Uni Options

[smegballs]

At the beginning of this academic year I started a mechanical engineering course at plymouth uni. This was against my dads advice of "take a year out and get a clear idea of what direction you want to go in before you commit to uni".

As the first year is starting to draw to a close I've got to a stage where I can see my dad's advice was really quite sound. I can admit to myself that this isn't where I want to be, especially not for another two years, I'm not achieving anything like I should be and if I carry on I'm pretty certain of failure.

I can see now that I basically leapt at this course as a reactionary responce to getting low (for what I'm capable of) A-Level results. As a method of at least "doing something". My bad A-Levels were too a result of me not putting in enough any effort due to some sort of demotivation I became afflicted with.

To have a sense of scale I finished GCSE's with 5 stars and 5 A's, I finished A-Levels with a B,C,D in Physics, Chemistry and Maths respectively. During GCSE time I was driven to be the best, unspoken competition with mates etc etc, for some reason during A-Level time apathy sorta kicked in with a "Fuck it" attitude being the net effect.

I want to do a degree at some point but I really have no direction or focus at the moment. I feel as though I am moving through a character moulding part of my life and that my path in the next few years will have a strong effect on the rest of my days. My eyes are being opened in all sorts of ways and I've yet to settle down with a clear perspective of the world.

So far I'm looking at the following 3 main options:

A: Stay on current course, and try to sort head out while on it.

B: Finish off this year and change courses starting this september.

C: Finish off this year and chalk it down to experience. Take a year (or however long it takes) to sort my perspective and mind out and then reapply for uni at a later date.

Option A has the benefit of keeping me in "the system" but I really don't feel engineering is where I want to be. I don't think I can sort my head out (feel like I need a major overhaul) whilst still giving uni a proper go at this time. I can probably muddle my way through for no real gains at the end of it.

Option B has a change of direction, alas little time to decide the new course. I can see option B as just another reactionary responce to a situation I feel uncomfortable with. It would be a change but with so little time to make a positive decision it think it would lead to a repeat of what this year has become - the only change in the course title. On the upside, I would have a change of course whilst staying in the system.

Option C is what I feel instinctively is the right choice. Though it comes with its own set of challenges. I would be leaving the system and I worry that once out it will become very difficult to get back in. I'm not sure about the deal with re-applying for student loans after leaving uni too. Gut feeling says though that things like student loans and other logistics are of little importance compared to getting my head straight and sorted.

So BCF I invite you to reason with me, argue with me and help me find a solution. Of course, there will be a "You were right after all..." talk with my dad but to be honest I think he will be happy that I'm being honest with myself and moving forward. Hell my dad didn't get to uni to well in his 30's so I know it's possible....


Who 664 words above this line, if only I could rattle of essays this quick

Rich

[hmmmnz]

take a year out go travelling, smoke loads of weed and get back into what ever you want next year
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Wiring Diagrams BIDNIP it bitches

[Itchy]

The problem with taking a year out and deciding what you want to do is that you may come back and wonder what it is that you want to do still.

I've been out there travelling my big bike trip was my third trek (went out to China and India for 3 months at a time younger).

Ergo it just delays the inevitable choice that you have to make.

Also remember best laid plans do not work out most of the time. Through your life I think people of our generation will make 4-5 career changes as one industry dies. I expect that the generation after you will make even bigger career changes.

For example accountancy in the 1990s & start of the 00s seemed to be a good thing, three things happened to ruin the party:

Outsourcing suppressed wages massively.

Tons of other people thought the same way which suppressed wages even more.

Software advances keep making people obselete.

Industry accounting is still doing OK though but for how long who knows.

I would note Engineers are not respected or well paid in the UK, ergo it is something which may require you to move overseas.

Note currently I am in the process of leaving accountancy, I do the odd temp job here and there, I've setup a ltd company in HK for a few projects I'm working on but I'm need to do a few things first 10 years ago I would never have considered doing that.
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[panrider_uk]

[Kickstart]

Hi

Personally I would be tempted to say to stay.

Whether you ever get your mind together is another question, and not much point bumming round for a decade while you find out, or your mind wanders more. Personally I would find just wandering off for a year or more would just further destroy any direction or motivation I had. Added to which the younger you are the easier it is to learn.

Changing courses might work, but your head will be in the same state and you have just wasted a year.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[dr evil]

my pal got a degree in forestry,hated it left with a 1st got job as an accountant so id say crack on with your course soon be done
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not laughing anymore

[GhostRider]

Part of this I would say is normal. When I was about to finish my first year I had the same kind of feelings, and didn’t know whether I wanted to continue or whether it was really what I wanted to do. I had never wanted to go to uni in the first place, actually that’s poorly worded, what I should say is that I never had any intention of going to university whilst at college and figured I’d find out what I wanted to do once I got my grades. It was only when flicking through prospectuses that I saw a course that I did find interesting (Pharmaceutical Science) and thought “Fuck yeah, I can dig this”, but still you often have your doubts.

Option A is not an option, it’s hard enough to complete a course when your interested in the work and have a desire to complete it and achieve the best, it will be hell trying to do it when you’re indifferent and don’t have the honest motivational drive – this will be a waste of your years and you may well come out with a 3rd which, whilst most degrees are only good for toilet paper, won’t help you out at all, thus making the whole affair a waste and something you will deeply regret.

Option B could work out but it sounds like uni for you at the moment is just a means to an end, if you happen to stumble across something that appeals to you then it might be a plausible option.

Option C I think is the one to go for. If I had my time again I’d have done this, just to get some life experience – thing is “Life experience” is banded about far too much by young people who haven’t got the age or experience to know exactly what the fuck they are talking about, but I can relate to it now. Thing with uni is you think to yourself that once you finish you’ll take time to do the things you haven’t been able to whilst studying, but this doesn’t happen because you are far too busy trying to get a job to prosper in life and the fact that you have fuck all money and will take a long time to save up money to do anything meaningful, and of course once into a career you will focus all your time to progressing through that to reach the higher echelons. Basically the opportunity to take time out, travel the world, do some soul searching etc is much easier for you now, you can always go back to education, no matter what age, and if you really are interested in doing some kind of degree then you shouldn’t have any problem getting yourself back into education, I just see this as a more sensible thing to do than push yourself through a degree you don’t have the heart for to end up not wanting to do anything related to that degree once you graduate, and then have to join the rat race with the rest of us, such that you get to be 26 and think “What the fuck have I done with my life that’s been worthwhile?”.

Just bear in mind that a degree is largely massaging your intellectual ego rather than being something that brings wealth, a good career and good prospects. There's plenty of people out there with far better careers and financial assets that never even looked in the direction of college, let alone uni and all that shizzle.

GhostRider
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I have all the characteristics of a human being: blood, flesh, skin, hair; but not a single, clear, identifiable emotion, except for greed and disgust. Something horrible is happening inside of me and I don't know why. My nightly bloodlust has overflown into my days. I feel lethal, on the verge of frenzy. I think my mask of sanity is about to slip.

[Visitor Q]

Right, can't be arsed reading the OP properly.

ANY degree is better then none.

You're REALLY not missing any opportunities at the moment, maybe if I'd of skipped uni I could be a well paid drone somewhere (I'd of never done all my other cool shit though), but right now? Fuck all chance of any breaks.

Do the course.

I would LOVE to be back in the warm cosy uni environment again. It's cold out here
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From September 2014 to January/February 2015 I will not be using any English, nor reading any. As such, I won't be on here. PM at will, but I won't be checking/posting unless in emergencies. Certainly not for the first couple of months. Please berate me savagely if I break that rule...

[Aka Matt]

I was in a similar position to you after my first year of uni doing computer science. Now only got a month remaining of my final year and feel that I should have dropped out as university isn't my thing although I am enroute for a first class honours for my degree pending on the result for my dissertation.

You generally have 8 years to complete your degree course from start to end so you could take a year or two out to get your head on straight and go from there. However by doing this, you will be likely to forget a lot of what you have learned from your first year so will be at a disadvantage. The best thing to do would probably be to book a meeting with your year tutor to discuss your feelings of the situation and go from there.

Don't feel bad for wanting to drop out as uni really isn't for everyone and it is a big investment to make which will leave a nice hefty debt over your head for many years to come.
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Current bike(s): 2016 Tuono 1100 Factory, 1998 Hornet 600
Previous: 1998 YZF600R Thundercat, 2001 Bandit 600, 2002 GSX-R 600 K2, 2011 Tuono R, 2013 Z1000SX

[Fawbish]

[GhostRider]

I'd take being a well paid drone over being an underpaid person with a piece of paper saying how great I am.

GhostRider
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I have all the characteristics of a human being: blood, flesh, skin, hair; but not a single, clear, identifiable emotion, except for greed and disgust. Something horrible is happening inside of me and I don't know why. My nightly bloodlust has overflown into my days. I feel lethal, on the verge of frenzy. I think my mask of sanity is about to slip.

[Fawbish]

It's half and half though Ghost.

I wont ever deny that I havent had the experience (the social aspect, I still study there lol) of Uni, and that is possibly one of the only things Im going to regret.

But then I just got my payslip - 4 figures that never fail to bring a smile to my face.
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"Oh....it looks like Average Joe's is forfeiting the match!" - "Yeah, its a risky strategy but lets see if it pays off for 'em Cotton."

[Visitor Q]

My point is, arguably I could of got something decent had I plowed straight from A levels into stuff (although my A levels were shite).
Opportunities were about.

Now? There really isn't. So you're not exactly losing much.
____________________
China traffic/travel bike vid - When I make a sweeping statement, please add the word 'statistically' in to the sentence before you bitch...
From September 2014 to January/February 2015 I will not be using any English, nor reading any. As such, I won't be on here. PM at will, but I won't be checking/posting unless in emergencies. Certainly not for the first couple of months. Please berate me savagely if I break that rule...

[HP]

You are very similar to me except abitolder, i sailed through gcse's a*in pe all the sciences and maths, took a levels and for my first set of modules i got 100% in maths got an a in physics and b's in chemistry and biology. However, i know i won;t keep that up, i can't be bothered to do anything. I fucking hate sixth form and wish i had a job, i need ambition as of now i want to go snowboarding and that is the only plan i have for when i finish sixth form. Loads of kids in my 6th form would have killed to have got my grades as most ended up with u's and e's and they all want to go to uni, i havnt even been to one of the fucking meetings. I am hopefully going to go snowboarding come back and hope i realise i need to get a degree as it would be a waste not to. So my advice would be to leave because if you don't want to do it you will end up failing it as you can't be fucked to try and you would have wasted a shit load of money. So go and do something fun and hopefully when you get back you will have aclear idea of what you want to do.
Cheers Harry

[Visitor Q]

[J0Al1]

I think people either know or dont know what they want to do.

Your lucky to be at Uni and have a place on a decent course. I'd try and make the most of it.

Travelling isn't going to help.

Pal of mine has just got back form an 18 month trip. She was hoping to work out what she wants to do wiht her life, she admitted, she is none the wise... she is 33 btw.

[GhostRider]

[colin1]

The fuck it attitude can be much more dangerous at uni, than at college.

The maths in the 2nd and final year of an engineering degree gets very hard.

You either need to toughen up and knuckle down, or wimp out and choose a course that is less effort.

I made the mistake of hanging in without knuckling down. I came out with a degree, but would have probably have been better off wimping out and doing a course with girls, like english.

I suspect that a 2.1 in media studies will get you further than a pass in engineering.

For one thing, if you come out with a pass degree, you will feel a bit worthless and lose any motivation to chase jobs.

If panrider has any tips on kicking off a career in engineering with a pass degree, pls pm me.
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[Visitor Q]

[Andy C]

[smegballs]

Thanks for the replies, points on both side of the debate.

given

I think my mistake was to hope that engineering involved a fair bit fannying around with bike-related stuff..... Pretty naive to think so eh?


I'm obviously pretty certain that everyone has uni doubts at some time so I definately don't want to rush into something -again....

I think for the moment I will try to end this year with the highest grades possible. I think it is also a good idea to discuss my options with my tutor at uni, as well as go talk to the financey people so I am clear how the logistical things all work out. To be honest I think that finances are definately the easy part to get sorted out, so getting all that out the way leaves the way clear to get at the issue proper.

[GhostRider]

[GhostRider]

[Visitor Q]

[smegballs]