Failed First Year. Whats next??? (1 Viewer)

[Episodic Erudite]

I'm about to fail all my units for my 2nd semester and I'm hoping someone out there can offer their advice on what to do now and in preparations for the future.
It has been a really tough year; online uni + covid, relationship trouble and family tragedy. First semester was "OK" - I didn't fail all my units. But with my final exam very soon, I'm now conceding to the fact I'm failing all my units in this second semester. I'm not academically incapable; I managed a 98 atar without a lot of effort - but that's my downfall; I haven't even submitted any assignments except for some (not all) of my final exams. This means I need to get 100% in these exams if and only if other things such as participation aren't required. Covering a semester worth of multivariable calculus the night before or a few hours before the final exam doesn't really cut it if I want to get 100%. I spent most of the semester dealing with personal issues and a sleep schedule that was closer to nocturnal - except not half as consistent. The result was obvious and inevitable.

If I lifted my game I'm confident I could do well. Obviously there are reasons things didn't work out, but I also lack motivation. I grew up in highschool thinking that doing the tough academic subjects was what I'd do in uni since I found them relatively easy and not requiring a lot of effort. Now I'm questioning that notion altogether; I'm not sure I could ever be motivated to do the study required for this kind of trajectory for my life. Both my parents are in some kind of managerial executive type role, but I've always considered the scope and material of their jobs boring, uneventful and meaningless. I adopted this view and assumed this would be the natural result were I to aim for a similar role. So, what else was I good at? School.

I recently got a job which has helped me out of my laziness and the rut that 2020 and I have pulled myself into. The job demands a lot of attention; need to always have something to do, always be communicating with staff, always be ready to engage effectively and appropriately with the customers, move quickly and make as few mistakes as possible. It's high pace, 'multi-focal' and I really enjoy it (also the people are really nice - that is, the staff and not the customers XD). I don't see study having the same effect on me, nor the kinds of jobs my study would most likely lead to. This affinity with this kind of job is a lot like my father's affinity with his job as a managing director of his company; the energy, running around, multi-focal problem solving and communication centered tasks that they involve are similar except in terms of content and skills, experience and knowledge required. Maybe the reason I'm not motivated isn't me but the presumption that academia was the right career path in the first place. And more, I've noticed a disturbing pattern in academic folk, that they often lack in holistic thinking owing to academia reinforcing a reflexive dependence on crystallized intelligence over common sense (in other words, they struggle to shift back to the more basic levels of abstraction whilst maintaining the integrity of their comprehension). It's an implicit feature of academic ideas due to the political influences on academia (egos, money, culture, hierarchical authority) and oversaturation - people secure their ideas by convoluting them and there are too many ideas to review and refine, or to even find the good ideas, like needles in a haystack. It's something I always find when I read the explanations of ideas from professors and textbooks and a reason for my lack of motivation (other than how boring studying is). I forgot to mention I also have ADD (tho it's mainly just the motivation part of ADD). I've been contemplating starting my own business - building the skills and knowledge and connecting to the right people once an idea comes to mind - but this also takes money...

FYI, Math & Neuroscience majors. 2nd/3rd year Philosophy (Logic focused) and Data Science minors.
Ideas were to
- change to Law & Mathematics - but that's obviously not going to happen (especially at usyd)
- change to med (probably not and for the same reason)
- change uni
- Do business and something else e.g. business & law at UTS or UNSW
- take a year off to work, goto workshops and build some of my own skills (honestly, this idea gets me excited)

But I also wonder, if I choose to commit to studying at usyd, will I even be able to continue? How do I secure this as an option? Any idea who I speak to?
I'm also worried about reputation and reactions :/ ...


EDIT: How do I change my username? I made this account in 2017 and I couldn't have picked a name more wanky than this

 

[Drdusk]

I'm about to fail all my units for my 2nd semester and I'm hoping someone out there can offer their advice on what to do now and in preparations for the future.
It has been a really tough year; online uni + covid, relationship trouble and family tragedy. First semester was "OK" - I didn't fail all my units. But with my final exam very soon, I'm now conceding to the fact I'm failing all my units in this second semester. I'm not academically incapable; I managed a 98 atar without a lot of effort - but that's my downfall; I haven't even submitted any assignments except for some (not all) of my final exams. This means I need to get 100% in these exams if and only if other things such as participation aren't required. Covering a semester worth of multivariable calculus the night before or a few hours before the final exam doesn't really cut it if I want to get 100%. I spent most of the semester dealing with personal issues and a sleep schedule that was closer to nocturnal - except not half as consistent. The result was obvious and inevitable.

If I lifted my game I'm confident I could do well. Obviously there are reasons things didn't work out, but I also lack motivation. I grew up in highschool thinking that doing the tough academic subjects was what I'd do in uni since I found them relatively easy and not requiring a lot of effort. Now I'm questioning that notion altogether; I'm not sure I could ever be motivated to do the study required for this kind of trajectory for my life. Both my parents are in some kind of managerial executive type role, but I've always considered the scope and material of their jobs boring, uneventful and meaningless. I adopted this view and assumed this would be the natural result were I to aim for a similar role. So, what else was I good at? School.

I recently got a job which has helped me out of my laziness and the rut that 2020 and I have pulled myself into. The job demands a lot of attention; need to always have something to do, always be communicating with staff, always be ready to engage effectively and appropriately with the customers, move quickly and make as few mistakes as possible. It's high pace, 'multi-focal' and I really enjoy it (also the people are really nice - that is, the staff and not the customers XD). I don't see study having the same effect on me, nor the kinds of jobs my study would most likely lead to. This affinity with this kind of job is a lot like my father's affinity with his job as a managing director of his company; the energy, running around, multi-focal problem solving and communication centered tasks that they involve are similar except in terms of content and skills, experience and knowledge required. Maybe the reason I'm not motivated isn't me but the presumption that academia was the right career path in the first place. And more, I've noticed a disturbing pattern in academic folk, that they often lack in holistic thinking owing to academia reinforcing a reflexive dependence on crystallized intelligence over common sense (in other words, they struggle to shift back to the more basic levels of abstraction whilst maintaining the integrity of their comprehension). It's an implicit feature of academic ideas due to the political influences on academia (egos, money, culture, hierarchical authority) and oversaturation - people secure their ideas by convoluting them and there are too many ideas to review and refine, or to even find the good ideas, like needles in a haystack. It's something I always find when I read the explanations of ideas from professors and textbooks and a reason for my lack of motivation (other than how boring studying is). I forgot to mention I also have ADD (tho it's mainly just the motivation part of ADD). I've been contemplating starting my own business - building the skills and knowledge and connecting to the right people once an idea comes to mind - but this also takes money...

FYI, Math & Neuroscience majors. 2nd/3rd year Philosophy (Logic focused) and Data Science minors.
Ideas were to
- change to Law & Mathematics - but that's obviously not going to happen (especially at usyd)
- change to med (probably not and for the same reason)
- change uni
- Do business and something else e.g. business & law at UTS or UNSW
- take a year off to work, goto workshops and build some of my own skills (honestly, this idea gets me excited)

But I also wonder, if I choose to commit to studying at usyd, will I even be able to continue? How do I secure this as an option? Any idea who I speak to?
I'm also worried about reputation and reactions :/ ...


EDIT: How do I change my username? I made this account in 2017 and I couldn't have picked a name more wanky than this

I've been feeling the same way since first year as well. I also managed the same Atar without that much effort and I'm doing decent in Uni with marks in the 80s but it feels like a chore to me. I don't really have the motivation/desire to sit down and do uni work, I just do it anyway and it gets me the marks but that's it. I really don't know either if I can sit down in an office and do a job in CS. That's not to say I don't enjoy the field of CS, I do spend time watching videos on interesting things and doing my own 'research' but when it comes to uni I just get sooo bored in lectures and tutorials.

I'm soo confused as well in terms of where I want the trajectory of my life to go because I don't think I can spend all my life in an office working a mundane 9-5 job. I am gonna complete my degree because I want to have it but no idea where I should go from there.

I don't really have any advice for you because I'm in the same boat as you but just letting you know there is people who feel the same. Also don't worry about reputation or reactions because they don't matter at all. What matters is YOUR happiness.

 

[Episodic Erudite]

I've been feeling the same way since first year as well. I also managed the same Atar without that much effort and I'm doing decent in Uni with marks in the 80s but it feels like a chore to me. I don't really have the motivation/desire to sit down and do uni work, I just do it anyway and it gets me the marks but that's it. I really don't know either if I can sit down in an office and do a job in CS. That's not to say I don't enjoy the field of CS, I do spend time watching videos on interesting things and doing my own 'research' but when it comes to uni I just get sooo bored in lectures and tutorials.

I'm soo confused as well in terms of where I want the trajectory of my life to go because I don't think I can spend all my life in an office working a mundane 9-5 job. I am gonna complete my degree because I want to have it but no idea where I should go from there.

I don't really have any advice for you because I'm in the same boat as you but just letting you know there is people who feel the same. Also don't worry about reputation or reactions because they don't matter at all. What matters is YOUR happiness.

Appreciate it. I'd honestly love it if degrees (incl. 1st years) generally had more emphasis on in field experience, even if you don't have much knowledge of what's going on (you often don't when you go into a new job anyway). The fact so many people goto uni just for the degree, without a motivation or knowledge of the jobs they will then pursue - it puts the risk of wasted time, money, disappointment and risk of failure too high. It's especially bad for people like us, who are good at academia and end up in academia because we're good at it; when it comes to knowing if we're doing the thing that's right for us, all we know is what we get by with, not what keeps us on our toes and in the moment - which is what we want. I hope the degree gets interesting for you (sometimes first year *is* just boring and the degree gets better in later years). I, myself, need to figure out my options since I may not have the option to continue my degree. Not to say this upsets me; it frustrates me, but I'm wondering how beneficial it will be for me to fail at academia for once, if you get what I mean by that.

 

[quickoats]

Just take it easy, hang in there and don’t be too hard on yourself - things happen. Use this holiday to relax and recharge and figure out what to do from here.

For next year, maybe start first semester part time and slowly ease yourself back in. Not too sure about how USyd handles stuff like academic penalties but maybe try to get all the admin out of the way this year so you can start next year afresh.

 

[Episodic Erudite]

Just take it easy, hang in there and don’t be too hard on yourself - things happen. Use this holiday to relax and recharge and figure out what to do from here.

For next year, maybe start first semester part time and slowly ease yourself back in. Not too sure about how USyd handles stuff like academic penalties but maybe try to get all the admin out of the way this year so you can start next year afresh.

You're right. Thank you. Idk why I was in such a rush for answers. Ig I felt like having direction was my way to make up for failing.
I'm glad "things happened" hahaha because I've reflected a lot harder on what I want to do now. And you're right, I don't need to rush these decisions. Starting with less workload may also be the way to go.
Thankyou