Is (was) it a good decision? What do you think?
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Original post by fluffycat88
Seems like a LOT to think about there. It depends whether you can live with those thoughts about missing out on academia, and be content with that. Or the extent to which they would get you down. Speaking to a therapist could help with working that out...?
It seems it all comes down to the risk you're willing to take. Your worst fears might happen - lots of debt is a given with doing a BA, but then as you say, working minimum wage jobs could happen. On the other hand your best dreams could happen - getting an amazing job, being well respected in your field, etc. Is it worth the risk?
The reason I asked about whether it's 100% worth doing the BA, is because (in my understanding) that would form the main part of your debt. So if you found a way to not do the BA (maybe by doing a lot of your own research before starting an MA?), then you could avoid a lot of debt worries. And then it would be 1 yr Masters + phd, which is less of a huge commitment?
It seems it all comes down to the risk you're willing to take. Your worst fears might happen - lots of debt is a given with doing a BA, but then as you say, working minimum wage jobs could happen. On the other hand your best dreams could happen - getting an amazing job, being well respected in your field, etc. Is it worth the risk?
The reason I asked about whether it's 100% worth doing the BA, is because (in my understanding) that would form the main part of your debt. So if you found a way to not do the BA (maybe by doing a lot of your own research before starting an MA?), then you could avoid a lot of debt worries. And then it would be 1 yr Masters + phd, which is less of a huge commitment?
I tried seeing a therapist in the past but got nowhere. I'm willing to try again, since my anxiety disorder seems to be heading out of control again.
You're absolutely right, it all comes down to my dealing with the risk involved. I like to picture myself living a stable life when I'm 50, but that is probably not going to happen if I take the back-to-university path. At the same time, having a stable life doing a dull job as I did before is also not going to help me feel good. I've been trying to remind myself that I don't have to figure it all beforehand, that I can go for the BA and see how things go. Maybe I won't really enjoy the whole back-to-school thing and I'll be like "you know what, I thought this was a good idea but it turns out that I prefer to find myself a job".
As for going directly for a Master's, it's definitely not impossible. I just can't really assess how much that would affect my chances of getting into academia in the future, but I suspect it would indeed have some impact. Besides, a BA would help me (I believe) define more clearly if I'd really want to go to graduate school and what sort of things I'd be interested in doing. Right now, I only read books on History every now and then, and I can only say that I'm usually more interested in the Ancient Mediterranean and the European Middle Ages. I also know I prefer reading about 1700's Russia than 1700's India, and I prefer reading about World War I over World War II. I'm reading a biography of Caesar at the moment and I go like "wow, there is SO MUCH information in this book alone that I can't imagine the amount of work involved when someone goes for a Master's or a PhD".
I wouldn't care that much, though, if I were younger or if I believed that I'd definitely get somewhere after the whole thing.
Hey, I just wanted to thank everyone who replied to this thread and/or messaged me. I finally decided to start treatment some time ago and am slowly making some progress regarding my anxiety disorder and depression. I also decided I really want to give this whole back-to-university thing a shot, so I applied to start a History degree in fall 2019. I'll try to get into a school in Canada and if all goes well I may head to the UK for a master's and PhD. I'm really excited about this and feel I'll be able to handle everything with the help I'm getting.
So once again thanks to everyone who commented on this thread
So once again thanks to everyone who commented on this thread
Original post by Douglock
Hey, I just wanted to thank everyone who replied to this thread and/or messaged me. I finally decided to start treatment some time ago and am slowly making some progress regarding my anxiety disorder and depression. I also decided I really want to give this whole back-to-university thing a shot, so I applied to start a History degree in fall 2019. I'll try to get into a school in Canada and if all goes well I may head to the UK for a master's and PhD. I'm really excited about this and feel I'll be able to handle everything with the help I'm getting.
So once again thanks to everyone who commented on this thread
So once again thanks to everyone who commented on this thread
Lovely to read - very best of luck.
Original post by Douglock
Hey, I just wanted to thank everyone who replied to this thread and/or messaged me. I finally decided to start treatment some time ago and am slowly making some progress regarding my anxiety disorder and depression. I also decided I really want to give this whole back-to-university thing a shot, so I applied to start a History degree in fall 2019. I'll try to get into a school in Canada and if all goes well I may head to the UK for a master's and PhD. I'm really excited about this and feel I'll be able to handle everything with the help I'm getting.
So once again thanks to everyone who commented on this thread
So once again thanks to everyone who commented on this thread
Glad to hear it! If you're going to enjoy the process, then does it matter what age you will be upon completion? Because surely that's more rewarding, mentally and spiritually, than spending a decade in a job you don't really enjoy.
I'm 28 and will be beginning my undergraduate law degree in a couple weeks. To work as a solicitor, I will need to study for 3 years at undergraduate, followed by a year postgrad and then a two year training contract. At the end, I will be mid 30s competing against early 20 somethings for jobs. But I will have the advantage of life experience, where they will have very little outside of education.
Thanks to both of you
I totally agree with you but I must confess I still have a long way to go regarding how I see my future and the choices I make. That's the difficult part for some with GDA but as I said I'm under treatment and am confident that I will be able to overcome current and past problems and face my chosen path with a new perspective.
I wish you all the best!
Original post by AndrewMarkSP
Glad to hear it! If you're going to enjoy the process, then does it matter what age you will be upon completion? Because surely that's more rewarding, mentally and spiritually, than spending a decade in a job you don't really enjoy.
I'm 28 and will be beginning my undergraduate law degree in a couple weeks. To work as a solicitor, I will need to study for 3 years at undergraduate, followed by a year postgrad and then a two year training contract. At the end, I will be mid 30s competing against early 20 somethings for jobs. But I will have the advantage of life experience, where they will have very little outside of education.
I'm 28 and will be beginning my undergraduate law degree in a couple weeks. To work as a solicitor, I will need to study for 3 years at undergraduate, followed by a year postgrad and then a two year training contract. At the end, I will be mid 30s competing against early 20 somethings for jobs. But I will have the advantage of life experience, where they will have very little outside of education.
I totally agree with you but I must confess I still have a long way to go regarding how I see my future and the choices I make. That's the difficult part for some with GDA but as I said I'm under treatment and am confident that I will be able to overcome current and past problems and face my chosen path with a new perspective.
I wish you all the best!
thats great, I am glad you are doing better and have decided to go to uni. I started my history and philosophy degree on Monday and am so excited and nervous. it's a heady combination. Good luck with everything.
Original post by rosemadder
thats great, I am glad you are doing better and have decided to go to uni. I started my history and philosophy degree on Monday and am so excited and nervous. it's a heady combination. Good luck with everything.
Thanks rosemadder!I'd love to hear about your courses and how you're coping with everything. If you write about that somewhere, please let me know. And good luck!
Original post by Douglock
Sometimes that's all I want to do: give McGill another shot and see what happens. But then all this rational arguments and statistics about employment for Humanities graduates come to mind again and I can't simply ignore them because they are part of the reality. If I were interested in Med School or even Law, I guess I wouldn't worry that much. But History/Literature/Philosophy and especially at my age... I don't know, I feel I'd be pushing too much. I still would like to buy a house one day and be able to travel once every two years at least.
The truth is, I feel completely lost. I'm not chasing some dream here. I only got that interested in History a few years ago (although I did well and enjoyed it in school) and I fear I may be just trying to avoid being stuck in another 9-5 job, as I was before. But I also fear not giving it a shot and not having a blast, as you said, and still end up in a boring 9-5 job.
That's why I would like to hear people's stories on this. I am aware no one can make a decision for me and no life story is identical to the other, but maybe I could at least gather more info about if I'm way too scared of debt/unemployment/underemployment or if I really have a point here.
The truth is, I feel completely lost. I'm not chasing some dream here. I only got that interested in History a few years ago (although I did well and enjoyed it in school) and I fear I may be just trying to avoid being stuck in another 9-5 job, as I was before. But I also fear not giving it a shot and not having a blast, as you said, and still end up in a boring 9-5 job.
That's why I would like to hear people's stories on this. I am aware no one can make a decision for me and no life story is identical to the other, but maybe I could at least gather more info about if I'm way too scared of debt/unemployment/underemployment or if I really have a point here.
I know I'm not offering you anything here, but I want to tell you how much your thread and words helped me. I am nearly 26 years old and although I am much younger than you, I extremely relate to your concerns. Not knowing if I'm just making a blind faith decision in an attempt to evade monotony; not knowing if I'm even remotely good enough; worried about my anxiety; worried that I could fall into massive debt and end up right back where I started, or into just another 9 to 5. It's really encouraging not to feel alone. We just have to keep reminding ourselves that, if we want it badly, there's nothing that should hold us back from going out and getting it. Thanks for this post. x
Original post by Douglock
Hey, I just wanted to thank everyone who replied to this thread and/or messaged me. I finally decided to start treatment some time ago and am slowly making some progress regarding my anxiety disorder and depression. I also decided I really want to give this whole back-to-university thing a shot, so I applied to start a History degree in fall 2019. I'll try to get into a school in Canada and if all goes well I may head to the UK for a master's and PhD. I'm really excited about this and feel I'll be able to handle everything with the help I'm getting.
So once again thanks to everyone who commented on this thread
So once again thanks to everyone who commented on this thread
Just wanted to let u know that your thread encourages me a lot. I was experiencing the same uncertainty as yours and was wonder whether I made a wrong decision to quit a well paid full time job and get back to uni. Although the future is at risk, I am looking forward to start my course next week. Good luck and for the sake of knowledge xx
(edited 5 years ago)
I will. So far I have lots of reading lol and am nervous about writing that first essay, just want to get started on it. The first week is really quite chill, lectures are mostly welcomes. Today is my first proper lecture, I opted for an English lit module (on genree) as my extra subject. Am looking forward to nailing my note taking skills 😊 It was a little nerve wracking leading up to starting but honestly it's been easier to find way around etc than expected.
Original post by gradbound
I know I'm not offering you anything here, but I want to tell you how much your thread and words helped me. I am nearly 26 years old and although I am much younger than you, I extremely relate to your concerns. Not knowing if I'm just making a blind faith decision in an attempt to evade monotony; not knowing if I'm even remotely good enough; worried about my anxiety; worried that I could fall into massive debt and end up right back where I started, or into just another 9 to 5. It's really encouraging not to feel alone. We just have to keep reminding ourselves that, if we want it badly, there's nothing that should hold us back from going out and getting it. Thanks for this post. x
Original post by Catmak
Just wanted to let u know that your thread encourages me a lot. I was experiencing the same uncertainty as yours and was wonder whether I made a wrong decision to quit a well paid full time job and get back to uni. Although the future is at risk, I am looking forward to start my course next week. Good luck and for the sake of knowledge xx
I also felt (and sometimes still feel) very much alone in all this due to my illness and to society's pressure. I am honest when I say I couldn't try uni again at this moment because I really don't feel I can cope with all the pressure of academic life, the pressure of an uncertain future PLUS anxiety and depression episodes every now and then. However, even when I feel I'm alone I now know I am not, and that all the bad things I think are caused by my (wrong) way of thinking and my illness. I' m receiving proper treatment and in one year I'll be starting a new chapter in my life (although first I must be accepted by the university - fingers crossed!). Thank you to both of you. Knowing I sort of helped someone after being helped by people here makes me feel good
Original post by rosemadder
I will. So far I have lots of reading lol and am nervous about writing that first essay, just want to get started on it. The first week is really quite chill, lectures are mostly welcomes. Today is my first proper lecture, I opted for an English lit module (on genree) as my extra subject. Am looking forward to nailing my note taking skills 😊 It was a little nerve wracking leading up to starting but honestly it's been easier to find way around etc than expected.
I can imagine! What courses are you taking? I don't want to be nosy and you don't have to tell me, of course. It's just that, since I also plan on getting a History degree, I feel like reading about other people's experiences lol
I don't mind, it's not nosey, I felt the same last year 😊. For history this semester am doing Scotland in ore modern Europe, an introduction, philosophy module is what is it all about? and optional was introduction to literature studies: genre. All modules are assessed via essays, no exams this semester. my first lecture went well, PowerPoint was up to view on canvas (their online portal for everything) so h
was easy to prepare and follow
Original post by rosemadder
I don't mind, it's not nosey, I felt the same last year 😊. For history this semester am doing Scotland in ore modern Europe, an introduction, philosophy module is what is it all about? and optional was introduction to literature studies: genre. All modules are assessed via essays, no exams this semester. my first lecture went well, PowerPoint was up to view on canvas (their online portal for everything) so h
Sounds interesting! I hope I'll get a chance to experience some of that myself next year.
Thanks for sharing! Best of luck!
am sure you will 😊
Hello again! I just wanted to let you guys know that I got admitted to the university I wanted (McGill University in Canada). I'm excited and terrified at the same time. I wanted to thank everybody that shared their opinions here. I'm still dealing with anxiety/depression issues but I feel I'm stronger than two years ago and could give this whole university thing a shot again.
Best of luck to all those who are on the same boat!
Best of luck to all those who are on the same boat!
Original post by Douglock
Hello again! I just wanted to let you guys know that I got admitted to the university I wanted (McGill University in Canada). I'm excited and terrified at the same time. I wanted to thank everybody that shared their opinions here. I'm still dealing with anxiety/depression issues but I feel I'm stronger than two years ago and could give this whole university thing a shot again.
Best of luck to all those who are on the same boat!
Best of luck to all those who are on the same boat!
Please do consider letting us know what you're up to now. I have enjoyed reading this thread, since I am a mature student myself. I love study, developing myself and enjoying the journey without too much thought about where it might take me.
(edited 8 months ago)
Original post by Old chen
Please do consider letting us know what you're up to now. I have enjoyed reading this thread, since I am a mature student myself. I love study, developing myself and enjoying the journey without too much thought about where it might take me.
Hello there, and thank you for your interest. So, I started treatment for mental health in 2018 and have been ever since. I started my studies in 2020 and am now in my third year. I had to take a leave of absence for a whole semester a couple of years ago due to my depression but it had nothing to do with the university or my studies in general (my doctor and I decided to try a new med, but it went terribly wrong). In fact, I feel very well being back at university! I love the atmosphere, I love reading every single article for every single lecture, asking questions, talking to profs and all that. It's been good even on the social side of university. I got along quite well with most students, especially last year, and made a couple of good friends despite the age gap. Other things university-related that had never taken place during my first degree are happening now, which is sort of weird in a way, but hey... at least now I can say that they happened to me to
This year I'm taking a step further and working as a volunteer in one of the student-run organizations. Everything feels great, but also intimidating at the same time.All things considered, I feel I can't complain. I'm doing exactly what I wanted to do without worrying if it'll land me a job or anything. That has never been exactly the point - although I certainly tried to justify it to myself that way sometimes. Besides, I also feel this is a deserved break from life in general after years and years with undiagnosed mental health issues. Everything at university is helping me to slowly regain many good things I had lost. Of course, my situation is very specific and I can't recommend what I did to everyone out there, but so far I have no regrets.
I hope you're also doing well in your studies. Cheers!
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