Would you end a friendship over this?

[Caramelatte]

I have just got an offer to study an Economics degree at a Russel uni. For context, I am a single mum working on minimum wage. So this degree means the world to me because it will give me opportunities to provide a better life for me and my child.
I recently told one of my closest friends about my offer, she didn’t know I had applied as I hadn’t seen her for a few weeks. Her reaction was disappointing to say the least.
She didn’t congratulate me. Instead she went on a rant about how uni is a waste of time and money and that Economics is really hard.
I felt really deflated after the conversation, and still do tbh. She messaged me like everything’s normal but I don’t view our friendship in the same way since because I don’t understand how she can not support me??
I’ve only known her for a year but we are super close and she has done a lot to support me with other things in my life. I guess I’m just confused as to why she can’t see that this is a blessing for me and to be happy.
Wwyd in this situation?

She jealous and thinks this is the end of the friendship, which is as supportive for her as it is for you. Congratulations and enjoy your course.

Economics degrees are incredibly competitive! Especially at Russell group unis. My DS is doing one and he is not a single mum. You have done brilliantly and I think it is very attractive to employers ( though who can predict this economy). Yes, it is hard. But clearly you have grit.

Yep.

Good luck with your degree.

What? I don;t tell my friends before I do everything. I don't think they want to know either. Especially stuff that is unlikely to happen.

I wouldn't end the friendship over this, although I'd keep an eye out for whether this turns out to be continuing behaviour.

It's possible she's not a jealous arse, she's just worried about you getting into debt and how long it might take you to be financially better off. You're an adult and I'm sure you've thought it all through but it may have come from a place of surprise/worry and slight tactlessness rather than anything worse. If you haven't discussed it before it may be that she doesn't realise how important it is to you.

As long as she is supportive in future I'd write this one off as one of those things in a longer term generally supportive friendship.

I wouldn't end the friendship but I wouldn't allow her to influence my thinking about doing the degree. You are amazing!; A Russell Group offer!! Well done you. 😄
I did a degree in my late thirties and the attitude of others was mixed. Most were really pleased for me. One or two wondered if it would be worthwhile 🤔 I can think of only two people who were a bit negative. I think one was a little jealous. I think for the other it was that me having a degree kind of altered the status quo. I was going from boring, broke shining star to someone doing something new, fulfilling and interesting to me. This can sometimes shake up the dynamics of a relationship. Most people were really pleased for me. Was it worth doing the degree? Absolutely!! As well as three years studying something I loved it took me into more interesting work with better pay which took financial pressures of me and DH and gave travel opportunities for holidays with him, friends, family we could never have afforded. DH was my greatest supporter. You will become very busy and also be making new friends so you may naturally become a bit low contact with some. My dearest friends are still the ones I had before my degree and are my dearest friends now, long after my y retirement. The thing is they valued me before my degree, throughout it and right through my career. Hang on in there op. It will get tough at times but you can make it and will probably the best thing, career wise, you ever do. Good luck. 💐

I would have an honest chat with her, and try to resolve it amicably. Maybe she is feeling insecure or disappointed in her own life/ feels she might lose you.
Give her the chance to explain and then decide.

My experience of this over the years is not great as jealousy can be toxic - poisonous in fact for a friendships.

When my friends have done this it usually signals the end sooner or later. They are no longer championing your achievements or on your side.
You are going in different directions now - different roads and she is on some level sensing the shift and the change and reacting to it.

I wouldn't loose a friendship over it, as a friend not knowing anything about it to start with, was she just trying to be a bit of playing devils advocate on how tough it will be and seeing where you see that placing you job wise with an economics degree.

Yes, she should have congratulated you, but I don't think a friends job is to always be happy for you, they are also there to be honest and maybe make you think of things from a different perspective.
I would hate to have friends around me that just said yes everything is amazing all the time, but again yes she should have congratulated you as well.

You've only known her a year.

Her true colours are showing.

The honeymoon is over.

So she's actually always been a great friend so maybe she had other things on her mind etc etc. Can't vmbekwive you would back off a good friend over a silly thing and unfortunately I also see that pov about degree these days

When I think of my deepest most long lasting friendships there isn't a single one that didn't hit a problem/ bump in the road, and that bump became the catalyst for things to change from a pleasant friendship to one of deeper bonds of loyalty and trust. The transition was a positive result to the issue because of the way both sides dealt with it. Dialogue, open mind and benefit of the doubt.
The friendships that have gone/fizzled are the ones where one half was not receptive to that approach and took a 'one strike and you're out' attitude, or the ones where no rough patch was jointly navigated at all and the friendship sort off just drifted away.
So, yes, you've only known her a year, but this is the chance to get to know her better, by talking about how you would have hoped she would see things (more balanced with some acknowledgement you've got something you've wanted, at least, if not enthusiastic congratulations), and how her reaction made you feel deflated.
The outcome will either be greater mutual understanding or a lack of similar wavelength or interest...

This. 100%

@Caramelatte
@Oopsiedaisyy

daisyy said it all