The Student Room Group

what if I actually don't want to go to uni?

I'm going to be in y13 this September and I'm planning on applying for pharmacology, from my year 12 final mocks I got AAA* but I felt like I could've gotten 3A*s if I didn't get sick during the exams. I realised for a while I really am dreading of going to uni because the idea of studying for another 3/4 years seems so boring, maybe it's the subject choice too though idk. I'm studying geo, bio and chemistry and I love geo and chemistry a lot (human geo that is). Whilst I do find drugs interesting, I've attended taster lectures and idk what to do, I don't feel any enthusiasm anymore.
Reply 1
Take a gap year and see how you feel after a few months of not studying - perhaps you just need a break. If you still feel like you don't want to go to uni at that point, there are plenty of other paths so it would not be the end of the world.
Reply 2
Original post by volka
Take a gap year and see how you feel after a few months of not studying - perhaps you just need a break. If you still feel like you don't want to go to uni at that point, there are plenty of other paths so it would not be the end of the world.

every time we went into lockdown or during this summer I have dreaded studying again so if I take a gap year I 100% will not be returning to study, urgh I really don't know what to do but thanks I'll talk about it with my parents
Reply 3
Original post by t0897
every time we went into lockdown or during this summer I have dreaded studying again so if I take a gap year I 100% will not be returning to study, urgh I really don't know what to do but thanks I'll talk about it with my parents

Good idea.
Reply 4
do something else instead
Reply 5
Original post by gjd800
do something else instead

like a different degree? Redoing a personal statement in 2 months with no supercurriculars for another subject area is going to be difficult...
Reply 6
Original post by t0897
like a different degree? Redoing a personal statement in 2 months with no supercurriculars for another subject area is going to be difficult...

granted, but not impossible

or you could literally go and do something else - something entirely different. work somewhere for a bit while you figure yourself out. I did this and went back to university at 24
Reply 7
Original post by gjd800
granted, but not impossible

or you could literally go and do something else - something entirely different. work somewhere for a bit while you figure yourself out. I did this and went back to university at 24

That's actually not a bad idea, but ik for sure everyone around me will be disappointed in my choices and I'm worried about if I regret it after. I'll think about this too
Since you are going into year 13 and have not applied yet, its not too late to change degree subject. https://www.whatuni.com/degrees/courses/ there is a section on the what uni website where you put your alevels in and it gives you ideas.
The great thing about nowadays is you're not confined to just doing a university degree. If anything (depending on what you want to do) university degrees are no longer the best way to getting into the world of work.

You have so many options - you could take a gap year to really consider your options with more time and care, look into apprenticeships, change the subject you want to do, do a foundation year in something etc.

Just make sure you're definitely ready/willing to go into the degree because if you're not you may potentially "lose" your money on something you don't want to do. There's nothing wrong with taking time and deferring to ensure that you make the right decision for yourself. Good luck :smile:
Original post by t0897
but ik for sure everyone around me will be disappointed in my choices

It's your life, your future and your choice. As much as you should listen to your family and friends' advice you shouldn't let them influence you too much to the point of you being unhappy in your life/what you're doing :smile:
Reply 11
Original post by SirNoodles
It's your life, your future and your choice. As much as you should listen to your family and friends' advice you shouldn't let them influence you too much to the point of you being unhappy in your life/what you're doing :smile:

you're right and I know this too but my school literal motto is ensuring everyone goes to uni lmao. I guess it's been engraved that everyone has to go to uni because it's part of life
Reply 12
Original post by t0897
That's actually not a bad idea, but ik for sure everyone around me will be disappointed in my choices and I'm worried about if I regret it after. I'll think about this too

sure, but university is always there. you can simply go later - what's to regret?

Of course, what worked for me is not necessarily what works for everybody else
Original post by t0897
I'm going to be in y13 this September and I'm planning on applying for pharmacology, from my year 12 final mocks I got AAA* but I felt like I could've gotten 3A*s if I didn't get sick during the exams. I realised for a while I really am dreading of going to uni because the idea of studying for another 3/4 years seems so boring, maybe it's the subject choice too though idk. I'm studying geo, bio and chemistry and I love geo and chemistry a lot (human geo that is). Whilst I do find drugs interesting, I've attended taster lectures and idk what to do, I don't feel any enthusiasm anymore.

I think you need to differentiate whether its the through of studying pharmacology at uni for 4 years is whats getting you down, or studying in general.

If you imagine you was studying something else at uni you loved (not pharma), would those happy feeling return? Explore many avenues of your 3 alevels and see what you can do with them, then see if any degrees inspire you. Then imagine studying that said subject at uni. Does it excite you? if not then, its the studying in general is whats getting you down.
Reply 14
Original post by 𝓖𝓱𝓸𝓼𝓽𝓵𝓪𝓭𝔂
I think you need to differentiate whether its the through of studying pharmacology at uni for 4 years is whats getting you down, or studying in general.

If you imagine you was studying something else at uni you loved (not pharma), would those happy feeling return? Explore many avenues of your 3 alevels and see what you can do with them, then see if any degrees inspire you. Then imagine studying that said subject at uni. Does it excite you? if not then, its the studying in general is whats getting you down.

would it be weird for me to suddenly be interested in a humanities subject? All my alevels lead to science degrees but what if I don't want to do any of those degrees?
Original post by t0897
would it be weird for me to suddenly be interested in a humanities subject? All my alevels lead to science degrees but what if I don't want to do any of those degrees?

Law , geography possibly?

Social anthropology? https://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/2022/00676/bsocsc-social-anthropology/entry-requirements/#course-profile . its got your alevels in there.

Quick Reply

Latest