Need Advice: Uni vs OU, Mental Health (*super long sorry*)
Okay so I really need advice on what to do here; I’m absolutely clueless about this kind of thing. (I’m sorry this is a literal essay, I really needed to get this out because it has been stressing me to the point of sickness lately tbh)
Basically, I’m a 2nd Year Politics student at QUB and, to be honest, I absolutely hate uni but I need the degree for my career so I’m trying to stick it out.
To give a bit of background: I commute to and from campus for classes on the train and work whenever I’m not in uni, so I don’t get any of your typical ‘student’ experiences like nights out/freshers/societies/study groups etc. Because I’m only ever in for class and then have to go straight to work/home (I live with my boyfriend who is partially blind basically and can’t drive so I always need to be around to pick him up from work etc) I have no friends. Like, at all. I speak to my mum, my bf and sometimes my brother who is also at uni in Plym. Overall, my experience with uni has not been a good one.
So my mental health is suffering badly. I’ve struggled with depression since I was doing my GCSE’s but it’s getting worse year on year and I am currently at my worst. Doctors have been about as much help as a chocolate teapot (that’s a whole other story) and most of all, my uni work is suffering badly because of it. Almost all my assignments this year have been late/missed; Queen’s are being v good about it I have to say and have given me reasonable adjustments like flexible deadlines etc because I literally cannot get myself into gear. I am on medication for depression but it doesn’t seem to be helping all that much.
One of my big problems is that I met my boyfriend, moved in with him and settled down before I started uni. So I’m now trying to keep a house going on a part time job (he works full time) that sucks the life out of me, working around a course with awkward contact hours and tbh I’m just dying to get out of uni so I can get a proper full time job, not be broke all the time, and just be able to move onto the next stage of my life like saving for a house etc. I really really hate being a student and just feel stuck in a rut. I hope that kind of makes sense.
I started studying Politics because I loved the idea of activism and bringing about change. Due to my hectic schedule, I literally can not afford to do anything politics-related outside my course any more, so I’ve fallen out of love with the whole thing a bit if I’m honest, as all I’m doing now is essays and reading. Now that my classes have finished for second year, I contacted my local party office hoping to do a bit of work with them over summer (I used to work with them when I lived at home but have since moved towns so contacted what is now my local branch) but they never bothered replying to my email. Looked online to see if I could volunteer with Citizen’s Advice but you have to be able to give up two days a week which I don’t think I could due to work.
Basically (I’m sorry, promise this is going somewhere) I’ve realised the sticking point might be my job. I’ve tried finding part time office-type jobs to try and get some relevant experience but almost all require prior experience/a degree/are full time (I do work in an office currently, but I’m the cleaner - close but not close enough lol).
What I need advice on is this: I’ve been thinking maybe (if it’s even possible) I could transfer to the Open University, do my final year part time (probably over two years) and get a full time job which would help my mental health immensely (more money, no more travelling up and down to uni, more purpose, no more soul destroying office cleaning) and get me a bit of actual experience before I graduate.
I know some people will think ‘it’s only a year, just push on’ and honestly if I thought I would make it I would, but I’m really not sure I can mentally handle it.
So what I want to know is this essentially:
1) is this even possible to do?
2) is it worth doing
3) any other advice/alternatives you might have
If anyone has made it to the end of this, congrats😂 and thank you so much to anyone who replies in advance!!
Basically, I’m a 2nd Year Politics student at QUB and, to be honest, I absolutely hate uni but I need the degree for my career so I’m trying to stick it out.
To give a bit of background: I commute to and from campus for classes on the train and work whenever I’m not in uni, so I don’t get any of your typical ‘student’ experiences like nights out/freshers/societies/study groups etc. Because I’m only ever in for class and then have to go straight to work/home (I live with my boyfriend who is partially blind basically and can’t drive so I always need to be around to pick him up from work etc) I have no friends. Like, at all. I speak to my mum, my bf and sometimes my brother who is also at uni in Plym. Overall, my experience with uni has not been a good one.
So my mental health is suffering badly. I’ve struggled with depression since I was doing my GCSE’s but it’s getting worse year on year and I am currently at my worst. Doctors have been about as much help as a chocolate teapot (that’s a whole other story) and most of all, my uni work is suffering badly because of it. Almost all my assignments this year have been late/missed; Queen’s are being v good about it I have to say and have given me reasonable adjustments like flexible deadlines etc because I literally cannot get myself into gear. I am on medication for depression but it doesn’t seem to be helping all that much.
One of my big problems is that I met my boyfriend, moved in with him and settled down before I started uni. So I’m now trying to keep a house going on a part time job (he works full time) that sucks the life out of me, working around a course with awkward contact hours and tbh I’m just dying to get out of uni so I can get a proper full time job, not be broke all the time, and just be able to move onto the next stage of my life like saving for a house etc. I really really hate being a student and just feel stuck in a rut. I hope that kind of makes sense.
I started studying Politics because I loved the idea of activism and bringing about change. Due to my hectic schedule, I literally can not afford to do anything politics-related outside my course any more, so I’ve fallen out of love with the whole thing a bit if I’m honest, as all I’m doing now is essays and reading. Now that my classes have finished for second year, I contacted my local party office hoping to do a bit of work with them over summer (I used to work with them when I lived at home but have since moved towns so contacted what is now my local branch) but they never bothered replying to my email. Looked online to see if I could volunteer with Citizen’s Advice but you have to be able to give up two days a week which I don’t think I could due to work.
Basically (I’m sorry, promise this is going somewhere) I’ve realised the sticking point might be my job. I’ve tried finding part time office-type jobs to try and get some relevant experience but almost all require prior experience/a degree/are full time (I do work in an office currently, but I’m the cleaner - close but not close enough lol).
What I need advice on is this: I’ve been thinking maybe (if it’s even possible) I could transfer to the Open University, do my final year part time (probably over two years) and get a full time job which would help my mental health immensely (more money, no more travelling up and down to uni, more purpose, no more soul destroying office cleaning) and get me a bit of actual experience before I graduate.
I know some people will think ‘it’s only a year, just push on’ and honestly if I thought I would make it I would, but I’m really not sure I can mentally handle it.
So what I want to know is this essentially:
1) is this even possible to do?
2) is it worth doing
3) any other advice/alternatives you might have
If anyone has made it to the end of this, congrats😂 and thank you so much to anyone who replies in advance!!
You can check on the OU website how much credit you can transfer - you may not be able to transfer a full two years worth, it may only be one year or 18 months that you can tranfer (depends on the subject).
Original post by Anonymous
Okay so I really need advice on what to do here; I’m absolutely clueless about this kind of thing. (I’m sorry this is a literal essay, I really needed to get this out because it has been stressing me to the point of sickness lately tbh)
Basically, I’m a 2nd Year Politics student at QUB and, to be honest, I absolutely hate uni but I need the degree for my career so I’m trying to stick it out.
To give a bit of background: I commute to and from campus for classes on the train and work whenever I’m not in uni, so I don’t get any of your typical ‘student’ experiences like nights out/freshers/societies/study groups etc. Because I’m only ever in for class and then have to go straight to work/home (I live with my boyfriend who is partially blind basically and can’t drive so I always need to be around to pick him up from work etc) I have no friends. Like, at all. I speak to my mum, my bf and sometimes my brother who is also at uni in Plym. Overall, my experience with uni has not been a good one.
So my mental health is suffering badly. I’ve struggled with depression since I was doing my GCSE’s but it’s getting worse year on year and I am currently at my worst. Doctors have been about as much help as a chocolate teapot (that’s a whole other story) and most of all, my uni work is suffering badly because of it. Almost all my assignments this year have been late/missed; Queen’s are being v good about it I have to say and have given me reasonable adjustments like flexible deadlines etc because I literally cannot get myself into gear. I am on medication for depression but it doesn’t seem to be helping all that much.
One of my big problems is that I met my boyfriend, moved in with him and settled down before I started uni. So I’m now trying to keep a house going on a part time job (he works full time) that sucks the life out of me, working around a course with awkward contact hours and tbh I’m just dying to get out of uni so I can get a proper full time job, not be broke all the time, and just be able to move onto the next stage of my life like saving for a house etc. I really really hate being a student and just feel stuck in a rut. I hope that kind of makes sense.
I started studying Politics because I loved the idea of activism and bringing about change. Due to my hectic schedule, I literally can not afford to do anything politics-related outside my course any more, so I’ve fallen out of love with the whole thing a bit if I’m honest, as all I’m doing now is essays and reading. Now that my classes have finished for second year, I contacted my local party office hoping to do a bit of work with them over summer (I used to work with them when I lived at home but have since moved towns so contacted what is now my local branch) but they never bothered replying to my email. Looked online to see if I could volunteer with Citizen’s Advice but you have to be able to give up two days a week which I don’t think I could due to work.
Basically (I’m sorry, promise this is going somewhere) I’ve realised the sticking point might be my job. I’ve tried finding part time office-type jobs to try and get some relevant experience but almost all require prior experience/a degree/are full time (I do work in an office currently, but I’m the cleaner - close but not close enough lol).
What I need advice on is this: I’ve been thinking maybe (if it’s even possible) I could transfer to the Open University, do my final year part time (probably over two years) and get a full time job which would help my mental health immensely (more money, no more travelling up and down to uni, more purpose, no more soul destroying office cleaning) and get me a bit of actual experience before I graduate.
I know some people will think ‘it’s only a year, just push on’ and honestly if I thought I would make it I would, but I’m really not sure I can mentally handle it.
So what I want to know is this essentially:
1) is this even possible to do?
2) is it worth doing
3) any other advice/alternatives you might have
If anyone has made it to the end of this, congrats😂 and thank you so much to anyone who replies in advance!!
Basically, I’m a 2nd Year Politics student at QUB and, to be honest, I absolutely hate uni but I need the degree for my career so I’m trying to stick it out.
To give a bit of background: I commute to and from campus for classes on the train and work whenever I’m not in uni, so I don’t get any of your typical ‘student’ experiences like nights out/freshers/societies/study groups etc. Because I’m only ever in for class and then have to go straight to work/home (I live with my boyfriend who is partially blind basically and can’t drive so I always need to be around to pick him up from work etc) I have no friends. Like, at all. I speak to my mum, my bf and sometimes my brother who is also at uni in Plym. Overall, my experience with uni has not been a good one.
So my mental health is suffering badly. I’ve struggled with depression since I was doing my GCSE’s but it’s getting worse year on year and I am currently at my worst. Doctors have been about as much help as a chocolate teapot (that’s a whole other story) and most of all, my uni work is suffering badly because of it. Almost all my assignments this year have been late/missed; Queen’s are being v good about it I have to say and have given me reasonable adjustments like flexible deadlines etc because I literally cannot get myself into gear. I am on medication for depression but it doesn’t seem to be helping all that much.
One of my big problems is that I met my boyfriend, moved in with him and settled down before I started uni. So I’m now trying to keep a house going on a part time job (he works full time) that sucks the life out of me, working around a course with awkward contact hours and tbh I’m just dying to get out of uni so I can get a proper full time job, not be broke all the time, and just be able to move onto the next stage of my life like saving for a house etc. I really really hate being a student and just feel stuck in a rut. I hope that kind of makes sense.
I started studying Politics because I loved the idea of activism and bringing about change. Due to my hectic schedule, I literally can not afford to do anything politics-related outside my course any more, so I’ve fallen out of love with the whole thing a bit if I’m honest, as all I’m doing now is essays and reading. Now that my classes have finished for second year, I contacted my local party office hoping to do a bit of work with them over summer (I used to work with them when I lived at home but have since moved towns so contacted what is now my local branch) but they never bothered replying to my email. Looked online to see if I could volunteer with Citizen’s Advice but you have to be able to give up two days a week which I don’t think I could due to work.
Basically (I’m sorry, promise this is going somewhere) I’ve realised the sticking point might be my job. I’ve tried finding part time office-type jobs to try and get some relevant experience but almost all require prior experience/a degree/are full time (I do work in an office currently, but I’m the cleaner - close but not close enough lol).
What I need advice on is this: I’ve been thinking maybe (if it’s even possible) I could transfer to the Open University, do my final year part time (probably over two years) and get a full time job which would help my mental health immensely (more money, no more travelling up and down to uni, more purpose, no more soul destroying office cleaning) and get me a bit of actual experience before I graduate.
I know some people will think ‘it’s only a year, just push on’ and honestly if I thought I would make it I would, but I’m really not sure I can mentally handle it.
So what I want to know is this essentially:
1) is this even possible to do?
2) is it worth doing
3) any other advice/alternatives you might have
If anyone has made it to the end of this, congrats😂 and thank you so much to anyone who replies in advance!!
Yes it's possible to do, open uni can let you transfer the credits for up to two years. I think in your situation going part time would be a good idea.
I'm not sure that working full time and doing a part time degree course will reduce your stress. It would be a big workload, and you'd have to be very self disciplined. It sounds like it might also impact how much you are able to support your boyfriend.
If you're struggling to manage with the support system of a bricks and mortar university, then would you be self motivated enough to do the work you needed to complete your degree independently?
This sounds like a bit of a nuclear option, and I could actually see it becoming worse/ more stressful. I'm not saying don't do it, but I'd consider looking at other options first.
As a plan of action, I'd suggest:
-Firstly, talk to someone at uni, like your tutor about what support/help/options the uni might be able to give you. You may be able to access some mental health services or support via your uni, for example.
-Talk through options such as going part time at your current uni, or suspending your studies for a year.
-Can you look into other sources of funding/finance so that you might be able to quit your job. Could your boyfriend look at upping his income? I feel that if you didn't have your part time job, this might all feel more do-able.
I'd prioritise getting as much support as you can from your current uni (bricks and mortar unis tend to be able to offer more than the OU), maybe combining this with going part time for your final year. You could also look at taking a suspension of studies for a year- working for that year and then being able to focus on uni alone for your final year.
If neither of those options feel like the answer, then transferring to the OU may be worth a go, but I worry that you'd still have the same stresses but without the support that a physical institution can give you.
If you're struggling to manage with the support system of a bricks and mortar university, then would you be self motivated enough to do the work you needed to complete your degree independently?
This sounds like a bit of a nuclear option, and I could actually see it becoming worse/ more stressful. I'm not saying don't do it, but I'd consider looking at other options first.
As a plan of action, I'd suggest:
-Firstly, talk to someone at uni, like your tutor about what support/help/options the uni might be able to give you. You may be able to access some mental health services or support via your uni, for example.
-Talk through options such as going part time at your current uni, or suspending your studies for a year.
-Can you look into other sources of funding/finance so that you might be able to quit your job. Could your boyfriend look at upping his income? I feel that if you didn't have your part time job, this might all feel more do-able.
I'd prioritise getting as much support as you can from your current uni (bricks and mortar unis tend to be able to offer more than the OU), maybe combining this with going part time for your final year. You could also look at taking a suspension of studies for a year- working for that year and then being able to focus on uni alone for your final year.
If neither of those options feel like the answer, then transferring to the OU may be worth a go, but I worry that you'd still have the same stresses but without the support that a physical institution can give you.
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