I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself.

[JT!]

Ok, I’m on my 4th year of 6th form now (yeah I know), and not a great deal to show for it. After my first two years when I originally started looking at uni courses I found that you can’t do f**k all without maths. So I decided to try and do the whole of a-level maths in one year. It didn’t work, hence why I’m on my forth year doing the second half of maths after failing the first half. My college is a shithole, I’m being pissed about and no one knows what they’re doing. I’ve had enough with education really, just can’t do it anymore. I’m missing lessons, and I only have one a day, I’m really doubting that I should go to uni which is another 5 years on top of what I’ve been doing. I do want to go to uni for the experience, and to get out of Whitby etc. But I’m not really interested in the work. I did plan to do electronical engineering, but as far as I know it’s just maths really, with basic electronics thrown into it ever now and again. I’ve done a-level electronics, and I was told that you go back to basics, learning about logic tables, which would be the 3rd time I’d have learn it. Now that I think about it I don’t really have any idea what electronical engineering is anyway, because no matter how much you look you can’t actually find any info on the course its self.

I have no idea what else there is out there to do, it’s just been my natural progression of things to go to uni, never even thought about looking into anything else until now, like just getting a job, or an apprenticeship – which I’ve always assumed it’s builder / plumber territory.

So I need help. What should I do?

Either way I will finish this school year, but people start bugging you about this time as to what your doing.

I currently have a small job earning £70 a week which I’m quite happy doing. Should I take a year out, keep doing a bit of work, maybe even voluntary work just for the experience, and see how it goes. Should I get a proper job and just hope I can work my way up the chain of command? Or is it worth just going to uni, because it’ll be ok when I get there.

I’m sure a lot of you have been in the same situation of me, do I need your wisdom and advice.

Thanks for reading.

[CBProductions]

If you are keen on the type of work you would be doing for free it's very worth doing it as it looks good on your cv and you learn so much I Was travelling down to bristol and places like that for £10 a day because my train fair was like £40 and working 13-15 hour days in the warehouse and out on gigs just so I could learn and gain experience and enhance my cv and because I love it. Electrical engineering is a good field and means you can apply your knowledge to most things.

for example what I do sound and video , they both rely heavily on the operators knowledge of power e.t.c and if you are able to fix problems your ahead. Just try different things It took me 4 years to find myself. Get out there work your arse off the piss your life up the wall when you are older and earning the money ,

Hope this makes some sense and is some help.

[MadManMike]

Dude, as someone that did a year at college and then left I very much regret not going on to Uni. Seriously mate, get the most out of education while you can.

I regret my lack of motivation now as my CV looks incomplete without a degree, I only did C&G diploma.

I say try your best at college, and get to Uni next year. Really only you can decide what you truly want though.

And as CB said, try different things as well, i've worked factories, offices etc and now I'm in the A/V industry (Best of all i've done so far!)

Edited September 28, 2006 by MadManMike

[PaRtZ]

Im doing mechanical engineering next year (gap year).....and I only just scraped my AS maths. I don't have an A-level in maths. I found that in Swansea they do a course for people like me which is essentially the same course but with an extra year to become up to speed to tackle to course.

Having said that DON'T F*cking give up your a level in maths now. My mates went through 3/4 of sixth form and then dropped out and realised afterwards how stupid it was Honest to god get that a level and the doors will open up for EVERYWHERE. Even if you decide not to go to uni, atleast have the maths.

I can't honestly strongly suggest uni... I don't want to put you off but theres the 4 letter word that rhymes with met and begins with d to think about.....

But again on the positive side uni life rocks. All my mates (gone and left me *sniff) have said they're having the best time of their lives and its only just started. So uni does look good after all (think of the sex )

May not help you but ill close with what i've done. Just think things through to what you want, but please dont drop the maths course now!!!

year 12: AS: German, Maths, Business, DT

year 13: A DT, German AS: Business (i wanted a better mark but didn't actually get it lol)

currently: Gap year: Work as much as I can to get some moneys

Next year: Foundation course at swansea

Year after: Course actually begins

[Brian Bleech]

I did A-Level maths and got an N in my first year - i was seriously shit at it. So I gave up A-Levels and did an ND in electronic engineer and then went on to do a degree in Mechatronics (which is just mechanical and electronic engineering) and basically I coped fine with the Maths.

You generally have better teachers / lecturers and normally some 3rd/4th years will sit in lessons and be there to help out too, plus everybody helps eachother out with stuff others find hard anyway. What I am trying to say if if you are struggling and are at a decent uni, there will have the facilities and to support and help you!

Also the hardest (and the most) Maths was in the Mechanics side rather than the electonics side.

I was also in the situation where I wanted to go to uni for the experience and to get out of where i lived, Penrith. Nice place, but not much there for me! I don't regret it one bit.

Hope that helps

[on that? u must be joking]

A lot of people I know from Whitby came to Scarborough Sixth form to do their A-levels and seemed to get on pretty well with them. I presume you're at Whitby Community College? It's early in the year and might be worth finding out about transferring to Scarborough. I got on well with the Maths teachers there and the guy who's now principal (Tom Potter) is pretty sound - he took us for Duke of Edinburgh back in the day and is a keen mountain biker.

Andy

[CBProductions]

And as CB said, try different things as well, i've worked factories, offices etc and now I'm in the A/V industry (Best of all i've done so far!)

What are you doing have wise ? Never knew there was anyone else even aware of the have industry on here maybe except JJ.

[nmt_oli]

Right, I suggest you do try and go to uni. If you dont like /are not good at maths do not attempt an engineering course unless you think you can really focus, there very maths based, and have more work than some courses.

I can say this being a uni engineering dropout due to crap maths skills! im currently trying to get my motivation sorted, im doign first year again at a different uni with more maths support. i got a D at a level, its not good.

get some a levels under you, and there are plenty of courses to do where you don't need maths. Even if you go for an easier course, one of the stupid ones, it will at least get you to uni, which is a damn good laugh, and get you a degree.

It doesnt matter what degree youve got at the end for most jobs, its only if your aiming very high or into a certain sector where they will want specific degrees from good unis. For most office/retail ect jobs they see you have a degree, and nkow you have experienced uni, so you have life skills, they also see you have a degree, so they know you can work towards a goal.

If your fed up of education, take a gap year and reapply to uni after a think about things. go and do something mad, travel, teach, just see what happens. You will feel better, and possibly even actually want to learn when you come back.

[Lee Cable]

Well, what about the navy? Im currently doing year 12 again, as last year i had to retake english. Im doing AS maths, AS Chemistry and double ict. As im going in the navy, they sponsor me to go through school, i get 1050 quid a year, just for going. And when i goto uni, they give me grants(which i dont have to pay back) to help me through, for my first year, its 13 grand......when i finish my 3 year course in computer science, i go out, have a year out, then go into the navy for the rest of my life. I have many friends who have just gone in, as normal ratings, which means there pay is less. they start on something like 12-15 grand, i go in(training) on 26 grand, I dont have to pay for somewhere to stay, or food. All is payed for by the navy.

Anyways im blabbering now

[MadManMike]

What are you doing have wise ? Never knew there was anyone else even aware of the have industry on here maybe except JJ.

I run a shop that sells WiFi stereo equipment, LCD projectors, plasma / lcd screens, wireless lighting and pretty much everything that goes with it... Smart board touch screen interactive white boards for colleges and things...

Also stupidly expensive hifi like the T+A K10 Valve amp and some Linn stuff... Look the V10 up on google image search, very sweet.

Or go to www.taelektroakustik.de to see all their stuff...

Good fun