# Regretting Academia.



## piscesfish (Nov 30, 2013)

delphi367 said:


> Well, it's been a while. I graduated HS in 2007, and I haven't accomplished much of significance since then. Barely passed Algebra 2. I took a PSAT and couldn't do the Math fast enough at all... I did fine on reading and writing, but I couldn't answer Math problems at that speed. Got something ridiculous like a 38 just for going too slow.
> 
> I've probably also forgotten a lot of Math. I am a little worried about money, and whether I will actually be able to succeed even if I can convince my Mom to pay for it. I would hate to have her spend money and then fail at Math...


I'm sure there are also some colleges that don't have a math requirement at all! My mom went to a liberal arts college that didn't require math because she didn't like the subject much either. As long as you can get into one, you wouldn't have to take math in university. If you're that motivated to get a degree, I'd recommend looking up some of those options


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## Tad Cooper (Apr 10, 2010)

I seem to hum and harr about education. I tend to find when I enjoy the subject I'm happy to do the work because,even though some of it isn't relevant and is annoying, some of it is really interesting. I also like volunteering alongside my course in the labs, working with animals and plants! I actually was very close to dropping out when taking film studies because it just wasn't right for me (I got 2:1s but I didn't feel I needed to try or think about it much).
My friend who dropped out is now at a job he loves on a race track, but another friend who's dropped out is helping with his brother's business and doesn't seem that happy.


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## OldManRivers (Mar 22, 2012)

About math: Algebra I in middle school was a fearsome dread fr most people. By the end of the first month I had finished the textbook, working problems for fun. Algebra II - had an old book over the summer - again, fun!. Trigonometry, Geometry, snap. College - 50 odd years ago it was different. I took analytical Geometry, Calculus I, I, and Differential Equations, a course in theoretical thermodynamics - a pure advanced math course - no sweat.

Then language: I had to have 12 semester hours of German, six of French. I got out of German by promising the prof that, if I passed and got away with a degree, I would never attempt to use German in any way. Damn. He gave me a B Yes, definitely GAVE.
French - a weird summer session, two semesters, one six weeks, 5 days a week, 90 minute classes, the other 5 weeks, six days a week, emersion classes. I got an A, and was exempt from finals - a graduating senior - and as I walked out of the last class I felt the knowledge flow out of me like sweat and drop away to the sidewalk - damn hot August in the Gulf South. I literally could not remember any of it a few days later.

This was for a degree in Chemistry - tons of Physics, 56 semester hours of Chemistry, and in 4 years six hours electives. 

So, I like math, the solutions to problems just map themselves out. I love literature, biology, anthropology, geology - studied some on my own. Music, language, drawing (I am dyslectic ) are just impossible. Just a difference in individuals that the university has no concern for - the courses are set up, one size fits all.

The German in the Chemistry curriculum was because prior to WW I the Germans had a lot of publications - but I as in school in the 60's. French? somebody decided that chemist should be academically well-rounded - no real reason. It was an attempt to make a trade degree in chemistry into an academic degree in everything. Irrational.


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## SingingStars (Mar 9, 2014)

Falling Leaves said:


> So, I've been at Uni for the past three-and-a-half years and I've only just realized what a colossal waste it is.
> 
> Seriously, with not a lot of fucking work, I can get a 2:1 - which, by all intensive purposes, is the same fucking thing as a first. I am the kind of person who either puts in her all, or does no work and scrapes by - I do not make effort for an 'acceptable' grade.
> 
> ...


Hi Falling Leaves,

I was a straight A student all of my life and I still HATED college for all exact same reasons you mention. It felt so pointless and yet everyone said it's so important.

Flash forward to being a college graduate for two years now and I can tell you that I am very happy that I have a degree even though I use almost none of the information I learned.

The degree got me in the door to my job and interestingly, some of the work ethic related skills that I learned in school have been very useful to me. I have to focus at my job and read through lots of paperwork and take note of important details. I have to prioritize my tasks and manage my time as well. I have to be willing to grind through a lot of work sometimes. I also have to do research sometimes. I had to do all of that in school and I'm glad that I got used to doing that stuff back then.

The stuff you learn in college is mostly pointless, but the actual end result isn't. Stick through it and get your degree. Once you have that piece of paper its yours for life and no one can take it away from you. It opens doors for you and that is its real value.


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## owlet (May 7, 2010)

I can understand regretting university. I've become very disillusioned in it since year one, surrounded by older teens who acted like small children and just went drinking all the time. I guess I had it in my head people who went to university would be more serious about learning, but it's full of the same people as in secondary school and college. The university I go to is also very unhelpful and treats every question as a great strain.

For my first year, I had to take extra modules just to fill up space in my timetable, so ended up with history of art (which was a grave error of judgement). In my subject (Japanese Studies) I also find many of the culture lecturers are really, really bad at teaching (the language teachers are a mixed bunch, with one who's a lovely person but no good at keeping control of a class - not that she should have to, seeing as we're all adults who are paying to be taught...). They have no idea how to teach the subject, they only know a lot about it, which is great for them but helps no one. One in particular even gave out wrong information which cost everyone in the class marks on the final exam.

It's all just so half-hearted... I'm currently trying to get a load of work experience in the hope I can get into a career which I can care about.

Don't get me wrong, I love the things I am learning, it's just taking a lot longer than it should do and most of the language side is self-study with very little class time (this became more noticeable after I started my year abroad in a Japanese university and the quality of teaching is incomparable).


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