please help :( Burnt Out Degree Apprentice - Mental Health Issues

Hi, appreciate your time
I'd be really grateful if you can help with my scenario below :smile:

I am currently a year 3 (out of 5) degree apprentice, working for a start up engineering company, in an intense busy role. I’m 21.
Over the last few years or so, I've started a business, which I am now realising I want to be my primary focus, and have lost interest in continuing my engineering degree and role. I still have a passion for the subject, and may return in a few years, but as of now, engineering and university does not contribute anything towards what I'd like to achieve in 4-5 years time, so I don't see the point in doing it.

At the minute, my daily routine is up at 7am, get to the office and arrive home for about 6.30pm. Sometimes I have the burden of doing university work during intense term times and this then puts me on 15+ hour days doing work and university, both of which don’t even contribute to what I want! Add the business into the mix, and a few other personal matters, and I’ve found myself working ludicrous hours over the last 2 years or so but for what benefit!- and voila - burnout.

I’m 21, I can afford the risk of leaving my job and uni, and getting another job to pay for my life in the mean time which is less hours and closer to home/ work from home, I’m just trying to find another role which is more suitable, but just need to hang in there with this one until something else lands. —— My Problem is:

University is now reaching the final stages of the academic year, and I really have no motivation to continue, I don’t want to spend 10+ unproductive days staring at my laptop screen not being able to get anything done and the scroll of other things that come with it. I’m very stuck now, I have a looming deadline in 3 days which I’ve only done 15% of, my mental health is really bad, I’m starting to get really really bad addictions and my physical health is in poor state, currently have an eye infection and a few other rolling issues. Still have 2 months left, 4-5 assignments to hand in including the one this week, and 3 in-person exams to sit.

Have tried taking breaks, and doing things I enjoy, but unfortunately, the reality sits where it is, and when I get back into work the intense workload, and university deadlines are still there, with no progress made. I’m now revolting doing business work, and my business progress is slowing down to an intense workload, and a burned out person stood at the front of it. I don’t mean to be very complaint-full or negative, sorry if it comes across that way, just want to be brutally honest, and take opinion.

Not really sure what I want from posting this, any help much appreciated community!

Reply 1

ollielee

Original post by Anonymous

Hi, appreciate your time
I'd be really grateful if you can help with my scenario below :smile:

I am currently a year 3 (out of 5) degree apprentice, working for a start up engineering company, in an intense busy role. I’m 21.
Over the last few years or so, I've started a business, which I am now realising I want to be my primary focus, and have lost interest in continuing my engineering degree and role. I still have a passion for the subject, and may return in a few years, but as of now, engineering and university does not contribute anything towards what I'd like to achieve in 4-5 years time, so I don't see the point in doing it.
At the minute, my daily routine is up at 7am, get to the office and arrive home for about 6.30pm. Sometimes I have the burden of doing university work during intense term times and this then puts me on 15+ hour days doing work and university, both of which don’t even contribute to what I want! Add the business into the mix, and a few other personal matters, and I’ve found myself working ludicrous hours over the last 2 years or so but for what benefit!- and voila - burnout.
I’m 21, I can afford the risk of leaving my job and uni, and getting another job to pay for my life in the mean time which is less hours and closer to home/ work from home, I’m just trying to find another role which is more suitable, but just need to hang in there with this one until something else lands. —— My Problem is:
University is now reaching the final stages of the academic year, and I really have no motivation to continue, I don’t want to spend 10+ unproductive days staring at my laptop screen not being able to get anything done and the scroll of other things that come with it. I’m very stuck now, I have a looming deadline in 3 days which I’ve only done 15% of, my mental health is really bad, I’m starting to get really really bad addictions and my physical health is in poor state, currently have an eye infection and a few other rolling issues. Still have 2 months left, 4-5 assignments to hand in including the one this week, and 3 in-person exams to sit.
Have tried taking breaks, and doing things I enjoy, but unfortunately, the reality sits where it is, and when I get back into work the intense workload, and university deadlines are still there, with no progress made. I’m now revolting doing business work, and my business progress is slowing down to an intense workload, and a burned out person stood at the front of it. I don’t mean to be very complaint-full or negative, sorry if it comes across that way, just want to be brutally honest, and take opinion.
Not really sure what I want from posting this, any help much appreciated community!

Hey,

Sounds like you're under a lot of pressure and really struggling. Degree apprenticeships are hard work even if you're loving every second of it so I appreciate that it must feel even harder when you see no point.

As an outsider there's a few things I'd put out there. Firstly, your mental and physical health should come first. I don't know to what extent you've spoken to your employer or apprenticeship provider about how you feel, but there should be systems in place to help get you extensions on deadlines if you're struggling. And if the workload is intense and you don't have enough time for uni work, then I would like to think your workplace can help alleviate some of that.

I can appreciate how 2 years until the end of your apprenticeship seems like a huge effort that's not worth it. For me the value of having a degree at the end of it, no matter whether it's relevant to your short term goals, seems like it will be worth it. It depends how much you want to risk not needing it ever again. But that doesn't mean you should if it's going to ruin your mental health. I think it's something to make a careful decision about but that doesn't mean the right solution is for you to finish. I think only you can answer that though.

Finally, this time of year is cr*p for anyone at uni - apprentice or not. If you can finish that final push hopefully you'll have a summer break to relax a bit more. A bit of time off in the summer might do the trick.

Most importantly though, don't be afraid to ask for help. No one needs to be a hero and your health should always come first. Reach out to me if you need to.

If you need, Samaritans are great if you just need to get stuff off your chest and someone to listen judgement free. https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/