Feeling Upset About Starting Masters Degree
I start my masters degree on Monday, but I'm starting to have a few reservations.
Background Information:
When I first applied, and received an offer, I was ecstatic to be able to go to that university - the university I had wanted to go to since looking around on open days for my undergraduate degree (didn't choose it in the end, as I preferred the course at a different university). I also received a £2,500 grand scholarship, deducted from my tuition fees as they were impressed with my application, so my fee's are intact lower than those who did the course in 2011/2012 - I doubt I'll ever see fees of £6,500 again for a masters degree. I was excited to fill out all the pre-registration requirements, and get everything sorted for starting!
I have just come off holiday, which also meant on missing out everything at Intro Week but the registration process, so I'm hoping I haven't missed anything too important. I will also be commuting for 1hr 30mins there and back, each day. I decided to commute rather than live there, as our degree is being taught in blocks (ie. 1 week, 9am - 5pm, 5 days….. 2 weeks off, assessment, next module, in 1 week, 9am-5pm, 5 days, 1 week off, assessment etc etc). Looking at my provisional timetable for the year, my taught weeks are as follows: 1 module x September, 1 x October, 2 x November, 2 x December. 1 x January, 2 x February,, 1 x March, April - Dissertation…. so literally, commuting in for 9 weeks, and solid work for around 4/5 months (not including dissertation). Plus, going in for examinations, group work, coursework etc.
As you can see, it wouldn't have been worth paying out the extra accommodation fee's one living costs, which is why I have decided to commute - spending around £3,000 instead of over £8,000.
It was also the perfect time for me, as I have just graduated from my undergraduate degree, so it will just be like doing a 4 year university degree - and luckily I'll still be in the swing of writing essays and doing exams!
My feelings:
Up until this week, I've been fine with the whole degree, as it's an area that I hope to go into after I finish the course, and it is an extra qualification. I know it's only for a year (well, not even that!), and once we get into it and the workload, it will probably go quite quickly.
I don't know if it's the fact that I'm quite daunted about the masters degree in general, and whether or not I'll be able to cope with the workload, and how I'll be meeting new people on the course, starting a new course, finding my way around a new university / lectures, and how I'll be regarding marks. I just hope I can get a good degree at the end.
Saying that, I'm starting to look at some of my friends getting into jobs, and kinda wishing I was doing the same too, but looking at the situation, and how fortunate I have been, it's an amazing opportunity I've been given (and the fact I've already paid the tuition fees). I just sometimes think, I've had enough of education… I can come back to it… but then would I?
Right now:
I just feel so deflated and upset about starting the course, and I really don't know why. I just constantly feel like I need to burst into tears about it all. I've even been looking into dropping out, and the course hasn't even begun yet!
It really is mystery - I feel so awful about this masters degree - I wasn't like this before starting undergraduate level at all. I just feel like I really can't be bothered to do anything for it or go in next week, and just upset about the whole thing, but I don't know why.
Just wondering if anyone can give me any advice on my feelings or what to do about it all? It's just so out of character for me!
Background Information:
When I first applied, and received an offer, I was ecstatic to be able to go to that university - the university I had wanted to go to since looking around on open days for my undergraduate degree (didn't choose it in the end, as I preferred the course at a different university). I also received a £2,500 grand scholarship, deducted from my tuition fees as they were impressed with my application, so my fee's are intact lower than those who did the course in 2011/2012 - I doubt I'll ever see fees of £6,500 again for a masters degree. I was excited to fill out all the pre-registration requirements, and get everything sorted for starting!
I have just come off holiday, which also meant on missing out everything at Intro Week but the registration process, so I'm hoping I haven't missed anything too important. I will also be commuting for 1hr 30mins there and back, each day. I decided to commute rather than live there, as our degree is being taught in blocks (ie. 1 week, 9am - 5pm, 5 days….. 2 weeks off, assessment, next module, in 1 week, 9am-5pm, 5 days, 1 week off, assessment etc etc). Looking at my provisional timetable for the year, my taught weeks are as follows: 1 module x September, 1 x October, 2 x November, 2 x December. 1 x January, 2 x February,, 1 x March, April - Dissertation…. so literally, commuting in for 9 weeks, and solid work for around 4/5 months (not including dissertation). Plus, going in for examinations, group work, coursework etc.
As you can see, it wouldn't have been worth paying out the extra accommodation fee's one living costs, which is why I have decided to commute - spending around £3,000 instead of over £8,000.
It was also the perfect time for me, as I have just graduated from my undergraduate degree, so it will just be like doing a 4 year university degree - and luckily I'll still be in the swing of writing essays and doing exams!
My feelings:
Up until this week, I've been fine with the whole degree, as it's an area that I hope to go into after I finish the course, and it is an extra qualification. I know it's only for a year (well, not even that!), and once we get into it and the workload, it will probably go quite quickly.
I don't know if it's the fact that I'm quite daunted about the masters degree in general, and whether or not I'll be able to cope with the workload, and how I'll be meeting new people on the course, starting a new course, finding my way around a new university / lectures, and how I'll be regarding marks. I just hope I can get a good degree at the end.
Saying that, I'm starting to look at some of my friends getting into jobs, and kinda wishing I was doing the same too, but looking at the situation, and how fortunate I have been, it's an amazing opportunity I've been given (and the fact I've already paid the tuition fees). I just sometimes think, I've had enough of education… I can come back to it… but then would I?
Right now:
I just feel so deflated and upset about starting the course, and I really don't know why. I just constantly feel like I need to burst into tears about it all. I've even been looking into dropping out, and the course hasn't even begun yet!
It really is mystery - I feel so awful about this masters degree - I wasn't like this before starting undergraduate level at all. I just feel like I really can't be bothered to do anything for it or go in next week, and just upset about the whole thing, but I don't know why.
Just wondering if anyone can give me any advice on my feelings or what to do about it all? It's just so out of character for me!
(edited 11 years ago)
I've just finished a Masters and I hope I can help.
- Missing Intro Week. In my case, it was half a day of lacklustre welcome lectures, the longest of which was a health & safety talk. The head of our faculty arrived 15 minutes late for her talk because she'd forgotten it was on, and the subject welcome lecture was half an hour of being nagged about reading. The promised tour of the faculty never happened and the library intro session was scheduled to clash with one of our faculty talks. If I'd missed our equivalent of Intro Week, I'd have missed very little! I wouldn't sweat it if I were you.
- Commuting. My commute was 2 hours (on a good day - on a bad day it was longer) from home to campus, involving car, train and bus journeys followed by a 10 minute walk. I know it looks daunting now but you get into the swing of it quite fast. It's just a routine you get into.
- Workload. Yes, it's heavy and it's full on and at at this point it looks like you'll never ever be able to do it. Quite a lot of the time it will feel like that as well. But trust me - you can do it and you'll feel proud of yourself at the end of it just for surviving. Nobody would have given you a Masters place if you weren't capable of it. You're rather more amazing than you're giving yourself credit for!
This is absolutely the crux of it. Parts will feel endless at the time but it really does go at lightning speed. This time next year, you'll be sitting here with your head spinning, wondering what on earth just happened! I know I am...
If it helps, I felt exactly like this just before I started. Talking to course colleagues (which will happen pretty much as soon as you get into your first lecture or seminar) they all felt this way as well. It's just that we'd each assumed that we were the only ones feeling like that and that everyone else was super-confident and sailing through it without any problems. Honestly - not so. Look around your first lecture. Anyone who looks like they're not scared out of their wits, is just very good at bluffing!
Your friends will be working 9-5 if they're lucky (my last job was 7:15am-6pm on a good day, with 24x7 hour callout and weekend overtime on top). Some of them will also have hellish commutes, unpleasant managers and low wages. Full time employment is no bed of roses. Looking back at what my job used to entail, I feel like I've been on holiday for the last four years. Enjoy it while you can, because two months into your first full time job chances are you'll be wishing yourself back here with all your heart.
I tried undergrad and failed after school. I came back to my undergrad & Masters in my 40s. Yes, you can always come back to it if you're motivated enough. But if your current Masters holds the advantages that you outline in your first paragraph, it seems a shame to at least not give it a good try now. There are unknown factors in your future like mortgages, children and elderly care responsibilities, and you'll never know if/when an opportunity to study will come your way again.
I sincerely believe that you have a bad case of First Week Nerves. If you just jump into the experience with both feet, you'll find that it's an enormously fulfilling and rewarding year.
- Missing Intro Week. In my case, it was half a day of lacklustre welcome lectures, the longest of which was a health & safety talk. The head of our faculty arrived 15 minutes late for her talk because she'd forgotten it was on, and the subject welcome lecture was half an hour of being nagged about reading. The promised tour of the faculty never happened and the library intro session was scheduled to clash with one of our faculty talks. If I'd missed our equivalent of Intro Week, I'd have missed very little! I wouldn't sweat it if I were you.
- Commuting. My commute was 2 hours (on a good day - on a bad day it was longer) from home to campus, involving car, train and bus journeys followed by a 10 minute walk. I know it looks daunting now but you get into the swing of it quite fast. It's just a routine you get into.
- Workload. Yes, it's heavy and it's full on and at at this point it looks like you'll never ever be able to do it. Quite a lot of the time it will feel like that as well. But trust me - you can do it and you'll feel proud of yourself at the end of it just for surviving. Nobody would have given you a Masters place if you weren't capable of it. You're rather more amazing than you're giving yourself credit for!
I know it's only for a year (well, not even that!), and once we get into it and the workload, it will probably go quite quickly.
This is absolutely the crux of it. Parts will feel endless at the time but it really does go at lightning speed. This time next year, you'll be sitting here with your head spinning, wondering what on earth just happened! I know I am...
I don't know if it's the fact that I'm quite daunted about the masters degree in general, and whether or not I'll be able to cope with the workload, and how I'll be meeting new people on the course, starting a new course, finding my way around a new university / lectures, and how I'll be regarding marks. I just hope I can get a good degree at the end.
If it helps, I felt exactly like this just before I started. Talking to course colleagues (which will happen pretty much as soon as you get into your first lecture or seminar) they all felt this way as well. It's just that we'd each assumed that we were the only ones feeling like that and that everyone else was super-confident and sailing through it without any problems. Honestly - not so. Look around your first lecture. Anyone who looks like they're not scared out of their wits, is just very good at bluffing!
Saying that, I'm starting to look at some of my friends getting into jobs, and kinda wishing I was doing the same too
Your friends will be working 9-5 if they're lucky (my last job was 7:15am-6pm on a good day, with 24x7 hour callout and weekend overtime on top). Some of them will also have hellish commutes, unpleasant managers and low wages. Full time employment is no bed of roses. Looking back at what my job used to entail, I feel like I've been on holiday for the last four years. Enjoy it while you can, because two months into your first full time job chances are you'll be wishing yourself back here with all your heart.
I just sometimes think, I've had enough of education… I can come back to it… but then would I?
I tried undergrad and failed after school. I came back to my undergrad & Masters in my 40s. Yes, you can always come back to it if you're motivated enough. But if your current Masters holds the advantages that you outline in your first paragraph, it seems a shame to at least not give it a good try now. There are unknown factors in your future like mortgages, children and elderly care responsibilities, and you'll never know if/when an opportunity to study will come your way again.
I sincerely believe that you have a bad case of First Week Nerves. If you just jump into the experience with both feet, you'll find that it's an enormously fulfilling and rewarding year.
Original post by Klix88
I've just finished a Masters and I hope I can help.
- Missing Intro Week. In my case, it was half a day of lacklustre welcome lectures, the longest of which was a health & safety talk. The head of our faculty arrived 15 minutes late for her talk because she'd forgotten it was on, and the subject welcome lecture was half an hour of being nagged about reading. The promised tour of the faculty never happened and the library intro session was scheduled to clash with one of our faculty talks. If I'd missed our equivalent of Intro Week, I'd have missed very little! I wouldn't sweat it if I were you.
- Commuting. My commute was 2 hours (on a good day - on a bad day it was longer) from home to campus, involving car, train and bus journeys followed by a 10 minute walk. I know it looks daunting now but you get into the swing of it quite fast. It's just a routine you get into.
- Workload. Yes, it's heavy and it's full on and at at this point it looks like you'll never ever be able to do it. Quite a lot of the time it will feel like that as well. But trust me - you can do it and you'll feel proud of yourself at the end of it just for surviving. Nobody would have given you a Masters place if you weren't capable of it. You're rather more amazing than you're giving yourself credit for!
This is absolutely the crux of it. Parts will feel endless at the time but it really does go at lightning speed. This time next year, you'll be sitting here with your head spinning, wondering what on earth just happened! I know I am...
If it helps, I felt exactly like this just before I started. Talking to course colleagues (which will happen pretty much as soon as you get into your first lecture or seminar) they all felt this way as well. It's just that we'd each assumed that we were the only ones feeling like that and that everyone else was super-confident and sailing through it without any problems. Honestly - not so. Look around your first lecture. Anyone who looks like they're not scared out of their wits, is just very good at bluffing!
Your friends will be working 9-5 if they're lucky (my last job was 7:15am-6pm on a good day, with 24x7 hour callout and weekend overtime on top). Some of them will also have hellish commutes, unpleasant managers and low wages. Full time employment is no bed of roses. Looking back at what my job used to entail, I feel like I've been on holiday for the last four years. Enjoy it while you can, because two months into your first full time job chances are you'll be wishing yourself back here with all your heart.
I tried undergrad and failed after school. I came back to my undergrad & Masters in my 40s. Yes, you can always come back to it if you're motivated enough. But if your current Masters holds the advantages that you outline in your first paragraph, it seems a shame to at least not give it a good try now. There are unknown factors in your future like mortgages, children and elderly care responsibilities, and you'll never know if/when an opportunity to study will come your way again.
I sincerely believe that you have a bad case of First Week Nerves. If you just jump into the experience with both feet, you'll find that it's an enormously fulfilling and rewarding year.
- Missing Intro Week. In my case, it was half a day of lacklustre welcome lectures, the longest of which was a health & safety talk. The head of our faculty arrived 15 minutes late for her talk because she'd forgotten it was on, and the subject welcome lecture was half an hour of being nagged about reading. The promised tour of the faculty never happened and the library intro session was scheduled to clash with one of our faculty talks. If I'd missed our equivalent of Intro Week, I'd have missed very little! I wouldn't sweat it if I were you.
- Commuting. My commute was 2 hours (on a good day - on a bad day it was longer) from home to campus, involving car, train and bus journeys followed by a 10 minute walk. I know it looks daunting now but you get into the swing of it quite fast. It's just a routine you get into.
- Workload. Yes, it's heavy and it's full on and at at this point it looks like you'll never ever be able to do it. Quite a lot of the time it will feel like that as well. But trust me - you can do it and you'll feel proud of yourself at the end of it just for surviving. Nobody would have given you a Masters place if you weren't capable of it. You're rather more amazing than you're giving yourself credit for!
This is absolutely the crux of it. Parts will feel endless at the time but it really does go at lightning speed. This time next year, you'll be sitting here with your head spinning, wondering what on earth just happened! I know I am...
If it helps, I felt exactly like this just before I started. Talking to course colleagues (which will happen pretty much as soon as you get into your first lecture or seminar) they all felt this way as well. It's just that we'd each assumed that we were the only ones feeling like that and that everyone else was super-confident and sailing through it without any problems. Honestly - not so. Look around your first lecture. Anyone who looks like they're not scared out of their wits, is just very good at bluffing!
Your friends will be working 9-5 if they're lucky (my last job was 7:15am-6pm on a good day, with 24x7 hour callout and weekend overtime on top). Some of them will also have hellish commutes, unpleasant managers and low wages. Full time employment is no bed of roses. Looking back at what my job used to entail, I feel like I've been on holiday for the last four years. Enjoy it while you can, because two months into your first full time job chances are you'll be wishing yourself back here with all your heart.
I tried undergrad and failed after school. I came back to my undergrad & Masters in my 40s. Yes, you can always come back to it if you're motivated enough. But if your current Masters holds the advantages that you outline in your first paragraph, it seems a shame to at least not give it a good try now. There are unknown factors in your future like mortgages, children and elderly care responsibilities, and you'll never know if/when an opportunity to study will come your way again.
I sincerely believe that you have a bad case of First Week Nerves. If you just jump into the experience with both feet, you'll find that it's an enormously fulfilling and rewarding year.
Wow. Thank you so much for your very long and detailed reply. It's certainly made me feel a better about the situation! It's good to know that other people have had the same thoughts / commute / worries too, and that it isn't just me feeling like this.
Everything that you have said in your post is totally true - how I'll wish I was a student when I finally do get into the world of work, the intense work load etc etc. I'm hoping that in the end, I'm proud of what I've achieved, and that I can go into job interviews, knowing that I have 2 degrees from two good russell group universities.
I think, as you said, that it is a case of 'first week nerves', and that once I get into the swing of things, and how the course and modules run, that I will feel much better about my masters degree. I think I know deep down, that I would really would regret not doing the degree, and that a lot of people don't get the opportunity that I have - and to just make the most of it!
I don't know if this helps but you're definitely not the only person who feels this way. My MA course starts on Monday and I'm so nervous about it after going to the welcome lectures (maybe it's not such a bad thing you missed yours). I've been looking forward to going to a new uni and meeting new people all summer, and now I feel pretty much the same way as you. I'm sorry I can't offer any advice, but sometimes its just nice to know that there are other people in the same boat as you.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by L-a-R
I don't know if this helps but you're definitely not the only person who feels this way. My MA course starts on Monday and I'm so nervous about it after going to the welcome lectures (maybe it's not such a bad thing you missed yours). I've been looking forward to going to a new uni and meeting new people all summer, and now I feel pretty much the same way as you. I'm sorry I can't offer any advice, but sometimes its just nice to know that there are other people in the same boat as you.
I'm glad it isn't only me that feels this way! I think I'll be a nervous wreck on Monday morning!
I'm just thinking how quickly this year will pass, and how worth it, it will be in the end!
Good luck on Monday!
(edited 11 years ago)
Exactly in the same place myself, I am sure it'll be fine though. My commute is like 50mins-1 hour though
Not sure about you but my past 3 years of undergrad have shot by. I recon by the time I've settled down at a new uni for this 1 year MSc the year will be over.
Crazy how a post from 10 years ago is describing everything I am currently feeling about my programme, wow.
Original post by sciencestudentk
Crazy how a post from 10 years ago is describing everything I am currently feeling about my programme, wow.
Same this post is 11 years old for me lol
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