I want to start working, and I haven't even started uni.
I feel like going to university for 3 years is a waste - I would love to start working now. I have just finished a one year long internship which includes some relevant experience for consulting, and I feel so ready to continue swimming deeper.
I feel like the social scene is overrated - I'm not a big drinker, and I already have a bunch of hobbies/activities I love and a tight group of homies.
I'm studying a STEM degree, and to be honest, I'm not TRULY passionate about it, nor any other subjects in particular. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind it, but I would never touch it again if I was retired. Definitely not worth the £50,000 if it wasn't a minimum requirement for most jobs.
Honestly, the only pro at the moment is being amongst girls 24/7. But if I wanted that with £50,000 I would have spent it on something else lol.
How can I take my mind off this so I can focus on enjoying / studying during university?
Dude. You’re gonna have the REST OF YOUR LIFE to work, but only 4 years to experience the unique blend of a lack of responsibility yet freedom that is uni. Also, tbh, never again will be as surrounded as people in your age group and with similar interests
Assuming you're UK based from the text, why not go for an apprenticeship program? Some big banks and other corporates have great programs that include part time university study, and you'll not only be studying and earning a degree for free, you'll get paid too
Apprenticeships are for back office jobs
And? First of all, this is the consulting forum where people could be interested in many corporate roles incl. what would be back office in a bank (risk, FP&A, etc.)
Second, degree apprenticeships are not limited to banking (tbf I did mention banking as an example). There are degree apprenticeships for consulting, banking, software dev, law, etc. etc.
Only good apprenticeships are the software engineering ones because you get brand name experience early on (which is the only thing tech companies care about) and don't have to waste any money
This is the most high schooler take I have ever seen. Go back to r/Im14AndThisIsDeep.
To provide my thoughts separate of the emotion, here are my views having completed my university degree:
(1) immediately after graduating, I was never able to see my entire friend group. A few people moved to the US, many were spread across Canada like stars blown across the sky (sorry for the metaphor). To even plan a vacation or weekend with some friends takes coordination, vacation days, savings separate of rent and living just to spend a few days not thinking about work or chores.
(2) In university, I was not social in the least. My uni wasn't really known for their campus culture, but there's always the ability to arrange sht like grabbing dinner, going clubbing, joining social clubs (ping-pong, fraternity, random stuff) and meeting people with the same interests. In my current firm, I was asked if I have kids like six times because I work in industry and many people are 5-20 yrs my senior.
(3) There are unique opportunities that really only exist in your undergraduate or graduate studies that are absolutely amazing. I'm talking about international case competitions, 3-day conferences (with socials planned), hackathons, research opportunities, studying abroad, and honestly, a lot more. I didn't learn about most of this stuff until my third or fourth year, and could barely take part in it. If I had a do-over, I'd have studied abroad at least one term just for the experience.
(4) The beauty of a bachelor's is that it provides you a standardized level of competence and re-entry via a Master's or advanced education for a job-switch. It allows you to try different experiences via internships or even clubs that mirror real-work (*cough* student investment funds *cough*). If you ever want to rotate out of STEM into a more generalized Master's to rotate into a different field, that option becomes available. STEM is also one of the most versatile programs where I've seen people go into research, consulting, industry, medicine, finance, data science, and much, much more.
(5) The university life is a great way to build unstructured ownership over your life with training wheels. Working for ~4-6 months is like entering the honeymoon phase of work. You really just arrive, so everyone cuts you some slack and the bar for interns/new graduates is set very, very low. After ~1-1.5 years into a position, you learn where your personal gaps lie and that requires self-motivation and discipline. In a large organization, unless you, yourself, make an effort to improve, you'll be transitioned out when they check performance at the end of 1-2 quarters after everythings been said and done. I personally didn't learn this until my first full-time experience post-undergraduate studies. You would be surprised at how easy it is to be forgotten or how some folks will "hide" in a big organization.
All this to say, the opportunities in university, both the experiences in meeting interesting people, the exploration into your professional interests and building ownership over your own life are all possible because it was built for this type of stuff.
Amazing response. Thank you.
Solid answer, as usual. I only have a couple of contributions myself (I rewrote the whole thing after re-reading your [=OP's] post, as I initially got it wrong):
On a broader note, I think showing you have the discipline to finish what you started, across the highs and lows, and that you understand that motivation does not lead to action & discipline but action & discipline lead to motivation, will be more valuable. Hell, I studied economics for nigh on a decade, and that isn't even in my top 3 subjects, but it is one I still find interesting & made the most sense from where I was at the time (even if today it is little use for my career, present or future).
Your education & career can (and I believe should) also just be about experiences: you explore, and try, and fail, and try something else, and meet new people, and push yourself outside of your comfort zone. That's what I've done for 16 years, and I'm prettty happy with my choices. I wasnt passionate about auto parts manufacturing, but my coworkers there were great. I don't know if I was passionate about research & doing a PhD, but I made some great friends along the way.
As a caveat to everything I have said, I will also say this: it is your life and you don't get second chances, so you should do what you believe is right for you. But for that you really should spend a lot of time thinking about exactly what it is you want both short term & long term. Then find the balance that works for you.
Voluptatem qui sint tenetur aut et cum dolor aperiam. Sed asperiores omnis molestias modi. Quo enim voluptatem nobis sunt non impedit repudiandae. Numquam et necessitatibus aut rerum tenetur impedit ut animi. Voluptas illo culpa quo voluptas.
Officiis et nulla odio deserunt earum veniam quo ipsum. Autem dignissimos et neque dolorem.
Ut amet quas deserunt quia eos. Asperiores pariatur commodi fugiat voluptatem. Adipisci beatae laboriosam repellat expedita rerum. Dolores vitae quis rerum.
Non sunt sed dolores voluptatem voluptas modi. Assumenda eius occaecati reiciendis beatae. A consequuntur quidem reiciendis necessitatibus. Consequatur esse dolor rerum nulla. Sapiente nam qui quo eveniet quia enim. Id reprehenderit ut quia repellat dolorem.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...