University help

Hi everyone I am a 1st undergrad studying cyber security and I’m not enjoying the course. 3 weeks into. I am struggling with the phython, I lack interest in the course and unsure whether it’s for me.

I have just finished gap year so am struggling being back in the classroom.

I am considering to switch to accounting and finance however my uni are proving no support and keep passing me about for every different question like have inky said

Reply 1

UniofReadingPG

Official Rep

Hey! A student from University of Reading here. Sorry to hear your first year has been a bit tough. Starting uni after a gap year can be a big adjustment, and it’s totally okay to feel unsure early on. You’re definitely not alone in that.

If you’re thinking about switching to Accounting and Finance, I can share a bit about the course here at Reading. It’s a really well-rounded programme that blends practical financial skills with a strong understanding of business and economics. You’ll cover topics like financial reporting, management accounting, corporate finance, and even some data analysis but don’t worry, it’s not all heavy coding! There’s a good balance between theory and application, and the modules build up gradually so you’re not thrown in at the deep end.

Our uni also offers lots of mentoring schemes and you can schedule time in with an academic to discuss topics you are unsure about which I think is super helpful.
I hope you find the support you need, please feel to message if you have any questions!

Reply 2

University of Bath

Official Rep

Original post

by Hi81828383

Hi everyone I am a 1st undergrad studying cyber security and I’m not enjoying the course. 3 weeks into. I am struggling with the phython, I lack interest in the course and unsure whether it’s for me.
I have just finished gap year so am struggling being back in the classroom.
I am considering to switch to accounting and finance however my uni are proving no support and keep passing me about for every different question like have inky said

Hi there,

I'm sorry to hear you aren't enjoying your time so far. Have you spoken to your personal tutor / personal development teacher / academic advisor about this? If you have given the course a chance and are really not enjoying it then this is the kind of question they can support you with. If not, then perhaps try and track down your head of year and see if they can offer any support with your situation.

I hope this helps and you get what you want out of your next steps 🙂

Reply 3

Kingston Zhi En

Official Rep

Original post

by Hi81828383

Hi everyone I am a 1st undergrad studying cyber security and I’m not enjoying the course. 3 weeks into. I am struggling with the phython, I lack interest in the course and unsure whether it’s for me.
I have just finished gap year so am struggling being back in the classroom.
I am considering to switch to accounting and finance however my uni are proving no support and keep passing me about for every different question like have inky said

Hi there @Hi81828383 ,

I am so sorry to hear about the difficulties you are facing with your course 😢.
Are you considering switching unis or would like to change courses internally?
Like what the others have mentioned, the first person you should contact is your Personal Development tutor, if not you can also contact your course leader or head of department.

If you are thinking of transferring to another university, you should also reach out to their admissions or faculty to see what are your next steps. I hope this helps and wish you the best of luck in your decision.

Zhi En
(Kingston Student Rep.)

Reply 4

De Montfort University

Official Rep

Original post

by Hi81828383

Hi everyone I am a 1st undergrad studying cyber security and I’m not enjoying the course. 3 weeks into. I am struggling with the phython, I lack interest in the course and unsure whether it’s for me.
I have just finished gap year so am struggling being back in the classroom.
I am considering to switch to accounting and finance however my uni are proving no support and keep passing me about for every different question like have inky said

Hi there,

I am Ilya, a third year Cyber Security student at De Montfort University.

Struggling with Python is understandable, I would advise to go through W3schools materials on Python, they are incredibly good: https://www.w3schools.com/python/
I am sure you are not the only one struggling, so please do not be too hard on yourself - we have all been there, so feel free to reach out if you need some help. Additional resource I can recommend is this incredible book "Effective Python" by Slatkin.

Speaking of having no interest in the course - you might actually feel like that because your university's programme lacks proper high-view introduction to security concepts and Cyber Security as a whole. I found following book really interesting and inspiring, and it's the book that actually motivated me to study Cyber Security: "Cybersecurity: What You Need to Know About Computer and Cyber Security ..." by Lester Evans.

Regarding switching the course - because Accounting and Finance, and Cyber Security are likely parts of different faculties, it might actually be a struggle to switch. At DMU the process would be as follows: speak to your faculty and inform them about your decision and check if switching is at all possible, then speak to the faculty which includes accounting to see if they are happy to take you. And only then the transfer process could be initiated.

Please let me know if you have any questions, or if you want to come over to DMU for an Open Day to see that Cyber Security can actually be fun :smile:

Ilya
Cyber Security student at De Montfort University

Reply 5

EssexStudentRep

Official Rep

Original post

by Hi81828383

Hi everyone I am a 1st undergrad studying cyber security and I’m not enjoying the course. 3 weeks into. I am struggling with the phython, I lack interest in the course and unsure whether it’s for me.
I have just finished gap year so am struggling being back in the classroom.
I am considering to switch to accounting and finance however my uni are proving no support and keep passing me about for every different question like have inky said

Hi @Hi81828383 👋

I am sorry to hear that. Have you talked to your personal tutor at all as they are the best source of contact for you? I suggest talking to them first and then looking at other universities and talking to their departments and admissions to figure out what to do next. I hope it goes well and good luck 🙂

Essex Student Rep- Lavanya 💜