give up at it now, I think perhaps by putting it off you'll put yourself off the idea completly and will regret it so much later, thats what I think would happen if I deffered my entry anyway!!!

I'm glad i'm not the only one whos thinking like this, lets hope it passes when the exams are over!!!

Reply 5

Fruit-cake

OP

9

Hawk

I wouldn't make any rash decisions make sure to think carefully about the pros and cons of a gap year.. will you be able to get back into the habbit of study after a year out?
It may seem never ending exams at the minute but you have a good long summer coming up. I know for me the summer between a-levels and 1st year vet was the best ever.
You should perhaps talk with some of your teachers at school.
Which vet school have you accepted as firm? Some of the vet schools will not accept deferred applications, Glasgow definitly don't.

Whatever you decide good luck with it, and at the end of the day your still gonna be a vet no matter what route you take.

I know the summer is coming up, but like anouther thread said it is literally the last free summer we'll have for 5 years from EMS and whatnot. I seriously doubt at the moment whether i really want to go through the 5 years. Or even whether a career in veterinary is for me. For a long time i basically just ignored the cons of being a vet but the more work experience I've done the more i think 'do i really want to be aqueezing anal glands for the rest of my life' type thoughts, and i really dont think veterinary is all its cracked up to be.

On the other hand i cant help but think that obviously being offered a place at bristol to do vet med is a good opportunity and id be a muppet to drop out now. But then i cant see myself being happy. And if i took a gap year id be bored stupid. So either way i lose :frown:

Reply 6

fairy princess

How long have you felt like this? It could be that just going through a rough patch, and with the never-ending stream of revisions and exams at the moment who colud blame for doubting your choices?!

Sometimes i worry about the length of the course, but the way i see it is that your working life is probably going to last 40 odd years, so whats a few more years at uni!

My advice would be to think very carefully about whether you are just panicing/fed up with things at the moment, or if you actually have changed your mind - Do you know any vets that you could talk to who could offer you some advice?

Reply 7

voodooshaman

12

mini_munchkin

I know the summer is coming up, but like anouther thread said it is literally the last free summer we'll have for 5 years from EMS and whatnot. I seriously doubt at the moment whether i really want to go through the 5 years.

I dont think its quite as bad as that. say for the first 3 years you only have to do 6 weeks per year. In 1st and 2nd year, 2-4 of these weeks can be done at easter time with lambing leaving you only 4 weeks max to do in the summer. i don't know if you are aware but the summer holidays (at glasgow anyway) are ridiculously long - end of May until beginning of October so you'll probably have 3 months to do as you please!
I know the thought of all the studying is discouraging, I'm going through a bit of a lull at the moment too, but stick in there it will always get better.

Reply 8

Hettie

A year out could be a good idea if you’re not sure what you want to do. I graduated 2 years ago and have been working in vets and animal facilities to gain experience since and I cannot wait to go back to uni!! 9-5 really is not all that much fun and cannot compare to uni life at all! It is a completely different way of learning than A-levels, you have to take much more responsibility yourself and studying a subject you’re interested inn makes it much more rewarding and easier to learn! I can understand the pressure you’re under, as you need to get the grades in your summer exams before you can even start to get really exited. My advice would be to tackle a bit at the time, concentrate on your exams and try to plan something really nice in the summer like going away with your friends so you have something to look forward to. Five years at uni really isn’t that long and it’s only really 3.5 years of solid learning….the rest is the practical bits…and don’t forget the long holidays (even with the work experience required you still get more holiday than if you were working!!!)…all the friends you’ll make…the delights of students housing…take aways…cheesy student nights out…!!! There is so much more to look forward to than there is to dread! If its the profession you’re not sure about, try talking to a vet about it. There is a lot more to being a vet than emptying anal glands… and you could always find a desk job with a government agency, work in a laboratory, research facility, teaching, Phd or what ever you wanted??? If you really don’t want to do it when you have done your exams and had a break, don’t do it, life is too short. You can always apply again if you change your mind?

Reply 9

elgarde

HIYA,
I've applied for medicine and even though it isn't the same course it is the same length and i felt exactly the same as you a few months ago. My birthday was also ruined by the january exams and i'm finding it really tough to revise now..HOWEVER... I realised that most degrees other than medicine etc is now 4 yrs with placement, so effectively you are only doing a year longer than everyone else. I'm not sure what the set up for vetsci is but in medicine i know that you don't spend 5 years in a lecture theatre and i imagine there must be a significant amount of time you get to do hands on stuff. Whatsmore, you will be set up for life. Fair enough it is a long slog but if it is something you want to do then it may not seem that bad and my view is, that people who have done shorter courses have to work that much harder further along the line to get to where they want to go. Your job will probably always be in demand and it can take you anywhere in the world if you wanted to travel.
With regards to the gap year i felt the same. I wasn't confident i was going to get the grades i needed (still not) but i couldn't imagine doing anything else. I looked about and saw my options on a gap year. There are plenty of things to do like Raleigh and travelling, working in industry, work experinece...but to me i thought that i wouldn't benefit from it. Some people are DESPERATE to go away and travel etc etc but i just don't feel like that and so i figured that there was no point deferring my entry as I would probably get more out of travelling later on in my life. Whatsmore none of my friends are taking gap years so i didn't want do something so radical on my own. I'd seriously consider looking into a gap year though, this was just my choice. In the end, taking a year out may do you good as you may realise that there is something else you want to do or an amazing opportunity may come along. I just wouldn't go into such a huge and demanding course straight away when you are not sure, becuase getting there and realising it's not for you may jepordise your motivation to change course and so cause more harm then good. There is no rush to do anything, defer the year, you can even do it on the day you arrive, it's never too late. Just be sure in yourself becuase otherwise you won't enjoy uni as much as you hope to and all your hard work will feel wasted. Just keep going, take some time out to look at your options and you'll eventually be able to eliminate the things you DON'T want do you, even if you haven't found what you WANT to do yet...
Hope that helps
:smile:

Reply 10

leggielass

Hi, I'm in 4th year, 've had exams twice a year since i was three and I'm knackered. I wish i'd had a gap year and worked, made friends, travelled and relaxed!

Reply 11

*moonlight*

My Birthday gets ruined every year as it is in May! Last year i even had an exam on it! :mad:

I am really scared about going to uni i have got to a place in school where i have certain responsibilities and i know everyone and they all know me and its a kinda 'safe' environment! Although i see a lot of the bad sides of the job it definately hasnt put me off it as all jobs have bad parts! As for the studying i recon that I would totally regret it if i looked back at this year and thought i could have worked harder, i never has any regrets last year even although i didnt get top top grades because i knew that i had worked as hard as i could and i hope i feel the same this year! Good Luck everyone :biggrin:

Reply 12

mawi99102

i have had my doubts about continuing with this course too, i have been considering a career as a professional driver for a long time, but i think i might as well go through with it anyway, the exams are long and are getting me down but i am going to work hard, i think its more a fear of failure, because if i dont get the grades i will have no clue to what will happen next.

Reply 13

nina_100

12

So is it possible to arrange a deffered entry without loosing your place?? As in if I ask to defer, will i still have a place next year for definite (as long as I get the grades)??

Reply 14

xxxLucyxxx

You would have to ring up and ask, I think they arnt obliged to say yes, but if they do say yes they will guarentee you a place for next year.

Reply 15

Fruit-cake

OP

9

I was talking to one of my teachers about this, and he said that if i was unsure about going this year and it came to the time i should be going, i could ring up and say that due to an illness in the family i was unable to go, and needed deferred entry for next year. Apparently if you have circumstances like that they have to do it, and cant look too closely as to why...

However I still seriously doubt whether I want to do Vet Med or not, and think that i will probably decline the offer around exam result time. I just dont think the jobs right for me, maybe i liked the idea of being a vet more than the reality. Alot of vets I spoken to say its a good job, but day to day stuff gets boring, also alot of the tasks arent the most pleasant and i just dont think its worth such a huge chunk of my life and money. I never thought id get a place, maybe its one of those competitive things, trying to get a place? Either way i think ill be taking a gap year next year, and reapplying for a different subject.

Reply 16

DartsOfPleasure

10

That's how I've felt for the past two years! Should I do it, should I not. It's an extremely hard decision but at least you have chosen what you want to do. Do you know which other subject you are interested in?

Reply 17

Fruit-cake

OP

9

DartsOfPleasure

That's how I've felt for the past two years! Should I do it, should I not. It's an extremely hard decision but at least you have chosen what you want to do. Do you know which other subject you are interested in?

how do you mean the last two years? have you applied to vet med, or are you at vet school?

I'm kinda interested in biochemistry or something with biology/chemistry. Theres aspects to biology and chemistry i dont like so a combined course would probably be better.