Sixth former has no clue what to do at university :)

why is it absolutely mortifying to work full-time from 18

Hello all
I'm a Year 12 student with an upcoming meeting with a school careers advisor, and I'm a little stumped on what I actually want to do at uni. Yes, I definitely want to go, because I am absolutely mortified by the idea of working full-time from 18 onwards and I'd like to have the uni lifestyle.

I'm studying English Literature, Religious Studies and Psychology (and doing an EPQ on postmodern art), and I'd like to go to either Exeter uni (because it's a short enough train ride away from my parents) or a Scottish uni (like Edinburgh, because they have better trans healthcare). I don't mind going to another university though.

My main problem, I guess, is that I don't really know what to do in the future. I think something to do with English Lit would be nice, because I enjoy it lots, but I'm getting a little burnt out from scholarly things so idk if I'd like to be a professor or critic or something. I've thought of being a librarian, so that'd be my best idea currently, though I am pretty scared about the pay being too low for future nation economic crises and things.
Somewhat unrelated, but funeral care/morticianary work has interested me, but that has a lot of communication/conversational skills that my social anxiety disagrees with, and because I'm not taking Biology/PE it'll be difficult to do anything related to enbalming.

I am interested in Anthropology as well, but most courses relating to that demand History (to my knowledge) and its too late for me to change courses now.

Thanks for listening :>

So if you don't know what you want to do, whatever you do, don't go off to university because that is what you think you should do. Why don't you apply to your local library and ask if you can volunteer on a Saturday morning? Why not apply to get a summer job at a funeral parlour and gain some experience?

Ultimately, the only way to find out what you like is to try things you think you might like and give them a go. And if you have a go and discover the way to really hit the ground running is to get a degree, you will still have that option open to you.

Good luck!

Thank you for the kind response.

I suppose you are totally right - I can spend all day thinking about it but it'll never be the same as doing it. It is very scary, but thank you so so much for motivating me :>

Hello all
I'm a Year 12 student with an upcoming meeting with a school careers advisor, and I'm a little stumped on what I actually want to do at uni. Yes, I definitely want to go, because I am absolutely mortified by the idea of working full-time from 18 onwards and I'd like to have the uni lifestyle.

I'm studying English Literature, Religious Studies and Psychology (and doing an EPQ on postmodern art), and I'd like to go to either Exeter uni (because it's a short enough train ride away from my parents) or a Scottish uni (like Edinburgh, because they have better trans healthcare). I don't mind going to another university though.

My main problem, I guess, is that I don't really know what to do in the future. I think something to do with English Lit would be nice, because I enjoy it lots, but I'm getting a little burnt out from scholarly things so idk if I'd like to be a professor or critic or something. I've thought of being a librarian, so that'd be my best idea currently, though I am pretty scared about the pay being too low for future nation economic crises and things.
Somewhat unrelated, but funeral care/morticianary work has interested me, but that has a lot of communication/conversational skills that my social anxiety disagrees with, and because I'm not taking Biology/PE it'll be difficult to do anything related to enbalming.

I am interested in Anthropology as well, but most courses relating to that demand History (to my knowledge) and its too late for me to change courses now.

Thanks for listening :>

The large majority end up in careers that are not related to their degree. I'd strongly suggest picking a uni subject that you think you will enjoy rather than worrying too much about future careers at this stage.

I was talking to a senior partner at an accountancy firm who said that some of the best graduates that he's recruited into his accountancy scheme have had English degrees! I'm not saying that you should be an accountant, but it just demonstrates that in most cases there is no direct link between degree subject and career. In the vast number of cases they just want you to have a 2:1 or 2:2 in any subject.

Absolutely. Back in the day, there was a joke amongst my friends who did philosophy degrees - 'what does a philosophy graduate say?' to which the answer was not 'what is the meaning of like' etc., but 'would you like fries with that'. Then they found out some survey of top city firms at the time that found philosophy degrees were the most sought after by commercial employers.

Not saying you should do philosophy, but there's no need to base what subject you do on what career you think you'll go into. A lot of people end up in completely different careers to what they imagined when they were 16/17/18, and in any case employers are more impressed by how well you do on a traditional course than by what exactly you learned on it. So just do a traditional subject that you find interesting. (By 'traditional' I mean a core subject, such as a natural science subject or a classical humanities subject like philosophy, history or literature (English or classics). Just not something very specific or nouveau - if you don't know what you want to do, do something basic and general to keep your options open).

All the best