Not sure what I want to do any more.

Former Member

At the minute I'm at a sixth form college taking my A levels, I have about half a year left in them and will hopefully be walking with "OK" grades in Biology, Chemistry and double IT.

Although recently, I've found myself beginning to struggle in 2 of the subjects. I can't revise. I've tried every technique that I've been advised, from just sitting and reading, to making little quizzes for myself, etc... nothing seems to stick in unless I am actually interested in it, and to be fair how plants work doesn't really interest me...

There is also a problem that I have a job at McDonalds. although at first I thought, right I'll only do 10 hours a week, I won't let it interfere and I'll be happy with the money I walk away with at the end of the week. I have now found myself doing 20 - 30 hours of work, ontop of 20 hours of college. Meaning I have no spare time to do any thing relaxational...

A typical example of my week would be:

Monday - College from 11am to 4pm. Work from 4:30pm to 1am.
Tuesday College from 8:45 am to 4 pm. Work from 5pm to 1am.
Wednesday College from 8:45 am to about 2pm. No work, but Taekwondo from 7pm to 9 pm.
Thursday - College from 8:45am to 2pm. Work 6pm til 1am
Friday College from 8:45 to 4pm. No work, Takewondo though from 6 - 9.
Saturday / Sunday - College work if I can force myself to stay awake long enough to do it and work random shifts that I'm asked to do.

This is all leading me to not know what to do any more. As with anyone, I want money. By working more hours I can get more money, but it IS killing me. I'm tired most of the time in college causing me to no longer conctrate on work, I'm tired when working, causing a danger to myself and other members of staff, and I'm tired when I want to see my girlfriend, causing me to become stressful and take it out on her, even though I know I shouldn't.

The other day I got a letter from UCAS saying all my offers for uni have been replied too and that I should reply by may confirming and rejecting their offers. I don';t know if I want to go to uni any more though.

In my opinion the reasons for going are:

1) better job when I leave - Maybe
2) student loan - money to spend
3) Learn more about the field I'm interested in
4) make some new friends

For not going:

1) Loans - Debt. I don't like having debt if I can avoid it, if I need something I'll wait til I can afford it, unless it's really drastic...
2) I'm not sure if I want to go to uni - I don't know if I want to spend 4 years of my life learning about computer system, when I could be doing pratical work , getting paid and learning about it still doing another method.
3) I don't know where I want to go to uni - I don't want to live in a student halls due to confidence issues and not being the most out going of people, but then it would be expensive for me to live in my own house.




I just don't know what to do and to be honest I'm feeling fucking scared...If I go to uni and don't enjoy it, then I have 4 years of misery, but at the same time I might love uni..

If I get a full time job now, chances are I'll do that til I retire... and I don't even know what job I wanna do...

I know it's a bit extreme, but I've even been thinking of "ending it all", just so life would be so much easier.. I know everyone has problems but I just feel like shit and don't know what to do any more... .

I don't even know why I'm posting, I know none of you are gonna be able to give me the magical answer I'm looking for...

Former Member

Hi,

I know things seem a bit overwelming at times and that you can't do things but really it will be worth it in the end.

I would say...if you don't NEED to work as much as you do then i would cut it down/back to your orginal hours. Ok so it's good to have money now but it's only a few months left of a-levels and then you can work the whole summer to earn money. Working hard at college for the next few months and scarificising having money I think is the best thing to do.

In terms of going to Uni i would say if you have a subject your interested in doing then you should definately go. it's not all goin to be work work work so don't worry about that. Also don't worry about not being outgoing. once you get to halls you will make friends so fast! everyone is in the same boat...no one knows any one so you'll be amazed how quickly you make strong friendships with people.

Hope some of this advice is helpful...don't give up! I know things seem stressful now but if you concentrate on studying for a little bit longer it will be worth it!!!

Former Member

I'm not suprised you're not a happy bunny if you're working that much! You're doing what most would call full time studying and nearly a full time job.

If you've got half a year of your A levels left I'd suggest cutting back on the work and getting through your A levels. Whether you decide to go to uni or not the better your A level grades are the more options you'll have for the future.

It sounds like all you've really got the energy to do is work at McDs and turn up at college, which isn't a particularly healthy way to live. You need to make sure you have time to do things properly, enough time to sleep, and some 'me time' for chilling, catching up with mates etc.

Former Member

I think you should cut back the hours you're doing at work.

As for uni - if you're not sure whether you want to go or not, you could wait a few more years or so then apply once you know what you want to do and where you want to go.

Former Member

Sofie wrote:

I think you should cut back the hours you're doing at work.

Definitely. You're working, some days, till 1am then you've got college at 8.45am the same day. Allowing for travel, having something to eat when you finish work, breakfast, washing, getting dressed etc you must be getting 4-5 sleep.

Former Member

As far as UCAS goes, even if you've got all your answers back I think you've still got a while before you have to make a decision, so hang fire and get past the exams first.

Former Member

You all make sense, I suppose I'm just like everyone else... I like money... specially with my rip off insurance coming up in april

Just for clarification my usual day (If i'm working and at college will be more like this)

Get up at about 7:30 and try to wake up,
Jump in the shower at about 7:45
Get dressed, brush teeth, etc 8:00...
Then set of for college. Arrive and go to lesson at exactly 8:45
College all day til 4pm.

Finish college, get home, get changed. No time for a shower or food. Get to work for half past 4.

I get a meal from mcdonalds whilst working, and a 45 minute unpaid break =(

Finish at 1am, sometimes. sometimes later. Rarely earlier.

Get home, and get a quick munch, get into bed and try to sleep. However I can never sleep after work, so I tend to fall asleep at about 3 or 4 am... then do it all over the next day... :O

Former Member

You need to start looking after yourself, get a decent diet and enough sleep before you try and sort anything else out.

REcommended MAX time for a job for someone studying is 16 hours a week.

Former Member

The debt is what does put a lot of people off but think of it as in investment in yourself. Everyone who goes to Uni (or 99% of them) is in the same boat.

Chances are that your degree will help you get better / better paid job after you leave uni.

So if you're serious about Uni, and I personally would recommend it, then you need to cut down on your job otherwise it's going to take up time that would otherwise be quality revision time which you need if you're serious about higher education.

Former Member

Thunderstruck wrote:

The debt is what does put a lot of people off but think of it as in investment in yourself. Everyone who goes to Uni (or 99% of them) is in the same boat.

Exactly how I saw it before I got here, cut down those hours as well and make sure you get the grades to give yourself some choices of universities (depending on your subject obviously). When I was at college I used to work 10(very rare)-25 hours per week while studying and now I do a max of 10 hours per week, I wish i had only done that whilst at college and worked full time in the summer. Its easy to let things get on top but see it as investment and look 5+years ahead at what you can make back, if you work hard enough with a degree the world can be your oyster!!