Degree or not to be?

If you are currently thinking about going to university you may want to think what is the drive behind you doing your degree. Sometimes people who decide to do a degree pick a subject which they think will be "easy" and are surprised by how much reading,research and independent study in general is required. If you really want to do a degree make sure its for the right reasons and you choose a course you actually enjoy. In some cases if you realise the degree you picked isn't for you in the first few months you can change your subject. Some people altogether quit and realise that the degree itself just isn't their cup of tea and then pursue a more vocational route. It isn't important if you have a degree but it is important that you love doing what you are going pursue. 

Some decisions to think about before you decide to think about picking your degree:

Whose decision is it to do the degree? - Make sure that if you want to do a degree it's because you chose to do one. If your family are putting pressure on you to pursue a degree be honest about this. There a number of courses that may suit you more if don't want to go down an academic route such as an apprenticeship or internship etc.Also don't copy your friends chances are all your friends are unlikely to go to same university as you so don't do a degree just to follow the crowd this won't help you in the long run.

 Pick a subject you actually like? - Some degrees may help you pursue a particular career such as a Medical or teaching degree. However many degrees such as English, History, Politics etc can open up many doors for you. Pick a subject because you want to and don't feel influenced by anyone to follow a particular career. If you don't enjoy your chosen subject this will make you time at university more difficult. Also if you actually study something you like you will want to know more and a true passion should come shining through :)!!

Research your subject- If you haven't ever studied the subject you have decided to do as degree do as much research into this area as possible. For example subjects like Law,Linguistics etc may be something you haven't ever had any first hand experience of in school. One of the best ways to find out is to go to a taster class, most universities offer these during the summer holidays. This is a great way of also seeing what the subject involves and if you think if its for you. Another way to research is to actually speak to students studying the subject you want to do or someone who is a graduate and working in a related field.  

Is the degree format right for me? - University education is described as independent learning and unless you have been to a further education college you may not grab to this concept straight away. When at university you won't have a lecturer reminding you that work needs to be handed in or an exam is coming up. The key word here is motivation and this also leads back to enjoying your degree if the enthusiasm isn't there for that subject you many not study at all!! Not only does independent study require motivation it also requires discipline. So if you feel this amount of freedom and independence isn't for you and someone pushing you motivates you instead a degree may not be right for you.

Lastly have you thought about what you are going to do after your degree? Not everyone thinks this one through. I am not saying if you study English you have to be a writer or journalist but if you pick a subject also look into how many doors it can open to you? Having a broad subject like English or Psychology etc can make it possible to work areas in Human Resources,Teaching, Marketing and much more. If you know what you are doing after you degree you won't be left in limbo. The ideal time to think about this is after your second year of your degree. If you already have a plan in focus that's great but remember sometimes when we study and grow our perceptions of things also change so this may also happen with your future career and job aspirations.

Some tips on thinking about what you don't like! When thinking about your future career

If you are thinking about what future career to pursue you may always be asked what subjects do you like? What are good at? What interests you etc? Such questions are a great way of scoping out what you like which is great but what about the things you don't like!! If you know that love science and what to doing something linked within this field great but if you find reading and analysing huge amounts of texts for subjects like English and History you know that critical analysis isn't for you.

Things to consider when thinking about what you don't enjoy or like:

- What is it about a particular subject you don't like?
- Do you prefer practical subjects or subjects where you read text and evaluate it?
- What kind of environments don't see yourself in working i.e office, school, hospital etc and why?
- What jobs or careers would you not consider looking into?
Lastly
- What would be your worst nightmare job or have you had experience of a job you really disliked and why did you not enjoy it?

These suggestions may seem a bit strange but what you need to consider is if you know what you definitely don't want to do it allows you to focus on the positive things you do want to pursue.

For example I had a student who I advised. When I asked him where he saw himself working in a few years time he said he wanted to work in a leisure centre. This student clearly stated they had no interest in working in a office they felt this environment would not suit their personality. They wanted to pursue a career in sports and fitness industry and have a job which he classed as "practical".

So by thinking about what you don't like or enjoy it really makes your future career ideas that much clearer. So you can channel into what you do like more and what makes you tick and you think about how you can get there with more clarity! Remember if you only think about only one career path this isn't right either. Sometimes a future career or job could change so always think about a few different types of industries and job types. Once you have spoken to someone like a careers adviser etc you can then look at whether these ideas are achievable and take it from there!! Good luck.