Quitting sixth form
Hi all,
I’m in my first year of sixth form and am seriously contemplating leaving. I also just wanted to say that I’m not some idiot who quits when the going gets tough; trust me it’s been tough for years now but I’ve always dealt with it. To give you all some background, I’m 16 yrs old and am studying English lit ,history, graphics and I WAS doing biology until I dropped it because I realised it was useless. Also I was diagnosed with cancer in 2011 so I missed around 3 years of school. Ever since my treatment finished I haven’t really been happy with my life, the general trend is that your life is supposed to improve after something like that but mine just got worse. I was literally released into the school and not given a chance to actually be happy about the fact that I’m alive. None the less I dealt with it because I knew it was compulsory -I kind of hated being told how t live my life after I had spent 3 years fighting for it but as I said I dealt with it. I finished yr 11 with 3 a*'s 5 ad’s. Partly why I stayed till yr 11 was bc it was compulsory -but a levels are not. so I kinda hate myself bc all these years I wanted to live my own life and now that I have the chance I’m not. Everyday I go to school knowing I don’t HAVE to put myself through this and that makes me so angry at myself. like sometimes when I’m worrying over my essay over friggin pitt the younger at midnight I genuinely dislike my life-I don’t have to be under all this pressure don’t even care about pitt the younger-why am I doing this to myself????? I don’t actually enjoy any of my subjects which makes it 100 times harder to be motivated. so, should I stay for 2 years and slowly wither away-gaining a qualification but at the expense of my happiness, or should I leave and actually start living and not care about qualifications bc life is all about living in the now-somethin g I was supposed to start doing a long time ago.
I’m also constantly tired and moody. When I get home form school I sleep for 3 / hours. I don’t want to go to uni-never have-so really these 2 years seem kind of pointless. The only reason ii dealt with the stress of yr 11 was bc I know I HAD to. Now that I don’t have to do the same with yr 12 & 13 then why put myself through it? Plus I can actually study history and English lit and graphics on my own terms-not because I have to pass an exam. Like I can learn what I want to when I want to because I actually want to-this was its so much more enjoyable minus the stress and I’m only doing it because I know I have a genuine interest.
I’m kind of sick of being pushed onto paths bc that’s what everyone else does. after 13 years of being in school I kind of want to start living which sounds very cheesy I know but its true-what the point of surviving cancer if you just gonna spend your life doing what you don’t want to do-seems like an misuse.
pls help am I justified in thinking the way I am thinking?
I’m in my first year of sixth form and am seriously contemplating leaving. I also just wanted to say that I’m not some idiot who quits when the going gets tough; trust me it’s been tough for years now but I’ve always dealt with it. To give you all some background, I’m 16 yrs old and am studying English lit ,history, graphics and I WAS doing biology until I dropped it because I realised it was useless. Also I was diagnosed with cancer in 2011 so I missed around 3 years of school. Ever since my treatment finished I haven’t really been happy with my life, the general trend is that your life is supposed to improve after something like that but mine just got worse. I was literally released into the school and not given a chance to actually be happy about the fact that I’m alive. None the less I dealt with it because I knew it was compulsory -I kind of hated being told how t live my life after I had spent 3 years fighting for it but as I said I dealt with it. I finished yr 11 with 3 a*'s 5 ad’s. Partly why I stayed till yr 11 was bc it was compulsory -but a levels are not. so I kinda hate myself bc all these years I wanted to live my own life and now that I have the chance I’m not. Everyday I go to school knowing I don’t HAVE to put myself through this and that makes me so angry at myself. like sometimes when I’m worrying over my essay over friggin pitt the younger at midnight I genuinely dislike my life-I don’t have to be under all this pressure don’t even care about pitt the younger-why am I doing this to myself????? I don’t actually enjoy any of my subjects which makes it 100 times harder to be motivated. so, should I stay for 2 years and slowly wither away-gaining a qualification but at the expense of my happiness, or should I leave and actually start living and not care about qualifications bc life is all about living in the now-somethin g I was supposed to start doing a long time ago.
I’m also constantly tired and moody. When I get home form school I sleep for 3 / hours. I don’t want to go to uni-never have-so really these 2 years seem kind of pointless. The only reason ii dealt with the stress of yr 11 was bc I know I HAD to. Now that I don’t have to do the same with yr 12 & 13 then why put myself through it? Plus I can actually study history and English lit and graphics on my own terms-not because I have to pass an exam. Like I can learn what I want to when I want to because I actually want to-this was its so much more enjoyable minus the stress and I’m only doing it because I know I have a genuine interest.
I’m kind of sick of being pushed onto paths bc that’s what everyone else does. after 13 years of being in school I kind of want to start living which sounds very cheesy I know but its true-what the point of surviving cancer if you just gonna spend your life doing what you don’t want to do-seems like an misuse.
pls help am I justified in thinking the way I am thinking?
Sorry you've not had any responses about this. 
Are you sure you've posted in the right place? 
Here's a link to our subject forum which should help get you more responses if you post there. 
Just quoting in Danny Dorito so she can move the thread if needed
Are you sure you've posted in the right place? Here's a link to our subject forum which should help get you more responses if you post there. Just quoting in Danny Dorito so she can move the thread if needed
Spoiler
Original post by ihatehistory123
Hi all,
I’m in my first year of sixth form and am seriously contemplating leaving. I also just wanted to say that I’m not some idiot who quits when the going gets tough; trust me it’s been tough for years now but I’ve always dealt with it. To give you all some background, I’m 16 yrs old and am studying English lit ,history, graphics and I WAS doing biology until I dropped it because I realised it was useless. Also I was diagnosed with cancer in 2011 so I missed around 3 years of school. Ever since my treatment finished I haven’t really been happy with my life, the general trend is that your life is supposed to improve after something like that but mine just got worse. I was literally released into the school and not given a chance to actually be happy about the fact that I’m alive. None the less I dealt with it because I knew it was compulsory -I kind of hated being told how t live my life after I had spent 3 years fighting for it but as I said I dealt with it. I finished yr 11 with 3 a*'s 5 ad’s. Partly why I stayed till yr 11 was bc it was compulsory -but a levels are not. so I kinda hate myself bc all these years I wanted to live my own life and now that I have the chance I’m not. Everyday I go to school knowing I don’t HAVE to put myself through this and that makes me so angry at myself. like sometimes when I’m worrying over my essay over friggin pitt the younger at midnight I genuinely dislike my life-I don’t have to be under all this pressure don’t even care about pitt the younger-why am I doing this to myself????? I don’t actually enjoy any of my subjects which makes it 100 times harder to be motivated. so, should I stay for 2 years and slowly wither away-gaining a qualification but at the expense of my happiness, or should I leave and actually start living and not care about qualifications bc life is all about living in the now-somethin g I was supposed to start doing a long time ago.
I’m also constantly tired and moody. When I get home form school I sleep for 3 / hours. I don’t want to go to uni-never have-so really these 2 years seem kind of pointless. The only reason ii dealt with the stress of yr 11 was bc I know I HAD to. Now that I don’t have to do the same with yr 12 & 13 then why put myself through it? Plus I can actually study history and English lit and graphics on my own terms-not because I have to pass an exam. Like I can learn what I want to when I want to because I actually want to-this was its so much more enjoyable minus the stress and I’m only doing it because I know I have a genuine interest.
I’m kind of sick of being pushed onto paths bc that’s what everyone else does. after 13 years of being in school I kind of want to start living which sounds very cheesy I know but its true-what the point of surviving cancer if you just gonna spend your life doing what you don’t want to do-seems like an misuse.
pls help am I justified in thinking the way I am thinking?
I’m in my first year of sixth form and am seriously contemplating leaving. I also just wanted to say that I’m not some idiot who quits when the going gets tough; trust me it’s been tough for years now but I’ve always dealt with it. To give you all some background, I’m 16 yrs old and am studying English lit ,history, graphics and I WAS doing biology until I dropped it because I realised it was useless. Also I was diagnosed with cancer in 2011 so I missed around 3 years of school. Ever since my treatment finished I haven’t really been happy with my life, the general trend is that your life is supposed to improve after something like that but mine just got worse. I was literally released into the school and not given a chance to actually be happy about the fact that I’m alive. None the less I dealt with it because I knew it was compulsory -I kind of hated being told how t live my life after I had spent 3 years fighting for it but as I said I dealt with it. I finished yr 11 with 3 a*'s 5 ad’s. Partly why I stayed till yr 11 was bc it was compulsory -but a levels are not. so I kinda hate myself bc all these years I wanted to live my own life and now that I have the chance I’m not. Everyday I go to school knowing I don’t HAVE to put myself through this and that makes me so angry at myself. like sometimes when I’m worrying over my essay over friggin pitt the younger at midnight I genuinely dislike my life-I don’t have to be under all this pressure don’t even care about pitt the younger-why am I doing this to myself????? I don’t actually enjoy any of my subjects which makes it 100 times harder to be motivated. so, should I stay for 2 years and slowly wither away-gaining a qualification but at the expense of my happiness, or should I leave and actually start living and not care about qualifications bc life is all about living in the now-somethin g I was supposed to start doing a long time ago.
I’m also constantly tired and moody. When I get home form school I sleep for 3 / hours. I don’t want to go to uni-never have-so really these 2 years seem kind of pointless. The only reason ii dealt with the stress of yr 11 was bc I know I HAD to. Now that I don’t have to do the same with yr 12 & 13 then why put myself through it? Plus I can actually study history and English lit and graphics on my own terms-not because I have to pass an exam. Like I can learn what I want to when I want to because I actually want to-this was its so much more enjoyable minus the stress and I’m only doing it because I know I have a genuine interest.
I’m kind of sick of being pushed onto paths bc that’s what everyone else does. after 13 years of being in school I kind of want to start living which sounds very cheesy I know but its true-what the point of surviving cancer if you just gonna spend your life doing what you don’t want to do-seems like an misuse.
pls help am I justified in thinking the way I am thinking?
You already know what the law is so you have to be doing soemthing at least part time until you are 18. If you dont want to do A levels then fine, but you will have to find something ay least part time that is education or training in college. Lots of non academic vocational courses you could do. then you would need to find a job or vol work for 20 hours a week.
Theres also the option of geting your parents to home tutor you.
You could consider an apprenticeship.
Once you are 18 then do what you want.
Are you justified in thinking the way you are? Depends. Whether you had cancer or not, then these are the rules. You have no choice to comply for the next two years although there are different ways to. Some of the choices will give you better opportunities than others. Your choice.
Perhaps gop back to your medical team/ GP and get some therapy on recovery issues.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by AshEntropy
How can they say Biology is useless when the only reason that they are still alive is because of people that studied Biology. To me, that's horrible and ungrateful.
I think you have to look past that because the OP is a bit emotional, as you might be coming off the back of a 3 year cancer fight where you had a good chance of not making it..
Original post by 999tigger
I think you have to look past that because the OP is a bit emotional, as you might be coming off the back of a 3 year cancer fight where you had a good chance of not making it..
I guess
Original post by AshEntropy
How can they say Biology is useless when the only reason that they are still alive is because of people that studied Biology. To me, that's horrible and ungrateful.
They probably meant that it was "useless" as in they were struggling so it was useless to continue on knowing it wouldn't be in their best interest to spend valuable time doing a subject that they were unsure they'd be able to achieve their best in. How can someone possibly take your comment defending one subject seriously when you're putting another subject down just to prove a point?
The brain cancer comment was in such bad taste, that was really awful of you to be honest.
(edited 7 years ago)
a levels aren't useless, you need them for the future. you seem really smart - you got a*s and as at gcse! think about it this way: if you succeed in your education now you will have a happy future, you will be happier than you are now. you can stand on your own feet and be independent. don't give up, don't quit sixth form. its only two years and its not even full time - about 3 hours a day or even less. and the uni is a couple years but by then you will have a changed mindset! just keep going! you've fought for your life now make your life worth it!
Original post by AshEntropy
It wasn't supposed to be offensive I just don't understand why
Probably saying that doing a fourth A-Level is useless, not biology itself.
Original post by Jasaron
Probably saying that doing a fourth A-Level is useless, not biology itself.
Oh
Original post by AshEntropy
A Level Biology is "useless" - but English lit, history and graphics aren't?
By any chance was this brain cancer you had?
By any chance was this brain cancer you had?
Maybe it is useless for what he wants to do in the future.
Original post by ihatehistory123
......
Adjusting to having cancer and then surviving cancer doesn't just stop when the active treatment stops. Many people who haven't been through it don't understand, but the recovery process from such a disease can take many years longer than the active operations/chemo/radiotherapy etc.
All the emotional frustrations, and the fatigue and the 'what's the point' etc are completely normal, but if the people around you (parents, school friends, teachers etc) don't get that, you need to find someone to talk to who does. If it means taking a year out, coming to terms with 'surviving' and re-thinking what next, than that's entirely doable, but maybe you need some external help and discussion to help with those conversations at home and at school.
Contact Macmillan and see if you can speak to someone either with them, or in a more age-specific cancer survivors group.
Macmillan 0808 808 0000
https://www.teenagecancertrust.org/about-us/contact-us
Original post by AshEntropy
Oh
What the hell is actually wrong with you?? I came here looking for advice and help instead I get called ungrateful for dropping biology? When i said it was useless i meant that it had nothing to do with any of my other subjects. The things you can do with just one science is very limited-THAT'S why for me it was useless .Are you some sort of rep for biology?? why does it offend you so much that i dropped it??
I was referring to biology in terms of A-levels and not in terms of medicinal bio (which im very grateful for btw)
Thanks everyone else tho for your v helpful comments. I just thought i'd add that i'm a 16 yr old girl and not boy lol
Original post by threeportdrift
Adjusting to having cancer and then surviving cancer doesn't just stop when the active treatment stops. Many people who haven't been through it don't understand, but the recovery process from such a disease can take many years longer than the active operations/chemo/radiotherapy etc.
All the emotional frustrations, and the fatigue and the 'what's the point' etc are completely normal, but if the people around you (parents, school friends, teachers etc) don't get that, you need to find someone to talk to who does. If it means taking a year out, coming to terms with 'surviving' and re-thinking what next, than that's entirely doable, but maybe you need some external help and discussion to help with those conversations at home and at school.
Contact Macmillan and see if you can speak to someone either with them, or in a more age-specific cancer survivors group.
Macmillan 0808 808 0000
https://www.teenagecancertrust.org/about-us/contact-us
All the emotional frustrations, and the fatigue and the 'what's the point' etc are completely normal, but if the people around you (parents, school friends, teachers etc) don't get that, you need to find someone to talk to who does. If it means taking a year out, coming to terms with 'surviving' and re-thinking what next, than that's entirely doable, but maybe you need some external help and discussion to help with those conversations at home and at school.
Contact Macmillan and see if you can speak to someone either with them, or in a more age-specific cancer survivors group.
Macmillan 0808 808 0000
https://www.teenagecancertrust.org/about-us/contact-us
Thank you!
I think you should look into a different kind of course because you aren't enjoying A-levels.
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