To drop out of university?

[dropoutornot]

I'm currently in my first year on an NHS course after deciding to retrain. I'm questioning whether I picked the right course. I was enjoying it last term, but since coming back from the Christmas break I've felt so disinterested and unmotivated in it which is not like me. I've been able to do my assignments and revise for exams, but have no motivation for the day-to-day of it.

My mental health is really low too, and I'm currently trying to pluck up the courage to go to the GP as I'm pretty sure I'm autistic or have ADHD as I seem to struggle with life a lot more than everyone else, and it seems like more than depression and anxiety. I find myself feeling tearful and crying for no reason, and can't work out what's wrong with me.

I have 3 seminars tomorrow to prepare for. I was due to start my placement later this week with a partner, but I've now found out that my partner has dropped out so I'll be going to the placement alone and that seems so daunting. Everyone else in my year group is paired up for it.

I just don't think it's for me but I have no idea what else I'll do. I have a habit of getting overwhelmed in jobs/university courses and blaming it on the situation rather than myself.

If it’s any help when I was in this situation I found quitting got rid of the anxiety, but I just swapped it for feelings of guilt and “what ifs”. If I were you I would complete what you started…it will be a good experience learning resilience.

Most people feel demotivated in January. Try and ride it out. Talk to the university's student wellbeing team or a tutor. If someone genuinely feels they're on the wrong course, I would support leaving, but as you were enjoying it before, that may not be the problem.

What is it you’re doing if you don’t mind me asking? I’m in my final year nursing and found second year a struggle (apparently many student nurses do), managed to push through, got through the first half of my final year, started my final placements and totally lost all motivation! I don’t know why but I kept handing in my assignments and kept going to placement kept passing etc and it’s giving me the little pushes I need to keep going till September

It's Speech and Language therapy. I'm in my first year of a three year degree.

I honestly would have no idea what to do as a job as I've struggled in everything else I've tried. I just feel so down and unmotivated. Everything feels unsurmountable, even just going in for the lectures and seminars feels really difficult

The dreaded second term! It’s always a worry about how many people will make it to Christmas and then drop out, so it’s definitely not just you. You should have a personal tutor - have you talked to them?

Does your University have a Counselling Service which could offer you support? I would try to book an appointment with them.

If you were enjoying your course last term, it's definitely worth persevering with.

If you continued with this course do you feel like you would be able to carry out the role if you became a speech and language clinician?

Make a list of all the things you WOULDN'T want in your ideal job (much easier to pin point what we don't like)
Then make a list of must haves

My teen DD is autistic, she already knows she wouldn't want to work somewhere noisy, busy and with bright lights so working a student job in McDonald's, Supermarkets or similar are never going to work for her. Working in our local pharmacy or bookshop would be ok though.She knows she finds chit chat very difficult so hairdressing or similar customer service type roles are out.

It's normal for the novelty of uni to wear off. I don't think you should quit until you've experienced your first placement as how will you know if the job is for you? Ask for a familiarisation visit so you know where to go and get introduced to key personel before the placement date.

I'd also look back to previous years, do you always find this time of year challenging? Many do and lack of motivation isn't unusual.