Choosing which university you go to is one of the hardest decisions you’ll make and you don’t always make the right decision the first time – I know this first hand. If you find yourself wondering if you made the right choice of where to study, you aren’t alone, and it’s not the end of the world.
A stressful process
Back in 2019, when I was weighing up my options for university, I had a vast potential list spanning from Cardiff to Sheffield to Royal Holloway. I also wasn’t fully sure on what subject I wanted to study after my A Levels of English, History and Media. All I knew was that I wanted to write.
The whole process I found quite stressful, the decision was so important and would change my life forever – it seemed so finite and like there was no going back. I wanted so badly to move far away from home but, due to anxiety and the overwhelming nature of the decision, I ended up sticking close to home with the University of Worcester. Some of my friends were going there and it felt like a safe option.
I opted to study English Literature and Creative Writing; I loved English A Level and creative writing was a hobby of mine
Not the experience I wanted
What I later learned was that the safest choice is not always the best one. While I was close to home and surrounded by my friends, I felt I was missing out on the university experience. The ideal experience varies for everyone and that might be perfect for some people. For me, I saw my friends at other universities making tons of new friends and being independent, which led me to question my choice.
It’s so understandable that people don’t make the right choice first time. You’re made to choose your career pathway at such a young age and it can be really daunting.
The course wasn’t right
Another reason I chose to switch university was because the course just wasn’t right for me. I realised not every hobby should become a career. I loved creative writing but struggled to picture a future career for myself. It was more so something I did for fun and studying took the fun out of it for me.
If you don’t love the degree you’re studying, it can be so hard to get through it. I looked into other courses and found myself leaning towards journalism. It was an option I hadn’t considered before but reading the course description excited me. I knew it was what I wanted to do.
I felt amazing afterwards
Taking the plunge and dropping out was scary. There’s such a negative stigma around it and initially I felt like I’d failed. But once you get past that hard part, the world is your oyster. I applied to my dream course, Journalism Studies at the University of Sheffield, and ever since my life has changed so drastically for the better. It was the best decision I have ever made. I love what I’m studying, have made amazing friends and gained such independence living far away from home.
So, if you know deep down that you made the wrong decision and want to change university, please don’t suffer in silence. I promise no one will judge you and it might just be the best thing you ever do. There’s no shame in starting over and it’s much better than feeling trapped in the degree you’re in. You’re definitely not alone.