23 Apr 2016

Congratulations first years! You’ve nearly made it to the end of your first semester of university. How are you feeling? Is your mind sufficiently stimulated? Is your brain teeming with scholarly wisdoms? Are you itching to get back into that lecture hall so you can continue expanding your knowledge of these new and thrilling subjects?

If you’re anything like I was at the end of my first semester of university, then this is probably the exact opposite of what you’re feeling. You’re f*cking tired. Your brain hurts from all the useless information you’ve haphazardly shoved into every available nook and cranny, you’re already sick of your degree, and the idea of spending one more second in that stuffy, sweaty lecture room has you throwing up in your mouth a little bit.

University isn’t how it looks in the movies. For me, the word ‘university’ used to conjure images of lush green grounds on Oxford-esque campuses, where students swoop about in robes carrying books under their arms and excitement in their hearts (on second thoughts, maybe I’m picturing Hogwarts). In reality, university is late nights rushing to finish assessments you couldn’t care less about. It’s trying to ignore your pounding hangover in a 9am lecture. It’s staying motivated when you’re overworked, unenthused and wishing more than anything in the world that you could just sit on the couch with a packet of Doritos and do nothing for a few glorious hours.

Is it all worth it? For most people, it’s totally worth it. They’re chasing them dreamz and getting to where they need to be. University is simply a means to an end, an albeit sometimes crappy means, but one that also involves a lot of great stuff too (wild parties, new friends, learning about a topic you’re actually interested in).

But then there are others who lose sight of that future, who can’t see through the fog of assignment deadlines and early mornings on crowded buses and incompetent tutors who act as if they’re teaching a classroom of potatoes rather than actual human beings. These frustrations completely overwhelm the good parts about university until the mere mention of the U-word has you drenched in a layer of flop sweat.

I was one of those who decided university wasn’t worth all the stress, so I dropped my degree like it was hot. Personally, I am so much happier for it; I’ve managed to secure a stable, professional job without any qualifications and I’m learning through experience. It was a combination of luck and hard work that got me there and I couldn’t have done it if I was still at university.

That’s not to say you should start shredding your assessments and filing your deferments right away. But just have a think about it. Are things going to get better next semester, with new tutors, a new timetable and new people? Would part-time university work better for you? Could you maybe consider swapping degrees? Or even swapping universities? I know people who have done one or all of the above, and have enjoyed their university experience far better for doing so.

However, if university is making you truly miserable, and you’re sure the feeling isn’t going away any time soon, then why keep doing it? Persisting at something when its not right for you certainly isn’t the smarter thing to do–it’s pretty silly if you ask me. It may just be that university isn’t what you need right now. Why not take a little time off to think? Travel the world, work for a little while, maybe even try interning in the industry you’re pursuing. You never know, you might just be able to get to where you want to be without that pesky degree. I might go back to university one day–it’s not like it’s going anywhere–but for now, I’m happy where I am.

There’s a misconception that university makes you more intelligent, or better at what you do. But unless you want to be a doctor, lawyer or scientist, I just can’t see how this is true. In my opinion, the thing that makes you most intelligent is finding something you love, something that drives you, and mastering that by giving it your all.

If university is going to help you with that, then power through the slump and you’ll start reaping the rewards. If it’s not… well, that’s up to you to decide.