Deciding on dropping out..

Could be a really long post trying to explain so be warned!

I'm a third year student studying in Scotland, (so basically a second year in England).

I almost feel like I was bullied into the Sciences, although I did really well and everyone said this is the way my brain worked etc etc.. as I really wanted to go into cookery or art and design but was told it wasn't for me.. maybe even design and engineering, but was advised Physics would give me the broadest choices..

I started by doing 3 subjects, like most people who chose Physics I had to choose Maths and ended up with Astronomy.

Dropped Astronomy in my 2nd year as although I enjoyed it I didn't feel it was something I wanted to do.

Carried on with Maths and Physics, loved Maths and liked Physics, finished my end of year exams, did really well in both subjects apart from one module in Maths which I didn't enjoy and couldn't get my head around which meant I was forced to drop Maths unfortunately, I really revised for the exam I failed, probably more than the others but still did awfully.

Got onto my Physics MSci and started the year.. and I really don't enjoy it, I find it boring and the organisation for this year has been terrible, the uni has changed their lecture hall assignment system so we're spread across campus and the lecturers struggle to teach what they want due to them not having the right facilities.

I'm not an idiot, and I'm not lazy when I'm motivated but I just find it draining. I did A level Physics and until this year have just been repeating what I did in A level which is really demotivating. I feel like I didn't get challenged enough in the first two years apart from by maths!

I don't think I actually want to do a job related to my degree and I'm really unhappy, I'm not interested in the modules we're doing next semester so that's going to be worse!

I'm really struggling to find any help or advice on what's the best way to drop out online and I know I need to speak to my adviser of studies but she's also a lecturer and I don't want to offend her or anyone else!

I'm also really struggling with the thought of talking to my parents about it, I feel like they'll be disappointed in me for not carrying on even though it's not really something I want to do with my life. I don't think happiness really comes into it as I've been brought up with the old fashioned job 2.4 children etc..

I actually ended up finding something I'm passionate about this summer for the first time in my life, something which doesn't require a degree and a lot of the people who are there are intelligent with university degrees that they don't use, one is even a doctor of genetics..

I just wish I could be more confident to go talk to someone so I guess that's why I'm asking on here what peoples opinions are (I won't be offended if you tell me I'm crazy.. I'm only half way through my masters though so equivalent to dropping out at the end of second year on a four year masters) and if anyone else is or has been in the same situation, I'll be checking this so you can ask me questions and I'll answer the best I can..

Thanks in advance to any replies and no I'm not a troll..

Reply 1

Codycooper

I understand...I have just written something similar. Although I am not a 2nd year but have only been at my university for 2 months and am seriously considering dropping out. I do sociology.
So although I am going to try and help, I still need help myself...So I can't promise this will make you feel better lol
When I think about dropping it, it scares me for a number of reasons:
1)What people will think and say. that I am a failure, a loser, quitter etc....
2)What I will do once I am home. Where will I work? :/
3)That I will absolutely regret it
4)That it will become extremely difficult for me to ever go back due to dropping out and also because finance might be horrible and awkward.

But then I think about how unhappy I am. And how I had imagined university to be before I came. I imagined that I would be inspired by my course and love my new surroundings. That is was going to be the time of my life.....I think that life is extremely short, and it should be spent doing things that you love. I have realised very quickly that I don't enjoy feeling like I don't have my own identity, which is how uni has made me feel. I think that everyone deserves to be happy, and deserves to live their life how ever they want to.
I think that it can't be the wrong thing to do, dropping out isn't a failure but an experience. You might not have the certificate at the end but you have the experience. You can say 'I tried that and I didn't like it. Now I am going to try something else'
The last thing that scares me is the idea of staying here because I feel to ashamed to leave and then missing out on all the things that could happen if I do leave.

But I am still here. painfully deliberating......

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 2

chris300

I would recommend finishing your degree. Dropping out now wouldn't be beneficial, employers could accuse you of not seeing things through. Also, you specifically are doing a difficult degree, even if you want to change directions the reputation of your degree will get your foot through the door. Kudos :smile:

Reply 3

notsure

Whatever you do don't drop out! Your nearly done there's no point!

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 4

Politics Student

Original post by Codycooper

When I think about dropping it, it scares me for a number of reasons:
1)What people will think and say. that I am a failure, a loser, quitter etc....
2)What I will do once I am home. Where will I work? :/
3)That I will absolutely regret it
4)That it will become extremely difficult for me to ever go back due to dropping out and also because finance might be horrible and awkward.
.

1) Yes we will. We will boo you in the street! BOO! (Not really of course). To be honest if you are really unhappy I would put the ego to one side and just not worry what others think. There is nothing stopping you going back to uni in the future if you want to study a different subject or find you are ready for three years of study (it is a long time).

2) You will be unemployed like me! BOO! (actually yeah this might be the situation). The job market is a nightmare at the moment and I am struggling to find a job despite experience and an MSc. However, you never know your luck and really that is what job hunting is all about - being at the right place at the right time.

3) I can't be bothered with the silly starts. Yeah you might regret it but nothing stops you simply reapplying in the future or taking the year off and seeing if you want to do the first year next year (then withdraw)

4) Student finance covers the three years plus 1 if you need to retake etc. I would not worry about this as yes you would have wasted a year (this needs to be looked into. I recommend going to the student finance adviser on campus ie the person you go for emergency loans on campus as calling Student Finance England is just a horrible experience).

Reply 5

Codycooper

Original post by Politics Student

My deliberation has ended and I have made the excrutiatingly painful phone call to my mother confirming that I am indeed a 'drop out'. I have to say , she wasn't exacly thrilled. She shouted at me for being scared she would shout at me :/
Thank you for the advice :smile:

I appreicate it.
I'll be sure to wear my hard hat when walking down the street. Just incase people decide not only to Boo me but chuck tomatoes and oranges at me for my failures.....

Reply 6

Politics Student

Original post by Codycooper

I appreicate it.
I'll be sure to wear my hard hat when walking down the street. Just incase people decide not only to Boo me but chuck tomatoes and oranges at me for my failures.....

Damn I give some bad advice when I am drunk... Just kidding.

Congrats. It must have been a difficult choice and a very difficult phone call to make.

I wish you the best of luck for the future.

Reply 7

physicsgal04

Apparently I seem rude.. I don't mean to be and I don't like using a lot of smiley faces to make things seem less rude. I apologise I'm really not.. I really appreciate anyone who replies and have read everything everyone's said. So thank you to everyone so far :smile:

Original post by Codycooper

1)What people will think and say. that I am a failure, a loser, quitter etc....
2)What I will do once I am home. Where will I work? :/
3)That I will absolutely regret it
4)That it will become extremely difficult for me to ever go back due to dropping out and also because finance might be horrible and awkward.

But then I think about how unhappy I am. And how I had imagined university to be before I came. I imagined that I would be inspired by my course and love my new surroundings. That is was going to be the time of my life.....I think that life is extremely short, and it should be spent doing things that you love.

Yeah I definitely agree with points 1 and 4, but point 2 isn't too big a deal for me, I have a job waiting for me if I want it, its just waitressing but pays the bills. Point 3 isn't really a big deal, I can freeze my finance apparently depending on when I drop out and I still get funded for a year and would have to pay for another one. Which is almost the same as paying for a course to learn something applicable for a job. Yeah I imagined that, I think everyone should have a gap year before starting university, who knows what they want to do.. I wish I'd done a vocational subject too and yeah, we could all die the end of this year (if anyone actually believed that...) why die unhappy! (Oh and congratulations on making your choice :smile:

)

Original post by chris300

This kind of depends on what employers you have though, I've stuck it out for 2 and a half years. I don't think I actually want to do anything that requires me to do a degree, I know a lot of people who have a degree and still struggle!

Original post by notsure

Whatever you do don't drop out! Your nearly done there's no point!

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Nearly done... If I carry on with my masters I have 2 and a half years left.. that's almost a whole degree on its own..

Original post by Politics Student

This post is amazing, thank you, especially coming from someone who's actually done a degree.. I have to call student finance though to find out when the cut off date is for me for this year..

I don't feel like I actually started my degree, I did advanced maths in first year so it was keeping me on my toes, 2nd year was a bit of a step down but still covering new ground whereas Physics just felt like it was teaching me A level again, and yes I do see the point in it, I just wish there was maybe some kind of advanced way to do it rather than proving I know it for the 2nd time.. why couldn't I do a degree at 37 if that's what my job required? Or get sponsored for it if I really had to, I also can't imagine doing something with my degree anyway, or walking into a job interview for something connected to Physics. I also have 2 and a half years left, it doesn't feel like the 11th hour to me. I'm not being spoiled, I do see where you're coming from and I guess I'd get a lot of people like you saying this to me... especially my parents. I guess I already made up my mind I'm just looking for other points of view or people who've done or are considering it or have opinions on why I'm the craziest person to do such a thing.. I just don't see why you should only be happy for 2 weeks of the year.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 8

Politics Student

Original post by physicsgal04

This post is amazing, thank you, especially coming from someone who's actually done a degree.. I have to call student finance though to find out when the cut off date is for me for this year..

No problem. Just contact student finance and see where you stand. If you can get a future student loan to cover a full course then if you are unhappy withdraw, if you cannot get a full student loan for a course in the future I will have to recommend sticking it out.

Nothing wrong with quitting if you are not enjoying it as the course is a very long time to be unhappy.

wasteman

The only reason i am commenting on this thread is because i am new to the site and not sure how to start my own. I am also considering dropping out, i am in my first year studying accountancy. Before i came to uni i thought i wanted to be an accountant but now i really dont have a clue. I feel sick at the thought of doing another 2 and a half years just for my degree. Its not that i find the work incredibly hard just i feel burned out and unmotivated which is making me lazy. I went away for a week hoping things would get better but its just worse. Peoples opinions please :smile: