The Student Room Group

Should I just quit uni?

I'll simplify my position by making a pros/cons list of staying at uni:

Cons:
-I'm not enjoying my course, there are elements which interest me, but generally I find it very boring.
-I'm very, very behind with my work (due, in the main, to said uninterest in course, but also to do with laziness/crippling lethargy).
-I'm unable to catch up with what I've missed because I'm finding the stuff impossible to read, because... well.. I just hate it. I really, really hate it.


Pros:
-I'm studying a prestigious subject, at a prestigious institution, and am in a position that many would kill for.
-I'm good at it, when I try. I've not gotten less than a high 2:1 for any essay so far.
-I know I'm capable of learning the stuff, if I can find the motivation to study.
-It'll get me a good job at the end of it, if I do well.
-I've made some nice friends.
-The prospect of the tuition fee debt for a wasted year is pretty annoying, plus my parents have spent about £500 on books, which would also go to waste.
-People are expecting so much from me. I know I'll be disappointing them if I drop out. This was such a big thing, for everyone else.



So there are more 'pros', but the cons are more valid, I think...So what do I do... stick it out for 3 years, even though I hate it? Or lose a lot of my prospects because I wasn't disciplined enough to go through with it..I'm scared of doing something rash, and regretting it, so any advice is welcome, please :smile:

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Reply 1
Though there are more pros than cons, it's important to consider what those are. Essentially, it's you hating the course, but wanting to carry on because you want other people to be impressed, and you're worried that they'll be disappointed if you drop out?
You have to live for yourself - it doesn't matter what other people think, and you'll only be wasting MORE money if you carry on without being happy.
Do you have a course you would definately enjoy doing next time or wish you were doing? if not I would stick at it.
Reply 3
If it really is a prestigious subject, at a prestigious institution and you're good at it, and the pro's outweigh the cons....I personally would stick at it.
Na, stick it out. Everyone has times where they hate what they're doing, doesnt mean you should quit. Everyone gets tired and fed up with stuff, but it gets better.

Put the work in and get the work/play balance right and you'll enjoy it better.

My friend last year irritated me somewhat - she passed all her exams, was starting to enjoy living away from home and made a few friends on her course. So the logical step she then took was to quit, go work in a berry-packing factory and has now been paid off so she's on a cruise spending the last of the money she earned at work. She lives in an area where its almost impossible to get work and hasnt applied for any courses next year. All because she didnt like her first year course-material - despite the fact she had been told it would gravitate towards her subject later on.
Reply 5
me personally, if didn't like my course i would drop out or try and change it

I couldn't spend 3 years on a course i hate

but hey thats me, do what you feel is best xx
Dogkicker91
Do you have a course you would definately enjoy doing next time or wish you were doing? if not I would stick at it.



History. Or political history if I can find that course near me.

Which is why I'm worried. I'm not sure where either of those degrees would take me. And as I don't know what I want to do with my life (which is probably part of the problem), I don't know if it's a good idea.
everyone gets this in the middle to end of terms, unless you're feeling it constantly for at least 6 months, stick with it. Have you got deadlines or something? because its only first year, it doesn't count, so don't stress yourself out too much. even if it does count it doesn't really matter if you're getting 2.1's most of the time.
Danielle89
Na, stick it out. Everyone has times where they hate what they're doing, doesnt mean you should quit. Everyone gets tired and fed up with stuff, but it gets better.

Put the work in and get the work/play balance right and you'll enjoy it better.

My friend last year irritated me somewhat - she passed all her exams, was starting to enjoy living away from home and made a few friends on her course. So the logical step she then took was to quit, go work in a berry-packing factory and has now been paid off so she's on a cruise spending the last of the money she earned at work. She lives in an area where its almost impossible to get work and hasnt applied for any courses next year. All because she didnt like her first year course-material - despite the fact she had been told it would gravitate towards her subject later on.



The thing is, I think it's more than a general 'being fed up' feeling. I don't enjoy it, at all. I haven't since I started. I really believe I chose the wrong subject, and I probably chose it for the wrong reasons.

The balance though... I definitely need to work on. I have very little self-discipline, plus I'm pretty lazy. I blagged my a-levels, I'm not the studious type. The only reason I ever did well is because it came easy to me.. but uni isn't going to be such a fluke.
thesuperficial
everyone gets this in the middle to end of terms, unless you're feeling it constantly for at least 6 months, stick with it. Have you got deadlines or something? because its only first year, it doesn't count, so don't stress yourself out too much. even if it does count it doesn't really matter if you're getting 2.1's most of the time.



I've been like it since I started, which was only 2 months ago.. but it's not very promising. & my first year counts (12%).

I'm getting 2:1s, but that's for essays. I don't think I'm engaged enough with the material to make myself remember it all for exams.
If it's the subject you hate then why don't you look into different subjects that you might enjoy more? It seems a shame to throw away such an opportunity.
missygeorgia
If it's the subject you hate then why don't you look into different subjects that you might enjoy more? It seems a shame to throw away such an opportunity.




-I'm studying a prestigious subject, at a prestigious institution, and am in a position that many would kill for.
-I'm good at it, when I try. I've not gotten less than a high 2:1 for any essay so far.
-I know I'm capable of learning the stuff, if I can find the motivation to study.
-It'll get me a good job at the end of it, if I do well.
-I've made some nice friends.
-The prospect of the tuition fee debt for a wasted year is pretty annoying, plus my parents have spent about £500 on books, which would also go to waste.
-People are expecting so much from me. I know I'll be disappointing them if I drop out. This was such a big thing, for everyone else.


I know they all seem like ... superficial reasons.. but, they are still my reasons, if that makes sense, and enough to make me consider this to be a bad move. I would definitely reapply again for next year if I quit (I have a subject I'd prefer), but making that step is very difficult.
What subject are you doing?

to be honest, a lot of people are like you in 1st and even 2nd year, especially people who did well at school with not very much work. I hated my course until 3rd year, but I stuck with it because the other options weren't good. A lot of that was to do with the fact that I was so used to automatically doing well, that having to try made me shut down. Also, because i was doing a joint degree I couldn't pick any modules in either my 1st or 2nd year, but when i got to 3rd year i picked them all and really liked it. Compulsory modules suck.

There must have been a few right reasons for picking the course?
Reply 13
if u quite uni and get a full time job and work 40 + hours u will notice why uni is alot better..
thesuperficial
What subject are you doing?

to be honest, a lot of people are like you in 1st and even 2nd year, especially people who did well at school with not very much work. I hated my course until 3rd year, but I stuck with it because the other options weren't good. A lot of that was to do with the fact that I was so used to automatically doing well, that having to try made me shut down. Also, because i was doing a joint degree I couldn't pick any modules in either my 1st or 2nd year, but when i got to 3rd year i picked them all and really liked it. Compulsory modules suck.

There must have been a few right reasons for picking the course?



:yep:

I'm studying law. And I chose it well... partially because I thought I was interested in it. Partially because I was in a rush with my UCAS form. And mostly because it's a good subject, and looks good to have a degree in it.

History... I don't know. Doesn't look as good to have, BUT I enjoy it. I read history material in my own time. In fact, I probably read more history books than I do law books, which is slightly worrying.
thisisyesterday
-I'm studying a prestigious subject, at a prestigious institution, and am in a position that many would kill for.
-I'm good at it, when I try. I've not gotten less than a high 2:1 for any essay so far.
-I know I'm capable of learning the stuff, if I can find the motivation to study.
-It'll get me a good job at the end of it, if I do well.
-I've made some nice friends.
-The prospect of the tuition fee debt for a wasted year is pretty annoying, plus my parents have spent about £500 on books, which would also go to waste.
-People are expecting so much from me. I know I'll be disappointing them if I drop out. This was such a big thing, for everyone else.


I know they all seem like ... superficial reasons.. but, they are still my reasons, if that makes sense, and enough to make me consider this to be a bad move. I would definitely reapply again for next year if I quit (I have a subject I'd prefer), but making that step is very difficult.


Oh right, well if you'd definitely reapply then I'd quit if I were you. I think you should give yourself at least a bit more time though to make sure you've made the right decision. You can always sell your books second hand, and buy your books next year second hand. And it's not like you're a drop out in the derogatory sense because you'll be returning to uni anyway.
Reply 16
change course?
would you enjoy it if you had to study it though? and you couldn't just do the bits that you enjoyed enough to do in your own time?

Can you see yourself being involved in Law when you graduate? maybe human rights, or something which involved your liking history?

Can you do a module of history or something? or switch to a joint degree?

Do you think you'll find Law more interesting when you can specialise?

You're right that its good to have a degree in it, i'd kill for one now.
I'd stick at it. It sounds mainly to me that you're simply lacking motivation. Are you sure you're not interested in the course because of your lack of motivation and because your behind, not vice versa? Often when people fall behind with work they find it more stressful and less of an enjoyment and simply more like, "It's something I have to do."

Talk to a tutor, see what they think. If you say you're doing very well in the subject, and it's a good course at a good University, then it would be a shame to drop out after putting so much work into it and after sitting through so many lectures and talks. If you've started it, and you're halfway there, you might as well finish it. And you can always continue in education after you're completed your degree.
thesuperficial
would you enjoy it if you had to study it though? and you couldn't just do the bits that you enjoyed enough to do in your own time?


Yeah, I've considered this a lot, and I think it's very possible that I would lose my passion for it if I were 'forced' to read it... I think, I'm just not the studious type, unless I choose to do something of my own accord.

thesuperficial
Can you see yourself being involved in Law when you graduate? maybe human rights, or something which involved your liking history?


Possibly. But I don't know if I want to be a lawyer. I really don't know what I want, which is part of my difficulty..

thesuperficial
Can you do a module of history or something? or switch to a joint degree?


They offer a module option of 'Soviet law' next year, which I think I'll take. Looks really interesting. Unfortunately no, I can't do a joint degree (I already looked into this)

thesuperficial
Do you think you'll find Law more interesting when you can specialise?


I like criminal law, and if I did become a lawyer I would go into this area. I would find it more interesting if it were *just* that, yes.

thesuperficial
You're right that its good to have a degree in it, i'd kill for one now.


Yeah, and I'm worried that if I quit I'll regret it....