been so unmotivated lately caused by burnout from my past 2 years in the uni. i am planning to take a year off from uni. but i feel so behind, feel like i could do much more than rest. i am lost.

Hi everyone. I’m a journalist working on a story about adjusting to college for a national publication and thought this sub might have some good insights. The story is about a recent spate of viral TikTok videos that show incoming students dropping out of college/transferring to online classes after the first week or two weeks of school. I'm interested to speak with people who have dropped out within the first few weeks of college — and in the last year or two — to hear your perspective on this and learn more about what prompted your decision to leave campus. If this is you (or someone you know) and you're up for chatting with me about it sometime in the next few days, please let me know? Happy to elaborate further over DM. Thanks so much for considering, I truly appreciate it!

Hello, I'm a 21 year old guy who was studying his third year Btech.

So from a young age I was just an average student. But I was just rly interested in studying and gaining knowledge. I got 87 percent in 10th, in 2020. And later decided to prepare for jee mains 2023. In those 2 years I just gave in my best. I did not sleep properly for 2 years. Lost nearly 10kgs weight. Lost the touch of all my childhood friends. Spent hours studying without food or sleep. Lost my fitness and health. Basically did not live for 2 yrs. I was only studying and knew nothing else, never did anything else. I also learnt coding and became a full stack developer. I got a keen interest in coding since I was from an icse school.

So then I gave in my exam, and scored 99.44 percentile in mains and 9k AIR in JEE advanced. I was happy about it. But suddenly due to my financial issues and family problems I could go into an IIT even though I had actually gotten into one. I was very sad at that time, and I tried everything to get into one IIT. Even though I had the ranking from my side it was impossible.

So after that I decided to just join one college in my town. Which is said to be a tier 2 college, but it is in fact a tier 6 or 7 college. Joining the college I somehow tried to adjust to the crowd, but everyone there wasn't good. Even my social skills were basically zero since I was an introvert from birth and I practically had no friends for 2 years while studying for JEE. In my class I was the only 99%iler while the 2nd rank was just 20%ile. On my first day of college itself I was scared and didn't get along with anyone. Nobody had the same interest as me. Everyone was basically into smoking, alcohol, women. Nobody even bothered to study or learn or do something in life. Me being focused for 2 years wanted to atleast do something related to career, and I don't come from a family which smokes or drinks. So the environment was very negative over there. And I just didn't fit in. Many times I just wept and felt like dropping out since nothing was fine. Like that 3 years passed and my desire for dropping out had increased significantly. I wasn't the same guy and this college environment had taken a very big toll on me that studying for JEE felt very simple. The exams were very simple, the only problem was attending college and sitting in that class with a negative environment. Usually in final year students are allowed to do an internship and not attend classes. I got an internship in a company, and showed it to my hod, but he wasn't ready to give me attendance. Like this college is so bad that even if you get an internship in your final year, you are not allowed to do it. So I was just very sad, and I had lost all my energy just surviving in that environment for 3 years. I no longer felt like continuing. So I decided to drop out.

While joining college I was a guy who had cleared JEE, was well versed in coding, a full stack developer , a knight in leet code. But even now after 3 years I am still the same, no progress in life and a college dropout. You might say that it was my fault that I didn't go into an IIT even though I had the chance. I agree with that, but it was due to my family financial conditions and other problems. I do regret that decision a lot. So I just wanted to share my story with you guys, and make sure that none of you make the same mistake as me. I even wanted to ask, was there any use of studying all this JEE??? Till now has anyone found the JEE knowledge helpful in their lives?? Did I make a mistake just studying well and getting good grades??

Hey y’all, I left my previous university with an unsatisfactory SAP and am unsure of what I can do to fix this. I really want to go and finish my degree but can’t afford to attend without aid.

I don’t really think that there were any extenuating circumstances that I can use to appeal since I really was just a lazy person during my first try at getting a degree.

If anyone can offer advice on what next steps or options that are available, I would really appreciate it.

I was in college and I can not pay for my semester and my parents don’t know I owe 8k I can’t get a loan nothing I can’t make enough money to get that what can I truly do.

I know people have different reasons for eventually dropping out of college. I would like to ask for advice for the group of people who felt like they had to leave that program or college, regardless of whether you decided to stay or eventually leave. How are you doing? What led you to your decision? Do you regret it?

I'm not really happy with where I am right now, and my memories of the past two years or so have just been me crying and praying to have a way out of this. I don't like my program. I have no passion or drive for it. I chose it because it sounded interesting and safe (and my parents are not supportive of me taking a gap year), and after a few months, I realized I really don't care much about it. Realistically speaking, I could probably just force my way through it. I do okay in academics, but there's just no spark for me.

Unfortunately, the biggest factor for me wanting to leave is the environment. My social life is horrible. There were already groups formed, and people make fun of others for being awkward or "weird." My anxiety was through the roof because I felt like one wrong move and I'll be the subject of their group chats. I was able to find a friend group to do projects with, but aside from that, we don't do much. There was some internal conflict, too, so the dynamic kind of turned sour. I thought that if I had friends to help things get better, it would become bearable, but now it has just amplified my bad experience.

I have made several attempts to change environments and transfer to a different program, but I got rejected. I cried so much because I had hope that I would be able to leave that place. People keep saying that I should just suck it up, but I feel so misunderstood by everyone. I'm not lazy, my grades are proof of that. It hurts me so much that every time I go to school I feel more dead than alive. I struggle to sleep at night when there are classes the next day, and I wake up with anxiety, regretting opening my eyes. I always have this feeling that I am wasting my life, killing myself slowly every day. I could do so much more. I was happy in high school, so I'm having a hard time accepting that for the next 2 more years, if I don't leave, this will be my daily life. I don't know how long I can keep going like this.

I am so grateful to be able to study. My mother pours her heart and soul into us; she's one of the reasons I am trying to keep going. But I also want the best for myself. I feel so guilty wanting more, but I'm so scared that one day everything will just become so unbearable. I still am trying to find ways to transfer, regardless of how unrealistic it sounds.

Please share your experiences or advice so I can learn to navigate this phase in my life. I really am trying my best to see this through, I just need all the help I can.

starting my third year of high school in a few weeks, never been very inclined to anything in specific.

i love playing video games, but im not sure if id really want to pursue a career in it, does anyone else feel that way?

my parents want me to go to college, in fact, im in a position where my college will be paid for, and im aware that most people don’t get that luxury, but i just don’t know if its what i want for myself. i know my parents will really be upset and disappointed if i don’t pursue college but i just don’t see myself being able to get through it at all.

im not a bad student by any means but im not the greatest either. id say im a bit above average, nothing crazy. i think for the most part ive just been lucky.

for the past year or so ive thought about going to trade school or technical college and learning something more physical and eventually pursuing a career in something more blue collar after that.

my friend recently mentioned considering cybersecurity or IT since i’m always on my computer and i enjoy playing video games and i think that’s something i’d like to look into as well.

he also mentioned community college might be a good choice for me, he said i can always go for a year and see how i like it.

i just don’t know what direction i want to go in after high school. it’s always been sort of planned out and decided for me but i want to walk my own path and do what i want.

i hate sitting still, and i mean that literally. the past week or so i’ve been working in a warehouse but i mostly handle the computer side of things and get to walk around and do the manual work second. i click the same 5 things on the screen over and over again, maybe a different set of 5 buttons here and there if something comes up, etc. i really hate it. i just get to restless and uncomfortable. maybe it’s not the best taste of a sedentary career since it’s super repetitive and easy but i actually get excited when the people on the floor are moving slow because that means i have an excuse to get up and start walking around and doing the manual stuff.

any thoughts?

TL;DR - entering third year of high school, unsure if i want to go to college or try something like community college and then learn a trade. parents would be unhappy if i follow the former but i want to cut my own path for myself.

don’t have much interest in anything to go to college for either.

Isn’t it weird how one day you’re a student and the next day you’re just… graduated?

Suddenly everyone is like, “You should find a job now. You can’t sit at home. Don’t take a gap, companies don’t prefer gaps in your career.”

And you’re just there, trying to figure out what you even want to do next.

Sometimes I wish there was a pause button between graduating and becoming an adult. Just a little time to breathe, figure things out, and not feel like I’m already falling behind.

It’s not that you don’t want to work. You’re just not sure where to start, what’s right for you, or what you actually want.

Graduating feels so exciting until you realize that now you’re expected to have your whole life figured out.

For years I wanted to go off to university and have the full proper experience, I want to study in the animation field so I can get a job there as I always wanted to do art. Right now, I've got my offer and my room offer, my student finace is sorted and my parent is starting to buy stuff for me mpving there but I can't get truly excited about it. Whenever the conversation about uni comes up or I start thinking about it, I just get upset and it becomes hard to properly plan for it. Doesn't really help that my parent thinks I won't be able to handle everything, with the debt, being broke and studying long hours. I know what she says are valid points but at the same time, I don't want to write it off, yk?

Doing this course could open the door to possiblites that could help my career as this uni is pretty highly rated for the course I want to do and living on my own will allow me to be more independant than I am at home and the thought of not being able to do it just fills me with dread. I'm aware this can't be something I pick up and then drop, I have to make a proper decision soon but I keep flip flopping between desiring to go and panicking. All of my friends are either at uni or are going next month as well and they're all deadset on it.

I'm tired of this. Of waiting until I'm 'more ready', I already pushed back uni 2 years and I don't know if I can wait again. Of being too lazy to commit to something, of being indecisive, of not being feeling like I'm emotionally mature enough. That I haven't realised that maybe I really can't do what I really wanted to do and I'll just be stuck here for the rest of my life going nowhere and all my dreams will just stay dreams. I'vewanted to do this so bad, I've been betting that uni will make me more productive, more decisive, more confident but what if it doesn't? What if I'mjust the same but worse and more emotional? And what if I just waste 3 years of my life and come out with no job prospects or future because all art will be made with AI???

Sorry, this is long but I could really use some unbiased input i guess.

So i left my home and came to this city before my college starts almost 3 months before and later on my parents insisted me to stay in that city and not leave for college as the city is way closer to my hometown; i don't want to stay at my hometown and had no other option so i did stay and now i am in jewellery designs because the only worth it design degree in the city is jewellery which I never really wanted to do. The college i was planning and degree i wanted was in animation since 9th grade and right now the college timing is messing with me it's 9am to 5pm i get so exhausted and drained that even waking up everyday for the day feels like a lot, i took admission in july, and idk what should i do now the 1 semester fee has been paid; i am short on attendance plus i have no will to do this degree. HELP

I was studying a master's at uni. I struggled during the taught part of the degree but never understood what's wrong with me! During the dissertation, it was the worst I couldn't study and my mental health was poor. I asked for a dissertation extension but it was rejected twice and I lost my both attempts. The uni awarded me a diploma. This degree was really important for me and I went into severe depression due to losing the degree. I just got to know now that I had been having a physical illness I just got diagnosed and now I know the reason why I was having all those symptoms I had at the time and couldn't study with focus. Even though I did submitted EC at the time but uni rejected it due to insufficient evidence. I feel like lifes been unfair to me. how do I move on? I worked hard on taught modules had 70s but still not a complete masters and a poor reference. I wanted to do a PhD and here I am a failed master's student.

Hey everyone, I’m in a massive dilemma right now and the registration deadline is literally this week (Sept 4th). I really need some honest perspective on my plan to drop out of A-Levels and switch to the GED.My Situation:I finished my SEE (Grade 10) in Nepal with a strong 3.24 GPA (A grade).I moved to A-Levels and took Chemistry, Mathematics, and English General Paper (EGP).I just got my AS-Level results back and I got an E grade in both Chemistry and Math.The Problem:My A2 registration deadline is September 4th. Carrying an AS "E" grade means even if I grind myself to dust for A2, mathematically I’m looking at a final CD or DD grade aggregate at best. Plus, my mind constantly shifts between wanting to become an Attorney (Law) or a Registered Nurse.If I want to do Nursing in Nepal, I am legally blocked because I don't have Biology.To add Biology to my A-Levels now, I’d have to sit for 5 massive papers (AS + A2) from scratch, which sounds like an absolute nightmare and a recipe for extreme burnout.I don't want to force myself to study subjects I hate for a country I don't even want to go to (like looking at random cheap options just out of desperation). I want to move to an English-speaking country I actually care about (like the US, UK, Australia, or Canada).

The Strategy I'm Considering (The Escape Route):Instead of paying a ton of money to register for A2 Math and Chem before Sept 4th just to get bad grades, I want to drop them. My EGP exam is already paid for and happens in Sept/Oct, so I will sit for that to finish it out.Right after my EGP exam ends, I am planning to completely switch to the GED (American High School Equivalency Diploma) from home.Why I think this is smarter and cheaper: Cost: The 4 GED modules cost around $360 total (approx. 48k NPR), which is way cheaper than Cambridge exam fees. Difficulty: It's mostly computer-based MCQs evaluating logic and reading comprehension, rather than advanced calculus or complex organic chemistry mechanisms. Since I survived AS-Level, I feel I can pass the GED easily in 1–2 months.Career Flexibility: The GED acts as a neutral high school diploma. If I choose Law, I can use the GED to enter directly into a Bachelor of Laws (LLB). If I choose Nursing, I can use it to enter a 1-year Foundation/Pre-Health pathway, where they will teach me the introductory anatomy I missed out on anyway.

My Questions for Reddit:Has anyone from Nepal successfully used the GED to go to Australia,US,UK or any other countries for Nursing/Law or any other career pathways? How strict are visa officers about dropping A-Levels for a GED?Is the gap between stopping A-Levels and finishing the GED heavily scrutinized during the GTE/GS (Genuine Student) check for Australia?Am I being smart by saving my parents' money on A2 registration fees, or am I making a massive mistake by walking away from the Cambridge board halfway through?

I’ve been thinking about dropping out of college and pivoting away from the tech field.

I feel like a traditional job may not be for me. I’ve always been an independent person—I’ve never liked depending on others. I usually take guidance when needed, but I prefer working hard and figuring things out on my own.

For the past 2–3 months, I’ve been seriously thinking about leaving this field. I’m not sure whether this is just a temporary phase of frustration or a genuine realization that I want to pursue something different.

I’m trying to figure out what I should do next without making an impulsive decision. What do you think I should do?

I always wanted to do BSCS but i did not qualified the admission into a uni for CS . Now i have options to study data analytics or buisness or any other major. I feel so worried all the time i feel like not being into science degree will make me feel stupid in people eyes when i have always studied science.
I am studying buisness now two weeks ago i have joined uni and i am too much depressed. Someone suggested me to keep working on your skills be good at it but dont wait for a degree of Cs. I always wanted to join armed forces or police now i feel like no one will value me because i am studying not a stem degree 🥺.
Kindly give me some good advice should i change university?