Fell like I've wasted four years

LegacyUser

I don't mean to belittle any of the more serious threads on this forum, but I'm just eating myself and just feel sickened every time I think about it.

I've got poor final year results from college and just feel that its been the worst four years I've had. My results were worse than I expected and thinking about them just puts me in a foul mood, the more I think about them the more I regret the last four years. I'm absolutley crushed right now.

It's not that I didn't work, I did. It just was a terrible fit for me. Now I look back and see that if I had just done as I wanted and started work I'd be somewhere now, not in debt, with a bad degree hanging over me. I think that I'm in a worse position looking for jobs now than if I had just not done anything.

It's juvenile that I'm so angry and upset by this but I'm losing sleep over it and it's taken all the wind from my sails.

Sorry for being such a priss about this, but its important to me and I just needed to find an outlet.

RedXIV

You sound very similar to a friend of mine who, god love her, just finished her degree and is also unhappy with the fact she didn't get a first.

But think about it, College doesn't just give you a degree, you don't learn just what is in the textbooks. College is an incredible experience, one that you were fortunate enough to experience when many can't.

So you're results aren't the greatest, you still have a degree. That will help you get a better job. And if after a few years of work, it still bothers you, get a second degree, in something you know you're good at and get a first in it.

I'm not trying to belittle your rant, i'm merely pointing you in the direction of the positive things you gained from college, friends, experiences, and fun. They have to be worth something right?

Red

Wagon

To be completely honest, employers look for experience over qualifications. A lot of graduates haven't a got a clue when they enter a job. I have to repeat an exam and IF i pass i'll get an average degree. Nothing special, but I've got work experience in the field I'm in thouogh and that helps a lot. Start small, spend a while getting experience and you'll move up in no time. And Red makes a good point, you were a student and its a great laugh. Real students drink away their 4 years

themullet

Hey OP don't worry yourself. The 2 posters above are right. Employers look for experience over degrees etc. I went to college got a degree and a masters. Worked my arse off for them, but regret it EVERYday. i should have spent more time going out with friends and enjoying myself like everyone else did. It's what college is all about. So dont worry and cheer up

Solarball10

Hi OP

I know exactly how you feel - I did 4 years at college and it was a complete waste - what I do now has absolutely nothing to do with a degree - the only benefit I fot from college was I made friends for life and had some great time, but from an academic point of view - total waste of 4 years. I really regret that I just didn't go straight into work after my LC, but I didn't know what I wanted to do, and I just picked a course that sounded interesting..

But like the other posters have said, experience does count for alot, sometimes more so than qualifications, so try not to beat yourself up too much about it!

I do know what I want to do now, and I'm planning a to do a part-time year long evening course, so if you know what field you want to get into, I reckon you should check out some courses to do with it - and also in the meantime, try find some work experience in the relevant field also!

Sugar Drunk

put it behind you. I did a degree I hated. Half way through second year I knew it was not for me but had to complete four years to get any qualification from it. I worked at it like you I got through but not a great result.
The fact you got through will get you into a job. seriously in interviews they rarely quiz you in detail about your results. once you get into the work place experience is all that counts. Give it 4-5 years from now and no one will care what mark you got in college !trust me. You can always go and do a course you really want at night. Ive done this and it worked I was able to pay my bills and still go back and learn what really interested me. One guy I went to college with did brilliant and ended up working selling fruit for some bizzarre reason (nothing wrong with that job but its odd for a software degree graduate!!)
I know right now it fels like the be all and end all but think back over those four years and I bet theres so fun times you had, friends you made,. things you learned and valuable experiences.

r3nu4l

Is it possible for you to do a higher diploma qualification in something else or in the area that you studied for your degree?

It would be one more year and could work out well.

However, as others have said, it's not a massive deal. A degree proves that you can answer questions related to the area you studied and that you have background knowledge.

I've worked with people who had first-class honours degrees in Immunology but were terrible in the lab. Likewise I worked with a girl that got a Pass degree (less than Third class honours) and she now runs her own department because she is excellent at the job. The working world is very different to University. For some people it's much crueller and tougher, for others it's a dream, for most...it's what pays the bills and they're not miserable in the job every day.

If you think a top-up qualification would help, go for it Whether that's a full-time or evening and weekends only is up to you

Dinter

I was recently sent on a course through work.

It was a kind of distance learning yoke with seminars and due to the fact I put no effort into it I failed it.

This despite the fact I've worked in this area for several years and would be highly thought of and experienced.

Anyway long story short do you know what impact this has had? Nothing. I'm still quite as good at my job as I was. I haven't got any stupider or less employable.

Honestly when I finished college and started work it was an eye opener to discover how little my education had prepared me for it.

If you were to start work tomorrow I guarantee that in three years time you will never think of your degree again.

Red Hand

Much the same here....4 years wasted doing something that I hated. Pointless.

Plus, sometimes when down in the dumps, I feel that you could add another 20 years onto said 4 wasted years, and that's my wasted life.

thebaldsoprano

OP, it's difficult to get these things right the first time around, it'll be grand...

Why not just start work in an area you like?

You put the work in for your degree, and that kind of discipline, and maybe even some of the stuff you learned, will help you out down the road.

To put things in context, I'm 34, studied maths the first time around then spent a few years doing various things to computers...

I'll be starting a fine art degree this Autumn and don't consider any of those years a waste and especially not the maths degree. Quite looking forward to transposing some of the more "out there" stuff you do in maths into art actually.

You'll never know how things'll work out,

G'luck!

DenMan

Hi OP

So you did not get the results in your degree that you were expecting. The main thing is that you passed it when you could have packed it in and quit. Fair play to you, you had the determination to see it through to the end. That's one door closed and plenty more on offer for you to go through. You may consider doing a Masters in the future to compliment your Degree. Congratulate yourself and feel proud in your achievement, you got there in the end. Spend some time contemplating what you want to do next with your life and your Degree can certainly help you. You earned it and it is better to have it than not have one at all. Good luck with your decision.

DenMan

Hi Baldsoprano

Well done on your recent accomplishments. One question though, what exactly did you do to the computers?

fuzzywiggle

It may be hard to get your head around but you're just going to have to accept it. What's done is done and you cant change it now so you might as well try to make the best of it. So you're results werent what you expected but at least you passed and have your degree which isnt something everyone can say. Right now you're pissed off but you'll find a job and be glad you did what you did.

thebaldsoprano

DenMan wrote: »

One question though, what exactly did do to the computers?

That's kind of why I need a career change, pronto!

Ruby Soho

OP, don't worry about it, I was in a very similar situation as yourself. I got my degree but I felt it was a complete waste of time, i wasn't interested in the subject when I graduated, and had no intention of persuing it as a career, but hey, I met lots of great friends, even though it was pretty much a waste of my time.
When I finished, I applied for a job in a completely different field, my employer knew I knew nothing about the subject but could appreciate that I could apply myself to full time education, I was obviously willing to learn. He didn't really give a stuff about what the subject was. 3 years later I'm still in the same job, and yeah, I could have been doing it for a lot longer, but nothing ventured nothing gained, eh?