URGENT Should I drop out for year??

Molojan · 25-10-2014 9:07am #1

It's a major rant but I'd really appreciate if even 1 person could take the time to read as I've gotten depression and anxiety over this mess.

I started off in Science Education in UL, I only lasted 3 weeks as I quickly became completely overwhelmed by the physics as I had never done physics before. I wasn't the only one, 64 people left in the first few weeks due to physics. They didn't start from a basic level and the worst part was the science learning center wasn't open until week 3, and by this time I felt that I was so far behind that my only option was to leave, so That's exactly what I did.

I moved to History, Politics, Sociology and Social Studies (also in ul) which I absolutely hated, I don't know what I was thinking I just wanted an escape from science teaching.
Another option came to light which was Liberal Arts in Mary I, I saw that geography was a subject option and I thought that I'd be able to do either English or German with it to degree level. So I moved to Mary I. The problem is I absolutely have no intrest whatsoever in English, I hate reading, I HATE drama and analysing stuff, and I find German extremely hard so I don't see how I can keep either of the two up with geography for 4 years. I know if I persevered I could still be a teacher but I honestly think I'd hate every second of English for the next 4 years. Is it worth it?

I've been looking at options if I took a year out and one that struck me was reentering science education next year, only in UCC, I know that different colleges have very different ways of teaching the same course, I'd also try to get as much help with physics before I get back in as possible during the year out so I'd e a little more prepared as I'd only have to keep up physics for one year, all I need to do is pass.

Option two was to take the year out, (I did pass Irish) and repeat the Irish leaving cert exam at higher level and get back into Mary I next year to do primary teaching (I have a over the points requirement already just missing Irish), only I'm worried that even if I get the minimum C3, I'm not sure if my standard of Irish would be good enough as I've done pass since 2nd year. I also think that the only reason in drawn to this course is my girlfriend and others are doing if and they're so happy and loving college, I want to be like that.

The only things making me want to stay in Mary I are I really like geography and I would like to teach it, I love my appartment and the lads I'm living with, my girlfriend lives 2 mins away from me and the social life is unreal. Obviously I'm worried about what would happen with my girlfriend if I leave and go to cork cause we'd be in different cities, but as much as I like her i feel like I have to put myself first, if we're ment to work out we'd make the different cities work.

If even one person coul give me their openion on this whole mess I'd be so great full. NB If I don't get out soon I'll more than likely end up loosing the free fees for next year which would make college a. Ear impossibility as both my parents are unemployed.

Ave Sodalis · 25-10-2014 9:19am

Don't do a course you don't like OP, just for the sake of doing a course.You'll start to find it very difficult. You need to sit yourself down and figure out what it is you actually want to do and whether it's possible to do it and research the courses.

Personally, I would take a year out, find a job in Limerick so you can stay in your apartment and then get grinds in physics for the year before returning to the science ed. You're going to need physics regardless of what college you go to.

Also, don't be too dependant on what your friends and girlfriend are doing. You have your own life to live and working that around other people is unhealthy when at the end of the day, you have your own life to live. Putting yourself first is the right thing to do here and long distance relationships can work out. If they don't, maybe it wasn't meant to be.

Iecrawfc · 25-10-2014 11:08am

Molojan wrote: »

It's a major rant but I'd really appreciate if even 1 person could take the time to read as I've gotten depression and anxiety over this mess.

I started off in Science Education in UL, I only lasted 3 weeks as I quickly became completely overwhelmed by the physics as I had never done physics before. I wasn't the only one, 64 people left in the first few weeks due to physics. They didn't start from a basic level and the worst part was the science learning center wasn't open until week 3, and by this time I felt that I was so far behind that my only option was to leave, so That's exactly what I did.

I moved to History, Politics, Sociology and Social Studies (also in ul) which I absolutely hated, I don't know what I was thinking I just wanted an escape from science teaching.
Another option came to light which was Liberal Arts in Mary I, I saw that geography was a subject option and I thought that I'd be able to do either English or German with it to degree level. So I moved to Mary I. The problem is I absolutely have no intrest whatsoever in English, I hate reading, I HATE drama and analysing stuff, and I find German extremely hard so I don't see how I can keep either of the two up with geography for 4 years. I know if I persevered I could still be a teacher but I honestly think I'd hate every second of English for the next 4 years. Is it worth it?

I've been looking at options if I took a year out and one that struck me was reentering science education next year, only in UCC, I know that different colleges have very different ways of teaching the same course, I'd also try to get as much help with physics before I get back in as possible during the year out so I'd e a little more prepared as I'd only have to keep up physics for one year, all I need to do is pass.

Option two was to take the year out, (I did pass Irish) and repeat the Irish leaving cert exam at higher level and get back into Mary I next year to do primary teaching (I have a over the points requirement already just missing Irish), only I'm worried that even if I get the minimum C3, I'm not sure if my standard of Irish would be good enough as I've done pass since 2nd year. I also think that the only reason in drawn to this course is my girlfriend and others are doing if and they're so happy and loving college, I want to be like that.

The only things making me want to stay in Mary I are I really like geography and I would like to teach it, I love my appartment and the lads I'm living with, my girlfriend lives 2 mins away from me and the social life is unreal. Obviously I'm worried about what would happen with my girlfriend if I leave and go to cork cause we'd be in different cities, but as much as I like her i feel like I have to put myself first, if we're ment to work out we'd make the different cities work.

If even one person coul give me their openion on this whole mess I'd be so great full. NB If I don't get out soon I'll more than likely end up loosing the free fees for next year which would make college a. Ear impossibility as both my parents are unemployed.

I done similar to you years ago, went to UL, was not what I expected at all, so dropped out for a year and then done a BA in Mary I, never regretted it for an instance and the year I spent working in a very hard manual job stood to me later on, at the very least gained an appreciation of how hard some jobs are! Looking back I could have gone straight to Mary I but the year off gave me time sort myself out aswell, I was 17 so had time to do that but never regretted it at all...

Chimaera · 25-10-2014 2:03pm

It sounds like you're really not enjoying the college experience right now, so I think your best option is get out now anyway and preserve your free fee option for next year.

Take a few weeks off from all of it and give yourself some breathing space. Have a think about your options in the cold light of day.

Why are you going to college? Do you want a career that requires a degree? Have you considered other options?

Do you really want to be a teacher? What subjects? What excites you? What pisses you off?

If you're having difficulties with anxiety and depression, it's worth visiting a psychotherapist too. If that stuff digs in you're going to find life very tough.

scruffystack · 26-10-2014 1:33pm

I changed course after finishing one semester back in 2008. Best thing I ever did, found a course I liked and above all suited my strengths.
You need to be sure you're going to enjoy a course. Now that you've tried a couple of different subjects already you might have an idea of what you're strong at and what you're weak at. What we're your strengths in school? The mistake I made back then was that I didn't look at what my major subjects were and went off trying something I wasn't interested in. A year of working could be a great thing to do rather than jumping straight back to full time education. There's no rush believe me!

df123 · 29-10-2014 12:56am

I started first year in UL last year. I knew fairly early on that the course wasn't for me, but the fear of dropping out and disappointing my parents got the better of me so I decided to stick it out until Christmas. I met with my academic advisor in December, the week after I completed my exams and after that, I decided that it would be best to leave because I disliked my course so much that there was no way I would do well in future exams. This was a very tough decision because I got along well with my house mates and I had made good friends in college but I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions I've ever made! I got a job for the rest of the year and I really had a lot of time to think about what I would do come September. I'm currently studying Liberal Arts in Mary I and the course suits me so much better. Of course there are aspects of this course that I can fault, but no course is going to be perfect. If your heart isn't in this course you should probably leave until you find a course that you enjoy. Also, look at the modules of your chosen subjects over the next few years, you may not like one module in a subject but you might like the rest. Don't worry about your girlfriend and don't worry about the social life, the course itself is what you really need to think about and once you've that figured out everything else will fall in to place! (speaking from experience)

Molojan · 29-10-2014 10:32am

df123 wrote: »

I started first year in UL last year. I knew fairly early on that the course wasn't for me, but the fear of dropping out and disappointing my parents got the better of me so I decided to stick it out until Christmas. I met with my academic advisor in December, the week after I completed my exams and after that, I decided that it would be best to leave because I disliked my course so much that there was no way I would do well in future exams. This was a very tough decision because I got along well with my house mates and I had made good friends in college but I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions I've ever made! I got a job for the rest of the year and I really had a lot of time to think about what I would do come September. I'm currently studying Liberal Arts in Mary I and the course suits me so much better. Of course there are aspects of this course that I can fault, but no course is going to be perfect. If your heart isn't in this course you should probably leave until you find a course that you enjoy. Also, look at the modules of your chosen subjects over the next few years, you may not like one module in a subject but you might like the rest. Don't worry about your girlfriend and don't worry about the social life, the course itself is what you really need to think about and once you've that figured out everything else will fall in to place! (speaking from experience)

Thanks for the advice, just out of interest what course were you originally in when you were in UL? I was considering PE there as an option so that's why I'm asking.

Mahatma Geansai · 29-10-2014 11:47am

Honestly, it sounds like you just don't know what you want to do yet. You are doing courses, because it is the done thing.

I'd recommend taking some time and figuring out what you want to do.

Mr. CooL ICE · 29-10-2014 3:21pm

Dropping out is not the end of the world. A friend of mine did it and it worked out in the end.

He was studying business and by 3rd year, had a decent QCA (about 3.3 I think). He had a moment of clarity and decided this wasn't what he wanted to do with his life and he wanted to do medicine or pharmacy. He dropped out, went to Tutorial college to re-do his leaving cert (he almost had the points the first time, but lacked chemistry), got points for pharmacy in UCC. Although it probably ruined him financially, he graduated, is now working in Dublin and hasn't a single ounce of regret.

Dermo73 · 29-10-2014 3:29pm

Don't waste your time in college doing a course you don't like. Do something you are passionate about. Then you'll be happy and most likely very good at it. Warning: It might not be financially rewarding but that's not everything. And while you're thinking about this go travel a bit, work in some other countries, see a bit of the world and who knows what opportunities might arise.

YFlyer · 31-10-2014 2:22pm

Wow 64 students left Science Education within the first few weeks? That's hell of alot.

What was your study routine for physics? Did you get the Leaving Cert text book?

iLaura · 31-10-2014 3:20pm

OP, what year did you start Science Ed? I'm currently 3rd year in it, and Joe Meehan was the lecturer. And for anyone who has ever had Joe before, they know he isnt easy to deal with. I found physics in 1st semester tough, but mainly because I dont like statics. Second semester was so much easier for me. The way I got through it was by using the recommended book which has lots of examples in it.
If you were doing the biological sciences (which I assume you were) after first year you never have to do physics again.
I do find it hard to believe that that many people dropped out though; thats the same size as my course roughly and our class has stayed the same size, apart from losing three along the way

phish · 31-10-2014 4:02pm

I'd agree with Laura there aren't enough people doing science ed for 64 to have left in any year.

I'd say OP could mean that 64 left due to physics as in from all the courses that do the physics module but even then I think the number is over stated.

Molojan · 31-10-2014 9:29pm

YFlyer wrote: »

Wow 64 students left Science Education within the first few weeks? That's hell of alot.

What was your study routine for physics? Did you get the Leaving Cert text book?

It's mad the amount of people who left.
I had a leaving cert physics book but I honestly didn't know where to start, I didn't do physics for leaving cert and the lecturer moved at a ridiculously fast pase and just assumed that everyone had physics done for leaving cert. I had the same lecturer for tutorials and she was incredibly bad at answering questions and explaining things, even people who had experience in physics were completely lost.
If I re-enter a science course next year, would you have any tips on how to study physics as I decided to take the year out.
Thanks

iLaura · 31-10-2014 9:47pm

Molojan wrote: »

It's mad the amount of people who left.
I had a leaving cert physics book but I honestly didn't know where to start, I didn't do physics for leaving cert and the lecturer moved at a ridiculously fast pase and just assumed that everyone had physics done for leaving cert. I had the same lecturer for tutorials and she was incredibly bad at answering questions and explaining things, even people who had experience in physics were completely lost.
If I re-enter a science course next year, would you have any tips on how to study physics as I decided to take the year out.
Thanks

If you're doing the mechanics module (which I assune you are since these things dont change), I'd advise getting out the University Physics book in the library and working through problems there. They have lots of walk through solutions in them too. I'm fairly certain on the SU website they have a grinds section where you can find someone for grinds

Chimaera · 01-11-2014 12:45am

There's also the Science Learning Centre for tuition.

Tim667 · 24-11-2014 7:54pm

I did an engineering degree in UL, I also did Physics back in the day for the leaving.

If you know the topics I could try point you in the direction to go about learning.

Chickentown · 27-11-2014 7:53pm

Tim667 wrote: »

I did an engineering degree in UL, I also did Physics back in the day for the leaving.

If you know the topics I could try point you in the direction to go about learning.

What engineering did you do? (Civil, Electronic, Mechanical etc...)

Tim667 · 28-11-2014 12:24pm

Chickentown wrote: »

What engineering did you do? (Civil, Electronic, Mechanical etc...)

Biomedical Engineering, I am currently doing a masters in Mechanical Engineering and I have also completed various courses in manufacturing, electronics/electrical/automation.

Chickentown · 28-11-2014 2:19pm

Tim667 wrote: »

Biomedical Engineering, I am currently doing a masters in Mechanical Engineering and I have also completed various courses in manufacturing, electronics/electrical/automation.

Doing Electronic myself, was just curious is all. Thanks

URGENT Should I drop out for year??

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