considering leaving college! arrgh!

Former Member

i'm having problems at college. i'm studying for a btec national diploma in travel and tourism, in my first year. i originally wanted to a btec nd in catering and hospitality, as it fitted perfectly with what i want to do as a career and i could do both assignment work and practical stuff in kitchen and restaurant. but on the first day of college, they said they had to cancel the course because there wasn't enough students to do the course and they couldn't finance the course. so i had to do travel and tourism instead. :banghead:

but i'm not enjoying it. i was meant to go back to college on monday, but just havent had the motivation or willpower to go in, and now the college keep phoning me to see where i am. i dont want to be a travel agent or a club rep or tour guide, so the work is completely irrrelavent to me.

i struggle to keep up with the workload, and quite frankly i get so bored at college sometimes because im permantly stuck behind a desk listening to my teacher waffle on or at a computer all day typing up assignments.

another factor in this is that i have to travel bout 25 miles to get to college (a lot i know, the reason i was willing to put up with it was because the college i'm at is the only one to offer the btec national diploma in catering and hospitality in my area, which is now a waste of time). so because i have to get up early in the morning and get home late, i just dont have the energy to do any studying of an evening.

i would rather be doing something more practical and getting out and seeing the world and enjoying myself rather than being couped up in a classroom and worrying about the amount of work i need to do all the god damn time, and after speaking to a connexions adviser they suggested that i go for an apprenticeship in hospitality, and my local college does offer apprenticeships in that field.

i feel really down about the whole situation at the mo, cos i was at sixth form for 4 months from septmeber 2006 and due to personal reasons i had to leave, and now i'm facing leaving education again for the 2nd time a year on, and im worried that my friends and colleagues at work are going to think that i'm a failure and can't finish anything.:impissed:

has anyone been through a similar experience to mine, and what was your solution? what are apprenticeships like? i know they involve some amount of studying, but is it manageable (unlike my course at the mo?!)

any help and advice gratefully received!!!
thanks

Former Member

So drop out. If you're this unhappy, its obviously not for you. If you drop out now, you'll save yourself a ton of misery (& money).

If you're more practical-minded, go for an apprenticeship. My brother hated school and he did an apprenticeship in carpentry. He's now fully-qualified and planning on setting up his own business sometime soon (he's only 23). He loves it and is much happier than if he'd gone to uni like our parents wanted. I think he had about a day or two a week at college during his apprenticeship and spent the rest of the time working for a company and gaining practical experience. He's still with that company and he's doing well. I know carpentry's very different to hospitality, but I'd imagine you spend more time actually working than doing academic study, which is probably better experience anyway.

Incidentally, your college sounds appallingly organized if they wait til the first day to tell you the course is cancelled. Perhaps thats another reason for why you should leave.

emmilouj13 wrote: »

im worried that my friends and colleagues at work are going to think that i'm a failure and can't finish anything.:impissed:

If that's your only reason for continuing at college, thats a really bad reason to be honest. I know you don't want to be a failure, but you need to keep YOU happy. college isn't for everyone and it doesnt sound like your thing, so get out while you can. do an apprenticeship and see how that goes. I'm assuming you're young, so you need to take time to work out where you're going now. if you think an apprenticeship will work for you (& it does sounds more your thing) then go for it. then you can succeed in that and then no one can call you a failure

good luck :thumb:

Fiz

Sorry to hear things aren't going so well for you at the moment. I would really recommend you talk to the people around you especially your course tutors or maybe someone in the careers advice service. Its important they know how you are feeling, especially if you do think about leaving at least give them a chance to offer you an alternative first. Ask your family and friends what they think you should do, it might help.

I hope things work out for the best whatever that may be.

Fiz

Former Member

emmilouj13 wrote: »

iwhat are apprenticeships like? i know they involve some amount of studying, but is it manageable (unlike my course at the mo?!)

I have no idea if what I'm about to say is treu for all apprenticeships, but I got told they were 40 hours per week - 4 days placement and 1 day in college.