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Dropping out/restarting the year

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited March 27 in Work & Study
As some of you may know I've had a couple of operations recently and am still recovering from the most recent one. Been on loads of pain killers and on and off high dose antibiotics and still can't really sit down which is obviously making keeping up with my uni work really difficult.

I'm having regular meetings with my tutor and when I saw her today she suggested considering degrading (the term my uni uses for dropping out and restarting the year next year) as I'm already way behind with work half way through term and things are hardly going to get any better (I'll be doing well to keep the back log the size it is without getting any worse).

From where I am at the moment restarting the year next year seems like the end of the world, like it would be a waste of a year and that I'd lose all my friends. My tutor etc have told me it's not like that, and that I'll get something out of the year even if it isn't a year towards my degree.

Has anyone done it? Any advice?
Post edited by JustV on

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well I'm repeating first year and it hasn't hindered me one bit. You still make friends and you'll probably be allowed back into halls if you don't already have accommodation planned.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    well ultimately you need to think about your health - are you really in the situation to be able to catch up with your work and do it to a standard you'd be pleased with?

    restarting the year certainly wouldn't be the end of the world - especially not if it protects your health and you also come out with a better degree at the end of it.

    don't worry about friends, you'll make new ones aswell as the ones you already have!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My brother retook his first year, and he was fine, and poss got more out of it in the end.
    As said before, you wont lose your friends..youll make even more on top of the friends you've already made!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Whilst the university can help with dispensations, can you realistically catch up? You won't just be behind for this year as you will need this year's knowledge to do next year's work.

    It isn't like being demoted or being separated from all your friends, and if your health is not up to it then I think its something you really should consider. You'll still keep those friends you have, and you will make more friends this time next year. It isn't a punishment, and whilst its always painted as "failing" to have to go again, if you're not capable of performing well then there is little point in flogging yourself further.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    out of 4 housemates I had at uni, 3 retook their second years (nevermind the first one). 2 of those 3 are doing fine, so it's perfectly possible.

    the other didnt do well 'cos he just didnt work hard enough, but that's another matter all together.

    but as kermit said, you really need to think how your health will be next year, even if you do retake.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm doing it. I've known a few people that have done it and carried on with their degree successfully. Like you say, you'd have to overload just to keep your backlog of work the same as it is. If you degrade, you'll have time to recover, time to recompose yourself for uni and the bouns of time to study the material at your leisure...

    What's the major thing holding you back from degrading, the social side? I know I had a major struggle in my head over deferring coz I just wanted to get on with it, get my degree done, not let external things get in the way. But, I realised I'm not super human and prioritised my degree a little down the list, still on the list of must dos, but underneath family, poverty, and my health and sanity. If I had thought I would have been able to achieve anywhere near what I wanted, (or even just a pass tbh) I may well have pushed myself to finish the year though.

    As for friends, I'm still friends with the people I should be! I get stabs of jealousy as some of them are graduating now and others will be graduating next year, still a year ahead of me. But, my degree is about me and comparing myself with others only makes me feel shitty so I try not to.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It wouldn't be retaking the year as such, because I wouldn't take much of this year this time round, I'd leave shortly after I decided to do it, move back home, try and think of something to do for the rest of the year (I should be fully fighting fit by December) and then come back next year and do 2nd year (so the first 4 weeks would be a repeat of what I've already done this year).

    I guess what is holding me back is that I'd have to admit defeat, that these stupid operations and problems really have taken over my life, which I was quite determined not to let them do.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You're going to need to keep hold of that determination, whatever you decide to do.

    good luck
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks, going to keep trying for a few more weeks as I'm not doing my health any harm and see how things go I think. Giving it my best shot, all I've got to do is make it through to the end of term and I can hopefully catch everything up over Christmas.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    that's the spirit. chin up, head down, you can do it. (and even if you can't, well at least you tried)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Exactly, and whatever happens I want to know I tried rather than gave up at the first opportunity.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Bit of an update: had another meeting with my tutor this evening as nothings really getting any better and pending the agreement of my doctor (need them to write me a letter saying I'm not well enough to manage the year), I'm going to degrade, go home very shortly, get myself properly better and start next year fit and healthy.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm not sure if I told you before, but my boyfriend did the exact same thing - had the same op as you had then dropped out of his first year at uni. He restarted the following September and it's not done him any harm. Good luck with it :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I didn't realise he ended up dropping out of uni, that makes me feel so much better, thanks for that. I was half thinking it was me not managing the aftermath very well!
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