Am I being egotistical

Don't hate yourself; don't assume other 18 y/o students have it all figured out (regardless of how it may appear to you from the outside); and don't measure your journey by others. It's not a race to see who gets there first, and sometimes the longer, windy path is the better path. For many years, I have been an attorney in a global law firm dominated by top graduates from top universities, and I can't tell you how many associates and partners continue to question their life choices. They would be the first to tell you that they don't have it all figured out, in spite of all outward appearances to the contrary. I'm at the point in my career where I could retire tomorrow should I so choose, and I can't claim to have it figured out. Cut yourself a little slack, make a decision, and then whatever that decision is, try to make the best of it.

tbh, I can't lie, I'm not fond of the city either... I literally clung to the campus the entire time I was there. The on-campus accom is lovely and feels nice and segregated from the city, but the actual city is so rough.

Damn is that what Nottingham's like now? I was going to apply there

In fairness, neither Leamington Spa nor Coventry are exactly Renaissance-era Florence

So... last year I attended Uni of Nottingham for the academic year 2022/2023 and let's just say, it's not what I expected.
When I applied to uni last year, I applied to all RGs bc I thought that guaranteed I'd be in a top top uni, surrounded by people on a similar level to me academically. On the open day, Notts looked really good, so I firmed .
But from the very first few weeks and esp after spending a year there, I've learnt that it is not the academic environment I was looking for. Moreover, I'm surrounded by people with mostly B's and C's, even D's and a few E's too (there are some A students here and there).. This is very much reflected in their attitudes too - all they seem to do is party. I'm all for having fun, but I need that balance too.
I may be imagining this part, but I feel the quality of the students there is reflected in the quality of the departments and the teaching, i.e. not so good.
It seems most of the people around me got in on very reduced offers or through clearing, which is a blow because I worked hard for my grades. I'm all for contextual offers bc people with great potential often have difficult circumstances (I've had a fair few myself), but to be surrounded mostly by people who don't seem to care much about their education and have gotten in on the bare minimum, sometimes well below it, is very disheartening. I know uni is what you make of it, but I get influenced very easily by those around me. If I stay in an env such as that, my education will suffer. In terms of the sports/friends/campus/place, I've been very happy. But my education is going to ****.

So, is it egotistical to say that I feel I could go somewhere better with my grades(A*AAB)?


Honest opinions, and please be harsh if need be

Do what you FEEL is best

My (old man) advice is to prioritize your mental health. Especially when you’re young, it seems like everyone is on an uninterrupted straight path towards a defined destination. That is almost never true. Life happens for everyone and it happens in different ways, and some of the most successful people I know have had the twistiest of paths. It’s not a race to see who gets out of the starting blocks the fastest. It’s about stumbling, recovering, putting one fit in front of the other, and finishing strong. While we all want the easy clear path, victory is sweeter when you had to overcome. Wishing you all the best.

I find myself in almost total agreement with Trinculo and hotpud here.

As an aside, I have read at Oxford and their freshers are the same as freshers everywhere else I have read/worked. So whilst the academic atmosphere on the institutional side is a bit different, the undergrad behaviour is basically the same.

I don't have an issue with notts as a whole, more the specific dept I was in. Like I say I think notts is very strong for certain subjects. At this moment, with my MH as a priority, I feel that despite this, the best for me would be to continue to study that same course despite my misgivings because I can't deal with any more instability or change given my current state. Doesn't matter anymore anyways, since that dept won't let me study with them anymore and I'm being forced to start a whole new course which i don't feel ready to take on, and unless some miracle by which I become instantly stronger and capable of study, I'm almost certainly going to have to interrupt. That was always least attractive to me - losing a year. It's exactly what I DON'T want.

Why are you so set against a year out of it?

You don't have to answer that 8f it's too personal.

I only did my undergrad degree in my mid 20s after jibbing university off after a few weeks when I was 18, so I don't really understand the rush.

hmm, ig I kind of want to get on with my life? I already had 2 gap years pre-uni due to health complications (covid), and then last year was my first year at uni (though it doesn't count since I didn't complete the year), and if I take out this year, then my first year will begin next September. I just want to study, I'm tired of part-time jobs and feeling at a dead end - I just want to move on and be productive. I want to be back in education.

So... last year I attended Uni of Nottingham for the academic year 2022/2023 and let's just say, it's not what I expected.
When I applied to uni last year, I applied to all RGs bc I thought that guaranteed I'd be in a top top uni, surrounded by people on a similar level to me academically. On the open day, Notts looked really good, so I firmed .
But from the very first few weeks and esp after spending a year there, I've learnt that it is not the academic environment I was looking for. Moreover, I'm surrounded by people with mostly B's and C's, even D's and a few E's too (there are some A students here and there).. This is very much reflected in their attitudes too - all they seem to do is party. I'm all for having fun, but I need that balance too.
I may be imagining this part, but I feel the quality of the students there is reflected in the quality of the departments and the teaching, i.e. not so good.
It seems most of the people around me got in on very reduced offers or through clearing, which is a blow because I worked hard for my grades. I'm all for contextual offers bc people with great potential often have difficult circumstances (I've had a fair few myself), but to be surrounded mostly by people who don't seem to care much about their education and have gotten in on the bare minimum, sometimes well below it, is very disheartening. I know uni is what you make of it, but I get influenced very easily by those around me. If I stay in an env such as that, my education will suffer. In terms of the sports/friends/campus/place, I've been very happy. But my education is going to ****.

So, is it egotistical to say that I feel I could go somewhere better with my grades(A*AAB)?


Honest opinions, and please be harsh if need be

Gosh - I wish I'd just listened to everyone. Chasing prestige and all that BS is so ridiculous when my mental health was so bad. I should've focused on what I can handle in the present instead of being obsessed with the future or trying to fix the past. I wish I'd just stuck to my old course, because right now my mental health is so bad that I literally cannot even think about taking on a new course or starting over at a new uni. I just need the stability and to be out of the decision making stage.

I hate myself and wish I'd listened to those who gave me the harsh but honest truth - that because my mental health is bad and I'm so uncertain, the best thing to do is stick with what I have bc throwing myself back into uncertainty will make things infintely worse.

I've tried and tried with my uni to transfer back to my old course - I've even offered evidence of my poor MH, they literally don't give a ****. Their bottom line is, you transferred to a diff course and we are not obligated to admit you to our course (uni policy says no dept is required to accept a student). But I literally had the transfer processed about 10months ago and I'm being held to such an old decision, made at a time when my situation and priorities were different, and when I could not possibly have predicted what state I'd be in right now. Additionally, though I know they're not obligated, I had hoped that my wellbeing as a student and the uni's duty of care towards me would overshadow this - instead they're citing it as the main and only reason. They have places on the course, missed work is not an issue since I covered it last year and got a mark for it, I obvs meet the entry requirements and there has been no misconduct towards anyone from me. They are basically prioritising their bottom line over me. They are honestly one of the worst, least supportive depts (as evidenced by 40-50 people dropping out of it last year) at the uni (basicallt they're fine until you have a problem or need smth from them). My personal tutor was amazing but besides him, they've been pretty ****. In contrast, the new course dept are amazing, a thousand times more supportive and generally some of the loveliest staff I've met. So you can imagine, I must really feel I need to transfer back if I'm willing to go from such an amazing dept. to a much worse one.

Like I really, really need this.