University woes

I want to address something I feel to be an issue surrounding university and the whole higher education system. In my personal opinion, (and I do understand that this is just my own judgement that I don’t want to force upon others) I want society to break this stigma that university is the only valid option after school. I think this is relevant especially today as it is A Level results day.


When I was preparing to leave the comfy safety net of sixth form, I was under the blind conception that university was the next necessary step toward the rest of my working life. Luckily for me, and my depression and anxiety at the time, I was granted an unconditional offer to the university I had initially loved. Accepting this enabled me to lift some of the self-placed pressure I had floundered under during previous exams. However, 4 months into my university experience I am beginning to question whether this was realistically the right move for me. 

Studying Psychology was something I wanted to do all through Sixth Form. I had aspirations to work as a mental health advisor for the RAF or eventually become a private clinical psychologist (& get those big bucks!). However once I began studying I had a nagging feeling that this wasn’t what I was best to be doing. I found the work and lectures tedious and boring, but I persevered because of this drilled in perception that a degree will equal future success. Before embarking on my university adventure I had always wanted to volunteer my time at my local Battersea, so when I found there was an opening for volunteers at the Old Windsor site (5 minutes from my University) I jumped at the opportunity. Two weeks into working with the amazingly dedicated people at Battersea, and spending time with the lovely dogs that pass through there, I began to realise that university may not be the where I needed to be. Raising these concerns with my parents, however supportive and loving they tried to seem, it troubled them. Probably the same reason as to why I was having apprehensions in the first place: the reinforced idea that a degree would lead to my success. I love dogs. Like love. I am a self-proclaimed crazy dog lady, and when coupled with my work with the woofs at Battersea meant somewhere in me I knew I’d found something I love. This ultimately put my mind into a whirl about whether this was something I should be focussing my attention, time and effort on. At this point I began researching courses in animal welfare, and made myself more and more conflicted about whether I should be continuing my study at university.
In the end, I left my Psychology degree, not wanting to waste more time and money on something i was unsure of. This was the best decision I have ever made. I took the summer to relax and research, and then late applied to an Animal Behavioural Science degree, which I absolutely fucking love. This is what is right for me and it took time to get there, I needed to make the mistake of the first university to get to where I am now. I'm happy. It took time and options and a lot of hard decisions were made, but please if you have doubts then take the time to think your life all through. It will come.

This is what I’m gearing up to here. Success isn’t measured by how much money you have, how many qualifications and degrees you have, nor is it that easy to narrow success down to one or two objective measures. See success is subjective. It is entirely dependent on your own expectations, happiness and life. Our current society creates this pressure that university degrees are the only way to eventually earn a successful career, and at such a young age, without much time to research, we believe what we’re told. I just want to point out here that more emphasis at a sixth form level should be placed on alternative options, and not just creating students who blindly go to university despite not fully knowing what they want to do. When we’re 18 we haven’t got a proper clue as to what we want to do with our lives. Yes some lucky ones know from a young age a career path or a subject that they will enjoy, but unfortunately life isn’t this black and white. Something that you want to do then may not have any relevance with what you later end up doing. And the majority of this young population don’t know what it is they will be good at. So surely it shouldn’t be such a big pressure and major life decision that we have to make so young. I encourage any of you, if you are still reading this ramble. Take your time to make this decision. Take a year out. Research your options. Explore different avenues. Volunteer or do work experience for a variety of companies. Doing this will show you what you are good at and what you enjoy. 

Ultimately do something that makes you happy. When you are older you will regret choosing something that doesn’t put a smile on your face every-day. A job that you can do well and enjoy doing is going to be so beneficial for your health.

 Don’t slave away doing something that doesn’t make you happy. Value your health, do what fills you with joy and love everything you do.