I hate my degree, I don't know what to do

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I have friends that talk so passionately about their degrees and are loving them, I've never felt that way about mine. Another part of me says I should still force myself to continue because Biology is a good, useful degree and I have no idea what else I could do. I'm totally put off going into Biology as a career, it just isn't fun or interesting anymore. There's still SO much content to cover and the prospect of having to study all that and not having an interest is daunting. I am TRYING to study most days (now lacking motivation), but I still feel like I'm going to fail.

Have you considered teaching?

Reply 21

Veggiechic6

Sounds familiar. I started a Biology degree for the same reasons you've mentioned and I ended up quitting 6 weeks later because I hated every minute of it. I took a year out and started the following September with a different degree/university and graduated 4 years later. I know you probably feel under a lot of pressure to do what's expected of you but you're achieving nothing by staying where you are. I'd drop out, spend some time thinking about what else you could do and go from there. It's not like you didn't try to make it work, you've no reason to be ashamed.

Reply 22

earthworm

That's a long commute. I have done similar commutes and it does kill you. Is there a closer uni you can transfer to? You might feel more positive about it if you were less tired and stressed.

Missing out on social aspects of the uni experience also can make you feel left out.

These factors might make it worth considering a less good but closer uni. A degree from a bad uni is better than dropping out from a good one...

Reply 23

Riyaax

You could drop out of university now and you wouldn't be charged £9,000. Then in September you can start fresh with a new degree. No point getting in debt over a degree you hate. Life is too short! Remember in 2 years you will be working in this field.

Reply 24

wildleaves

I was in the same position 2 weeks ago and ended it up transferring to another department starting next September. Do not pursue a course you hate . Its your life in the end . If i was you id think about what i would rather be doing and go talk to that department .

Reply 25

HYI52N

Original post by Anonymous

I think it will be too late to transfer now as so much content has been covered, I am hoping to complete my first year in Biology as my exams are in May and I've done quite a lot of the work already so I may as well sit the exams. I hope I feel the same way as you after my exams in May, if I do pass these exams then that'll convince me I can continue with this I guess.

Oh alright, ya if you can transfer then you gonna just have to motivate yourself through the year. And even after the year, you still fill you can't cope then just reapply to the course you want.
For me it's not that i have great love for my course, but it's more that they is nothing else better I would rather do than my course. If it's the same for you then stick to your course and find something that motivates you to do it, whether it's job prospects or the fact that you get good grades.

Reply 26

legache

You're just like me. Please advise me on what you did to motivate yourself/what you did next, because I am hating my bio degree and I just want to quit. Please help! Every time I try to revise I just keep crying apart from once a week when I feel motivated. It's awful. I would REALLY appreciate any guidance.

Reply 27

legache

Original post by legache

Hi anyone who read this, I'm getting through this so if anyone is feeling ****, message me and I'm happy to talk about anything uni/Oxford/Biology related xxx stay strong guys!!!

Reply 28

HDQP

I was in this position a few years back. I study Sports Science and hate it. I hated everything at school and just focused on 'respected subjects'. By the time I applied for university I could've studied economics, business or sport. I hated Sixth Form, but enjoyed sport enough to take on Sports Science at uni. While not as respected at Biology, it is still respected. My first year was tedious. My second was a bore. So four years of pure boredom in Sixth Form and uni and above all I felt dumb and talentless. This lead to depression in my second year at uni, which in turn triggered PTSD from my childhood (abusive father). During this period of about seven months I returned to an old hobby from childhood. You see as a kid I used to write comics, as a young teenager this turned into short stories and film scripts. This was my escape as a kid because it allowed me to control the world, while in the real world I watched my mum get abused and got abused myself. It was freeing, but once o reached my GCSE's I left this all behind because studying got on top of everything. When depression hit in my second year of uni, I needed my escape again. I started to realise that I was actually pretty good at writing screenplays, but my opinion wasn't enough. I posted them online and submitted them to lecturers at film schools and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. I found my passion in a time of need and above all I could peruse this as a career. I can apply for film school in the summer based on any degree. My Sports Science degree hasn't just become useful in a 'respected' career, but it can also lead to what I actually want to do once I've finished my final year in June. Do with this information what you want, but hopefully you won't go through the issues I did to achieve my epiphany. Continue with Biology and really look at what it is you love and that you're good at. Odds are you taught yourself since it wasn't taught at school. I know you'll have something and I know that you'll be good at it, this is all too common in talented people. Stephen Hawking's wasn't deemed intelligent at school. H.G. Wells left school when he was eight. Hell, even Bradley Cooper did a degree in journalism and decided to start acting as a hobby, now he's an Oscar nominee. A degree is a great fallback even if all you manage is a 2:2, in the next three years, really look at yourself and what you enjoy and love doing and you're probably really good at it. If it requires education, your degree will probably take you there. Don't let your boredom takeover, just know that your degree can take you where you want to go. Sorry if this all seemed a little in the clouds and full of situations from dreamland, but you probably think that because someone told you it's that way. In Britain kids are told to do something respectable and stop dreaming. While in the US kids are told they could become president and well, look at Donald Trump and Ronald Reagan. Britain is a very manqué nation, were all told not to chase our dreams because it's rare people achieve them, the issue is, most people who chase dreams lack ability, I doubt a university student lacks ability. Find yourself and what you love and find a way to achieve this and you'll probably find that your degree, once complete, will get you there.

Reply 29

comfort4444

I'm so sorry for writing my own story here too Please I need your advice on this issue of life because I'm so depressed and frustrated right now. I'm also in a uni studying environmental biology I'm currently in my 400 level moving to 500 level I don't like the course I'm studying and I got to discover early but the reason why couldn't quit was because I don't have a father any more and it was my two uncle that was sponsoring me so I was ashamed to stop and to dissapoint them because they already paid for my hostel fee and my tuition fee in my first year which worth a whole lot of money because I attend a state university. I entered uni when I was 17 and now I'm 21 I will be 22 by next year April. I still have one more year to use cos it's a 5 years course, for the past years my result in the uni is not encouraging at all infact the least I can graduate with is 2:5 cgpa .Now I wake up in the midnight and cry because I feel my life is stocked .What do you think I can do now I've discovered what I love which is Technology.

Reply 30

Clairebremner

Take a session off to re-evaluate. Don't rush and make the same mistakes I did. Take your time to make the right decisions and do your research, try other things. Then go back confident you are in the right course. Don't wait until your graduated and it's too late.

Reply 31

Preets741

Omg I’m sorry I hope your okay xx keep going

Reply 32

Tamako2410

Original post by comfort4444

I'm so sorry for writing my own story here too Please I need your advice on this issue of life because I'm so depressed and frustrated right now. I'm also in a uni studying environmental biology I'm currently in my 400 level moving to 500 level I don't like the course I'm studying and I got to discover early but the reason why couldn't quit was because I don't have a father any more andI m it was my two uncle that was sponsoring me so I was ashamed to stop and to dissapoint them because they already paid for my hostel fee and my tuition fee in my first year which worth a whole lot of money because I attend a state university. I entered uni when I was 17 and now I'm 21 I will be 22 by next year April. I still have one more year to use cos it's a 5 years course, for the past years my result in the uni is not encouraging at all infact the least I can graduate with is 2:5 cgpa .Now I wake up in the midnight and cry because I feel my life is stocked .What do you think I can do now I've discovered what I love which is Technology.

I may be late to your reply. but I moved from Life sciences to Tech as well. I discovered I liked Tech after graduation though so we're different in that regard. I would say finish your degree somehow, but carry on with Tech on the side to demonstrate your passions to future employers. My friend who also made a similar transition took a year out from university, got a Tech internship at a well-known company, and went back to finish her degree. Now after she graduates, she has basically secured a job in Tech with that company. Pretty cool.