How essential is undergrad work experience?

I do law with French law at Oxford, currently on my year abroad (year 3/4) so I should be applying for things like vac schemes now. I enjoy studying law but have no clue what I want to do when I leave uni and atm I'm procrastinating applying for any kind of work experience. My mental health has took a major downturn this year and many other problems in my life have exacerbated by living alone in a foreign country and at this point I'm just about keeping up with my studying but have very little time and space for anything else.

I'm not looking for people to tell me to drop out of uni as I'm able to keep up with the studying, it would just be piling other things on top of that which lead to me being overwhelmed and unable to cope. I've also realised I don't really want to be a solicitor or barrister as I don't do well in brutal, competitive, or aggressive environments and wouldn't do well with the lack of work/life balance. But other than that I'm lost for what I want to do.

How essential is having work experience as an undergrad really? Would it be possible for me to put that on hold, just focus on my studying and sorting out other things in my life and only start looking for jobs after uni and still end up with a semi decent career? Or is not getting work experience by this summer a recipe for lifelong failure? I really can't think of any career I can see myself doing at this point and I'm completely lost and overwhelmed at the thought of having to face gruelling interview processes for vac schemes and the like at the minute.

Reply 1

Stiffy Byng

Original post

by Username123ab

I do law with French law at Oxford, currently on my year abroad (year 3/4) so I should be applying for things like vac schemes now. I enjoy studying law but have no clue what I want to do when I leave uni and atm I'm procrastinating applying for any kind of work experience. My mental health has took a major downturn this year and many other problems in my life have exacerbated by living alone in a foreign country and at this point I'm just about keeping up with my studying but have very little time and space for anything else.
I'm not looking for people to tell me to drop out of uni as I'm able to keep up with the studying, it would just be piling other things on top of that which lead to me being overwhelmed and unable to cope. I've also realised I don't really want to be a solicitor or barrister as I don't do well in brutal, competitive, or aggressive environments and wouldn't do well with the lack of work/life balance. But other than that I'm lost for what I want to do.
How essential is having work experience as an undergrad really? Would it be possible for me to put that on hold, just focus on my studying and sorting out other things in my life and only start looking for jobs after uni and still end up with a semi decent career? Or is not getting work experience by this summer a recipe for lifelong failure? I really can't think of any career I can see myself doing at this point and I'm completely lost and overwhelmed at the thought of having to face gruelling interview processes for vac schemes and the like at the minute.

Nothing that you do this year is a recipe for a lifetime of anything, whether success or failure.

I suggest that you focus on your wellbeing and your studies.

There is no point is seeking work experience until you have a view on what you wish to do. It could take a few months or a few years for you to figure that out, and in the meantime you could do interim jobs and maybe travel if you can gather the funds to do so, or learn something new, whether an academic thing or a practical thing.

I suggest that you stay away from law firm vac schemes. You don't wish to work in a law firm, so don't put yourself through a needless challenge.

Give yourself time to think and to explore possibilities. If you like studying, maybe study more. Or maybe try your hand at something physical, and/or a creative thing.

Good luck!

Reply 2

chalks

I echo @Stiffy Byng's thoughts.

I assume you have sought assistance for your mental health issues? The scenario you have described of feeling overwhelmed, anxious and lonely would indicate the possibility of some form of depressive condition: but I am in no position to form a view on that. If you haven't sought some assistance, then please do so.

Try not to allow concerns for the future derail the present. Try and take some form of enjoyment out of the small things in your current life: perhaps the simple joy of sitting having a coffee in a pavement cafe in France.Think about all the amazing things you have achieved to date: securing a place at Oxford is no mean feat and you clearly have enormous potential. All of us come across moments in our lives where we need to pause, take stock, evaluate our options and move forwards. Perhaps this is one of those moments for you. You have decades of living and working ahead of you, so don't rush to jump on the same conveyor belt that your peers have. Allowing yourself this time to think will pay dividends in the future, so leave the vac scheme scrum to one side, and focus on your own wellbeing.