I accidentally fixed a problem at uni and now I'm stuck. What would you do?

Hey everyone,
I'm a Master's student in the UK and have a serious dilemma.
My initial timetable had a brutal 5+ hour commute each way twice a week, so I asked the university to change my class group.

While waiting for their reply, I settled into my original group, made friends, and was even elected Student Representative. This role comes with a strong reference letter, which seems like a big career asset here in my international student opinion.

Four days ago, the university finally approved my request and moved me to a new group with classes on Wednesday and Thursday so I will have to commute once a week. I have surprisingly found the commute okay for some reason as I use it as a focus capsule and get things done.
So now I have to choose:

* Option A: Stay. Keep my friends, the Student Rep role, and the valuable reference letter, but endure the commute.

* Option B: Move. Get the easy commute I wanted, but lose the Rep position, the reference, and have to start from scratch making friends in a class where everyone's already settled.

I got what I asked for, but now I'm not sure it's what I want. Am I overvaluing the rep role and friendships, or would I be crazy to give them up for an easier travel day?

Any advice would be massively appreciated!

TL;DR: Asked uni to change my schedule due to commute. While waiting, I made friends and became Student Rep (with a reference letter perk). Uni just approved the change. Now I have to choose: keep the friends/rep role and the bad commute, or take the easy commute and lose it all. Help!

Reply 1

University of Bath

Official Rep

Hi there Deepkaleodoscope,

This sounds like a real dilemma and its good that you've opened up about it.

Making friends at uni is 100% possible for everyone but it can be a little slow initially, and so its really good that you've already made some friends and even been elected to a significant class position - kudos for this!

In terms of your dilemma, I'd encourage you to ask yourself:

Is the long commute significantly affecting your wellbeing?
Is it affecting your mental health or your ability to study? Or do you not mind it too much?
If you had to continue with this commute to your current class group, how would you feel?
Is there anything you can do to make it a better experience for yourself, for example using the time to sleep, listen to music, read, look through lecture slides?

It really depends on how much the commute is affecting you - if it is impacting your wellbeing then perhaps moving would be a good idea - I would suggest that you put your health and happiness first. However having a good friend group and contributing to the student voice can also have a strong positive influence on your wellbeing - its about finding what is the best option for your overall experience, and no one is better at judging that then you.

Have you tried writing a staying VS moving pros and cons list to see if that helps?

I hope this helps a bit, very best of luck whatever you decide 🙂

University of Bath

Reply 2

hallamstudents

Official Rep

Original post

by Deepkaleidoscope

Hey everyone,
I'm a Master's student in the UK and have a serious dilemma.
My initial timetable had a brutal 5+ hour commute each way twice a week, so I asked the university to change my class group.
While waiting for their reply, I settled into my original group, made friends, and was even elected Student Representative. This role comes with a strong reference letter, which seems like a big career asset here in my international student opinion.
Four days ago, the university finally approved my request and moved me to a new group with classes on Wednesday and Thursday so I will have to commute once a week. I have surprisingly found the commute okay for some reason as I use it as a focus capsule and get things done.
So now I have to choose:
* Option A: Stay. Keep my friends, the Student Rep role, and the valuable reference letter, but endure the commute.
* Option B: Move. Get the easy commute I wanted, but lose the Rep position, the reference, and have to start from scratch making friends in a class where everyone's already settled.
I got what I asked for, but now I'm not sure it's what I want. Am I overvaluing the rep role and friendships, or would I be crazy to give them up for an easier travel day?
Any advice would be massively appreciated!
TL;DR: Asked uni to change my schedule due to commute. While waiting, I made friends and became Student Rep (with a reference letter perk). Uni just approved the change. Now I have to choose: keep the friends/rep role and the bad commute, or take the easy commute and lose it all. Help!

Hi there,

This sounds like a tricky decision and I can see why you might be a bit stressed about choosing!

I think that the only thing that can really make up your mind is the commute. Now you have done the commute, you can see whether you think you would be able to do it twice a week, or if you think this would be too tricky for you.

It sounds like in an ideal world, you would like to stay in the group that you are in already which sounds like a good idea as you have made connections there and got a role which would be good for you now, and in the future! However, 5 hours each way twice a week will be quite tricky and even if you get some work done it sounds like it will be quite draining.

I agree that writing a pros and cons list sounds like a good idea. I always think that writing things down really helps me when I am struggling to make a decision so I think this would be good.

I also agree that your well-being is the main thing. Do you think the the commute will really exhaust you? It is also important that you are able to concentrate while you are at uni so you don't want to be too tired to do this.

If you think you will be able to concentrate and work at uni still, and the commute isn't affecting you too much, it sounds like you would be happy staying in the class you are in. However, if you choose to change, I am sure that you will make new friends as it sounds like you tend to make friends quite easily!

I hope some of this helps,

Lucy -SHU student ambassador 🙂

Reply 3

PG Study Chester

Original post

by Deepkaleidoscope

Hey everyone,
I'm a Master's student in the UK and have a serious dilemma.
My initial timetable had a brutal 5+ hour commute each way twice a week, so I asked the university to change my class group.
While waiting for their reply, I settled into my original group, made friends, and was even elected Student Representative. This role comes with a strong reference letter, which seems like a big career asset here in my international student opinion.
Four days ago, the university finally approved my request and moved me to a new group with classes on Wednesday and Thursday so I will have to commute once a week. I have surprisingly found the commute okay for some reason as I use it as a focus capsule and get things done.
So now I have to choose:
* Option A: Stay. Keep my friends, the Student Rep role, and the valuable reference letter, but endure the commute.
* Option B: Move. Get the easy commute I wanted, but lose the Rep position, the reference, and have to start from scratch making friends in a class where everyone's already settled.
I got what I asked for, but now I'm not sure it's what I want. Am I overvaluing the rep role and friendships, or would I be crazy to give them up for an easier travel day?
Any advice would be massively appreciated!
TL;DR: Asked uni to change my schedule due to commute. While waiting, I made friends and became Student Rep (with a reference letter perk). Uni just approved the change. Now I have to choose: keep the friends/rep role and the bad commute, or take the easy commute and lose it all. Help!

Hi @Deepkaleidoscope

This is a hard decision to make and I can see that either way the solution isn't that favourable for you. But I do think that it's really important to think hard before making the decision. As the previous replies have said, your mental health is vital here as if that begins to suffer then it will impact on so much, as well as your health and well being, but also your studies too. In terms of having to join a new class and make new friends, this is probably the easy bit! I am sure that you will soon make friends when you get to know the other students and there are ways of integrating yourself into a new class - you could suggest coffee or lunch after a class, a group study session in the library, a night out as a group etc. Whilst you wouldn't see your old classmates in class any longer, you would still be able to see them, though it would take a bit more planning, but you could suggest get together meals out etc.

In terms of the class rep position, could you put yourself forward as rep for the new class you would be joining? If that isn't an option, could you request a reference letter for the work you have already done as a class rep? This ought to be acknowledged and you might be able to still receive some credit for the work that you have done so far.
If neither of these are possible options, then it really is a matter for you - is it worth going through a long commute for this letter? Ask yourself if the letter is going to be really so valuable in your long term career prospects. If you think that yes, then potentially you will have to remain in the original class, but if you question its value, you could consider the move to the other class.

Finally and most significantly is the issue of the commute. How do you find the long commute? Does it affect your well being and mental health as the other replies asked? I have a one hour commute on the train or bus and I use this time to read journal articles and chapters. I find it can be quite useful but my commute is much shorter and far less tiring. I think that this is the main decision to make, can you persevere with the long commute, without making yourself too tired, affect your well being and working potential? It is a really personal decision as everyone is different, but good luck with making it,

Jess
PhD English
University of Chester