I just don't know what to do.

It feels like all I do is moan about uni :L I'll start off by saying that uni has many positives- the flexibility, long holidays, theres loads of great people and I'm in a society I enjoy. So I try to focus on those positives.

However, I'm struggling with my course so much. I don't understand anything, it's not interesting, I feel very behind. I've tried taking different approaches to things, finding various sources of information to explain stuff I don't understand, but when it comes to things (particularly involving numbers, my brain and numbers have never gotten along) all the explanations just go straight over my head.

I tell myself to just suck it up and get on with it, I've not failed any of my assignments yet, there are plenty of positives to staying at uni and I don't have a backup plan, so realistically what are my alternatives?

However I'm getting so worn down by every single assignment being weeks of tears and headaches and feeling totally lost, I can't follow my lectures and even the powerpoints online aren't really helping and I have to force myself into the compulsory sessions at uni.

I don't want to quit, I made a commitment. I haven't spoken to my personal tutor yet because I don't know what else I'd do (and the first question she'd ask is, what do you want to do instead?) so that conversation would just look like me being whiny and wimpy. I'm so fed up of it making me feel stressed and miserable when outside uni when I can switch off from it, I'm so bubbly and positive.

I'm in second year. Would you just stick it out? Or leave?

Reply 1

angrypoliceman

15

Original post by PollyParrot23

It feels like all I do is moan about uni :L I'll start off by saying that uni has many positives- the flexibility, long holidays, theres loads of great people and I'm in a society I enjoy. So I try to focus on those positives.

However, I'm struggling with my course so much. I don't understand anything, it's not interesting, I feel very behind. I've tried taking different approaches to things, finding various sources of information to explain stuff I don't understand, but when it comes to things (particularly involving numbers, my brain and numbers have never gotten along) all the explanations just go straight over my head.

I tell myself to just suck it up and get on with it, I've not failed any of my assignments yet, there are plenty of positives to staying at uni and I don't have a backup plan, so realistically what are my alternatives?

However I'm getting so worn down by every single assignment being weeks of tears and headaches and feeling totally lost, I can't follow my lectures and even the powerpoints online aren't really helping and I have to force myself into the compulsory sessions at uni.

I don't want to quit, I made a commitment. I haven't spoken to my personal tutor yet because I don't know what else I'd do (and the first question she'd ask is, what do you want to do instead?) so that conversation would just look like me being whiny and wimpy. I'm so fed up of it making me feel stressed and miserable when outside uni when I can switch off from it, I'm so bubbly and positive.

I'm in second year. Would you just stick it out? Or leave?

you're there for the degree, and the job that comes afterward. If you're pretty sure you'll enjoy whatever job you have in mind afterward then stick it out-at least you have all the positives to take your mind off the course. You're not failing atm so im sure you can power it out till the end.
become more dependant on your classmates-theyre usually 10x better at explaining things, you may have to be that guy who always asks for help but if it works why not.
its a difficult spot, your personal tutor could help you. just hope she doesn't ask that question :tongue:

Reply 2

PollyParrot23

OP

14

Original post by angrypoliceman

If you're pretty sure you'll enjoy whatever job you have in mind afterward

I don't even know what job I want after! I'm at uni because I didn't know what else to do and a science degree is pretty well respected...I just know I don't want a career in science now :L Kind of makes finding that motivation difficult...

Reply 3

Dr_Hope

10

I would try and find out what interests you. I did a degree in finance - which I never had an interest in - was sort of cajoled into it by my parents. I wasn't bad at it - in fact I did well in most modules and got a 2.1 MSc in the end... cue to spending the next 11 years working in finance - which still doesn't interest me in the slightest. Am looking to retrain, except this time round I'm 12 yrs older (since graduation), have a full time job and a family with two kids to look after. My wisdom: if it doesn't interest you now, it is unlikely to do so once you graduate. Think about this: if you had to do extra studying/reading on top of your every day responsibilities - what subject would sustain your interest despite having to do extra work? I recently found out I am happy to sit and learn chemistry last thing before bed at night... do you feel the same about the subject of your course?

Reply 4

angrypoliceman

15

Original post by PollyParrot23

I don't even know what job I want after! I'm at uni because I didn't know what else to do and a science degree is pretty well respected...I just know I don't want a career in science now :L Kind of makes finding that motivation difficult...

stick it out. use the fact you'll have a well respected degree at the end of it as motivation-not too sure how effective that'll be but just think about the end goal.
Not to mention you have all the positives of uni to help so it should be easy for you to switch off. important in staying healthy mentally so you don't feel down all the time.

Reply 5

PollyParrot23

OP

14

Original post by Dr_Hope

I would try and find out what interests you. I did a degree in finance - which I never had an interest in - was sort of cajoled into it by my parents. I wasn't bad at it - in fact I did well in most modules and got a 2.1 MSc in the end... cue to spending the next 11 years working in finance - which still doesn't interest me in the slightest. Am looking to retrain, except this time round I'm 12 yrs older (since graduation), have a full time job and a family with two kids to look after. My wisdom: if it doesn't interest you now, it is unlikely to do so once you graduate. Think about this: if you had to do extra studying/reading on top of your every day responsibilities - what subject would sustain your interest despite having to do extra work? I recently found out I am happy to sit and learn chemistry last thing before bed at night... do you feel the same about the subject of your course?

Thanks for your reply! Without sounding horrible, your experience is kind of what I'm scared happening to me. Like I've done things I don't really enjoy for years and people say it's just a stepping stone to the next step and I'm scared that when I'm in my 30s and 40s I'll STILL be doing things I don't enjoy 'just to get to the next step'.

I definitely wouldn't be happy about sitting and learning about my course before bed! I've found there ARE aspects of my course I enjoy like field work where I can go out and do activities (I'm not interested in the theory behind it, I just like being outdoors and active) however that side of my course is over now (we had a 1 week course last year for it, everything else is lab and lecture based).

In terms of things I like learning about I'm interested in nutrition and health, which sounds like biology so that's really confusing as I'm currently doing a biology degree. To be honest with you though, I can't say I've ever sat and voluntarily learned about anything!

Reply 6

Dr_Hope

10

I know where you are coming from and feel that your fears are grounded. This is how life passes people by: they just get from one thing to the next, going with the flow of whatever river they've fallen into - and then all of a sudden you are 40, in a job you can't quit (coz you have a mortgage to pay) and wonder how you sort of made choices about your life - you MUST have done to get to where you are - but also feeling like you haven't really made a conscious choice about much of it. If you are interested in health and nutrition - it's a specific field, and I'm quite certain there is a degree dedicated to nutrition nowadays. Just be mindful to not look for pros and cons - you will find them in anything you choose to pursue. Go with what maintains your interest. Try and see if you can maybe get some exposure to people already studying certain subjects or working in a certain field - maybe you can 'shadow' them or have some sort of experience to see what the whole thing is really about. Rather than listen to others talk you into staying, or into doing anything else you are unsure about - you need to see for yourself if it's right for you and if it FEELS right. Just my opinion.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 7

username853993

21

Original post by PollyParrot23

It feels like all I do is moan about uni :L I'll start off by saying that uni has many positives- the flexibility, long holidays, theres loads of great people and I'm in a society I enjoy. So I try to focus on those positives.

However, I'm struggling with my course so much. I don't understand anything, it's not interesting, I feel very behind. I've tried taking different approaches to things, finding various sources of information to explain stuff I don't understand, but when it comes to things (particularly involving numbers, my brain and numbers have never gotten along) all the explanations just go straight over my head.

I tell myself to just suck it up and get on with it, I've not failed any of my assignments yet, there are plenty of positives to staying at uni and I don't have a backup plan, so realistically what are my alternatives?

However I'm getting so worn down by every single assignment being weeks of tears and headaches and feeling totally lost, I can't follow my lectures and even the powerpoints online aren't really helping and I have to force myself into the compulsory sessions at uni.

I don't want to quit, I made a commitment. I haven't spoken to my personal tutor yet because I don't know what else I'd do (and the first question she'd ask is, what do you want to do instead?) so that conversation would just look like me being whiny and wimpy. I'm so fed up of it making me feel stressed and miserable when outside uni when I can switch off from it, I'm so bubbly and positive.

I'm in second year. Would you just stick it out? Or leave?

You need to spend some time thinking about/looking for what you want to do for a career and what you want from life.

Then once you have an idea of what you think you want to do career wise, look at how you get there. If that path means you need a degree then you need to stick at it and just work to get the degree etc as it is just a means to an end and you could bare that in mind. If you dont need a degree for what you want to do (and for this point you NEED to be sure) drop out as there isnt really much point in being there.

You're in a bit of a difficult situation as if you were in 1st year I would say drop out and think about what you want to really do etc (as you could still go back and do a different degree as you'd still have the funding) and if you were in 3rd year I would of said stick at it as you wouldnt have that long left.

I just don't know what to do.

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you