Really hating university and 2 years in

Eoin_McLove

The three guys from my year who did a Philosophy degree absolutely hated it too, and one of those went to Cambridge.

If you're reading anything of Adorno's, I can perfectly understand why you've come to feel this way.

At least with Philosophy, it's one of those subjects - like History - which opens up doors to anything you like, because you acquire so many transferrable skills which employers are after.

studentphil

I have added to the philosophy by taking management modules and you are actively encouraged to take IT skills stuff as well. I am lucky that the department does offer a few modules about teaching philosophy. So I am set up in a strongish position to go into teaching and business. It is not like I have no good openings at the end of it.

KRUPPMANN

I went down this road some years ago and would strongly advise you against quitting. If you go ahead, you will have to explain that big gap in your CV at each and every interview. When you are fighting for that hotly contested position, it will do you no favours. Seeing out what you have started will demonstrate good personal qualities in the future. If you can do this now, chances are you won't shy away from unpleasant but essential aspects of your future work.

As has been said, the degree is first and foremost a demonstration of your academic ability. Where you go afterwards will often be totally unrelated to what you read at university.

You have also invested too much to walk away now with nothing. I always regretted quitting, and it made my life difficult afterwards. Eventually I bit the bullet and read law with the OU. It took 6 years whilst working full time and I have only just graduated. Guess what? I have no intention of going into law, but the effort has already paid dividends in my existing career.


Finish what you've started, bank the credit and take it from there. Good luck!

ollyshaw

I agree with some of the other posters, finish the degree! At the uni i work at this means 24 weeks more, not much really. Once you have completed then you can do a masters in another subject, or get some on the job training.

Good luck

Olly

reehsetin

i know exactly how you feel pretty much just finished my first year and i really just dont want to go back - i hate it and i know i wont be doing well - ive always been good academically but uni i just cant do it - i cant

lellie

Eoin_McLove wrote:

What kind of history are you studying? There were some parts of my BA in which I wasn't particularly interested, but on the whole I really enjoyed it. It just depends on the university.

The MA in Holocaust Studies is interdisciplinary: history (obviously!), philosophy, literature, and film; so it's good if you want to study more than just the pure history of the Holocaust. I've always loved studying Nazism and the Holocaust since my GCSEs, so it was the perfect MA for me to do after my History degree, particularly because at the time I wanted to do a PhD on antisemitism, Holocaust-denial, and the BNP. I highly recommend it if you're slightly interested. The lecturers are world-renowned experts, so you're taught by the big daddies. Have a look here: http://www.rhul.ac.uk/German/research/Research%20Centre%20Holocaust.htm Also, Royal Holloway, University of London was ranked 12th in the country by The Times this year. :j

thanks.. I've done a few different things, but none of the courses are really what I'm interested in.. I've always enjoyed studying the holocaust before.. and I've been interested in a lot of local history too - british history - particulary victorian, but there's not really been any opportunity to do it. I've done lots of boring economic history and I'm just fed up of it.

studentphil

I could take my 240 credits like to the OU, but it is a lot of hastle I tink to transfer for such a short time/

kittiwoz

reehsetin wrote:

i know exactly how you feel pretty much just finished my first year and i really just dont want to go back - i hate it and i know i wont be doing well - ive always been good academically but uni i just cant do it - i cant

Then don't. If you're only one year in and hating it better to quit now than end up wasting more time. If you are interested in other courses make direct approaches to the course leaders. If you are interested in any courses that have some commanality there is a good chance at this point that you will be able to transfer credits, particularly if you transfer within the same university, since many courses within quite broad areas share a lot of common ground in the first year but diverge after that.

To the OP: I agree you might be best to stick it out at this point. See if there are any postgrad courses you can do that will take you in a direction you are more interested in. I did a degree in Mechanical Engineering, which I ended up hating, and am now studying Industrial Design which is a more arts-based course. I'd say knuckle down and get the qualification, then use it to your advantage so you can get into what really interests you at a higher level than if you were going into it straight form school.

tomstickland

I really enjoyed my first degree, but totally hated my PhD. I binned the PhD after 7 months and once I'd decided to bin it I was so happy, it was like a big load released. If you can just focus for 10 months and come out with a decent result, then I'd suggest just getting on with it; set targets and treat it like a peverse game where pain doesn't matter. Then get on with the rest of your life.

Eoin_McLove

tomstickland wrote:

I was so happy, it was like a big load released.

I know that feeling; it makes me happy too.