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Totally messed my entire life up 😭😭

First time posting: forgive me if this is posted in the wrong place

I’m halfway through a UAL L3 Extended Diploma in Creative Practice and got a Distinction today in the Diploma. I have another year left to finish the course and I absolutely despise it. My teachers never help me with anything and it feels like I have to teach myself all the content and frankly it’s exhausting.

While a distinction looks good on paper, the reality is it’s a distinction in a useless qualification, I can never find any jobs going in the field at ALL when I do research and I know that going to do an arts degree in university will be a waste of time and money. I have essentially locked myself into a **** field which I will get absolutely 0 work from.

When choosing what I would do at college back in year 11 two years ago, I was seriously depressed and struggling to attend school, and never received any careers guidance. I didn’t have an intervention from CAHMS until 2022, after I’d made decisions for college— at that phase in my life I didn’t expect to live past my GCSEs, and thus gave no ***** as to what I applied for. Hence where I am now.

Not asking for sympathy though— I know I’m dumb and I accept my fate. Do I just finish the course and spend eternity working a retail job because I can’t get anything in the art field or do I switch over to a-levels and suffer for 2 years in the hopes of doing something better? (I can’t afford university.) I don’t really have any passions or idea what I want from my life, as I totally have no worthwhile future lol

(edited 8 months ago)

Reply 1

LsDad

Hey, look don't talk yourself down you have absolutely years and years and years ahead of you, so stop that negative talk and thought process.

You cant change the past, that's done BUT you can change your future, your attitude and your conduct, you can make a difference, this is all in your direct control.

Firstly, i would never be an advocate of changing a course half way through where you are successful so FINISH the final year and bag that qualification. You can always add to your skills with other qualifications and knowledge base next, plenty of time even if you ultimately went to University or got on an apprentice scheme two or three years later, its doesn't matter but don't quit, finish what you started.

A quick look on national careers shows loads of different directions you could go down later:-
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-categories/creative-and-media

So hold your head up, finish your L3 qualification with the best grade possible. You can go to University, Student finance will cover the fees and you can always do a part time job to top up your income whilst there. On finishing your L3 start looking then at University courses that will take the L3 qualification (you will want 3D* or 3D for best options) and diversify down the paths that you think will interest you more.

Finally, i noted your comment about "you have to teach yourself and its exhausting" - what you are in fact doing is "flip learning" you are past being spoon fed and having to find your own answers, well welcome to the adult world. This is great, its building your skills to put the effort in to find answers. I can tell you now that many A level student's can struggle like hell at University as they have no skills in working independently - you are currently building these in spades. As for "exhausting" - really??? bit dramatic. Pull up your big boy pants, you got this. Nobody is going to give you a L3 qualification for nothing so keep putting the effort in, give it your best shot and build from here, onwards and upwards.

Good Luck

Reply 2

dmibxm