No idea what to do with my life

[Adviceplease2764]

I’m 22. I know that’s not old but I’ve done a year of one degree that I had to leave for medical reasons and started another degree. I hate it and want to leave, I’m only a few months in. I just Don’t think education is for me. But I have no clue what to do next? Please help, any advice would be great.

If anyone has done the open university please let me know how that is too?

Go get a job for a few months. If you can, save up enough to go and see some of the world, backpacking or whatever.
Life's too short for wasting time doing things you aren't happy doing but we all need money so do something as a means to an end for a while.

If education isn't for you then I highly doubt you'd enjoy Open University, it's just the same as Uni except your tutorials are online and lessons are basically self taught. But don't think you can't do either this or go back to Uni at a later date, you're still so so young. My DP has just graduated at 35 as she was never one for education when she was younger.

If you don't know what you want to do, join the club. I'm in a great career (financially) but it's not what I want to do, I'm 40. I still ponder on it most days and don't know if I'll ever work it out. But supporting my family is likely going to be enough for me to say I've been happy with my life.

The world really is your oyster, earn a bit and decide later what you fancy doing. You will most likely find that if you move around a bit, places and workplaces, that you'll land somewhere that you wanted to be without even realising it.

What subject are you studying? You may be able to transfer to a different course at this early stage. Keep in mind that just having a degree is useful, subject may not matter and you can do something completely different afterwards.

Get a job. You can always go back to university later on. Maybe start off temping is you can get into a few organisations and see what you like

Yes my boyfriend agrees with the idea of working full time until I’ve figured things out. I’m studying law and working in 2 restaurants, I pretty much work full time as it is but if I left uni would work even more to make sure my finances stay okay.

I think part of the problem is that I’m not interested in a big fancy life being rich, I would be very happy (I think) having a family and a standard job that pays the bills. Is that a really rubbish aim?

That’s fine, and a law degree isn’t likely to get you a fancy life anyway tbh. It’s good to have realistic expectations about the future.

Your problem is a standard job doesn't pay the bills. Like you I didn't continue my education at 22 and I started my family young. I became a single parent unable to support us on my wages and ended up on benefits for a few years before... you guessed it going back to uni in my 30's. Except now it's 10 times harder, financially, physically, emotionally.
I would look at swapping courses, and double check your eligibility to fund uni in the future since you have already done 1 year and 1 term of study.
Other options might be something more vocational at college?
Own business?

Have a look at the extra curricular activities offered by the uni. They may offer something that will inspire you - do they offer free legal advice to local community for example? Is there support for student entrepreneurs?

What about an Apprenticeship instead? You can do them at degree level now. Have a look on the Gov Find An Apprenticeship website

I think part of the problem is that I’m not interested in a big fancy life being rich, I would be very happy (I think) having a family and a standard job that pays the bills. Is that a really rubbish aim?

Not rubbish at all! But you’d be surprised how much income you do need for an average, fairly comfortable lifestyle, especially if you’d ever like to buy property or have children. Yes you can survive on low paid jobs but it’s not easy and I wouldn’t write yourself off this early into accepting a life of struggle financially.

What are you passionate about? At your age I had finished a pointless degree that wouldn’t get me anywhere I wanted to be, so volunteered a lot for a few different places/sectors, one role was four hours per week the other sixteen per week (I worked my ‘job for pay’ random NMW job five days as well). It let me figure out what I was passionate about and was incredibly rewarding. And gave me enough experience to move into a career I loved that a few years down the line pays what I consider to be a great salary.

You sound a bit flat. What do you enjoy? Love?

Your problem is a standard job doesn't pay the bills. Like you I didn't continue my education at 22 and I started my family young. I became a single parent unable to support us on my wages and ended up on benefits for a few years before... you guessed it going back to uni in my 30's. Except now it's 10 times harder, financially, physically, emotionally.

Yep, this. If you truly do want a comfortable future and a family and to be able to work a ‘standard job’ now is the time to put the hours into working your tail off. But you need to know what doing first.

That's a goal for 6 to 8 years time assuming you are still in a stable relationship. Need to work and build up savings in the meantime. You dont have to have a career as such but a reasonably paid reliable job which you can return to after you start a family .

I'm 24 and worked for years and only this year quit my job and jumped into college to get some highers. Even starting college I had no idea where I wanted to go but had a rough idea of what field I wanted to go into. I have no decided on the next course. Just because you complete a degree etc doesn't mean you can't go back if you change your mind. The people I have in my course have been hairdressers, dentist assistants, nurses, pub work, school leavers etc at all ages from 17-60s. People change and so do their career aspects. Don't be under the illusion that you are trapped in one career if it's not for you.
Take some time working possibly in different environments so you can have a rough grasp of what things you like and then go on to study whatever you want to do in THIS part of your life.

Things change when you have children. I’m not a materialistic person but I have schools fees to pay. Unfortunately that’s not possible without a good income. The study of law is very different to practice (and there are lots of other options, I did a law degree but went into a different field, so have most people I know in finance). If you think you can manage a 2:1 and are at a decent uni I would persevere and do lots of work experience and open days in law, accounting, banking, whatever you can find really.

To the person who said I sound flat - I really am :/ I just feel like I’m dragging myself through life with a big cloud over my head at the minute. It’s horrible.

The only thing I’ve ever done that I love is the gym: I have a qualification to be a personal trainer but decided to start my degree instead of finding work there. If I picture my life it would be having a family and a little flat and maybe being a fitness instructor or a retail manager etc, as I actually enjoy working in things like retail and hospitality. I just don’t know how to get to these points. I’m interested in the criminal side of law so have thought about switching to criminology at open uni as you don’t do exams with that course and it’s the exams that give me huge anxiety

Have you considered being assessed for depression or anxiety? Just a thought.

If those careers appeal to you, have you looked into finding people who already work in those areas for mentoring or guidance? I find people are usually receptive to a quick ten minute informational interview if you’re happy to go to them and buy the coffees.

@stripeytopredlips yes I’ve asked uni for counselling but because I’m doing uni and 2 jobs every time I make an appointment I end up getting asked to come into work, so it just hasn’t worked out.

I have, some of my friends are personal trainers and it just doesn’t sound reliable. One week they’re making crazy money and the next week next to nothing, it’s just so hit and miss. Alternatively I would love to work with children but not entirely sure as what