Not sure about university? Remember there's no rush
University isn’t for everyone. This simple fact is all too often lost amid the frenzy of open days, application deadlines, and being told that uni will be the time of your life.
Unless you’re one of the lucky ones, the chances are you don’t really know what you want to do with your life after school. I certainly didn’t. When I applied for university six years ago, I did it because it was the expected thing for me to do after A-levels, because all my friends were doing it, because it seemed like the best path to a good job.
In the absence of any better ideas in September 2013, I made my way to the University of Southampton to study politics. Pretty quickly I realised it wasn’t for me: I stopped going to lectures, I began isolating myself and at the end of the year, I dropped out altogether.
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I spent the next year living at home and working in a pub, thinking what my next step should be. During that time I discovered a newfound maturity and sense of self. But I realised I missed studying and decided to give university another go. I applied to the University of Sussex, where I recently graduated.
The biggest lesson I took from all this was the importance of taking time to figure out what it is you want to do. Between the pressure of A-levels and starting university, you’re seldom offered the time and space to think about whether you want to commit three years of your life and take on over £30k of debt for a degree.
If you’ve yet to apply to university, or if you’ve already sent off your applications but aren’t sure whether it’s for you, it’s well worth considering deferring your place. Take a year out and spend that time to reflect on your next steps as well as gaining vital life skills by working, travelling, volunteering or a combination of all three. The personal development you’ll experience will set you up well for whatever you decide to do in the future, but especially in the context of the universities minister saying that universities should act as “stand-in parents” to their students.
Travel is a great opportunity to grow in confidence, meet interesting new people and see the world. There’s also plenty of affordable ways to travel that don’t involve spending a fortune on a “gap yah”. The site Couchsurfing is a brilliant tool to meet locals and see new places on a budget. Organisations such as Workaway can allow you to learn new skills and immerse yourself in a different culture by working a few hours a day on interesting projects, and receiving food and accommodation in return.
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Alternatively, by spending the year (or part of it) working at home, you’ll be able to build up a financial cushion for the future. One interesting option is to find an entry level job in an industry you have some interest in working in – it’ll give you the chance to rub shoulders with professionals in the field and see whether it’s something you’d want to do in the future. In any case, it’ll look great on your CV.
University has become the default for many 18-year-olds, but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily right for you. Research conducted in 2016 found that more than a third of graduates regret going to university, and half reckon they would have landed their current job without having to study for a degree.
If you’re in doubt, deferring your place and taking the time to consider your options will leave you better placed to decide whether university is right for you.