Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you could start again what would you study??

183 replies

Londoner90 · 31/12/2020 09:35

Or would you study at all? Would you go to uni ? Would you consider money as in what salaries might be in the industry or would you follow your passion ?

OP posts:
cushioncovers · 31/12/2020 17:20

History and then archeology

georgiamag1 · 31/12/2020 17:23

I didn't go to uni, quit school before A Levels and started an office job in public sector. Decent salary now and most people my grade have degrees etc which have been a waste as they didn't need them to get into this role. If I could go back I think I'd learn a trade

Butchyrestingface · 31/12/2020 17:23

History and/or one of the social sciences + a language.

And then either a PGDE/CE to allow me to go abroad to teach OR a postgrad in interior design.

Lots of thwarted history students on here! Xmas Smile

BalladOfBarryAndFreda · 31/12/2020 17:25

Biomedical science / something in molecular/cellular biology research.

I was an HCP, so not a million miles away but I would like to have done something using more ‘hard science’. I didn’t do it because I didn’t realise it was an option for me, it was in terms of academics, I just wasn't aware it existed as a valid career when I was 18 (school in the arse end of nowhere, careers service pretty much nonexistent and STEM wasn’t a ‘thing’ for girls, really).

79andnotout · 31/12/2020 17:28

I wouldn't change anything, I ended up with a PhD in biophysics and have had a varied and successful career. But what I'm really interested in is botany and horticulture which I have been studying as an evening class for a few years and will change careers soon (once all the big ticket things are paid off like the mortgage as horticulture wages suck balls).

AmaryllisNightAndDay · 31/12/2020 17:30

I studied for a Computer Science degree back in 1981 and I'd do it again.

hedgehogger1 · 31/12/2020 17:33

Quite fancy occupational therapy in hindsight, or child psychology

grassisjeweled · 31/12/2020 17:33

Medicine

I was very bright but unfortunately went to the wrong school /got in with the wrong crowd. Did a Philosophy BA instead - useless

Butchyrestingface · 31/12/2020 17:34

I didn't know what I wanted to do really and I ended up doing a completely pointless degree at a 'new' University.
I really don't know what I was thinking and I hugely regret my decisions.

I did a completely pointless degree at one of Scotland 'ancient' universities. Had never heard of 'The Russell Group' until I joined Mumsnet. And even now, when I see a thread on the subject, will think to myself, "oh, they went to a Russell Grant university too!"

Rathmobhaile · 31/12/2020 17:35

I've gone back as an adult to study psycotherapy and play therapy and I love it - just wish I'd got here sooner but if I was to talk to younger me I'd tell me to do a degree in antropology as I think I'd have loved it and still ended up in psychotherapy.

RoseMartha · 31/12/2020 17:35

History

singsingbluesilver · 31/12/2020 17:36

I did a Humanities degree which I really enjoyed and led to a career in the same field which I was very successful in, was well paid and that I enjoyed for the first 20 odd years. It was a career that ultimately left me burnt out but that was not the fault of the degree.

I would still do the same degree again. It is in a field that still fascinates me. If I had the chance to do a second degree - if I had the funds I would do it in a heartbeat - I would do a degree in the History of Art, just for the pure joy of studying it.

ZenNudist · 31/12/2020 17:40

Theology
Music
Art history
History

I used to dream of doing another degree if I won the lottery but now I'm not so sure I could be bothered. It's not like I read academic works for fun.

1DoesNotSimplyWalkIntoMordor · 31/12/2020 17:42

Forensic entomology

Aprilx · 31/12/2020 17:45

I am reasonably happy with my choice, mathematics and statistics. My career has been in accountancy and finance. I think I would have been good at engineering so that might have been a good option.

mizu · 31/12/2020 17:46

Arabic!! Or Japanese!

Did English and then a CELTA 25 years ago which meant I travelled and lived abroad for years but never learnt a language properly. DH's 1st language is Arabic and I'm ok but in no way fluent.

SilverOtter · 31/12/2020 17:47

I wished I'd worked harder in school. I genuinely had no idea of what I was capable of and growing up my sister and I were not particularly encouraged academically.

I'm studying medicine now but I really wish I'd done it 20 years ago. It's so hard and I'm just exhausted all the timeSad

SuperbGorgonzola · 31/12/2020 17:57

I would have done something in science.

It annoys me still that Science ended up being my highest GCSE results. I was never told that I had any particular aptitude for it so didn't try very hard, as I expected to get mediocre results. I ended up getting As very easily.

By the time I realised, I had already chosen humanities subjects, after my teachers in those subjects had told me I was good at those l and set my heart on teaching. It wouldn't have occurred to me at 16 that I could switch courses, and my parents were never savvy or involved in any of my educational choices to point out the value of science vs humanities in the jobs market.

I enjoy what I do, but I often wonder what would have happened if I had pursued the sciences. I suspect I would be being paid considerably more than I am now!

SuperbGorgonzola · 31/12/2020 18:00

@SilverOtter

I wished I'd worked harder in school. I genuinely had no idea of what I was capable of and growing up my sister and I were not particularly encouraged academically.

I'm studying medicine now but I really wish I'd done it 20 years ago. It's so hard and I'm just exhausted all the timeSad

Sounds similar to me. Looking back, I am really disappointed at the lack of guidance I received as a teenager. I was in top sets across the board, but I was never spoken to about RG universities or anything like that. I assumed all universities were the same so I just picked one.

When I see the attention paid to the students I teach now, I see what we should have had at their age.

WhatAreWordsWorth · 31/12/2020 18:03

If I had the chance I’d do psychology, or potentially even speech and language therapy.

I really regret the path I’ve taken, and I’m not sure I’ll ever have the money to pursue anything else that would require considerable retraining. My degree was pointless and I’ll probably be paying it off until it’s written off in 15 years.

DottyWott · 31/12/2020 18:04

I did exactly the right course for me, dentistry. I love my job and have never regretted it. It’s well paid, and secure, it feels purposeful and like I contribute to society , and I have been able to provide well for my family whilst working part time.

cheninblanc · 31/12/2020 18:05

I've just done my nebosh diploma

HarrietSchulenberg · 31/12/2020 18:09

Illustration or graphic design. Or history.

TwilightSkies · 31/12/2020 18:12

Psychology, 100%

malificent7 · 31/12/2020 18:14

Dream degree= Art.
Practical degree= medicine.
Im now doing a degree in an Alleid health profession...is excellent but my gosh it is tough. If id done medicine my salary would be 4 times as much on graduating!
Cannot even blame my parents as they tried to get me to do medicine.

Fine art is my true passion though.

Swipe left for the next trending thread