Considering packing uni in - where next?

[firg]

Hi all,

Just wanted to lay my thoughts out here, and get some feedback from anyone whos interested.

Im considering packing uni in.

After having done my course (Mechanical Engineering) for a year and now redoing bits of it again, I'm finding that while engineering may be more interesting than an office job, its not really grabbing me as something id enjoy doing.

I hate the course, and the end job will just be what were doing now.

I dont however have any idea of what id rather do. so as it is im a little lost.

I spent the summer doing an office job (data entry at the local college) and I was crawling up the walls after a month.

Only current possibility is an archery coach cause thats my hobby, that thats a part time job, not full time.

Does anyone have any thoughts/suggestions?

Loz
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Ex-'96 Bandit 600S -> '99 Bandit 600 -> K7 V-Strom 650

[killa]

Hi Loz

Not getting a lot to go on from the post, you’re doing mechanical engineering course and you like archery…..

Why did you take on Mechanical?

From that course you could get into CAD, mechanics, machining, designing……but obviously that takes further training, but the engineering is very respected qualification.
I have no idea about archery, but there are a lot of those activity weekend type places that need staff to help out the vistors etc, I doubt the pay is that good, but as part time it might be fun.

Perhaps some more detail on your interests, and why you got into mechanical in the first place.

Killa
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[feef]

just cos you'd have an engineering degree does not mean you'd HAVE to be an engineer.

My Cousin graduated in Mech eng, and is a project manager and consultant for Andersen Consulting, working on IT projects.

Any degree that requires decent numeracy skills, along with logic, and problem-solving skills will put you in demand in a whole host of careers.

a
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[bazza]

[Kaben]

A degree in engineering will make your educational background look solid.

As a technical degree, employers will assume that you have good analytical and maths skills, along with the ability to prioritise tasks.

Having a degree also shows that you are able to stick with something ,see it through and have a "passion" for improving yourself.

I would suggest you keep going mate. Even if you get a 2.2 or a 3rd you will still have a degree and it will help you enormously.

For example, my degree was in Marine Biology. Im not doing that, im a recruitment consultant, but i still needed a degree to get on the grad scheme.
Grad schemes generally offer decent training and development.
You could work somewhere for a year, say to your next employer "I have been trained on this this and this during my grad scheme employment" and they will assume you have been trained up well.

Stick with it, if for nothing else, for the social life
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[TheShaggyDA]

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[firg]

Yeah i spose it makes the most sense to grin and bear it and get the degree over and done with. Tis difficult to work up the motivation to do 9-5 lectures and coursework for the next 3 years when you dont like the course, and find the work mind bendingly difficult

Killa, I got into mech eng simply becuase i couldnt see any other courses that were interesting other than computing which is really oversubscribed too (im in no way arty or that kinda thing).

Other interests - Im a geek through and through and spend most of my time either playing computer games or riding my bike. Hence my lack of ideas of other jobs. When i was younger i had an accident which perforated my ear drums and broke my kneecaps, causing some long term issues, which puts a bit of a bummer on doing something more interesting like scuba diving, or sports related or whatever.

Oh and shaggy, piss off
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Ex-'96 Bandit 600S -> '99 Bandit 600 -> K7 V-Strom 650

[Itchy]

[firg]

Yeah itchy thats really not for me

I think the main reason problem is that im struggling to understand the work along with not finding it interesting in the first place
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Ex-'96 Bandit 600S -> '99 Bandit 600 -> K7 V-Strom 650

[killa]

[firg]

Very good post killa

Youve pretty much outlined the exact thing im wrestling with - If i quit i will have wasted all my time/money, but if i stick with it and then fail when it gets harder later on, then i will have wasted even more. the main thing im struggling with is the shear complexity of the stuff im having to deal with. Yes, if i sacrificed my evenings to just sitting there and working it out i could probably figure it out, but - well after doing a 9-5 days you really just wanna chill

yes i know im whining, and i should grow up and face the real world and have to do some real work for once, but like you said, f*ckit

ill have a look a some job ideas, emergency services does sound interesting, esp ambulance.
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[feef]

[Annabella]

Ok, you're interested in becoming an archery instructor?

This is fairly simple to do, but costs around £300 for the course.


Have you considered taking that further and becoming an outdoors instructor? There are permanent jobs as well as plenty of weekend earners available for people with the right qualifications
Worth looking into.
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[pwntifex]

Where are you studying?
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[EuropeanNC30R...]

In principle I would say stick at it, but it sounds like you've already failed parts of the first year, normal and resit. The second and third years are usually much harder. I've known a few people in the same situation stick out another three years and still come out with a load of debt and no degree.

While you've got a chance to turn it around now, be honest with yourself and if you don't think you can take the massively increased workload of the later years, I would cut my losses.

[The Tot]

Loz,

Haul arse down to singapore or thailand and see what jobs they have on offer there? Expats go a long way with very few to begin with.

If you're finding retaking a year hard, i'd say slog it out. It shows determination and if you're in a place like Lufbra, it's the ideal place for students. I'd think if i were to drop out from such a cool uni, i'd be devestated, but the added benefit that you did mech eng at lufbra is more than enough to have it against your name for you to stay.

Nobody said A levels were easy, but we got through it. Nobody said Uni was easy, but lots of people seemed to pass. It's all about finding that determination the gets things clicking. Trust me, a few people at the uni have all been through what you are feeling. Have chat with your tutor and reasses your situation.

Time to get your balls sorted, straighten up and fly right mate
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[TOM M]

Im kind of in the same situation. Failed me first year at manchester met (business studies) becuase simply i had no interest in the course and couldnt be arsed to work wen it got hard.

Ive now got a year off and cant deceid wether i want to start at a different uni next september. But if i dont i havent got a clue what job i want to do
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[firg]

I've decided I'm going to pack it in. Today was another day where there were constant emials telling me "you need to do this, do that, deadlines soon", more work i dont understand and cant be fucked to do anyway.

I've no interest in the course, so when it gets hard (i.e. strait away) like TomM said, theres no motivation to stick at it.

Currently considering Courier, delivery driver, security guard, something like that. Security guard needs a liscence tho - and my mates dad who was in charge of a security firm just got fired thats a free liscence down the drain.

Possibly a driving instructor, but my cousin recently was trying to do the advanced test and said it was a right bastard. edit: also needs a few more years of having a liscence than i have yet, but its something to look forward too

Anywho, ill have a think and a look round, and i wont leave the uni course till ive found a job so if i dont end up finding anything soon I at least will still get student support/tax breaks until i do. Hell i;ve paid for the tutition (well, nearly), so its a mugs game to then leave and get whacked by council tax and all that other crap. ofc, no benefits either, but meh

I'm gonna stick around the area tho, keep up wth uni friends. Everyone at homes buggered off to uni so no point staying there.

Loz
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Ex-'96 Bandit 600S -> '99 Bandit 600 -> K7 V-Strom 650

[Andy C]

Seriously think about this, ive just started Chemical Engineering and already working my arse off, but its going to be worth it. I know if i get bored of it an engineering degree looks good for job that are unrelated to Engineering. More and more are going into finance now as they know engineers have the right skills.

You have done a year already, just do the Beng and yourll be out in less than 2year, if you though office job sucked for few months, think about doing it for the rest of your life, no real responibility as no degree.

engineering degrees arnt easy, but IMO their worth it
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[firg]

That is the one bit thats been nagging at me AndyC - Someone whos spent 3 years pissing about in an Art degree will be better in the eyes of an employer than me. Sheerly not having a degree will cause many peple to close theyre doors. But then, that is more for office or management jobs that would make me want to blugeon someone anyway.

However, I am pretty certain the engineering degree is beyond my capabilities.

The type of job id be after would be actually doing something, not just administrating.

edit: whilst its nice to have the financial security to piss around for a few months deciding what to do, its really annoying not actually knowing what you want to do
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Ex-'96 Bandit 600S -> '99 Bandit 600 -> K7 V-Strom 650

[Andy C]

its not beond you, you got the grade at A-Level that proved you are good enough for the course. Yes in the second year the work seriously ramps up and i know im going to be f*cked aswell but i think it will be worth it.

i heard a stat that just under 50% of Chemical Engineers (a post grad mentioned in a speach) go into Finance and accounting. Very unrelated but shows that when you come out with a MechEng degree you can go anywhere with it. Employers know it was a hard course and thats why we are so apealing for unrealted career paths.

If you leave now you will have lots of debt and no prospects. Leave in two year with the degree and you be able to go into anything you want, you know it will be worth it
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[firg]

I do see what your saying, and I go off thinking "yeah you can do this, just knuckle down you lazy bum", and then i open the book to do some work and see the sheer enormity of stuff that I have to do and dont understand - this after only 3 weeks of 1st year work. I am not exagerating when i say how out of my depth i am with this stuff - my A level grade was from some tweaking of modules when the new core/pure system was swapped over, i was on line for a D-ish grade otherwise

Its getting to the point where I'd need a dedicated tutor to sit down with me and work out every single problem and clearly wirte down every step, and beleive me, at this uni at least i none of the guys seem to want to put in that kinda time with me (and i dont blame them, they got better stuff to do than try and help some thick-as-shit guy do complicated maths).

I realise I'm whining like a child now, so I'll stop here, cause Ive worked my thoughts out, and can now see my choices. thanks everyone for your input. (except you shaggy )

Loz

P.S. Annabella, thats another thing to add to the list of stuff to check out, didnt relaise you could take it further into a full time outdoor type job
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Ex-'96 Bandit 600S -> '99 Bandit 600 -> K7 V-Strom 650

[TOM M]

The situation is very hard to realise what its like untill youve bene in it. I hated my course with a passion and couldnt motivate myself in any way to do the work.
Id start something / be in the middle of a lecture and get so pissed off with it id be tearing me hair out.

I think if id of stuck with it id made meself ill by the end of the 3 years.

Tbh a degree isnt what it used to be. I know quite a few people without one who have made better career progress and earn a lot more money than people with a degree.
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