Hating my course in second year

I’m 19 and currently in second year biomedical (4 year course including placement) science. I chose biomed mainly because of my parents pressuring me to do science and partly because of the job prospects. Recently i’ve fallen behind on coursework, been skipping lectures and overall lost all motivation. The idea that i’m now stuck doing something I hate and paying to do it as well has been eating at me and deteriorating my mental health. Recently I’ve discovered a passion for politics and philosophy and would love to switch to a course more in line with that however, I fear that my parents wouldn’t accept this as they see humanities as a waste of student loans and time. Also I think I would have to self fund at least a year of a new course as I’ve already received the first payment of my second year loan.

Reply 1

AidanClarke83

2

Firstly I must ask: after the degree finishes is there a job youd like to do that would need the degree as if there is then this would be a reason for staying on the course. As for leaving, youd only be liable for 25% of the tuition loan until the first day of the second term where it is 50% and 100% from the first day of the third term. what you should ask yourself is if you were to change to a different course like the one you mentioned, would the degree give you what you needed to get a job you would also enjoy and be able to live on as, at the end of the day, uni is a means to an end. Depending on whether you are financially reliant on your parents is another think you need to think about; you said a loan which i assume from the government but what about accommodation and livign costs? you arent too far in to the course to change in my opinion; I left almost immediately and am going to a different uni for a different course soon. All this being said you must do what you feel is right for yourself as if you arent enjoying life then whats the point?

Reply 2

University of Huddersfield

Official Rep

16

Original post by Qwerty2784839937

I’m 19 and currently in second year biomedical (4 year course including placement) science. I chose biomed mainly because of my parents pressuring me to do science and partly because of the job prospects. Recently i’ve fallen behind on coursework, been skipping lectures and overall lost all motivation. The idea that i’m now stuck doing something I hate and paying to do it as well has been eating at me and deteriorating my mental health. Recently I’ve discovered a passion for politics and philosophy and would love to switch to a course more in line with that however, I fear that my parents wouldn’t accept this as they see humanities as a waste of student loans and time. Also I think I would have to self fund at least a year of a new course as I’ve already received the first payment of my second year loan.

Hi @Qwerty2784839937
I’m sorry to hear you’ve not been having a good time with your course. If I were you, I would take some time to think about what you would choose to do if you decide not to study biomed. My first piece of advice is to draw up a pros and cons list. What career prospects lay in wait if you choose to study a humanities course? Is there anything specific you aspire to? Have you spoken to any students on the course to get an idea for what the course content and workload will be like? Is it at all possible you will lose motivation on this other course? These are hard questions, but necessary ones and I think if you take the time to think deeply about what it is that you really want, then I’m sure you’ll find the answer :smile:

I hope this helps!

Estelle
Third Year Psychology Student
University of Huddersfield

Original post by Qwerty2784839937

I’m 19 and currently in second year biomedical (4 year course including placement) science. I chose biomed mainly because of my parents pressuring me to do science and partly because of the job prospects. Recently i’ve fallen behind on coursework, been skipping lectures and overall lost all motivation. The idea that i’m now stuck doing something I hate and paying to do it as well has been eating at me and deteriorating my mental health. Recently I’ve discovered a passion for politics and philosophy and would love to switch to a course more in line with that however, I fear that my parents wouldn’t accept this as they see humanities as a waste of student loans and time. Also I think I would have to self fund at least a year of a new course as I’ve already received the first payment of my second year loan.

Hey there @Qwerty2784839937 !

Sorry to hear you've been feeling like this, it's never an easy position to be in. There's a lot of pressure to immediately go straight to university after college and sometimes it's not the right path for everyone. You should never do something because you've been pressured into it. You've got to have a genuine passion for it to make it worthwhile. At the end of the day, would you rather go into final year knowing you don't like it and owing a further 9 grand in student loan debt, or leave knowing you've done what's best for you and you won't have more debt to pay back? There is absolutely nothing wrong with dropping out, especially in your case where you've given it a really good go.

I would suggest before making an impulsive decision to weigh up all your other options. Could it be that you need a year away from it? If so you could always power through it and then try and get a placement year next year. You might find that by the end of it you're ready to go back to education. Is it because the content you're doing at the moment isn't your forte? Have you got more exciting modules coming up rather than the ones you're doing right now? Could you just be feeling a bit burnt out from all the studying and extra work that it's putting you off the course in general? I imagine there would be the same amount of work in a politics or philosophy degree. I wouldn't let your parents be a deciding factor in your decision because at the end of the day it's your happiness and the rest of your life not theirs. I imagine they wouldn't want to see you miserable for the rest of your life and if it actually came down to it, with the right conversation about how you're feeling, would support you.

Hope this helped, try not to stress about it. Just weigh up your options and go from there!
Lucy - Digital Student Ambassador SHU

Reply 4

Lancaster Student Ambassador

Official Rep

15

Original post by Qwerty2784839937

I’m 19 and currently in second year biomedical (4 year course including placement) science. I chose biomed mainly because of my parents pressuring me to do science and partly because of the job prospects. Recently i’ve fallen behind on coursework, been skipping lectures and overall lost all motivation. The idea that i’m now stuck doing something I hate and paying to do it as well has been eating at me and deteriorating my mental health. Recently I’ve discovered a passion for politics and philosophy and would love to switch to a course more in line with that however, I fear that my parents wouldn’t accept this as they see humanities as a waste of student loans and time. Also I think I would have to self fund at least a year of a new course as I’ve already received the first payment of my second year loan.

Hey @Qwerty2784839937,

That sounds like a really difficult situation to be in. The thing is, job prospects are arguably not worth factoring in if it's a job you don't want to be working - if you're struggling to engage with the lectures or feel excited and motivated about your course, that's what you'd be doing in your job everyday. And that's not to scare you! As corny as it sounds, you've got to go with what you'd be happy studying for three years working late nights in the library, and working in for the rest of your life - at the end of the day, you've got to submit that coursework and show up to work every day, not your parents! You've said you don't feel like you're getting the most of your money on your current course or are really able to engage with things, so your money could be better invested in a course that does make you feel passionate. It's a lot harder to do well in something you don't care about or makes you really stressed out. But really, this is a dilemma so many people at uni face even getting into their third year or postgrad, you're absolutely not alone and there is support there if you know where to look.

I would definitely recommend contacting your department to inquire if it's too late in the year to switch degree courses. I'd also get in touch with the department you're hoping to transfer to. They'll be able to give you a specific answer or time frames you need to work within.

I'd also suggest contacting Student Finance themselves as well, for individualised information on course funding. However, if you're able to switch early enough and the course you're transferring to is the same length and has the same tuition cost, your first year could be counted as your 'bonus' year, and the three years of your new course could be SFE-funded. That really depends on whether or not the departments will allow you to switch and in what timescales.

Good luck, hope this helps!

Millie
Lancaster Student Ambassador, 3rd Year Psychology BSc

Hating my course in second year

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