3rd year in university and getting nowhere. What should I do? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) by SubArcticTundra@lemmy.ml to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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Lemmy, I have completed tens of modules across several different universities. I have been course-hopping for long enough that I’d have a bachelors degree by now had I found and stayed on a course that suited me. I can’t be asked to commit to one and study it for yet another 3 years before I get a degree*. Yet I feel like all of the effort that I have expended up to this point will go unacknowledged, just because it was spread across several unis and doesn’t fall into any of their pre-defined study plans. I am a person driven by short bouts of intense curiosity of the type that dives down Wikipedia rabbitholes**. I want to do a highly qualified job but am failing to fit in to the rigid framework that academia sets you. I have several Master’s theses that I’d start researching tomorrow if the system let me. Yet without so much as a bachelor’s I might as well go work in a supermarket. How do I move on from here?

*Perhaps it’s also because I’m now in my early 20s and finally want to have some time to explore.
**I am a logical thinker and predominantly interested in STEM topics.

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[-] helpImTrappedOnline@lemmy.world 5 points 5 months ago

As for straddling many subjects - its an okay thing to do, however you will not find a job that fits everything you're interested in.

Thats okay, you can have a job (for example) re-designing city roads based on issues with traffic flow (lots of graphs and statistics there), while also reading into other topics. There's also things like wildlife mangment that keeps track of wildlife population, from keeping track of their illnesses, to keepinh a a balance between over+population and extinct.

Topics you enjoy may or may not cross over into your work, and thats okay.

People are considered lucky to have a job they enjoy for a reason - most of us have a shit job that pays the bill, while we spend our free time pursuing hobbies and interests.

My advise is to go get a paid internship doing something for a year, talk to a recruitment agency or some professional (be careful with a random self-advertised "career coach" that sounds fishy).

Read this part:

Sense you're in enrolled in collage, or even a recent student of one, they should have a whole career department you can reach out tofor free. Even if your online, a phone converstation with someone can offer new perspective. They get paid to help you so their "alumni working in feild they went to school for" ratio goes up. Use the resources available to you.

[-] Cracks_InTheWalls@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 months ago

Want to second "Talk to the career counseling office" - you are paying for it, and they really want you to get a good job so it can add to your school's/programs clout. Use it!!

[-] SubArcticTundra@lemmy.ml 1 points 5 months ago

Ooh, the recruitment agency is a really good idea actually. I would be talking to someone who would fit my skills to a job sooner or later anyway, so talking to them about my prospective skills sounds useful too.

this post was submitted on 04 Jun 2024

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