Has anyone left uni? Did you regret it? And a few more questions.

firesidemaid

you sound like you need to see the world and see some life outside education - don't be apprehensive, there's no time in life for that.....

maybe get a working visa and go to australia, or europe, or volunteer on a project such as vso etc

let us know how you get on......

pinkskittles

Thea's_Mummy wrote:

Good luck for the future. I'm sure your Dad will "come round". Us parents can be strange creatures but we usually have good intentions , we just don't always get it right !!;)

^hehe, I bloody hope so! He never spoke to me for three months when he found out that I had dropped my art AS level (even though I was doing 4 others). thank god my mother is sort of on my side!

right, one more thing. i'm going tomorrow... though i don't really know where to start as far as withdrawing from the course is concerned. what i want to do is defer my entry, so that if my love for english lit. is somehow rekindled in the next few months, then i have something to fall back on. are they likely to let me do that? considering my grade for the first semester were very good?

also, will i get any kind of acknowledgement in the form of a certificate or what-not, to say that i attended for three months?

no worries if people can't answer, i will find out tomorrow xx

Steedandpeelcats

Hi - I've just read this thread and would like to say well done to you for making this tough decision. I began a degree in biology in 1997 at 18, and did it for two years before I even considered quitting, even though I was struggling, failing exams and hated it. I think it was because i enjoyed other aspects of uni. When I decided to quit it all took about a week and it was done! It was the right decision, and also the first genuinely adult decision I'd ever taken. I didn't go home afterwards - I have my own life that wasn't just connected to uni. I didn't have a problem finding a job and temped for ages before doing a secretarial course and getting full time work. A few years ago I descovered what I really wanted to do. I quit work and went to uni, even though the course was 4 years long. Now I'm just a few months away from completing my masters and I got a first for my undergraduate degree. This is because I'm studying for something I love. I think too many people just go for the sake of it or because it's expected. I think that you should not be allowed to go to uni until you are at least 20! Anyway, well done on your decision, and as for your Dad, well you're an adult and it's your decision.

Haynonnie

Good luck pinkskittles - maybe just the change of name from a downbeat one to a happy one will cheer you up!

I think I would agree with others on here that you should get out into the world of work and see how you get on - you can always go back to HE later on. Your university days should be the best time of your life and it's a shame that you're so unhappy there. Life is too short to throw time away like that - you should do what you feel is right for you and nobody else

sazzacat, Martine1081 and moped_mark - I'm also doing BSc Biomedical Science full-time but as a mature student (41!) and because I had no A levels I am doing a 4 year "extended degree" which has a year tacked on at the beginning to bring you up to speed with study skills etc. I'm a qualified Veterinary Nurse by profession but fancied a change in direction and have always really enjoyed lab work in practice. I'm loving every minute of my course and I'm sure I will get a lot out of it being older and more motivated

Could I ask you how easy it is in your experience to get voluntary/part-time work in a lab - either hospital or commercial?

firesidemaid

Haynonnie wrote:

Could I ask you how easy it is in your experience to get voluntary/part-time work in a lab - either hospital or commercial?

hi there. good for you - i take it you are full time? if you are happy doing the work voluntarily (non-paid), most nhs labs would probably love to have you. otherwise, you could try and get a temp job as a lab assistant over the summer busy period - either directly with a lab or through a temping agency, depending on where you live.

i would draft a covering letter and a copy of your cv and send it to any local hospital lab you would like to work in and ask them to consider you for paid work over the summer. are you fussed which discipline yet?

greyskittles

Haynonnie wrote:

Good luck pinkskittles - maybe just the change of name from a downbeat one to a happy one will cheer you up!

I think I would agree with others on here that you should get out into the world of work and see how you get on - you can always go back to HE later on. Your university days should be the best time of your life and it's a shame that you're so unhappy there. Life is too short to throw time away like that - you should do what you feel is right for you and nobody else

sazzacat, Martine1081 and moped_mark - I'm also doing BSc Biomedical Science full-time but as a mature student (41!) and because I had no A levels I am doing a 4 year "extended degree" which has a year tacked on at the beginning to bring you up to speed with study skills etc. I'm a qualified Veterinary Nurse by profession but fancied a change in direction and have always really enjoyed lab work in practice. I'm loving every minute of my course and I'm sure I will get a lot out of it being older and more motivated

Could I ask you how easy it is in your experience to get voluntary/part-time work in a lab - either hospital or commercial?

I couldn't help but change it again to something a little less upbeat... haha.

but yes, I'm glad I've come to a decision. The person who deals with course suspension is ill, but I've emailed her, and so hopefully it should be sorted soon!

I loved lab work when I did my biology A level, so all this talk of lab work really appeals to me. though I doubt I'd get a job, with me not doing a bio-related degree..? I think that if I go back to uni, it will be to do biology &/or psychology - I want to do something logical rather than creative xx

Impet_Limpet

you are best writting to the lab you are interest in working in.

if you are doing an institute of biomedical sciences accreditied degree your university shuld actively encourage to to take 1 year our to work in a biomed lab in the NHS during this time you get a bursary to cover your living costs.

If you feel you can do it look out for Lab assistant jobs, some labs now cover extended hours and are looking for people to work in the evenings and some weekends part time.

what geographacal (sorry about the spelling i've had a beer or two! )area are you based in?

Impet_Limpet

greyskittles wrote:

I loved lab work when I did my biology A level, so all this talk of lab work really appeals to me. though I doubt I'd get a job, with me not doing a bio-related degree..? I think that if I go back to uni, it will be to do biology &/or psychology - I want to do something logical rather than creative xx

Lab assistant jobs in the NHS only require GCSEs, but there can be a fair bit of competition.

Maybe a scientific modern apprenticeship could be good for you - I went from school to north west water (unitied utilities now) and worked in their state of the art water testing lab for 4 years. I got the job based on good science grades (well BB at GSCE) and enthusiasm!


why don't you try and find some lab jobs?

greyskittles

what geographacal (sorry about the spelling i've had a beer or two! )area are you based in?

North East of England... close to Newcastle

Lab assistant jobs in the NHS only require GCSEs, but there can be a fair bit of competition.

Maybe a scientific modern apprenticeship could be good for you - I went from school to north west water (unitied utilities now) and worked in their state of the art water testing lab for 4 years. I got the job based on good science grades (well BB at GSCE) and enthusiasm!


why don't you try and find some lab jobs?

I will most definitely keep my eyes peeled. I have two As in GCSE science, and a B in biology at A level... I just hope that it's not the school leavers who get all of these jobs :P Ah the fun I had dissecting cockroaches last year on a Friday morning... I miss it. Though I understand that it probably won't be anywhere near as fun as that, hehe.

It seems that jobs in hospitals, etc are very well paid in comparison to regular shop work. I was looking through the NHS careers thing, and a secretary vacansy had a salary £16-20k! Might not seem a lot to some, but it is a lot to someone that has never worked in their life (ahem... me).

Haynonnie

Hey greyskittles - now you're taking the pee! Perhaps you can revert back to pink when you've made "the decision" to cut and run!

sazzacat & Martine1081 - thanks for your replies

The degree is accreditted and full-time but doesn't include a sandwich year as the norm. I think I'm a bit hesitant about applying for work in a lab because my tutor seemed to think it best to wait until 2nd year before a lab would take on a student. On the other hand, I do have a bit of experience of hands on lab work, and I suppose there's no harm in trying. Thanks for the advice.

No I'm not sure which discipline yet although microbiology was a favourite in the vet's lab - and it's maybe a bit more hands on than biochemistry/haematology which seem to be very heavily automated now - doesn't that get boring? Not sure about histology as I have little experience in that area - we used to send all those bits to an outside lab.

Will perhaps try for summer work at the hospital - I just didn't want to seem too pushy.

I'm in Milton Keynes area if anybody knows where else might be worth trying?