Just dropped out

Sounds silly but I feel like I've thrown my future away a bit lol, university was absolute hell for me and I hated the course. Honestly it was kind of disheartening cus I really thought I would love the course but it didn't turn out as I expected. Not in terms of the course, it was pretty similar to what I expected, but in terms of how I felt about it. It was my dream to study that subject. I have other dreams but I'm worried that, if I pursue them, it will just be like university has been - something I thought I'd love and ended up hating. I don't know if I have enough passion for anything. Sorry this is kind of depressing lol, it's just how I feel. I feel glad that I gave uni a go though, at least I can know it wasn't for me, rather than always question and wonder. I would possibly return in a few years time but only if I felt it was necessary for a certain job/ career. Thanks for reading if you read this far. :smile:

Reply 1

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

Sometimes you have to go and try it and it doesn't work out. I did that, and ended up eventually leaving my course for a variety of factors (issues with the university in question's lack of support, ongoing mental health challenges, increasing disillusionment with my subject compounded by the previous factors) and when I finally decided I was going to withdraw it was, although disappointing in some way, a huge relief.

So I left, and went and worked for a few years and tried to also improve other things in my life. Didn't always go to plan and there were challenges but after a while I realised I did indeed want to continue my higher education studies, just not in that area. So I took some time to explore stuff academically while I continued working and eventually did a shorter qualification to have some recent study then returned to degree level study (part time this time, as in my case I had been on the original degree too long to get full funding for a new full time course) and I found I was much happier this time round in higher education (and much more focused and driven with my work!) :smile:

It's not all been a basket of roses (balancing part time study, part time work, and commuting is pretty challenging) but my point is: it's definitely possible and entirely reasonable to leave higher education if it's not working for you right now, then return later and have a much better experience :h: