16 Feb 2021

I felt so much pressure to go to uni.

My friends had their post-school life planned down to a tee. My parents told me I needed to study hard and go to uni to land a decent job. My career counsellor didn’t even tell me I had options, she just shoved a uni brochure in my face and sent me on my merry way.

Truth is, I studied hard and I got into uni. Everyone was so proud of me. My parents beamed with joy, my friends coordinated our timetables and all my teachers congratulated me.

But I hated it. I hated travelling so far, I hated lectures, I hated the growing debt, I hated group assignments, I hated all my subjects and I hated not knowing a single person. I was a small fish in a freaking ocean, and I hated it.

 

If you’re tossing up accepting an offer, or if you’re a day, week or even years into a uni degree and you’re not feelin’ good vibes...I’m here to tell you that it’s totally okay to throw in the towel.

Your parents, friends and careers counsellor don’t have to sit your exams or slog through assignments on three hours sleep and a Redbull. You do. So if you’re not enjoying yourself, or you realise it isn’t for you, it’s never too late to call it quits.

At the end of the day, you’ve gotta do something you’re passionate about. So here’s  some other ideas worth considering that maybe your career counsellor didn’t mention.

Defer

So you’ve studied your bum off, graduated, got a red hot ATAR and got an offer to study at your dream uni? That’s awesome, but it’s totally okay to decide ‘nope, this isn’t what I want’.

There’s no shame in deferring. It’s actually the perfect option if you’re unsure about heading to uni, or if you need a break from your studies to clear ya head.

It basically means you’ll put your offer or degree on hold for six months to a year which gives you time to travel, or work or just get your shit together.

Take a gap year

Road-trips, fezzies, moving to a foreign land, dodgy hostels, finding romance and making new mates... gap years are bliss.

While gap years are usually synonymous with travel they also don’t have to be. It’s the perfect opp to find yourself and your passions. You could pick up a part time gig and gain some sweet financial independence. You could learn a new language, volunteer, read more books or write one, take a pottery class, learn to do a handstand or to play the violin. After 13 years of schooling, gap years are a chance to invest in yourself.

Swap to a VET career

If you still want to learn but don’t wanna be stuck in a stiff education setting with crumbling debt, then studying a hands-on vocational education and training (VET) course might be right for you. From admin, retail, hospo and tourism to construction, community services & health, there’s something for everyone.

If you land yourself an apprenticeship or traineeship, you can actually get paid to learn too. If you're keen to get started and apply for an apprenticeship or traineeship check out our mates at VERTO. Or if you’re wanting to upskill, suss out VERTO Training.