Starting again after three years in uni?

[WishYouWereMine]

Hi everyone..

I'm doing a four year Modern Languages course and am in my third year, so spending it abroad. Spent the first half in France and am now in Austria. Have no children yet but spend a lot of time lurking on here!

Thing is... I'm desperately unhappy here. Looking back, I haven't exactly been happy at all at uni, and I think I chose the wrong course.

Before Easter, I had an accident which required a stay in hospital here. Only a broken nose and teeth, but I went home for Easter and stayed an extra week.. then the volcano erupted in Iceland and I couldn't get back for yet another week. Some tutors have been sympathetic, and some are saying that I have missed so much that there is no point carrying on with the class.

In France, I was followed home, right to my door by a man. Then the next day I saw him in a car following me to uni. I ran back home and didn't leave my room for 2 weeks until it was time to come home, so I missed two exams. I still haven't told anyone 'official' about the exams as I'm so ashamed that I was too chicken to leave the house for an exam!

Basically, this now means that I haven't passed/will not pass enough credits this year. Not only that, I think I may be depressed, or at least very anxious. Whenever I walk past the place of the accident I tense up and get tearful, and I'm just very nervous when I'm alone in public. This was supposed to be the best year of my life.

After a class this morning when the tutor told me there was no point carrying on, I just broke down. I just want a fresh start, maybe with a new degree.. but obviously I'm worried about finances etc.

I don't know what I want you to say.. maybe some advice please?

Sorry to hear of your problems.

I can see why you are thinking about a fresh start. However if you finish your degree there will be more options open to you sooner, and it doesn't stop you studying something else in the future. For example there are conversion courses to various careers that are open to those with a degree, whereas if you started again it would take longer to reach the same stage.

Can you re-take the credits you missed due to illness? Is there someone at your university that you trust, that you could ask for advice? A tutor, or a student union rep, welfare officer or a counsellor? With the right support do you think you could stick it out and complete your course?

If you think you might be depressed/anxious can you see a GP to either rule it out or get the right treatment?

Can you go to the careers advice centre to find out what options are open to you?

Hi there,
Sorry to hear you have experienced problems with your year abroad. Think it's not as unusual as you think although most people seem to overcome the blips. Although you are not sure you are on the right courses, you have come a long way and it seems a shame if you don't sort our your problems and graduate.

When you say the tutor told you there is no point in carrying on, was that a tutor at an Austrian university? Have you spoken with your tutors in your home uni? (is that in the UK?)

You don't mention your parents? Do they know what's going on?

Also, think it would be worth seeing a doctor, ideally back home but otherwise where you are. They may be able to organise some counselling.

Hope things get better for you very soon.

Unfortunately you won't qualify for a student loan if you start another degree from scratch. See this year out, and retake any credits if you need do. Then maybe over the summer have a good think about what you want to do about your degree, and more importantly what you want to do after it. Try and identify what it is you don't like - the course, the year abraod, the people, the place. You may want to look at doing your final year at another uni. Or taking a year out to re-group. Or leaving with a Diploma of higher Education, or transferring your credits to the OU and finishing your degree with them.

Whatever it is though DO NOT waste the nearly three years you've spent - your credits are transferrable, you on;y have one more year to go. Please try and speak to a tutor or councellor or careers advisor when you're back before making any decisions.

HTH.