Help please!! I still have no idea what I want to do...

Hello all,

I'm 21 and I royally ****ed up my A-levels 3 years ago receiving 3 D's. This really put me down, and still does. I've lost all sense of confidence and self-belief.

Over the past 3 years, I've achieved quite a lot, travelling, work experience, snowboard instructing etc. I also studied musical performance for 2 years. I got a high merit at the end and got picked to play for graduation at the 02 sheperds bush empire, really terrifying!).

I am now completely lost. As much as I'd love to carry on with music, pursuing a musical career is extremely unrealistic and a very competitive and tough industry to earn a sustainable living. I know I'm not awful at it as many people tell me I'm good and should continue with it. However I really am scared of committing to something and then realising it was a bad decision.

I think keeping music as a hobby would be wiser, so if I were to get a proper job, I could still use my music outside of work.

However this is where my train of thought has come to a stand still. I want to go to a good university and study another subject but I haven't got enough ucas points for any of them.

Should I re-take my a-levels at a Tutorial college thus giving me more options? At 21 I will be like the grandpa in the class, this scares me greatly.

Do any of you know if there are many mature students re-taking a-levels?

Sorry for the long essay if you've in fact read this far.

Regards

Will

Reply 1

i.am.lost

If you are good at music, why not pursue it professionally?

Meanwhile you can support yourself with any job (maybe part time), like working as a waiter, a cashier or whatever.

If music is your passion (sounds like it is), you'll always regret not pursuing it. At least give it a go before going back to improve qualifications.

Reply 2

Holly Hiskey

I'd say give music a go, but if you really want to go for a college course don't worry about it, my friend did when she was 20 and said it was fine, plus the other kids saw her aas the cool one as she was older than them lol

Reply 3

hothedgehog

If you enjoy music that much then go for it. Why not pick up some pupils to teach during the day and then gig at night. That's how most musicians keep some money ticking over (well, that or some menial job which bores them). However, if you feel there's no way for you in music then you could go back to college and then uni. Nobody will bat an eyelid. In fact, i would never have guessed that one of my friends was about 5 years older than me and he's in the year below me at uni. He's still a great friend so it really doesn't matter! Also, how are your musical qualifications like grades/diplomas/your performance qualification you were talking about. Because i'm sure they could get you somewhere if you chose to do a music related degree then you might not need to go and get A levels. It's worth talking to universities about things like that. I guess it all depends on what you'd study when you were at uni! Still best of luck!