[Closed] Quitting University in the first 2 weeks

that sucks balls big time :(.  If you are happy to name where you are then this being STW there is a reasonable chance there is someone with a contact that can help here.  Otherwise do you not have some form of link to the university that you can discuss this with?  Just packing your bags is unlikely to be successful unless you can at least show an attempt at resolving issues first

I'm at the University of East Anglia

There is an advice line but it's not manned at the moment due to covid.
I'm emailing them tonight.

I wouldn't walk away from something that could affect my entire life after just two weeks. Stick with it, you've got the rest of your life to consider!

Have you not been given a one on one contact like a tutor?  Advicelines are  usually too unaccountable to be of the slightest value :(.  Try to talk to someone who has some investment in you if possible

Have you paid your £9000 fees ?
If you have paid you wont get a penny back so quitting so soon seems pretty stoopid
If you havent paid, well, can they make you even if you quit ? I dont know. Hard to make you pay if you havent got the dosh innit.
The halls of residence WILL demand the cash off you and may well take you to court for the money. You might end up declaring yourself bankrupt or going into some sort of insolvency arrangement. Great start to life.

Quitting after 2 weeks. Doesnt look good does it.
What are you going to say at your first day in work eh ? Fries with that ?

Yes, I do think this years intake are being stiffed for money and next year may be the same.
I dont see what anyone can do about it.
Im glad its not me.

I dont see what anyone can do about it.

Failure to provide contracted services surely in terms of the uni.

Halls less clear cut.

Ditto what people are saying if you have paid fees and halls cost, will be difficult to get these back in full.

Key thing to ask is what you would do if you left Uni. If the answer is "I dunno, probably just go home" then TBH its probably best to sit tight and see what happens with the course over the next few weeks/months.

All colleges/universities are having issues with the start of term and are very much aware the the new intake students are being badly affected by this. Just remember that the course will not have properly started yet, its still the first week and while the whole freshers week activities have been screwed up things will be happening (I hope...they certainly are in the college that I work in as we are doing a lot of online activities and events as well as virtual general meet and greet) .

Get hold of your Student Union rep and have a chat, also there will be a student support team in the college who are there to help (should be available to you in spite of Covid)

leffeboy
Full Member

Have you not been given a one on one contact like a tutor? Advicelines are usually too unaccountable to be of the slightest value :(. Try to talk to someone who has some investment in you if possible

No tutor all I've had is a video lecture and then there is nothing scheduled for 2 weeks.
I get what you're all saying about sticking with it, but this is not what I signed up for it feels fraudulent the way we are being treated. I do intend to get my degree but this is just miserable and depressing there is no point me being here if I have no contact with any lecturers.
I could just live at home and just sign up with the OU.

arts course I'm guessing?

My sympathy. There can't be a single person in the world whose life isn't being messed up by Corona. There is a massive amount of depression and anxiety around, prescriptions for tranquillisers have rocketed and even Mrs GTi and I are stuck, bored as hell, in a damp smelly mousey bungalow in Scotland waiting for the builder to finish our house, which we should have been in by now.

Stick with it and try to keep a lid on the negative thoughts. The first couple of weeks in a new job or uni are often tough.

Take a shot at working on finding a solution. To a prospective employer this is equally as valuable as the degree.  Treat it as a test. Work on finding the contact and if the end result is walking away then fair enough but be able to show that you have gone beyond just the easy to find make it work.  Even if you are right and you need to sack it off 5ake the opportunity to do it properly

Could you take a year out? I would not quit if i were you, even in the heady days of the '90s, quite a few quit after a few weeks, and I know they regretted it the rest of their lives.
It won't always be like this.

That is pretty crap and, to be honest I am a bit surprised. I'd have thought UEA would be better than that. Contacting the Students' Union is a good suggestion. I do think that it is probably worth giving it a bit more time though.

I am a bit out of touch but there always used to be a date, a few weeks into the course, where students became liable for fees, so people who realised it was all wrong and got out quickly wouldn't be liable for fees. I don't know if this is still the case.

I think it was week 3 before I had my first lecture at uni, 18 years ago mind.

I assume you’ve been working towards getting to uni for the last 2 years, and have planned the next 3 years around it? Seems silly to only give it a fortnight... plus, as you’ll find out, the first year is just to get everyone to the same standard anyway.

I'd give it another few weeks.

Good thing about being young is that you can try a few different things and find out what works for you. But you have to give things a chance first.

But yeah need to clarify tuition and accommodation costs too.

Ok I'm sorting options on what to do.
So
I'll look into if there is a liability for fees cut off.
I'll get in contact with the student union and hopefully get some advice.
If I can leave, take a year out just working or more probably volunteering these days. Then hope covid is passed or register at Kent and commute if not.
If it's all online I could just move home for a few weeks and study there and the hall fees well it's only a lone I'll probably never pay off anyway and move on.

Thanks all some thought provoking comments.

Where are you Cambridge or Norwich or is that ARU? What are you studying? What are the job prospects? (We’ll help with the last bit)

Sounds like it is a typical ex Poly it offers some good courses but excels at offering crap ones. Give them stick, speak to other students, speak to representatives, try and speak to tutors.

When I was studying at a ex poly over a decade ago the workshop guys shut the workshops to strike twice a week. I thought F this I’ve paid for this. Jimmied open the doors and cupboards with a big screwdriver. They were fuming but they’d already had my money.

Also whilst £9k is a lot it’s a piss in the water compared to £50k so if you can find employment in your field now I’d say go for it.

I thought there was a cut off period too, check with student union as they should probably know by now - suspect there has been a deluge of enquiries on the same lines.

No 14 day money back guarantee?

Find out who is in charge of learning and teaching in the department. Ask them (by email, then phone if necessary) who your personal tutor is, and if what you see on your timetable is correct.

Do you have access to a virtual learning environment (Blackboard, Canvas, Moodle etc)? Have you checked for details on there?

Have a look at your terms and conditions for your halls licence. Every university is different for release clauses for students dropping out. Many release our have a limited liability period. And likewise for tuition fees there is normally a cut off date and I would be surprised if you had passed it yet.

If you quit, what are you going to do? There's huge numbers of people looking for work right now - the chance of finding work when you have no experience or qualifications probably means minimum wage drudgery and few prospects. At lease by getting a degree you're stalling that job search process, improving your options and earning prospects. Crap as it seems, sitting at home with absolutely nothing might be worse?

Join the forces for a few years and sit this out, especially if you're on an arts course. It's going to be an utter waste of time this year. They are still recruiting and you'll be able to start training in a January/Feb if they want you.

I walked out of university after 2 weeks in 1987. Was a stupid minor thing that made me flip and walk out.

With hindsight, it was the first real manifestation of an ongoing problem with depression and anxiety. I should have spoken to student support and tutors and looked at ways round it, maybe changing courses or deferring, at least given it a proper chance.

I was lucky to walk into a job a month later. In the current climate, you probably won't be so lucky. I'd urge you to explore the options before canning it.

Academic member of staff here (different uni!)

- Contact your course director/program leader (or similar termed person) and explain you are thinking of leaving
- State that you also haven’t been allocated a personal tutor (or at least no one has been in touch). Unfortunately personal tutoring is so dependant on the tutor (wrongly!) and if you have someone who doesn’t live up to the job you can slip through the net. At our Uni tutors are in touch with students every 2 weeks in the current situation
- If the course director doesn’t reply (and give them the weekend, I mean on Monday), then email the director for eduction (or similar) or otherwise the head of school/department. You may also have a student support office (check your welcome material/slides for an email address)
- Student Union is a good idea though you will get better course specific advice/help in your Dept. You will also be able to escalate to Uni level student education - they will need to sign off if you do decided to leave anyway.

It sounds like you have massively slipped through the net which isn’t good enough. However there will be people there to help guide you. Even if they guide you in how to leave or alternatively delay until next year when life hopefully is less stupid.

What subject? Nothing for the next 2 weeks isn’t good enough, even if it is arts!

I don’t know UEA, but feel free to DM me if needed.

Even in the absence of a fees cut off, you won't be on the hook for £9k. Fees are paid on your behalf by SLC to the university each term/semester, so it would be £3k or £4.5k. Which is still a lot but only half as bad. Your maintenance loan can be stopped by the week or month too, so you'd only need to pay back what you've borrowed so far.

Plus, chances are (sorry...) you won't be earning enough to have to worry about paying them back for a long time. (repayments start with a salary over £26,575 currently).

The difficult bit might be halls of residence, if you've committed to a year already.

Best of luck whatever you do. Bear in mind there's no shame in dropping out if that's what you decide, the door will always be open in the future.

My daughter jacked a fine art course at Edinburgh in the first week. Decided it was the wrong course for her plus some anxiety etc issues which we thought had got sorted but came back due to distance from home (Devon).

Anyway, was able to cancel halls contract without penalty - just paid for that week. Hadn’t paid uni fees and no issue there.

Took year out working for M&S which was very good for her. Now in second year of English at Exeter. Sooo, not necessarily an issue financially if you can confirm contractually is do-able. Certainly not a sh1t or bust life decision but make sure it’s what you want to do.

Did they give you a reading list / study plan? What are you supposed to be doing for the next few weeks?

Harking back 30 years to when I was a student it did seem that Arts courses had very few lectures and a lot of time was spent reading / socialising (probably more than latter). I was gutted that as an Engineer we had over 30 hours of lectures a week! Only had Wed afternoon off...

A few people quit in the first term, just realised it wasn't for them or they'd picked the wrong course. Back then it was all funded and if you quit in the first term they still let you go back and start again somewhere else without any penalties.

@kentishman

https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1309580807640580099?s=19

Absolutely follow up with this first, your experience shouldn't be usual. You spent a lot of time deciding on UEA and worked hard to get there.

It looks as if your fees cut off is 3 weeks from the start of your course so depending on your specific dates your have a few days to think this through.

It looks as if your accommodation is it is UEA Accommodation is 7 days but also pro rata fees if you stop being a student but you need to follow this up with the accommodation office to confirm this.

Full disclosure, I think Uni's are overpriced and I'd avoid going to one unless your chosen career specifically requires attendance e.g. law, medicine, engineering.

After 2-3 weeks you've called out that it's not for you. Are you happy paying 9k a year for a service which doesn't meet your expectations? Personally I'd sack it off especially if you don't have to pay fees if you give notice now and you only pay for your accommodation pro-rata. If you leave it any longer you'll lose more money.

You could always come back to it in a year or two when we've worked out what the world will look like with Covid.

Good luck.

Don't know the details of what's occurring at the moment with covid issues and all that but university is not like school.It is basically self learning with assistance from tutors. It's all about self management. So you're not going to be spoon fed like you were at school. Some self help is expected and required so I wouldn't give up and take as much advice as possible if you're snuggling right now. Having said all that my experience from my university days is that all the help you need is at hand, it's just a case of knowing where to go to for it.

Don't listen to the naysayers. University is the best choice you can make in life so long as you choose a proper degree (the main issue with those who oppose higher education - as if decent higher education can ever be a disadvantage!). And don't be phased by the debt myth. If you benefit from your degree in your future earnings it will be nothing, if you don't you wont have to pay it back. Borrow what you can, spend what you need, invest the rest.

I'm studying Law. As lots have asked.
Maybe my first study should be the consumer rights act.

ahsat
Thanks I've got lots to do there to keep me busy and I always feel good with lots to do.

Definitely think something has gone wrong if it’s law. I’d expect MUCH more contact time (even in Covid world!). My only plea to you is remember staff are also people with lives/families/mental health and just give them a chance to respond to you on Monday. We do totally understand for students Uni is a 24-7 experience, but try and sit out the weekend if you can (still send the emails tomorrow!).

I had doubts about weather the course was for me after a few weeks but stuck it out due to not wanting to let the parents down. Despite being a decent traditional uni the lecturers were all pretty crap.

Worst thing I've done as it left me with the debt. Also pisses me off when I log into my tax account to see the three years extra I have to work due to missing three years NICs.

Graduated with a desmond, worked in a related field for 10 whole weeks then joined the Marines 😂

Well you'll onto a sticky wicket if you think university and education is a commercial transaction. You choose to be there and signed no contract about expected returns - you're only potential beneficiary. Maybe a lesson scheduled for week three of a law degree. Life is all about what you make of it whatever. You make your own decisions and live by the consequences. But despite the challenges from all the wide and varied backgrounds university students come from, you should expect support and help and my experience from way back is that the university provides more than enough help and experience. Just a case of hanging in there and asking.

Maybe I was lucky. I was a mature student who had the benefit of friends who had already been through university and knew the ropes and passed on the benefit of their wisdom. I felt prepared. But that wasn't the experience of my fellow students who had just dropped off from A-levels from some cushty school. You're no loner spoon fed which is why uni is as much a life experience as an academic education. Stick in there, ask for help and in as many as two weeks time you'll most likekly be cooking on gas and forgotten about your current concerns.

If you're doing law you're already on the right path in that you're doing decent degree that is valued in the real world and should reward you with a lucrative salary that will more than compensate for the tuition fees, unlike half the tin-pot degrees offered these days so uni's can attract the volume of fee paying students they need to survive.

Stick in there and enjoy. Best years of your life.

Student Union as a first stop

Escalation in your department, work the system

Get on social media to find course mates, twitter, Instagram, whatever, if everyone is in the same boat it helps to have numbers complaining. Nothing negative in public domain.

This year is exceptional, understand your options and the consequences. Fight to get something that works for you.

Good luck

Don’t know the details of what’s occurring at the moment with covid issues and all that but university is not like school.It is basically self learning with assistance from tutors. It’s all about self management. So you’re not going to be spoon fed like you were at school. Some self help is expected and required so I wouldn’t give up and take as much advice as possible if you’re snuggling right now.

Frankly he's being failed, first years are not supposed to make up their own reading list from a zero base. The question is why? Is it a poor tutor? department failure? Someone off with Covid? Missed of an email list?

Well you’ll onto a sticky wicket if you think university and education is a commercial transaction. You choose to be there and signed no contract about expected returns – you’re only potential beneficiary. Maybe a lesson scheduled for week three of a law degree. Life is all about what you make of it whatever. You make your own decisions and live by the consequences. But despite the challenges from all the wide and varied backgrounds university students come from, you should expect support and help and my experience from way back is that the university provides more than enough help and experience. Just a case of hanging in there and asking.

That's certainly not my experience, you get good tutors/lecturers and truly awful lecturers. Unfortunately the impact of the latter is felt much more than the former. I was screwed over in a similar way, basically treated like my course didn't exist (mech eng FWIW).

Maybe I was lucky. I was a mature student who had the benefit of friends who had already been through university and knew the ropes and passed on the benefit of their wisdom. I felt prepared. But that wasn’t the experience of my fellow students who had just dropped off from A-levels from some cushty school.

Really? Whatever makes you think that?

Also pisses me off when I log into my tax account to see the three years extra I have to work due to missing three years NICs.

Don't worry yourself, they sent out those letters to me as well and it amounts to sod all, especially since I'll be working to 68 (in theory).

Sounds like it is a typical ex Poly it offers some good courses but excels at offering crap ones

UEA is not an ex poly.

OP
ahsats advice up there looks good, follow it. Good luck and do what is right for you, other uni's, other courses are available and you have time on your side, having a job for a year and trying again in a years time will do you no harm. Its easy for old people like me to sit back and wonder why anyone went to uni this year but you obviously want to get on with your life, but do bear in mind taking you time and getting it right wont hurt.

PS If you are in Norfolk or Suffolk Terrace, dont push an empty beer barrel down the stairs, it doesnt end well. Also dont steal all your mates stuff when he goes out and leaves his door open as he'll come home pissed, realise his insurance demands a locked door, lock it, kick it down and call the police....none of these end well. Dont ask how I know!!

I feel your pain.

It’s a shitty situation.

There is some excellent advice from ahsat above.

Law at UEA has a decent reputation, so quitting means you’d be unlikely to get onto a better legal career path unless you do it much later in life. On that basis alone, I’d stick with it.

But I feel for you and the appalling start. It’s not like the university hasn’t had six months to think about how to deal with your intake. The schools have been operating for weeks (months if you count year six). So I can imagine your frustration at laying down thousands of pounds for the shitshow that is your start to term.

But, the best advice seems to be from ahsat. Stick with it, or maybe defer a year, and you’ll likely come out the otherside a fantastic person and lawyer.

I wouldn’t walk away from something that could affect my entire life after just two weeks. Stick with it, you’ve got the rest of your life to consider!

This is good advice. I did a couple of modules of online study at the start of the year to refresh myself on developments in the field I work in. That was a fairly well-managed course with only 6 students, but it was still frustrating at times. It straddled the covid thing, so everything was fine at the start, but by the end, the instructors were having to deal with the lockdown for their on-campus teaching so they were struggling at the end.

The website and LMS were a *ing nightmare, really unintuitive. I was tempted to just download all the study materials and tell them to go * themselves a couple of times, but after a good night's sleep and a cool down, I realized the problems were really just minor niggles and I was tired and stressed and quitting would have been really stupid (keep in mind, I was still doing my regular job on top of 20 hours per week of online study).

There will be thousands of other students having the same frustrating experience as you, plus all the teaching staff will be overwhelmed trying to deal with it all. You will be given a lot of leeway on assignments and stuff because everything will be a shambles, so you should still get your diploma on time if you just stick at it.

A major trait of successful people is persistence in the face of difficulty. If you persist with trying to contact someone, you will eventually get in touch with a tutor or someone. Tell them politely how bad things are going and ask them for advice. Don't get angry with them, they aren't to blame for the problems and are probably frantically trying to cope with endless problems like this, so dealing with someone who is grateful for help will probably make them happy. If you persist with it, when you look back on this in the future, you will almost certainly be glad you decided to stick at it.

Dropped my daughter off at UEA last weekend. She has a timetable of online lectures and 2 hours small group tuition a week. Somethings gone wrong for you.

She has also talked about quitting but in the absence of a plan-b we have told her to give it a term.

That's a difficult position to be in, you'd definitely expect support and guidance from your uni - even in these weirdly awful times. You do need a cut off point, find out if/when you're no longer liable (if that's the right word?) for paying fees and a couple of days before the cut off make that decision to either leave uni or stay...it's not the end of your career and it's not the worst thing which will ever happen in your life either, it's perspective I guess..... From my experience, uni was just a delay to going back into engineering. My 4 year apprenticeship in industry back in the 90's taught me more about life and hands-on engineering than a mech eng degree did...so for me, uni was a waste of time and I genuinely hated it... hopefully for you, if you choose, there's alternative options. Wish you all the best mate..

Life is all about what you make of it whatever.

A bit glib. Many first year students are being limited quite severely compared to the normal experience/chances they would have. Hopefully this will improved as things settle down.

Speaking as another academic Ahsat's advice is good.

I'be just looked at the UEA website and teaching doesn't start until next week, so by all means register your concerns with the course director, but you may find things change.

Log on to your online teaching environment and check everything on there too, plus any paperwork and emails, in case you missed something registration wise.

My 4 year apprenticeship in industry back in the 90’s taught me more about life and hands-on engineering than a mech eng degree did…so for me, uni was a waste of time and I genuinely hated it

Universities aren't meant to be vocational schools. The idea is that students get a much broader education (i.e. university = universal knowledge). So you have engineers who also have an appreciation of literature, ethics, politics, philosophy, sociology etc. Companies like Uber and Facebook could do with some higher level management who have a broader education and appreciate that just pushing technology isn't enough, there needs to be some consideration of the broader effects of how that technology is used and the social and political consequences of it.

Don't make a spur-of-the-moment decision that you may well regret. After all, you're paid up and won't be getting that cash back.

And it's not as if there's some kind of gap year paradise out there in the middle of a pandemic.

Look for support from the university, both academically, and for yourself, if you are feeling anxious or depressed about how things are going.

Speaking as another academic Ahsat’s advice is good.

I’be just looked at the UEA website and teaching doesn’t start until next week, so by all means register your concerns with the course director, but you may find things change.

@shackleton is a better academic than me and actually did some research 😉 Not defending your experience but worth just noting that moving to online delivery and the rapidly changing situation (with Leeds going to into lockdown yesterday our guidance changed again yesterday!) timetabling has been a lot more complex than normal so they may be delays in letting you know what is happening; which if term is starting next week will v likely/hopefully improve. Still chase it up though.

(Appears all academics ride Banshees and Stantons ;-P)

So you have engineers who also have an appreciation of literature, ethics, politics, philosophy, sociology etc.

Lol. Not met any engineers have you!

Lol. Not met any engineers have you!

I spent a year at engineering school. It was full of *s who really just belonged in a vocational school. I got interested in philosophy of science and switched to a philosophy degree. A lot of physics students took philosophy courses too, most of them were smart and interesting people. Universities offer the opportunity for a broad education. Whether students appreciate that opportunity is a different matter. The main problem with engineers is that tech companies tend to be run by technocratic types who tend to hire their own reflections, so engineers are incentivized to behave like *s.

A major trait of successful people is persistence in the face of difficulty.

Well it is if the winners get to write history. They tell you they were successful because they stuck at it when others gave up. Of course if you ask a different group they’ll tell you that “failing fast” is an attribute of success - ie realising early that the path they are on is not going to lead to the destination they originally planned. And that’s before we even debate what successful means.

Lol. Not met any engineers have you!

+1

Probably the least diverse people you could meet...

Is there a friendly dealer guy on campus? Go hit him up for some green.

if you ask a different group they’ll tell you that “failing fast” is an attribute of success – ie realising early that the path they are on is not going to lead to the destination they originally planned

We're talking about something a bit different. Realizing that you need to change direction is important, but that's not the same as quitting because you encountered an obstacle. Anything you do will involve some unforeseen obstacles, you can't just give up everytime things don't go according to plan. If you are going to succeed in your goals, sticking at it and overcoming difficulties is essential. In this case, the OP is frustrated because the admin side of his course is a shambles, he hasn't decided to change his direction. Quitting would be a mistake if he doesn't have some alternative goal to work towards.

Another academic here, fitting the Stanton stereotype.....

Our timetabling has been a horrific nightmare. People have been working nights and weekends to make it all work, we've been looking at hiring additional spaces to deliver in, the staff are very divided on whether to do face to face teaching at all (I think it's nuts), and the situation is changing very fast.

Like most of my colleagues, I spent a lot of time over the summer turning my lecture material into online content. A huge amount of work has been and is being done, but I start the week after next and I have no idea when or whom I am teaching,

I am sorry things are a bit trying for you at the moment. It might help to remember that Universities are really messed up due to COVID - its not that no one cares about you or any student, its that the staff are overwhelmed by the situation. The more practical staff 'on the ground' are often hindered by the people who control university policy etc and now by the governments often seemingly random last minute COVID policies. Most on the ground staff really care, as they can see the result of issues for students, unlike higher up managers.

If you decide to leave now, do you have anything lined up? Lots of charities are going down the pan - many animal welfare charities for example have stopped taking animals in and never expect to be able to afford to re-open. Charities of all types closing or stalling means less opportunity to volunteer. The National Trust for example is laying off huge numbers of staff.

Re casual work - in the last couple of years I have seen jobs advertised for staff in 3 different cafes (I live in the South West) - all of whom demanded a degree qualification in order to wait tables and pour coffee (total madness, but its still an issue).

In one of the papers I have seen they are getting between 650 and 2000 applicants for basic jobs as so many are already out of work and its going to be much worse by the New Year. Signing up as unemployed is a horrid experience, even people who have long employment histories get treated quite badly by the government these days if they have no choice but to sign on, as there is constant fear of being punished for quite trivial errors - no money means no food.

Perhaps start your own education while waiting for the Uni - start reading books or internet materials on essay writing, basic UK law etc. If you are bored maybe pick a chapter from a law book and write a practice essay on whatever it covers. Alternatively start a blog on University life or some other aspect that interests you, its something to show employers, displaying your intellect and writing skills.

I am sad to say that what you are experiencing at the moment will be echoed in the world of work too. Much employment is effected hugely by COVID, but also as you enter the world of employment you will find many many job descriptions have no resemblance to the reality of the job. They are glossed up, full of interesting opportunities and promotion prospects. In reality you are often stuck in a corner, doing repetitive boring tasks that never improve. After much dedication you see the job opportunities given to people from outside the company, often with limited skills and experience (sometimes because the boss fancied them at the interview. Yes, this does still happen. I know of several men who got jobs that way from female or gay interviewers, its not just women who get appointed for looks. I have even been told directly and openly by one interviewer he appointed a man for personal physical attraction, not skills). Don't assume that if you leave the disappointment of Uni that working will definitely be wonderful and meaningful in comparison, with no loneliness or boredom.

Lots of life is sold on 'added gloss' rather than reality, University and jobs included. Consider any big move carefully and try to see beyond what you are told.

PS whenever you move into the world of work, always ask to see your potential workspace at the interview or before accepting the job. The reaction of the interviewer/s can be very very enlightening.

Good luck and all the best.

I spent a year at engineering school. It was full of *s who really just belonged in a vocational school. I got interested in philosophy of science and switched to a philosophy degree. A lot of physics students took philosophy courses too, most of them were smart and interesting people. Universities offer the opportunity for a broad education

Not sure where you went but my first year was 38 hours a week of labs and lectures, 4-5 on a Friday for semiconductor theory was a classic way to round off the week. Not much time for musing

Not sure my Zambian lab partner could be described as a *

My sister is in the same boat at Kings studying nursing.

YouTube videos on how to take bloods...

Engineers aren't all ignorant arts and philosophy hating twonks....I even read books in my spare time... Just trying to say university isn't the only route, doesn't fit everyone and to be honest is it value for money ? Personally engineering was a full time, maths heavy, philosophy avoiding degree...35 hours per week and no time off for "reading weeks".... Let's not get into the arts vs science argument, that's not what this post is about. Good lucks with your decision.

I didn't go to uni straight afyer school because i had do sense of where i wanted to do. On my first almost degree (mathematics) i was quietly asked to leave after failing 3rd year a second time. That was a result of hating the whole experience. I have spent 10 years regretting not leaving after having a disastrous second year and at various points after that before it all went very very wrong and i didn't bother sitting the exams.

I am studying again and after 2 years of stress i have finally realised that the one thing i should have been doing from school onwards is talking to people. Teachers tutors lecturers course leaders student union advice centre family and seeking advice.

I will never know what could have resulted from that.

I may have focussed my ideas earlier and gone to uni and failed that, or passed it.

I may have managed to sort my maths degree out with help, or transferred to another course which i may have succeeded or failed in.

I might have left uni years earlier and been successful or not.

All those years of regret about not leaving sooner were a waste of time and emotionally draining. What I do regret is not doing more to talk to people, they generally want to help and you may find someone who os feeling the same.

My advice for what its worth is don't stay silent and just walk away (or stay silent and be unhappy). Talk talk talk you every avenue available to you to help build a better picture of what is going on and how you may be able to improve your situation. If you do decide its not for you, you can walk away knowing you made an informed choice and you having nothing to regret.

Tl;dr?

Life is too short to be unhappy, but snap decisions aren't necessarily going to improve situations and infact can be a whole lot worse. Talk talk talk.

Hols2

Universities aren’t meant to be vocational schools. The idea is that students get a much broader education (i.e. university = universal knowledge).

I absolutely hate that kind of elitist attitude. See the person, not the university/privilege.

It’s not an elitist attitude. Remember, most people leaving University now (or soon) will have several different careers in their lifetime… many doing careers that don’t even exist yet… but their time at university should help them in all those careers, not just one.

Come on guys have this debate elsewhere.

Agreed.

Kentishman, I spoke to some law graduates today, and the first term of the first year was as intense as hell for them… a lot of work… loads to learn… it was hard to cram it all in… and they couldn’t imagine how they would have caught up if they’d missed it. Best to start asking questions of the facility now about what you will actually get in the next few months.

Proper shit situation.

Some excellent advice re checking in with the SU, tutors, other students etc. UEA is an excellent Uni & your experience sounds like its very much not what anyone wants and/or planned.

I worked at a Uni for a while and the timetabling team were constantly stressed and having to re-jig rooms & schedules a la 3D tetris. Given the current situation and pressure across the board I can only imagine its a nightmarish task to start it all from scratch.

I went to UEA & stayed on in Norwich for 12 years. Its a fantastic city and I miss it massively.

This initial situation will get sorted.
Stick with it & if it doesn't get substantially better (a term?) then you've given it a proper go

Don't walk away.

The course seems shocking, but remember they aim of uni is:

1) Have fun
2) Get a bit of paper with a crest and signature at the end of it

For number 1, make use of the tour time. Smash the online learning and get out doing social stuff you can enjoy. Any cycling nearby? Get boozed?! Get a bar job, which is what I did, had a great time.

For number 2. Just jump through the hoops they give you. I reckon you'll have an easier time than in a regular year. Just plod along.

From my recollection the 1st 2 weeks of uni are about getting wasted and partying. Classes then start once everyone gets it out of their system.

It sounds like you are there to learn more than party. Better off waiting if you can’t get refund.

Does sale of goods act apply to a £9k uni course?

As above UEA has a good rep, sure they don’t want it damaged.

Kelvin It’s not an elitist attitude. Remember, most people leaving University now (or soon) will have several different careers in their lifetime… many doing careers that don’t even exist yet… but their time at university should help them in all those careers, not just one

And that is no different for us dumb apprentices. I am just leaving a technology that did not exist 17 years ago which is about 35 years after I started my apprenticeship.

The skills I learnt in my apprenticeship have been invaluable. Glad I did not go to Uni and end up scoffing at ignorant ****'s like me.

Glad I did not go to Uni and end up scoffing at ignorant ****’s like me.

Did the apprenticeship give you the chip on your shoulder, or did that come later?

The skills I learnt in my apprenticeship have been invaluable.

Absolutely. As it should be.

Not sure where dumb comes into it though. I know A* students who took the apprenticeship route, and some places are harder to get than squeezing onto a Uni course.

Not read the rest of the thread but OP

First 2 weeks you certainly don’t go near a lecture/tutor and just supposed to get very drunk. If you have had enough already because you are not throwing up every night because of COVID restrictions then you may well have a valid point.

Christ I'd be having a ball if I was you! There is plenty of time to be mature and responsible and join the misery of the 9-5 rat race later on in life. Enjoy the free time and lack of pressure while it lasts would be my advice. University is not all about the work and getting a return for your money. It's a wonderful social experience. If you are young I wouldn't make any decisions about it till towards the end of the academic year.

Is there any nice ladies you could have some fun with indoors for 2 weeks?

Appreciate it's not great, I did History and contact hours under normal circumstances weren't a patch on mates doing sciences etc. Life isn't always perfect sadly so it might just be a period where you might need to knuckle down and lap it up whilst trying to make the most of the situation. As others have said you've the rest of your working life to have your days filled. I'd strongly doubt one year of quasi distance learning will make a huge dent into a law degree (4 years?). It'd maybe be a good opportunity albeit early to research career areas of interest or possible summer jobs and just chat with fellow undergrads in the same boat. Good luck.

Just thought I'd give an update on this.
Firstly I don't know why I wrote in the first person innately but it's my son and not me at UEA.
He has decided to leave and go to university next year as the online teaching is not working for him. He has got some voluntary work doing advocacy and I will keep him busy too.
UEA has been good too and thank you to all the advice given on here as it was useful.
On the finance front he will not have to pay for course fees if he leaves before the 19th Oct and only pay for the weeks he has stayed in halls.
Thanks all

Scary decision but sounds like it's right for him.

Different unis see these things differently, with my lot, if you apply and you have a history that says "started a course, thought better of it, left before it was a problem", they're not exactly delighted- they'll be thinking "what if it happens again"- but as long as the personal statement gives a decent reason it's no detriment. Way better than sticking it out then crashing out like so many kids do. But in this year, I reckon any admissions tutor that holds it against him next year is unfit to do the job frankly. There will be some, have no doubt, but there's not much you can do about rogue arseholes, and if there's an instutution that decides it's too big a black mark then fine, they don't want him and he probably doesn't want them.

Hope it all works out as best as it can, the main thing with this year is that there's just no good options, you can only choose the shit option that's best for you.

I dropped out of poly (that dates it) after a couple of weeks. Reapplied for elsewhere the following year, but was lucky enough to have found an employer in the meantime who wanted to keep me and supported my professional qualifications.

It's not for everyone, especially at that age.