Considering a Voluntary Interruption of Studies

12

hello,
I've been experiencing some pretty severe mental health issues including quite destructive alcoholism since the start of second year, and my tutor has suggested pausing my degree, taking a year away and then coming back this time next year to resume my degree. I was very high performing last year, but my attendance is now very bad and I am getting lower grades. I am taking history and absolutely love the subject, so pausing would give me time to get better so I can properly engage. However I am wondering how this impacts maintenance loans for the rest of my degree. If I do decide to pause, I would be trying to work full time while I am away, but I am still worried about paying rent on the house I will be leaving to go home, and I'm scared that my loans won't restart when I come back. I also have great housemates and friends and a boyfriend who is graduating this year, so I would be scared to leave that all behind for a year and come back to be not as close to them as they are to each other. I can't make my mind up and I'm very conflicted. Moving back home is not the end of the world but I worry I would feel isolated. Does anyone have any advice? :smile:

Reply 1

Manchester Met - Student Rep

Official Rep

16

Original post

by sunsetvall3y

hello,
I've been experiencing some pretty severe mental health issues including quite destructive alcoholism since the start of second year, and my tutor has suggested pausing my degree, taking a year away and then coming back this time next year to resume my degree. I was very high performing last year, but my attendance is now very bad and I am getting lower grades. I am taking history and absolutely love the subject, so pausing would give me time to get better so I can properly engage. However I am wondering how this impacts maintenance loans for the rest of my degree. If I do decide to pause, I would be trying to work full time while I am away, but I am still worried about paying rent on the house I will be leaving to go home, and I'm scared that my loans won't restart when I come back. I also have great housemates and friends and a boyfriend who is graduating this year, so I would be scared to leave that all behind for a year and come back to be not as close to them as they are to each other. I can't make my mind up and I'm very conflicted. Moving back home is not the end of the world but I worry I would feel isolated. Does anyone have any advice? :smile:

Hi @sunsetvall3y ,
I am so sorry to hear you are going through such a difficult time. It takes a lot of courage to be this open about your struggles, and it’s clear you care deeply about your History degree.

Here's my advice on your situation:

•

Financial & Loan Expert Advice: Since you are worried about maintenance loans and rent, the best people to talk to are the Student Money Advice Team or the Student Union Advice Centre at your uni. They can give you exact details on how an interruption affects your funding and help you navigate the contracts for your current housing.

•

The Wellbeing Team: Your tutor has already suggested a pause, but the university's wellbeing or counselling services can help you work through the emotional side of this decision.

•

Prioritising Health: Your health is the most important thing. Taking a break to get better isn't "falling behind", it's making sure you can actually enjoy and finish your degree when you're ready.

My best advice is to speak with the finance advisors first, so you have the facts about your loans. Having that information might take some of the pressure off your decision.

Hope this helps!😊
Rachel
(Third Year)
Undergraduate Multimedia Journalism

Reply 2

Username123ab

17

Also a recovering alcoholic at uni (final year), I considered taking a year out but decided against it and honestly wish I had taken the year out. As far as I know and how it is at my uni, if you decide to take a year out, you won't get any maintenance loan for the rest of the year but you won't have to immediately pay back what you've had so far (like as in you'll just pay it back normally when you're earning over the threshold), and when you go back after your year out, you'll just start receiving maintenance loans again calculated the same way. For your house, your best bet would be finding someone to take over your tenancy but might be pretty difficult at this point in the year. Best of luck x

Reply 3

Kingston Eve

Official Rep

13

Original post

by sunsetvall3y

hello,
I've been experiencing some pretty severe mental health issues including quite destructive alcoholism since the start of second year, and my tutor has suggested pausing my degree, taking a year away and then coming back this time next year to resume my degree. I was very high performing last year, but my attendance is now very bad and I am getting lower grades. I am taking history and absolutely love the subject, so pausing would give me time to get better so I can properly engage. However I am wondering how this impacts maintenance loans for the rest of my degree. If I do decide to pause, I would be trying to work full time while I am away, but I am still worried about paying rent on the house I will be leaving to go home, and I'm scared that my loans won't restart when I come back. I also have great housemates and friends and a boyfriend who is graduating this year, so I would be scared to leave that all behind for a year and come back to be not as close to them as they are to each other. I can't make my mind up and I'm very conflicted. Moving back home is not the end of the world but I worry I would feel isolated. Does anyone have any advice? :smile:

Hi @sunsetvall3y,

I'm sorry to hear you've been having a difficult time over these past few months and commend you for considering your options going forward. Whilst your concerns about taking a year out are understandable, you've already pointed out some of the benefits - you'll likely return in a much better headspace, leading to higher grades and better engagement with your studies.

As mentioned above, definitely speak with your university's finance team regarding the maintenance loan. Taking a year out isn't uncommon, so ensuring your loan restarts when you return shouldn't be too difficult to arrange with the right support. Maybe also reach out to your university's careers service for guidance on securing a full-time job during your year out.

Hope this helps and best of luck,
Eve (Kingston Rep).

Reply 4

sunsetvall3y

OP

12

Original post

by Username123ab

Also a recovering alcoholic at uni (final year), I considered taking a year out but decided against it and honestly wish I had taken the year out. As far as I know and how it is at my uni, if you decide to take a year out, you won't get any maintenance loan for the rest of the year but you won't have to immediately pay back what you've had so far (like as in you'll just pay it back normally when you're earning over the threshold), and when you go back after your year out, you'll just start receiving maintenance loans again calculated the same way. For your house, your best bet would be finding someone to take over your tenancy but might be pretty difficult at this point in the year. Best of luck x

Thank you so much, it's great to hear from the same perspective. Can I ask why you wish you had? At the moment I'm leaning far more on the side of not taking a year away. I've been thinking a lot, and often I end up becoming mentally worse at home and drink a lot more, and wonder if moving back would just be trying to escape issues but would end up making them worse xx

Reply 5

Username123ab

17

Original post

by sunsetvall3y

Thank you so much, it's great to hear from the same perspective. Can I ask why you wish you had? At the moment I'm leaning far more on the side of not taking a year away. I've been thinking a lot, and often I end up becoming mentally worse at home and drink a lot more, and wonder if moving back would just be trying to escape issues but would end up making them worse xx

Largely decided against it because of worry of what my family would think and because it was looking like I had failed my year abroad so if I took a year out it would've took me 5 years to complete a 3 year degree. At the time I was also confident I could help myself and a year out would've just been time sat at home for no good reason. At the time I wouldn't have really been in the mindset to actually get any benefit out of taking the year out. I now wish I had taken it because the same problems reoccurred in my final year and I'm now trying to balance all that with my studies and impending exams.

If going back home straight away isn't ideal, would it be possible for you stay in your uni accom but still take the time out of your studies, start getting treatment in your uni city then move back home in a better state of mind by summer? Most student housing would still class you as a student during the year out, and seeing as you've already signed the contract and moved in, I can't imagine them asking you to leave.

Considering a Voluntary Interruption of Studies

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