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What are my options?

Hi,
I'm in my final year of A2's at the moment. I usually get good grades, but I'm struggling under pressure and am thinking of quitting, dropping one subject, or dropping down to German alone. I may just stay and see how my A Levels go, but I'd like to know what my options are.

Ideally I'd like to have a career with German in the future, but I wondered that if I did quit, or if I only ended up with German at A Level, what my options would be of getting a career with German involved. I'd like to do translation.

Reply 1

prXXX344d

To do translation, you need good grades. Dropping subjects because you are lazy is a poor way of getting onto your career path. Face it, you have about 1 and a half months left (if that!) before you go on study leave, so suck it up, put in the work, and it'll pay off when you aren't lying in the gutter.

Reply 2

hannah_dru

I'm not lazy, but I'm suffering from depression, anxiety and stress.

Reply 3

prXXX344d

Well, chin up. :smile:

Only a month or so to go.

Reply 4

hannah_dru

I've done quite a lot of work, but I'm just an awkward person whose rather negative. Hopefully I'll manage to carry on. I don't like the idea of dropping out.

Reply 5

LooCee

I'm not usually hard on people, but dropping out this close to being near the end of everything would be completely stupid. You're 1-2 months away from going off to do study leave and you'd consider chucking away all the hard work that you've put into your subjects?

It's definately worth getting your A-levels no matter how **** it seems right now! Stick with it, things will get less stressful once you're on study leave and don't put too much presssure on yourself. No matter what you get in your exams, at least you will have sat them, rather than just caving in when things get tough.

Many work environments involve stress and being under pressure to perform which can cause anxiety and depression and college/sixth form is a good time to learn how to deal with it. Perhaps speak to a subject tutor or someone who will be able to pass on ways to cope and handle everything because it can get on top of you, but that's the way life is!

Reply 6

kate216

I am about to finish my A levels as well. I hate college and can't wait to quit but think about this.......I have 6 weeks untill my exams starts.

6 weeks! You have stuck this out for two years already...whats 6 weeks?

and also think how much of a waste of time it would have been if you drop now...not just on you...on your family, your tutors, your classmates, your friends!

I can understand how you feel... I know how hard it can be to be under constant pressure to do well. But you will regret it in years to come if you do drop.

(Also...I dont think any of your tutors will let you drop so close to the exams, you will also have to pay for the exams you don't attend as well because you have already been entered.)

Good luck x

Reply 7

hannah_dru

I know it's stupid, and I am trying my best to carry on, because I know that I want this career. Hopefully I'll get proper medical help soon. I think the pressure is starting to get to my mum a bit because I have been close to suicide. I don't really have any friends in there though.

I've spoken to most of the tutors, and only the German tutors have been helpful. The school haven't got a clue what to do to help. A couple of people have suggested leaving the country for Germany and to see what I can do out there.

Reply 8

kate216

but would you be okay on our own in a foreign country?

maybe going over there during the summer for a few weeks holiday and see what is available over there might be a good idea. see how you like it. you can always come home if you dont like it.

getting away may also help you to calm down and become less stressed as well...??

just a thought

Reply 9

Wildebeest

Hannah, I am sure you will be able to manage :smile:

. You sound very enthusiastic about German, and that might help you persevere with the other subjects as well. I think it's important that you carry on all three of your A2's - translation is competitive and it will help you to get noticed.

Please, please, don't think about suicide. I used to feel quite depressed (and still do sometimes) but then a family friend killed himself and it changed my perception of it. There is always another way to approach things, and you don't have much more school to endure. Good luck :smile:

Reply 10

hannah_dru

I don't think I can do this anymore. Whatever I do, it just comes out rubbish. Maybe I'm better off doing nothing with my life and not having a career.

Reply 11

white_haired_wizard

hannah_dru

I don't think I can do this anymore. Whatever I do, it just comes out rubbish. Maybe I'm better off doing nothing with my life and not having a career.

about the depression, stress and anxiety, i take it you've seen the doctor about these problems???

At present you don't feel like you're "getting anywhere"....

so at this moment in time, you're wallowing a little? Maybe take a bath, nice and warm, and put some soothing music on in the background, whereas i take out my frustrations in the gym, some may prefer to do it in a different context. Just maybe you could get a better/clearer perspective on things/your life, i.e. rather than spending the current time you are doing, effectively wasting it away with negative thinking/moods, at least do something arguably a little more productive with it... :cool:

first and foremost, if you haven't already done so, go to the local doctor.

Reply 12

Wildebeest

Depression is not always a passing problem; it can be very difficult, but it can be overcome. In times of difficulty, it does not always seem fitting to encourage optimism, but you should work on the assumption that you will find comfort somehow. The school and university are two very different environments - you could look forward to university as being a fresh start. I am not a very confident or outgoing person, but look forward to the variety of different people who will be there compared to at school.

The work required to establish a career will be worth it in the end. I feel that you need to establish a sense of direction in your life to assure you that it does have a meaning - pursuing a meaningful career will be the best way of doing this.

I agree with the previous poster - treat yourself to nice little things every now and again. For a depressed person, extremely hard work all the time does not always lead anywhere. Of course, you should continue to work hard, but balance it out with some rest and relaxation. Take warm baths whenever it is possible and find something different to put in the water, like salt or bubbles (Japanese seaweed? :rolleyes:

) Also concentrate on your sleep - get in bed straight after your bath and find something to cuddle - it doesn't matter if you don't fall asleep, but just rest yourself. Do you have a boyfriend that you could talk to at all?

Good luck Hannah :smile:

Reply 13

IzzTheGreat

One thing I will say in addition to everyone above - if you think A-levels are stressful, you're in for a shock when you get to university. I'm not trying to be mean, but if you're not coping with school are you sure a degree's for you? It's tremendously hard work and you won't get anything like the level of personal help you do at school.

Reply 14

prXXX344d

One thing I ill say to the guy above - you think University is stressful, you're in for a shock when you get a job.

Reply 15

IzzTheGreat

Alan Partridge

One thing I ill say to the guy above - you think University is stressful, you're in for a shock when you get a job.

Lol...the little pink symbol to the right of my name indicates I'm not a guy.

I didn't say jobs weren't stressful. I was just making a point to the OP.

Reply 16

hannah_dru

I'm not even sure if a degree and a job are right for me. I think that's why I get so de-motivated sometimes. I'm hoping that I could get cognitive behavioural therapy to change my thought patterns. I don't really wanna be stuck at Tesco.

I tend to offload on my best friend rather than boyfriend, because I'm ina long distance relationship with him. Plus, my stress caused us to fight a lot, but I think he's realised the extent of it now.

I think I'll just have to do my best and see how it goes.

Thanks for your help :smile:

Reply 17

amzable

Chin up hun. Not long to go. I know it's difficult, but stick at your goal and be happy xxxx You have a great future in front of you xxx

Reply 18

Interchange

opiache

I think he is bothered by the media and theatre stuff. Its clear he is enthusiastic (sp?) about German and his chosen degree is German.

Stick with it. It'll all pay off later. :smile:

Reply 19

hannah_dru

I'm totally steering away from a career in the media or with drama. In my opinion, that'd be even harder to get into than languages. I used to be interested in both, but not so much anymore.