[chickydoda]

I get really worried thinking about College. I didn't do well in high school, but I got University entry, I got bullied in my earlier years, and I had trouble picking classes that I did well in.

Here's how I see it:

Pro's
-I love learning new things, participating and listening to class discussions
-I was always envious of my sisters experiences there, she seemed to have so much fun
-I feel like people would take me more seriously if I was actually doing something with my time and getting an education.
-I could take papers in several different fields of interest
-I am excellent at writing essays and coming up with ideas
-I have had several teachers tell me that they see a lot of potential in me and they expect me to be one of their most successful students.

Cons
-I feel anxious being around a lot of people- maybe this is something I will get used to?
-I had trouble at polytech (similar to a community college?), with understanding the assignments, doing the required amount of reading, sitting down and doing things, working on group assignments and getting things handed in on time.
-I seem to do better in classes where I like the teachers methods
-My mental health fluctuates, sometimes I go months without being able to sleep properly, I get easily distracted, irritable and depressed. In high school, I had trouble taking in any new information.
-I will be older than a lot of the students when I start, which makes me feel self conscious.

So, do you think I would enjoy University? A is would be worth while for me? Or that I would be wasting my money? Or do you think extramural study might be a better option?

Thank you. I would also love to hear experiences from anyone who had doubts about going to University but went anyway and how that worked out for you.

 

[Boogie Monk]

have you considered the school of hard knocks?

or perhaps a street education? Like in Oliver Twist?

Myself, I never went to university. Four years is a very long time.

 

[chickydoda]

have you considered the school of hard knocks?

or perhaps a street education? Like in Oliver Twist?

Myself, I never went to university. Four years is a very long time.

School of hard knocks?

I haven't read Oliver Twist

 

[tylerjg33]

I'm not familiar with you but I am familiar with college life.

Pro's
-I love learning new things, participating and listening to class discussions
A lot of classes are very large lecture classes, discussion happens afterward.
-I was always envious of my sisters experiences there, she seemed to have so much fun
College is too expensive to be attended out of envy.
-I feel like people would take me more seriously if I was actually doing something with my time and getting an education.
Education is important, no doubt, but I don't think that your core personality will change. People who are taken seriously demand to be taken seriously. I believe college has little to do with this.
-I could take papers in several different fields of interest
An excellent skill!
-I am excellent at writing essays and coming up with ideas
"" ""
-I have had several teachers tell me that they see a lot of potential in me and they expect me to be one of their most successful students.
I am confident you have potential in many things. Success and potential don't necessarily equate to education, although applying potential to education is an excellent idea .

Cons
-I feel anxious being around a lot of people- maybe this is something I will get used to?
No one will give you the time of day if you don't ask for it.
-I had trouble at polytech (similar to a community college?), with understanding the assignments, doing the required amount of reading, sitting down and doing things, working on group assignments and getting things handed in on time.
Leave room for studying and homework. Know what is expected of you and be willing to make the effort!
-I seem to do better in classes where I like the teachers methods
Me too. I try to find a balance between going to school to learn and going to school to get a grade.
-My mental health fluctuates, sometimes I go months without being able to sleep properly, I get easily distracted, irritable and depressed. In high school, I had trouble taking in any new information.
You could take afternoon classes. Even evening classes. I'm no psychiatrist though...
-I will be older than a lot of the students when I start, which makes me feel self conscious.
I wouldn't worry about this. Older students generally get better grades.

I believe you are asking for advice. Here is my advice. Do what you want to do, this is your decision!

 

[funcoolname]

I get really worried thinking about College. I didn't do well in high school, but I got University entry, I got bullied in my earlier years, and I had trouble picking classes that I did well in.

Here's how I see it:

Pro's
-I love learning new things, participating and listening to class discussions
-I was always envious of my sisters experiences there, she seemed to have so much fun
-I feel like people would take me more seriously if I was actually doing something with my time and getting an education.
-I could take papers in several different fields of interest
-I am excellent at writing essays and coming up with ideas
-I have had several teachers tell me that they see a lot of potential in me and they expect me to be one of their most successful students.

Cons
-I feel anxious being around a lot of people- maybe this is something I will get used to?
-I had trouble at polytech (similar to a community college?), with understanding the assignments, doing the required amount of reading, sitting down and doing things, working on group assignments and getting things handed in on time.
-I seem to do better in classes where I like the teachers methods
-My mental health fluctuates, sometimes I go months without being able to sleep properly, I get easily distracted, irritable and depressed. In high school, I had trouble taking in any new information.
-I will be older than a lot of the students when I start, which makes me feel self conscious.

So, do you think I would enjoy University? A is would be worth while for me? Or that I would be wasting my money? Or do you think extramural study might be a better option?

Thank you. I would also love to hear experiences from anyone who had doubts about going to University but went anyway and how that worked out for you.

I never had doubts about going on to higher education, but I did have some of the same fears/challenges as you. Remember that college isn't just about the 4 years that you spend there (which doesn't seem very long when you're doing it), but it can help determine what you can and can't do after you graduate or even while you're attending because some internship opportunities etc require enrollment somewhere. Do you know what you want to do long-term, and if so, do you need a college education+ to get there? This is what should really matter. If what you want to do requires university, then you should look at your fears about attending and read on

About your cons, like most worries/fears, they are possible to get over and learn how to deal with if you keep challenging yourself and put in the effort to working with them and overcoming them. I was quite shy in most of my classes for the first two years, but continued to force myself to speak up after a while and it became natural. This also helps with your grades, because a lot of students have the same anxieties and don't participate, which can lead professors to believe they don't care, so they lovelove students who participate and make them enjoy their job. This will also make them more likely to be more accommodating about other things (their methods) because they see you're putting in the effort. Other students generally don't resent the participators, only if they overdo it - i.e. answering every single question. And if you do get bullied, f them, keep your head down, work hard, and you can rub it in their faces when you get a better GPA, job, etc. than them. I learned how to be responsible and reliable basically through guilt-tripping myself and thinking how I didn't want to let so-and-so down and it works really well, haha. Your mental/emotional health is a trickier issue, one that only you can know and figure out, but people generally become more stable as they get older and learn what types of coping work for them. Being an older student does not matter at all, you will be doing this for yourself, hopefully, not for the approbation of younger people. There was a girl who didn't fare well at a previous college, dropped out of there, took some time off, and came to my college, where she did extremely well and is either attending or scheduled to attend one of the top schools in the world for grad school.