{"id":76059,"date":"2025-03-03T00:01:48","date_gmt":"2025-03-03T05:01:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=76059"},"modified":"2025-03-03T00:01:48","modified_gmt":"2025-03-03T05:01:48","slug":"what-can-you-do-if-youve-started-uni-and-you-dont-like-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/what-can-you-do-if-youve-started-uni-and-you-dont-like-it\/","title":{"rendered":"What can you do if you\u2019ve started uni and you don\u2019t like it?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

More than 260,000 students across Australia<\/a>\u00a0are going to university for the first time.<\/p>\n

Some come to university to pursue a passion, others to discover one, and some aren\u2019t quite sure why they\u2019re here. Whatever their reason, it can take time to adjust and feel comfortable at uni, and some students decide studying is\u00a0not for them<\/a>. In their first year, around\u00a014% of Australian students<\/a>\u00a0will choose to leave.<\/p>\n

What do you do if you get to uni and it isn\u2019t quite what you expect?<\/p>\n

Expectations versus reality<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The transition from high school to university\u00a0can be a big adjustment<\/a>, especially for Year 12 students who are used to structured learning and clear guidance. Suddenly, you\u2019re managing a new timetable, deadlines, and navigating new places and possibly new subjects on your own.<\/p>\n

While university social clubs and campus activities can help you settle in, your first year at university\u00a0can be a lonely time<\/a>. You are away from familiar school friends and in classes full of people you don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n

Mature-aged students (anyone over 21)\u00a0face their own challenges<\/a>\u00a0when life experience does not always translate to confidence in academic skills.<\/p>\n

Juggling study, work and personal commitments isn\u2019t easy. Fitting university in around other life pressures\u00a0can feel overwhelming<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Seek out support<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Each university will have slightly different\u00a0offerings around student support<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you are finding the academic work difficult, ask if there are academic writing supports or library research supports available.<\/p>\n

If you are worried about your funds, ask about financial counselling.<\/p>\n

Also seek out on-campus mental health or counselling supports if you you are feeling particularly stressed about your situation.<\/p>\n

Can you change your degree or subjects?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

If you\u2019re not enjoying yourself, try to work out exactly what it is you don\u2019t like: is it university itself? Is it your course? Or just a particular subject?<\/p>\n

If your current degree isn\u2019t working, you could consider switching degrees or the mix of subjects you are studying. Switching to another degree or discipline may come with credit for prior study. Remember, no learning is ever wasted, and many skills are transferable. You can talk to your university admissions team to see what\u2019s possible.<\/p>\n

Or perhaps part-time study would be a better option for you. This is very common among uni students.\u00a0Only 40%<\/a>\u00a0complete their degree within four years.<\/p>\n

Universities often allow up to ten years for a bachelors\u2019 degree, so you have time to rethink and adjust. Chat with an academic advisor or student services to understand your options.<\/p>\n

If university isn\u2019t working at all, remember there are many other options post-school. This includes vocational education and training courses (some of which are free<\/a>) that provide practical skills, geared towards a job. It is OK to change your mind.<\/p>\n

Key dates to know<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Timing is important. You need to be aware of the \u201ccensus date<\/a>\u201d for your particular uni. This is the deadline when your fees are locked in.<\/p>\n

Before then, you can drop courses without financial or academic penalties.<\/p>\n

Think of the time before the census date as a \u201ctry-before-you-buy\u201d period. While dates vary between universities, the first few weeks give you a chance to experience course content and decide if it\u2019s the right fit for you.<\/p>\n

Remember you are going through a big change \u2013 so go easy on yourself. And speak to academic, career, and wellbeing supports at your university if you think you need to make a change.<\/p>\n

Author Bios:<\/strong> Catherine Stephen is Lecturer, School of Nursing, Brandon W. Smith is Associate Lecturer, School of Nursing and Christopher Patterson is Associate Professor, School of Nursing all at the University of Wollongong<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

More than 260,000 students across Australia\u00a0are going to university for the first time. Some come to university to pursue a passion, others to discover one, and some aren\u2019t quite sure why they\u2019re here. Whatever their reason, it can take time to adjust and feel comfortable at uni, and some students decide studying is\u00a0not for them. […]\n… learn more→<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[435288],"coauthors":[11733],"class_list":["post-76059","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-higher-education","tag-first-year-uni"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat can you do if you\u2019ve started uni and you don\u2019t like it? - World leading higher education information and services<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/world.edu\/what-can-you-do-if-youve-started-uni-and-you-dont-like-it\/\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What can you do if you\u2019ve started uni and you don\u2019t like it? - World leading higher education information and services\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"More than 260,000 students across Australia\u00a0are going to university for the first time. 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