The Student Room Group

Should I suspend my studies?

I am struggling with university. This year has been horrible. I'm in the 3rd year of a 4 year course and was on track to get a comfortable first (marks around 80).

Then covid hit, and I've spent the year with no motivation to do anything at all. I think I've been struggling quite badly with depression. I've barely kept up with work, my grades last semester took a large hit (though I would be able to make up for this in my normal state)

My dissertation, due end of April, is nearly non-existant.
Where I once expected an easy first I now question if I'll even pass the year, with a 2:1 seeming like an overly ambitious goal.

My sleep schedule is completely messed up.

I feel like I'm drowning in work that I can't handle, alternating between complete apathy and stress that makes it hard to work.

I feel cheated out of a year of university.

I was almost resigned to the possiblity I'd have to resit this year, but worried I'd scrape the minimum for a pass and be forced to carry the worst grade possible into my final year.

I recently found the option to suspend my studies part way through the year and start up again next semester and this seems ideal:
- I get time to fix my head, and put some structure back into my life, and start fresh next year, maybe have time to seek professional help
- my grades won't be permanently affected by depression and covid and may actually reflect my ability.
- I get this year of uni back and get to do 4 years of uni stuff like I'd hoped
- I might have to repay a little of my maintenance loan, but I have enough in savings to cover this and the extra tuition fees will just be added to the main loan and re-payed as usual
- if it ever comes up in interviews saying " I suspended my studies due to covid" sounds a lot better than "I failed 3rd year and had to retake"



The trouble is that I'm embarrassed by this plan, hardly anyone knows I'm going through anything, and I don't want to tell my parents I'm failing. I don't have a list of tragic events I can blame - I've just failed myself somehow.
Original post by Mihebeg
I am struggling with university. This year has been horrible. I'm in the 3rd year of a 4 year course and was on track to get a comfortable first (marks around 80).

Then covid hit, and I've spent the year with no motivation to do anything at all. I think I've been struggling quite badly with depression. I've barely kept up with work, my grades last semester took a large hit (though I would be able to make up for this in my normal state)

My dissertation, due end of April, is nearly non-existant.
Where I once expected an easy first I now question if I'll even pass the year, with a 2:1 seeming like an overly ambitious goal.

My sleep schedule is completely messed up.

I feel like I'm drowning in work that I can't handle, alternating between complete apathy and stress that makes it hard to work.

I feel cheated out of a year of university.

I was almost resigned to the possiblity I'd have to resit this year, but worried I'd scrape the minimum for a pass and be forced to carry the worst grade possible into my final year.

I recently found the option to suspend my studies part way through the year and start up again next semester and this seems ideal:
- I get time to fix my head, and put some structure back into my life, and start fresh next year, maybe have time to seek professional help
- my grades won't be permanently affected by depression and covid and may actually reflect my ability.
- I get this year of uni back and get to do 4 years of uni stuff like I'd hoped
- I might have to repay a little of my maintenance loan, but I have enough in savings to cover this and the extra tuition fees will just be added to the main loan and re-payed as usual
- if it ever comes up in interviews saying " I suspended my studies due to covid" sounds a lot better than "I failed 3rd year and had to retake"



The trouble is that I'm embarrassed by this plan, hardly anyone knows I'm going through anything, and I don't want to tell my parents I'm failing. I don't have a list of tragic events I can blame - I've just failed myself somehow.

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