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My Masters degree has been hell so far

Hello. I'm doing a Masters degree at a Russel Group uni. I started the course ill and it became much worse over the course of the semester and caused me to miss probably over 60% of my classes and th associated reading.

Further, I just haven't settled into the my course. I don't care about it, I can't find the motivation to read, and frankly, I've never really learnt how to study. I've found the whole university difficult to settle into and it doesn't help that I don't live near campus.

What should I do? I'm genuinely thinking of droppping out but academia I should the only thing I've ever been good at and still have vague hopes of one day doing a PhD.

I have two large essays in in a little over a week and, put it this way, they ain't getting done. I don't know a next to nothing about either topic and the idea I could write two 4,000 word + essays is laughable.

Reply 1

The_Lonely_Goatherd

(Dunno if you remember me :ninja:

)

Really sorry to hear of everything you're going through atm. I don't think your uni can reasonably expect you to hand over the essays, given you've missed more than half the teaching.

Without meaning to pry, is the illness you are suffering from related to any kinda disability and if so, are you registered with this uni's disability office? If so, contact them and ask them to help you get an extension, or to interrupt or withdraw from your studies.

It sounds like things are really tough for you atm and if your heart's not in it, I'm not sure getting an extension would suffice tbh.Do you think your lack of motivation is to do solely with the illness, or is there something about the uni as well that is hindering you? Do you think your motivation might come back, or your illness lessen, if you interrupted your studies to take a leave of absence?

Sorry for all the questions, just trying to get a better sense of the situation. The great thing about postgrad studies (and even undergrad degrees tbh) is that you're never too old to go back to it. So dropping out now doesn't mean you'd never be able to do a PhD - you could always do a Masters elsewhere in a few years' (or several years'!) time :yes:

Reply 2

mine turtle

Feels the same here man. Masters, uninterested, unmotivated, dread going in for project work, don't particularly understand it and not interested enough to read up on it (wouldn't know where to start either). 8000 word dissertation due in September and I'd be lucky to get over 60% (my undergrad dissertation grade 😕)