Those of you who have left university....

[Anonymous]

I'm 22 years old now and I'm studying English Philology. The studies are 8 semesters long and now I'm in the 5th semester. I have to say I'm desperate. I've many study debts, not the money, but failed exams that I cannot push myself to retake. Every day is a torture for me. I like languages, English is not my native language. I had very good marks in English in the high school and when I entered university, I thought that I will be studying something I really like, but I was wrong. I realized already after the first semester, that I'm not interested in this. I would like to leave so much, but I feel like I will be letting down my parents then, because they already from my birth saved money so that I could study one day and now they pay very big sum for every semester. They don't know what a poor student I am, they think my studies are ok, and I can't tell them the truth, because I know they would be angry. I don't have a job and I'm still living with my parents.

What should I do? I know I have to take myself in hands, but I just cannot do it, if I have to do something I hate. I would just love to get a job and quit university. Even more, I never understood people who commit suicides, until I started studying. Now often I think that this is the only exit from this nightmare. No, I will not kill myself, I love myself too much to do it, but every day I wish for something to happen because of what I could quit my studies. Anything, really.

I had to get this off my chest.

Is here someone who has left the university or thinking about doing it? Do you regret or do you feel happy that you did?

[Woollyhats]

My suggestion is to get a part time job, and research into alternatives. You don't like what you're studying -- that's fine. It happens to a lot of people.

Take some online tests to match yourself to careers, study those, consider some jobs that might not need a university education, but are jobs, like licensed nursing, pharmacy tech, etc.

A close friend of mine is switching to another course right now, and it's like starting over -- you can free yourself from the sense of failure, but you're under just as much pressure to succeed. The good news is that you can take control and say "I didn't like this, and I'm switching into something I do like, whether that be a job or new area of study.". It removes failing and it becomes you deciding you're going down a certain path.

It's important you talk to your parents too (as always, if you aren't in danger from them). Being open with them will help you in future studies.

[SilverBullet]

Odds are you can change your major, if you found something else you would rather do and most of your basic classes will transfer (English, math, science, history etc.). If your not happy with it now you will be even less happy doing it as a job 20 years down the road.

[Jake]

Don't leave just yet not when you are so close from finishing your year... after you've done the three remaining sessions than go ahead and switch program. Or if you really really can't stand it anymore dude, DO NOT and I REPEAT DO NOT put your own life in danger (that is not just killing oneself it's also your mental health) because you want to make your parent happy. I don't know for your parents but when I put money on the side for my children I have no specific goals attached to that money. My daughter "MarySandy" is here with us and she's about your age and go ahead ask her what I said about the money . I save the cash for her for when she feels it's important to be use... and I mean important! School is important yes, but think it through carefully and plan plan plan and stick to your plan.

When a child turn 18 and even before, they are capable of making their own choice and parents should just be there to support them and advice them on those choices. I am so "not happy" that my daughter decided to go in Computer sciences... but it was her choice and I support her in it and god; if she comes to me saying I want to switch I'll be the first to give her a blank cheque LOL.

You decided to go in Philosophy... when you made that choice did you actually had a education plan? That's quite often a huge mistake that many student does, university are BUSINESSES, they are in the business of selling EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, when you first get in a program and it doesn't matter of you've been in college before, they are throwing magical powder to your eyes, making it beautiful... telling you the market trends, giving you example of people who succeed in the field you have selected. GUYS when you choose a program THINK MARKETING, those syllabus are seriously revised and changed EVERY YEARS to attract you to the program.

Because honestly my friend a Master degree in Philosophy is almost just a wasted degree to obtain your right to teach social science and linguistic to a college level. You could have as well blended your education with other non-program specific courses giving the possibility to earn credits in an other subject... allowing you to easily switch program if you happen not to be happy (which is your case now). Your are in Belgium - Education here is different, it's similar to Finland.

Our general ways would be:
Elementary / High School - 12 years combined
College (Lyceum/Cejep) - here you can decide to go to Vocational or professional school from 2 to 4 years
University 1 - cycle Bachelor (Includes Certification, Undergraduate degree, Minor, Major) - from 3 to 4 years
University 2 - Cycle Master Degree (Specialization) from 2 to 4 years
University 3 Cycle Doctorate/PHd - Well you're now a doctor 2 to 3 years

In between those there countless options and they all cost a shit load of money, vocation schools per example: I did two years of concentrated film studies (Yeh I am a Director) - booo it costed me 18k to obtain. What they promised regarding the help with finding you a job in the field is as good as their degree hahaha (I have said the word enough in here for you to know what I mean lol)... learn a lot, pay a lot just to realize that on a film set thing are absolutely not as they pictured it on a organized school set. No boom microphone are breaking on a school set and chances are they have 10 other ones in storage... a small independent film company doesn't have 800 dollars to spend on a second hand boom microphone.

I do teach in UNI sometimes (as a guest because I'm not interested at 37 years old to become a full teacher - plus I'd need a doctorate and I am so not ready for that) because I did spent more then 10 years in university, with all the courses I have, I'm the equivalent to a PHd in social science. I also own a Honoris Causa given last year for the years I spent working with my dad for Doctor Without Borders. I am one of the youngest in Canada to have got an honoris causa.

Now read carefully dude. You've just read all my credentials right, I have spent numerous years in University, I have social titles, I am call Doctor, I can sign Md, BA, Certified blah blah blah and yet I would 10 times more believe someone who doesn't have the Md, Ba, Dr Hc attached to their name. If you need a break from university and think about it go ahead do it... nothing worth taking or even thinking of taking your life away for something that can be easily fixed. Yes your parents have saved and paid for your education, not for you to become depressed and end up in a looney bin or 6 feet under the ground because you couldn't finish your degree or didn't want to take the break you needed to re-direct your studies. Do not make this mistake. University isn't the end of the world and many (not just those fabulous examples such as: Bill Gates, Mark Zuckenberg, Steve Jobs who are drop outs from the university) succeed... I am not telling you to dropout and those guys although good examples are "Geniuses"... so you may not really compare yourself to them. Creators of Google did also dropped out... but those are exceptional examples.

I don't know for you in Belgium but a degree here cost thousand and thousands of dollars... all my years in university sums up to about 85k of higher education cost... just to find out that I loved Computer so much I decided to work in that field instead hahahaha. But now tired of what the field became I'm going back in Education.

Life is not written in advance dude... please stop, breath, and chat with you parents and look for solutions... I'm sure they'd prefer you to take a break than burying you or pay for your life long anti-depression program at your closest Hospital for crack pot students who didn't finished their degree LOL.

To succeed in life dude... following a program isn't necessary anymore... University programs are not as focused or they are way to restricted to a subject. I have looked at the Sociology program of today and compared it to the one I had in 1998 when I started my degree. My friend they have removed a lot of important stuff and replaced it with non-relevant bullshit, I used to have in each session at least 10 courses of Demography and now in one session there's 3 or 4 courses... as a sociologist learning demography is almost a capital thing... so now they have removed the over flow and created an other sub-program which is now sociology - option demography - which means here idiot pay for another year.

Take a break dude and think it through.

[Undreamt]

i did the wrong uni course for 3 years until i figured out that it was destroying me, I took 6 months off to work and find something that was of more interest to me and went back and had a much better time.

[TimU]

I have one friend who left university, but he has a job and he really likes his job and decided build career without diploma (it's possible for journalists). I hate my major, but studying only for diploma. I'm going to university twice in one year for one month and solving all credits. You now in 5th semester, rest just 3. My advice: don't give up, force yourself a little bit and get the diploma. Sometimes we must do something what we don't like it, but this diploma could help you in future. You can continue study masters in that profession what you want, but you need first BA. If you left, what you will do? Sell hamburgers or washing floor? Take part time job and finish your study. Gosh, you have forced yourself 5 semesters, and when rest just 3, you want give up.

[Anonymous]

You know, I know for sure I would be soooo much happier selling hamburgers and washing floor. If it could me my choice only, that's exactly what I would do.