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Advice on degree

Hi, I have completed 2 years of a Geography degree focusing on Human Geography. I have no intention of starting a teaching or environmental career. I am currently on interruption and questioning if I should finish the degree.

During the 2 years I had financial troubles with struggling to pay the rent and eat properly. I was also harassed and abused verbally and physically by other students during this time. This made me commute instead of living near campus.

I have friends who have already graduated from similar social science type degrees and their jobs are very low paid and don't even require a degree strictly.

If I dropped out I think my mum would make me homeless because if she doesn't like what's said she'll say anything to try and control you.

I don't know what to do. Any advice from people who have been in a similar situation?

I'm not sure what career I want, I just know that I want to make alot of money. Making a difference would be nice but no money in those jobs typically
Original post
by eca19jpb
Hi, I have completed 2 years of a Geography degree focusing on Human Geography. I have no intention of starting a teaching or environmental career. I am currently on interruption and questioning if I should finish the degree.

During the 2 years I had financial troubles with struggling to pay the rent and eat properly. I was also harassed and abused verbally and physically by other students during this time. This made me commute instead of living near campus.

I have friends who have already graduated from similar social science type degrees and their jobs are very low paid and don't even require a degree strictly.

If I dropped out I think my mum would make me homeless because if she doesn't like what's said she'll say anything to try and control you.

I don't know what to do. Any advice from people who have been in a similar situation?

I'm not sure what career I want, I just know that I want to make alot of money. Making a difference would be nice but no money in those jobs typically

You've completed two years of your degree, so you may as well try to complete it. Are you final exams this coming May/June?

Or does "currently on interruption" mean you haven't actually started your third year at all yet, so wouldn't graduate for another 18 months? If so, perhaps you could secure a job now and use that to earn some money before returning to uni in September. With some money behind you, you final year would hopefully be less stressful.

How have you done academically, so far?

Although your friends may have secured jobs which didn't need a degree, it might be that their degree will help them with career advancement in the next few years.

If you have "no intention of starting a teaching or environmental career", what was the appeal of studying Geography at uni in the first place?

Reply 2

Original post
by DataVenia
You've completed two years of your degree, so you may as well try to complete it. Are you final exams this coming May/June?
Or does "currently on interruption" mean you haven't actually started your third year at all yet, so wouldn't graduate for another 18 months? If so, perhaps you could secure a job now and use that to earn some money before returning to uni in September. With some money behind you, you final year would hopefully be less stressful.
How have you done academically, so far?
Although your friends may have secured jobs which didn't need a degree, it might be that their degree will help them with career advancement in the next few years.
If you have "no intention of starting a teaching or environmental career", what was the appeal of studying Geography at uni in the first place?

I haven't started 3rd year yet.

Because of the abuse I get really anxious on campus. I even had a couple of psychotic episodes that my parents don't know about. They still don't know that I'm on interruption. I was too scared to tell them because last time my mum didn't like something I said she threatened to make me homeless.

I think Geography appealed because it was the most real world school subject I did. Understanding how the world works excited me because it was about real people and happenings. I always thought I wanted a career that could use this to make a difference but I also want to make big money and difference and money don't go together in jobs usually.

I think the social issues and financial problems are distracting me from thinking clearly about the degree and the value it would have to get me a career making big money

Reply 3

Original post
by eca19jpb
I haven't started 3rd year yet.
Because of the abuse I get really anxious on campus. I even had a couple of psychotic episodes that my parents don't know about. They still don't know that I'm on interruption. I was too scared to tell them because last time my mum didn't like something I said she threatened to make me homeless.
I think Geography appealed because it was the most real world school subject I did. Understanding how the world works excited me because it was about real people and happenings. I always thought I wanted a career that could use this to make a difference but I also want to make big money and difference and money don't go together in jobs usually.
I think the social issues and financial problems are distracting me from thinking clearly about the degree and the value it would have to get me a career making big money

I have scraped a 2.1 by the skin of my teeth in second year
Original post
by eca19jpb
I haven't started 3rd year yet.

Because of the abuse I get really anxious on campus. I even had a couple of psychotic episodes that my parents don't know about. They still don't know that I'm on interruption. I was too scared to tell them because last time my mum didn't like something I said she threatened to make me homeless.

I think Geography appealed because it was the most real world school subject I did. Understanding how the world works excited me because it was about real people and happenings. I always thought I wanted a career that could use this to make a difference but I also want to make big money and difference and money don't go together in jobs usually.

I think the social issues and financial problems are distracting me from thinking clearly about the degree and the value it would have to get me a career making big money

You said earlier that you were "harassed and abused verbally and physically by other students". That's presumably a significant reason why you "get really anxious on campus". Was it people on your course who were giving you grief? Given that you've taken an interruption of studies, they should all have left by the time you rejoin in September, if you opt to do so. Would that make life a little easier?

If your parents don't know you've taken an interruption of studies, are you pretending to go into uni every now and again to keep up the pretence? What are you planning to do in July, when they'd expect you to be graduating?

Reply 5

Original post
by DataVenia
You said earlier that you were "harassed and abused verbally and physically by other students". That's presumably a significant reason why you "get really anxious on campus". Was it people on your course who were giving you grief? Given that you've taken an interruption of studies, they should all have left by the time you rejoin in September, if you opt to do so. Would that make life a little easier?
If your parents don't know you've taken an interruption of studies, are you pretending to go into uni every now and again to keep up the pretence? What are you planning to do in July, when they'd expect you to be graduating?

Oddly enough it was more attacks by random drunk people when I've been walking home from bar work at night. Also people who like to say and do things when their friends or pretty girls are there because it makes them look entertaining.

I want to tell my parents. They don't know about the interruption so whilst searching for work for now I've been keeping up the illusion of uni. I was thinking of telling them before July but not until I have saved some money because if I get kicked out with no money I'm screwed. What do you think of that? Sensible or normal right approach?
Original post
by eca19jpb
Oddly enough it was more attacks by random drunk people when I've been walking home from bar work at night. Also people who like to say and do things when their friends or pretty girls are there because it makes them look entertaining.

I want to tell my parents. They don't know about the interruption so whilst searching for work for now I've been keeping up the illusion of uni. I was thinking of telling them before July but not until I have saved some money because if I get kicked out with no money I'm screwed. What do you think of that? Sensible or normal right approach?

Perhaps you could try avoiding bar work next year, if that tends to result in "attacks by random drunk people".

I understand the desire to maintain the illusion of going to uni whilst you try to sort some things out, including money. I can't say whether or not this is a sensible approach, as it very much depends on your parents.

Would you also try to get your rejoining uni confirmed before letting you parents know too, to give them some peace of mind?

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