The Student Room Group

Is it worth going uni with covid

I was wondering with all the restrictions if its worth delaying it or just going. My worry is that my course is more practical and id like to take a year abroad which you can only do between 1st and 2nd year. This abd the fact work placements and internships will not be as available.
I feel like if I don’t go covid will clear up by like January and id have missed out. Im also a year behind already as i took a gap year after school so id feel weird being amongst 18 year olds when im 20 (I know its not that big of a difference but still). Id also have nothing to do if I don’t get a full time job for a year so its a big risk but I don’t want to waste a year of uni like the current year have done.
Original post by chodestro
I was wondering with all the restrictions if its worth delaying it or just going. My worry is that my course is more practical and id like to take a year abroad which you can only do between 1st and 2nd year. This abd the fact work placements and internships will not be as available.
I feel like if I don’t go covid will clear up by like January and id have missed out. Im also a year behind already as i took a gap year after school so id feel weird being amongst 18 year olds when im 20 (I know its not that big of a difference but still). Id also have nothing to do if I don’t get a full time job for a year so its a big risk but I don’t want to waste a year of uni like the current year have done.

Hello! :smile:
I currently study Primary Education which is a very intense and practical course! We can be in 5 days a week between 9am and 8pm with a range of theory, practical and placement. Universities are working very hard to make sure students can still receive this despite the pandemic and I am happy with my study during the pandemic.
We are still going ahead with our placement and the current third years on our course are in schools already!

However if you do not feel study in a pandemic would be for you, then do not worry about taking a gap year or age. I actually took a gap year myself and cannot even tell an age difference between my cohort and I. We also have several mature students, some at age 26, and they still live with house mates and have the full university experience! I personally worked in a school in my gap year which allowed to me gain experience and savings but that is very different now with the pandemic. If taking a gap year is what you need to be mentally ready for university due to covid, then there is no shame in doing that!

At the end of the day, only you can decide but your university experience is what you make it, covid or not!
Original post by chodestro
I was wondering with all the restrictions if its worth delaying it or just going. My worry is that my course is more practical and id like to take a year abroad which you can only do between 1st and 2nd year. This abd the fact work placements and internships will not be as available.
I feel like if I don’t go covid will clear up by like January and id have missed out. Im also a year behind already as i took a gap year after school so id feel weird being amongst 18 year olds when im 20 (I know its not that big of a difference but still). Id also have nothing to do if I don’t get a full time job for a year so its a big risk but I don’t want to waste a year of uni like the current year have done.

Hi @chodestro,

This is a really tricky decision to make but you definitely won't be alone here. A lot of people I know at uni are 2 or 3 years older than me (or even older than that!) so don't let being a bit older than other people be too much of a worry for you if you decide to defer a year. Whatever you decide, deferring a year won't be a waste if you put your mind to it. It could be a really good opportunity to work on your hobbies, get a job, volunteer etc.

If you do decide not to delay then you'll need to factor in that during the pandemic uni work will be more self managed than normal. For me and a lot of people, our courses are mostly online and it's our responsibility to watch lectures in our own time instead of having it all timetabled out for us. Although uni during normal times still has a lot of self-managed study, it's still more timetabled than it is now. If you're someone who needs the structure then maybe it's better to defer a year so you can make the most out of it.

On the other hand if you decide to go you'll probably still have a really good time! Living with friends is really fun! If you're not enjoying being at home or feel like you need a change then this will hopefully be something really positive for you! A lot of societies have really good online events and you can still have a great evening in with your flatmates. Even though this year isn't what I anticipated, I've still had a really good time with my friends while I was in my student house. Just be mindful of the fact that at first it won't be the full 'student experience' but hopefully it will be by the end of your time at uni.

Hope this helps!

Lucy
Reply 3
Original post by Lydia Taylor (YSJU Student Ambassador)
Hello! :smile:
I currently study Primary Education which is a very intense and practical course! We can be in 5 days a week between 9am and 8pm with a range of theory, practical and placement. Universities are working very hard to make sure students can still receive this despite the pandemic and I am happy with my study during the pandemic.
We are still going ahead with our placement and the current third years on our course are in schools already!

However if you do not feel study in a pandemic would be for you, then do not worry about taking a gap year or age. I actually took a gap year myself and cannot even tell an age difference between my cohort and I. We also have several mature students, some at age 26, and they still live with house mates and have the full university experience! I personally worked in a school in my gap year which allowed to me gain experience and savings but that is very different now with the pandemic. If taking a gap year is what you need to be mentally ready for university due to covid, then there is no shame in doing that!

At the end of the day, only you can decide but your university experience is what you make it, covid or not!


By placement do u mean international or just general work? I was hoping to study abroad so if they’re still on I’ll probably still go as it’s a sandwich year i can delay covid with too. Thankyou for replying!
Original post by chodestro
By placement do u mean international or just general work? I was hoping to study abroad so if they’re still on I’ll probably still go as it’s a sandwich year i can delay covid with too. Thankyou for replying!

Our students are placed in primary schools around the UK so not quite study abroad, however a practical aspect of our course that didn't look achievable at the start of the pandemic!

Study abroad is still going ahead in many cases, obviously travel restrictions have to come first and universities cannot avoid that. If you were to study abroad in your second year, that is not until 2022/23 and this pandemic should be a thing of the past!

Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee anything as everything so unknown at the moment but universities are doing everything that they can to make opportunities such as study abroad possible. Have you contacted the admission departments of the universities you wish to study at? They may be able to advise you further :smile:
Reply 5
I'm on a gap year right now, I'm supposed to start uni this September but I'm seriously debating taking another year out because I don't think ill be able to cope with online learning. all of my friends (bar one) who are at uni now hate it and wish they'd delayed like me. I'm going to wait until its closer to the start date of my course and then decide. I have to reapply to the course anyway so I'm just going to do that in September if I decide to delay it further.
Let me know what you decide! I'd love to know what other people are doing in this situation :smile:

also: don't worry about the age gap, plenty of my friends have people on their course right now that are 20-30 years old!
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by Alice.Burnett
I'm on a gap year right now, I'm supposed to start uni this September but I'm seriously debating taking another year out because I don't think ill be able to cope with online learning. all of my friends (bar one) who are at uni now hate it and wish they'd delayed like me. I'm going to wait until its closer to the start date of my course and then decide. I have to reapply to the course anyway so I'm just going to do that in September if I decide to delay it further.
Let me know what you decide! I'd love to know what other people are doing in this situation :smile:

also: don't worry about the age gap, plenty of my friends have people on their course right now that are 20-30 years old!

Hi I’m also considering going on a gap year instead of starting this September but I’ve already confirmed a uni, would this mean I have to commit and go to. If not how and when do I inform them, do I inform the after I get my results.
Reply 7
Original post by hisokaaaa
Hi I’m also considering going on a gap year instead of starting this September but I’ve already confirmed a uni, would this mean I have to commit and go to. If not how and when do I inform them, do I inform the after I get my results.

My situation is different to yours, I cant defer my place again because I've already deferred a year, so I have to reapply with UCAS. My advice is to contact your university admissions team to ask how you can go about deferring your place till next year. this doesn't have to be after you get your results. ask them if you can defer now, or if you can wait until closer to the time just incase you change your mind! I'm waiting to reapply for this reason, with covid making everything so uncertain i want to wait and see if it improves before cancelling the place i have for this September. but this shouldn't be the case for you. definitely contact your uni and ask, that's what I've been doing all day haha
Original post by Alice.Burnett
My situation is different to yours, I cant defer my place again because I've already deferred a year, so I have to reapply with UCAS. My advice is to contact your university admissions team to ask how you can go about deferring your place till next year. this doesn't have to be after you get your results. ask them if you can defer now, or if you can wait until closer to the time just incase you change your mind! I'm waiting to reapply for this reason, with covid making everything so uncertain i want to wait and see if it improves before cancelling the place i have for this September. but this shouldn't be the case for you. definitely contact your uni and ask, that's what I've been doing all day haha

What if I don’t want to go to that particular uni or do that specific degree, would I still have to go do it? :smile:
It should be more face to face teaching than online teaching by September
Original post by hisokaaaa
What if I don’t want to go to that particular uni or do that specific degree, would I still have to go do it? :smile:

if you dont want to do that course at all? there's nothing stopping you from withdrawing your application completely and reapplying next year (or later) for a different uni or course. you have a binding contract with that uni so you do have to speak to them in order to withdraw i think. but it shouldn't be a problem, they cant force you to take the course!!
Original post by Thisismyunitsr
It should be more face to face teaching than online teaching by September

thats what im hoping for haha. i could NOT handle online classes
Original post by Alice.Burnett
I'm on a gap year right now, I'm supposed to start uni this September but I'm seriously debating taking another year out because I don't think ill be able to cope with online learning. all of my friends (bar one) who are at uni now hate it and wish they'd delayed like me. I'm going to wait until its closer to the start date of my course and then decide. I have to reapply to the course anyway so I'm just going to do that in September if I decide to delay it further.
Let me know what you decide! I'd love to know what other people are doing in this situation :smile:

also: don't worry about the age gap, plenty of my friends have people on their course right now that are 20-30 years old!


Hey, I’m in this exact situation, I can’t imagine going to uni and it being online and not being able to mix and join societies etc. I am a bit worried that if I defer I’ll be a couple of years older but in the long run uni is such a short time in my life and I don’t want to waste it. Have you decided if you’re going in 2021?

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