Dropping out barely a week in?

I’m doing my pgce. I’ve put serious thought into it over the course of two years and have heard all the horror stories about workload and such. I’ve transitioned from a creative bachelors and honestly it’s already overwhelming. I’ve barely started and placements don’t begin for a few more weeks and I’m up with anxiety every night. I have a few mental conditions aswell as physical and was cleared as fit to teach but also feel like an imposter because I feel so overwhelmed with anxiety and negative emotions towards the course. The staff and students are all lovely, the university is amazing I just don’t feel like I’m fit to become a teacher and it’s scary because I’ve come this far already. I also don’t want to look stupid dropping out this early. I’ve considered trying to stick to it until my placement begins so I can see if I still feel this way but my mental health is in shambles. I know I already have one degree but I feel like such a failure if I leave.
What’s anyone’s thoughts on this? Has anyone done something similar or thinking the same?

Reply 1

BCU Student Rep

Official Rep

Original post by strawberigateau

Hi @strawberigateau

I am sorry to hear you are feeling this way.

I am currently in my third year of uni and have secured a place on a PGCE to start next September. I am not going to lie, I am also full of anxiety thinking about the workload and how much strain is going to be put on my mental health doing a PGCE. And once I qualify I worry if I would make it as a teacher.*

But I think a lot of that came from reading other students’ complaints and negative experiences (I am in a lot of PGCE/ECT Facebook groups). I decided none of it was helpful so I have left a few of them now.

And it is true that being a teacher is no easy task but the one thing that keeps most teachers going is the rewarding aspects that come with teaching. Such as building relationships with students, helping them achieve their goals, making a difference, and going home feeling good about yourself.*

These are all things that you would not have experienced yet so no wonder you are feeling like an imposter and anxious about the job. I think it is definitely worth waiting until you are on placement and get a feel of what it would be like to be a teacher. But bear in mind that a PGCE is not a true representation of what being a qualified teacher is like (I am basing this off of all the TikToks I have watched of past PGCE students).*

I hope some of this is helpful, I wish you all the very best and good luck!

Anastasia,
BCU Student Rep.