Need university advice! (1 Viewer)

[grecoZ]

Hello everyone! Essentially i'm going through a problem in regards to university.

I'm a first year currently attending UWS bankstown and absolutely f*cking hate it - the course (business), and the people, the atmosphere make me absolutely dread going there every week. I know I may come off as entitled/privileged and what not, however everything about this place is getting to me. I have no drive to study/do well, the people don't care about their education (obviously i'm generalising, there are some people that care).

Now, I need to spend one year here and achieve good grades to transfer to either UTS/USYD/UNSW/MACQ. Honestly, I don't think I can last that long (i'm 1/2 through 1st semester and feel like shit).

However, I don't necessarily enjoy business. I don't hate it, but i definitely don't enjoy it. I'm not sure if it's the UWS system/environment, or the actual course. I think I need to explore some more degrees.

Here's my plan:

- I'm very young for a uni student (17), I think this is the time to transfer around and see what I like and don't like.

- I'm thinking of doing a mid-year transfer for second semester to UTS/USYD. I'm thinking of doing something like communications/education/law (as these are my actual interests, not saying business isn't, but I prefer these).

- If things don't go well in those courses, I'll just have to spend one year in them, and transfer back to commerce (within the university). Yes, i'll lose time/money, but I believe it would give me a sense of closure and not regret things.

- I want a career in different areas, and it's so hard sticking to one degree. If I could i would be a lawyer/accountant/journalist all at the same time haha, but that's not realistic. I also ideally want a career that will enable me to work abroad if i wanted to (this is where business can be good, international companies and such). I always wanted a corporate-style job, but then I also want a relaxed job.

Sorry for the rant, but i'm quite confused and perplexed on what to do. Any advice, whether it be harsh or not, would be much appreciated. I really need a different perspective, apart from my own. Thanks guys.

 

[miaoww]

Hi! I am in my third year of Arts/Law at UNSW. I can appreciate how you feel because I started off with Commerce and found it ok, but wasn't super passionate. I bit the bullet halfway through my second year and transferred to Arts and am much happier, even though I know I lost time and money, I do really value the skills and courses I did in Commerce so I don't really think about it as a waste. You are only 17, you have a lot of time to figure out what you want to do.

First thing that I think it is important to establish is that the culture at UNSW/USYD is very academic and high-pressure. Everyone is intelligent and did very well in high school, and everyone wants to do well. I find a lot of conversations with my friends centre around studies, especially during the semester, and I found it incredibly tough in my first two semesters of law (not so much the content, but the constant competitiveness). You need to be prepared for this shock. It does sound like you're in the wrong place at UWS because you don't vibe with the culture, but just be prepared for the sudden change.

Secondly, I am sure some people out there may achieve this (maybe), but the idea of working for a prestigious international company where you get to travel a lot and have a corporate-style job, but also live a relaxed lifestyle is completely unrealistic. This does not happen. If you transfer to UNSW/USYD in Commerce or Law, the pressure is incredibly intense. My friend who has a clerkship at a Big 6 law firm does 4 courses a semester, and is at the office from 4-10pm (min) everyday, even on weekends. And most students would KILL to be in his position, and his grades and extracurriculars are completely extraordinary. My cousin works at a Big 4 Accounting firm and is constantly at work or working at home on his laptop, it doesn't end. If you want a jet-setting lifestyle making big $$, you need to sacrifice because plenty of other people out there are willing to.

I guess the best advice that I could give is that you really need to think this through, try new things and talk to people who have done the courses you're looking at (look at their notes, exam papers etc). I had the attitude when I was in high school that once I got into comm/law, I'd be so happy and have 'made' it. But that's just when the work is starting, and it is really hard. Try to make the most of the place you are at now, and stop thinking about the 'profession' of wanting to be an accountant, lawyer, journalist (you sound like you're idealising and glamorising really hard) - it isn't like this for the vast majority of people, and in order to get there you will need to slave away doing hours and hours of readings and practice questions every night to even have a hope in hell of getting an internship.

I hope I haven't scared you too much - it really isn't so bad, so long as you are passionate about the degree you're pursuing. I can completely empathise with where you're at because I was a confused 17 year old too when I was starting uni, but I promise you'll work it out we all do!

 

[grecoZ]

Wow... thank you for your detailed response haha! Really appreciate you trying to dissect everything. I would have to agree with you 100% that i'm idealising and glamorising - I often do this, but i'm trying to stop that. I've heard that people in USYD/UNSW are very studious, and have high expectations. I feel like in that environment I excel - I need that external motivation. Where i'm at currently UWS bankstown, i'm quite the opposite, I don't care about anything.

I perhaps mis-wrote in my post, but I'm very aware that you either get a corporate-style job, or a relaxed job. I'm not attempting to get both. I just have conflicts about which specific one I want. Essentially, I've got two sides of me (one which wants to achieve success in the corporate world, and other side which I want to have a 'relaxing' job). I'm a quite creative person, yet a very business-type person - trying to pick one or the other is very hard haha.

Honestly, i'm just trying to get as far away from this campus as possible. Yeah, i guess i sound very elitist and picky - but i can't succeed academically with such an environment/culture. What do you think about my plan? switching mid-year to a different Uni/course and doing that for a year, and then if i don't enjoy that degree, I can switch back to a commerce degree at the new uni?

If you don't mind, I have a couple of questions that I feel you would be experienced to answer haha.

1) How is law? Is it as stressful, hard, competitive, time-consuming, boring (for some people) as people say it is? I did legal studies and did mock trial at my school and really enjoyed it, not sure how well that translates into university though haha. Also i'm not a great speaker, i'm average so that might be a huge factor.

2) So did you transfer from commerce to arts, and then to arts/law, i'm assuming? how was that process?

3) Do you every get that thought of 'what could've happened if i stayed in commerce?' - How do you deal with that (or maybe it's just me)?

4) How's the employment sector looking like in law? I heard it's very saturated and very competitive?

Sorry if i'm going in too much detail haha. I just want to hear other people's perspectives. Thanks again.

 

[FrequentBF4]

Wow... thank you for your detailed response haha! Really appreciate you trying to dissect everything. I would have to agree with you 100% that i'm idealising and glamorising - I often do this, but i'm trying to stop that. I've heard that people in USYD/UNSW are very studious, and have high expectations. I feel like in that environment I excel - I need that external motivation. Where i'm at currently UWS bankstown, i'm quite the opposite, I don't care about anything.

I perhaps mis-wrote in my post, but I'm very aware that you either get a corporate-style job, or a relaxed job. I'm not attempting to get both. I just have conflicts about which specific one I want. Essentially, I've got two sides of me (one which wants to achieve success in the corporate world, and other side which I want to have a 'relaxing' job). I'm a quite creative person, yet a very business-type person - trying to pick one or the other is very hard haha.

Honestly, i'm just trying to get as far away from this campus as possible. Yeah, i guess i sound very elitist and picky - but i can't succeed academically with such an environment/culture. What do you think about my plan? switching mid-year to a different Uni/course and doing that for a year, and then if i don't enjoy that degree, I can switch back to a commerce degree at the new uni?

If you don't mind, I have a couple of questions that I feel you would be experienced to answer haha.

1) How is law? Is it as stressful, hard, competitive, time-consuming, boring (for some people) as people say it is? I did legal studies and did mock trial at my school and really enjoyed it, not sure how well that translates into university though haha. Also i'm not a great speaker, i'm average so that might be a huge factor.

2) So did you transfer from commerce to arts, and then to arts/law, i'm assuming? how was that process?

3) Do you every get that thought of 'what could've happened if i stayed in commerce?' - How do you deal with that (or maybe it's just me)?

4) How's the employment sector looking like in law? I heard it's very saturated and very competitive?

Sorry if i'm going in too much detail haha. I just want to hear other people's perspectives. Thanks again.

Greko I am like you bro, but instead I am doing software engineering and trying to transfer out to USYD or UNSW. Try the attend the tuetonic trio of USYD or UNSW for humanities/business/engineering.

I am putting 100% everyday to make sure I can transfer.

I am 17 as well.
I am at UTS, and honestly its a bit overhyped, the practicality, causes some serious cookie cutting in terms of education.

 

[grecoZ]

Oh yeah, that's sweet! Yeah UTS might be overhyped, but honestly, I don't mind. Compared to UWS Bankstown, I'd be quite content with UTS. Just trying to figure out my move, and figuring out what would i do if I didn't like the course I transferred into..

Good luck bro, you can do it!

 

[FrequentBF4]

btw, don't expect much competitiveness.

So basically for engineering, we have these 20-30 mark mastery tests(done online or paper) there are 5 of them
You get over 70% you automatically pass the subject, this causes issues, cause no one attends the final exam, unless they are interested to get credit/D/HD.

Some of the lectures are very VERY diluted. Basically if you enjoy theory, and want to understand everything from the ground up, avoid UTS. If you want to know things that you will use in work, then come to UTS.

 

[Queenroot]

Hi! I am in my third year of Arts/Law at UNSW. I can appreciate how you feel because I started off with Commerce and found it ok, but wasn't super passionate. I bit the bullet halfway through my second year and transferred to Arts and am much happier, even though I know I lost time and money, I do really value the skills and courses I did in Commerce so I don't really think about it as a waste. You are only 17, you have a lot of time to figure out what you want to do.

First thing that I think it is important to establish is that the culture at UNSW/USYD is very academic and high-pressure. Everyone is intelligent and did very well in high school, and everyone wants to do well. I find a lot of conversations with my friends centre around studies, especially during the semester, and I found it incredibly tough in my first two semesters of law (not so much the content, but the constant competitiveness). You need to be prepared for this shock. It does sound like you're in the wrong place at UWS because you don't vibe with the culture, but just be prepared for the sudden change.

Secondly, I am sure some people out there may achieve this (maybe), but the idea of working for a prestigious international company where you get to travel a lot and have a corporate-style job, but also live a relaxed lifestyle is completely unrealistic. This does not happen. If you transfer to UNSW/USYD in Commerce or Law, the pressure is incredibly intense. My friend who has a clerkship at a Big 6 law firm does 4 courses a semester, and is at the office from 4-10pm (min) everyday, even on weekends. And most students would KILL to be in his position, and his grades and extracurriculars are completely extraordinary. My cousin works at a Big 4 Accounting firm and is constantly at work or working at home on his laptop, it doesn't end. If you want a jet-setting lifestyle making big $$, you need to sacrifice because plenty of other people out there are willing to.

I guess the best advice that I could give is that you really need to think this through, try new things and talk to people who have done the courses you're looking at (look at their notes, exam papers etc). I had the attitude when I was in high school that once I got into comm/law, I'd be so happy and have 'made' it. But that's just when the work is starting, and it is really hard. Try to make the most of the place you are at now, and stop thinking about the 'profession' of wanting to be an accountant, lawyer, journalist (you sound like you're idealising and glamorising really hard) - it isn't like this for the vast majority of people, and in order to get there you will need to slave away doing hours and hours of readings and practice questions every night to even have a hope in hell of getting an internship.

I hope I haven't scared you too much - it really isn't so bad, so long as you are passionate about the degree you're pursuing. I can completely empathise with where you're at because I was a confused 17 year old too when I was starting uni, but I promise you'll work it out we all do!

lmao wtf are u sure u go UNSW everyone is a dropkick

 

[grecoZ]

Legit? hahaha, I'd have though UNSW would be full of smart people...

 

[Queenroot]

Legit? hahaha, I'd have though UNSW would be full of smart people...

ye smart enough for HSC then they all become dropkicks

 

[grecoZ]

Yeah, that's very true. They're all smart for the HSC, and then as soon as they get their 90+ ATAR - they do fk all at uni.

 

[Queenroot]

Theres only a select few who actually want to do well and most of them are med sci lol

 

[strawberrye]

lmao wtf are u sure u go UNSW everyone is a dropkick

I think the poster meant to comment on the sub-culture within UNSW of people who are doing law, rather than intending as a general commentary for every discipline.

 

[faolan]

ye smart enough for HSC then they all become dropkicks

this couldn't be more true.
i myself, am a prime example of this HAHA.

 

[FrequentBF4]

Got 2 HDs in a row, one for EngComm, and the other for Mathematics. Need to keep the dream of transferring alive.

 

[grecoZ]

Got 2 HDs in a row, one for EngComm, and the other for Mathematics. Need to keep the dream of transferring alive.

That's pretty bro, keep it up and you'll be able to transfer... hopefully haha