Unhappy with university course?

Im currently studying history at liverpool university, but really not liking history!
Liverpool is a really good univeristy for history and everything so i should be happy! But im just not finding it challenging or interesting.
Was thinking about taking a year out and thinking about what i really want to do! I really have no idea!
But if i did that I would apply for university the same year everyone trying to miss the Top up Fees is, i would also have an extra year of student loan to pay off when i finish!
Not to mention having to explain my self to my family and friends!

What would you guys do?

Reply 1

valcandy

Personally, I would continue to study it because I like to be hassle-free.

Reply 2

AT82

You might find the second year more challanging. Earrlier this semester I was getting fed up as it wasn;t challanging enough and was ready to quite. The work soon picked up though and I was motivated again.

Reply 3

Pencil

16

Sianie

Im currently studying history at liverpool university, but really not liking history!
Liverpool is a really good univeristy for history and everything so i should be happy! But im just not finding it challenging or interesting.
Was thinking about taking a year out and thinking about what i really want to do! I really have no idea!
But if i did that I would apply for university the same year everyone trying to miss the Top up Fees is, i would also have an extra year of student loan to pay off when i finish!
Not to mention having to explain my self to my family and friends!

What would you guys do?

I'm suffering the same problem you are. I'm doing a Film and Lit course at Essex and I absolutely hate it. I paid over £600 for the course, so I don't really want to drop out and waste all that money. Also, I don't want to start the first year again or go to another uni (I'm already 20). I've decided to just grin and bare it. :frown:

Reply 4

AT82

Pencil

I'm suffering the same problem you are. I'm doing a Film and Lit course at Essex and I absolutely hate it. I paid over £600 for the course, so I don't really want to drop out and waste all that money. Also, I don't want to start the first year again or go to another uni (I'm already 20). I've decided to just grin and bare it. :frown:

I would try and get direct transfer into the second year of another university. If hate it don't punish yourself. I left a college I hated and I am one year behind as a result.

Reply 5

Nylex

10

Pencil

I'm suffering the same problem you are. I'm doing a Film and Lit course at Essex and I absolutely hate it. I paid over £600 for the course, so I don't really want to drop out and waste all that money. Also, I don't want to start the first year again or go to another uni (I'm already 20). I've decided to just grin and bare it. :frown:

God, I know how you feel. I don't like my course either and I'll be 20 in September but I'm probably gonna start the first year again, cos I don't really wanna be doing a course I hate for 4 years.

Reply 6

marina183

I wat at a Uni I hated and although it took loads of courage, I left.
When you do it though its such a huge weight off your shoulders. No more having to worry about the next 3/4 years in a place you dislike.

I know what you mean about the hassle of explaining it to friends and family though...no one looks kindly upon a Uni dropout. But even so it'll show you have guts and the initiative to leave a place and start afresh.

Try not to worry about the wasted money, you'll waste even mire the longer you put it off.
Do what I did, I quit in Jan, got a full time job in Feb and am now earning enough to pay off all i wasted at Uni plus I'm heading to Thailand for 5 weeks before I head off to Uni in Sep to start all over.

Leaving uni was def the best decision for me.

Reply 7

samd294

totally agree with marina, except i left durham in jan and am now heading to the place that marina hated so..UCL, should I be worried??

Reply 8

Fairydust

1

Im 1st year uni adn hated one of my courses this year but it was all compulsory modules, next year I get to choose some of them so it wont be so bad. See what next years course detail are then maybe think again.

Reply 9

Chicken

12

I'm really not enjoying my course either - its too difficult and I'm really struggling to keep up. As a result I'm losing interest in the whole subject and have no motivation to actually try and understand it, for example I've had 4 weeks of Easter to revise for my exams (I have no lectures when I go back next week, its just basically study leave) but I've done very little - I did get hold of some old exam papers and having looked through them its made me feel worse. The problem I've got it that I love the uni I'm at, I've got some really good friends and love the whole place. And if I dropped out I couldn't really do anything else - I haven't got the A-levels to go somewhere better (was lucky that UEA accepted me in the first place) and I definately wouldn't want to do a physics or maths degree (they were my other 2 A-levels), so I'm stuck really. I did used to enjoy chemistry, and I really want to get a good job in Forensics, so I need my degree, therefore I think I'll have to stick with it.

Reply 10

marina183

samd294

totally agree with marina, except i left durham in jan and am now heading to the place that marina hated so..UCL, should I be worried??

It really depends on you Sam.
What did you hate about Durham?
I hated UCL for a load of reasons the high expense, the up it's own arse arrogance, the segregation of races, the SHIT stidents union, the unpractical sports facilities, the disorganisation of my course, the stroppy n snobbish lecturers, ect ect ect.

Blimey, I'm so glad I left.

Can you believe that on my very first day I went to my first lesson, sat down and instantly just began to get taught.
You might not think there's a prob with that but there was no 'getting to know you class' activities, no questions put to students, didn't even get told my teacher's name for F**K's sake.

How pants?
Mind you...this could be the perfect for you if you have the socialising skills of a slug.

Reply 11

sashh

Sianie

Im currently studying history at liverpool university, but really not liking history!
Liverpool is a really good univeristy for history and everything so i should be happy! But im just not finding it challenging or interesting.
Was thinking about taking a year out and thinking about what i really want to do! I really have no idea!
But if i did that I would apply for university the same year everyone trying to miss the Top up Fees is, i would also have an extra year of student loan to pay off when i finish!
Not to mention having to explain my self to my family and friends!

What would you guys do?

First off - go to see your personal tutor - academic counsellor, they may have some suggestions. Try to stick out the first year and pass. LEA's are normally OK about you changing ubis after the first year, they are not too keen if you keep swapping. You may not have another year's loan if you swap uni or course because it may be possible to go into the second year at another uni or on another course at Liverpool.

Basically you only get LEA funding for one degree (with a few exceptions) so personally I think it's not something to be wasted. I didn't start uni until I was in my 30s and only because I was foced to give up my career due to ill health and realised I'd need a degree if I was ever going to go back to work. So this is your one chance.

Probably because I'm older I know quitre a few people wjo have swapped unis, swapped courses, dropped out etc. If you are not happy you will only become more unhappy. You said 'I should be happy', why? You cannot help how you feel and no one has any right to tell you how you should feel. Reading between the lines it sounds like you are doing what is expected of you rather than what you want. And you probably are too wound up in that to realise what you want.

Here are some 'facts' you may not have considered. (although I've said 'fact' please check I'm right)

If you complete your first year you will probably be entitled to a Cert of HE. This is a qualification in it's own right, it also shows that you are capable of study at university level. It probably means that you get to go to an awards ceremony and wear a cap and gown. In my experience parents are more bothered about the picture on the wall than the actual qualification.

From an employer's point of view you have had the maturity to say "this is not for me, but I'm going to stick it out for the year".

From the LEA's point of view, you are an existing student who is just taking time out, so you would come under the existing rules and not get top up fees.

If you take a year out, you can earn some money, pay of some loan, travel, kick your heels whatever.

I was very much pushed towards uni when I was 18, and although I'm not saying the same is true for you, it wasn't what I wanted, it was what was expected. I'd had enough of studying. It was strange at first to come home from work and not have anything to do in the evening except what I wanted to do.

Good luck with your choice. Please remember it is not set in stone, you can tell the uni you want to take a year out and if you decide it's not for you then tell them you are not going to return. Also remember there are people at uni who are paid to help you, counsellors, tutors etc. You are paying enough to be at uni, let them earn their money.

Reply 12

Nylex

10

sashh

Basically you only get LEA funding for one degree

WTF? So you can't change your course and start over in year 1 and still get a loan? :/

Reply 13

Nylex

10

Pencil Queen

You can - but you only get 12 months to make that decision (it used to be 18) and the decision has to be made "on academic grounds"....of course those academic grounds could be that you're so unhappy you'll fail if you don't move/transfer/restart. You can transfer/change after 12 months but it's at the LEA's discretion as to whether you'll get support or not.

It is VERY helpful to get a tutor/academic on your side and trying to help you transfer....I switched and started again from Royal Holloway to Soton on the basis of my head of studies at RH sending an email to the admissions tutor at Soton (they had studied together at cambridge or something), I was then more or less guaranteed a place on a first year course or if the two courses had been compatable (they weren't) I could have transferred straight into the second year. My head of studies also wrote a letter for me to pass onto my LEA confirming that the change was "on academic grounds".

12 months from when? Thanks PQ.

Unhappy with university course?

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