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Is College the Be-All And-End-All?
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Hi. I'm 19, I'm in my first year of college. Exams woo! I've made a complete mess of my first year because of a number of reasons. (1) I left the foster-care system (2) the course that I chose wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. Not the course for me. At all. (3) I had a lot of personal problems that I needed to sort out. (4) I was unable to sleep for most of the second semester, which made it really difficult to get into class/to focus in class.
I've now been given a lifeline of repeating my exams in August and switching to a different course (in the same college) next year. (I keep on two of the subjects that I'll be doing in the exams; while I switch the main subject to another Arts one.)
However, I know that-if I was to go back to college next year-I'll make the exact same mistakes I made this year. While I've learnt from my mistakes, I still have a lot of personal problems to sort out. Before I do that, I'm way too scared to socialise, and way too scared to be around anybody, so I'll end up feeling overwhelmed by college again.
----Question----
Should I take a year off? A year away from college, so that I can sort out all my personal issues? And, instead of going to college, get a job instead so I have some way of financing myself.
Then, the year after next, I'll return to college. I'll have all my personal problems sorted out and I'll be ready to get the most out of my time in college.
Is this a good idea or should I just stick with college now?
I've now been given a lifeline of repeating my exams in August and switching to a different course (in the same college) next year. (I keep on two of the subjects that I'll be doing in the exams; while I switch the main subject to another Arts one.)
However, I know that-if I was to go back to college next year-I'll make the exact same mistakes I made this year. While I've learnt from my mistakes, I still have a lot of personal problems to sort out. Before I do that, I'm way too scared to socialise, and way too scared to be around anybody, so I'll end up feeling overwhelmed by college again.
----Question----
Should I take a year off? A year away from college, so that I can sort out all my personal issues? And, instead of going to college, get a job instead so I have some way of financing myself.
Then, the year after next, I'll return to college. I'll have all my personal problems sorted out and I'll be ready to get the most out of my time in college.
Is this a good idea or should I just stick with college now?
Post edited by JustV on
0
Comments
Hi Kody,
It sounds like you have had a tough time this year and that things maybe haven't worked out quite as planned. It is positive you are looking for support though, and that you feel able to share your worries so other people can try to help.
When you go to college (and university), you are taking responsibility for your own education, and a lot of people find the transition from school to FE difficult even without other issues complicating matters (I know I did). As you are taking you learning into your own hands, it is important that you are honest with yourself about both your ability and desire to complete the course. If you don't feel that you are able to do your best at the moment, then taking some time to sort things out might be a good plan.
However, going back into education once you have left can be difficult. Again, you need to be honest with yourself about whether you think you really will go back after some time out. Will you be happy going back to a student lifestyle after you have spent a year earning your own money?
It sounds like your college are being supportive by offering you the chance to resit and to switch your course. It might be worth talking to them about what would happen if you took some time out, and make sure that it would be possible to return next year. Their response might assist you with making the decision. However, don't forget that the decision is yours to make, and you shouldn't feel any pressure from anywhere else.