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I honestly feel like uni is a waste of my time

I have been in uni for a couple of months now and I honestly feel like it is a waste of my time. I have learnt nothing! I have all this work I am struggling to do because apparently its "independent" reading wtf is that? If i wanted to learn on my own I would have sat in my house and bought the books my self. My parents are paying all this money and are essentially buying my degree.

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You do basically buy your degree, it is a business transaction! Or rather, you're paying for the right to study for that degree.
It sounds like you had some unrealistic expectations of what uni would be like, it isn't school and yes you will have to do independent learning - that is part of the appeal to many people, you're studying and discovering things, the uni is basically just there to guide and direct that learning, and assess you on it so you can get the degree certificate.

Try to see this independence as a positive rather than a negative, relying on spoon feeding forever wont prepare you for much in life other than being spoon-fed, where's the fun in that!?
Reply 3
I can understand what you're saying - in my 2nd year I had 7 (seven!!) hours of classes a week. Not to mention that 4 of those were tutorial / seminar classes that were mainly useless, unless you particularly enjoy hearing other clueless undergrads make **** up off of the top of their heads, whilst a postgrad tutor tries to sound like they know the subject better than they actually do. And at least one lecture a week would be pretty useless, too. So... two hours of useful "class time" a week, then.

It can be hard to understand how they justify the tuition fees.

When it comes down to it... if you're passionate about the subject or the career path you want requires it then you have little choice but to go with it. If you're just there "for the sake of it" or because "you did well at school and Uni is the next logical step" but you don't really have any particular future in mind... then no... it's probably not worth it for the education alone. Whether or not it remains worth it for other reasons (social life, extracurricular groups, just being the hell away from "home") is entirely up to you.
University is not just about what you learn, but also about how you are able to analyze and use it. This is why there is so much attention on critical thinking, essays, presentations, and so on... I understand it is not that easy to understand this when you are at the beginning of your studies, but you will get more about it going on with them. And university is also about making students responsible: you are the one responsible of reading the material and working on it... Then lecturers are then available to help you when you do not understand, or to broaden the spectrum.

PS: independent studying is when you really learn, lectures are guidance.
Reply 5
Maybe it's the wrong type of course for you

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Reply 6
Funny how no-one used to moan about low-hours courses when it was paid for by the taxpayer.

I would give anything to be back at university as an undergraduate on a soft arts or social sciences course. I'd be at training and the matches, and get shredded twice a week minimum plus any special occasions that come up. The low-hours build in an automatic hangover buffer zone. Wake up in a strange bed, or just in a gutter somewhere; and still make it in for tutorial.
Reply 7
Original post by vanessap
I have been in uni for a couple of months now and I honestly feel like it is a waste of my time. I have learnt nothing! I have all this work I am struggling to do because apparently its "independent" reading wtf is that? If i wanted to learn on my own I would have sat in my house and bought the books my self. My parents are paying all this money and are essentially buying my degree.


then please, leave. people like you are why a degree doesn't mean as much as it did before. and why the fees have gone up.
Reply 8
Original post by 'rosie
then please, leave. people like you are why a degree doesn't mean as much as it did before. and why the fees have gone up.


Please tell me how "people like me" are degrading uni degrees ? also how did I cause tuition fees to go up?
Reply 9
Original post by Clip
Funny how no-one used to moan about low-hours courses when it was paid for by the taxpayer.

I would give anything to be back at university as an undergraduate on a soft arts or social sciences course. I'd be at training and the matches, and get shredded twice a week minimum plus any special occasions that come up. The low-hours build in an automatic hangover buffer zone. Wake up in a strange bed, or just in a gutter somewhere; and still make it in for tutorial.


i'm sure OP found that incredibly helpful
It's not for everyone. What are you studying and what is your career goal?

If the course doesn't address some of skills you will need in that career then it may not be worth your while.

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Original post by 'rosie
then please, leave. people like you are why a degree doesn't mean as much as it did before. and why the fees have gone up.



Ohhh just please give it a rest.

It has nothing to do with fees rising.
Original post by Clip
Funny how no-one used to moan about low-hours courses when it was paid for by the taxpayer.

I would give anything to be back at university as an undergraduate on a soft arts or social sciences course. I'd be at training and the matches, and get shredded twice a week minimum plus any special occasions that come up. The low-hours build in an automatic hangover buffer zone. Wake up in a strange bed, or just in a gutter somewhere; and still make it in for tutorial.


Because you think arts and social sciences degrees are less serious?
Reply 13
Original post by polscistudent88
Because you think arts and social sciences degrees are less serious?


No, because they tend to be lower hours courses.
Original post by Clip
No, because they tend to be lower hours courses.


But that free time should be used studying...

OP: Thing is, with certain subjects independent study makes just more sense.
Reply 15
Original post by polscistudent88
But that free time should be used studying...

OP: Thing is, with certain subjects independent study makes just more sense.


I never thought of it like that.
I sympathise completely given your fees are now £9000 - on £3200 it was actually a pretty good deal (about £13 per hour for 10 hours per week, 8 weeks per term, 3 terms per year). Accommodation and living expenses you would have anywhere, and you're paying for the 'experience' on that front.

Most people's parents aren't paying for them - that's what the loan is for. However, wouldn't trust the government not to privatise the loans, so it is a risk, and I've heard some horrible figures on what people could be paying back. On the other hand, you could become a housewife and pay nothing. I think this is wrong, but I can't see a fair way to differentiate these people.

University education can feel like a scam - you are supposed to be 'independent', but clearly everyone would benefit from more contact hours. However, academics have research responsibilities as well, and are only paid a teacher's wage, so often there aren't the resources. My father is an academic and he says that since the fee increase he has a lot more students acting like customers, and thus feeling justified in demanding better service.

It is a problem, and completely contrary to the culture of higher education (part of the problem is too many people going to university, but that should be a separate thread). Education is expensive and government funds are finite, so for now it's sadly a case of 'if you want it, pay'.
Reply 17
Original post by maskofsanity
Universities are institutions of research, they don't care about creating exam robots like at school. It takes more intelligence and less memorising/spoon-feeding.


I agree, there is a lot less hand-holding and less direction given yet the course should enrapture you enough to make that self-study seem minimal!
Reply 18
what are you studying
Original post by vanessap
I have been in uni for a couple of months now and I honestly feel like it is a waste of my time. I have learnt nothing! I have all this work I am struggling to do because apparently its "independent" reading wtf is that? If i wanted to learn on my own I would have sat in my house and bought the books my self. My parents are paying all this money and are essentially buying my degree.


What are you studying?

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