I’m about to start university really soon in a course that’s different from my diploma. It’s not 100% different, but ultimately I’m not continuing in the same field I studied for my diploma.
I’ve been recently plagued with fears that I made the wrong choice choosing this course (despite it being notoriously difficult to enter due to the cohort size) mostly because there are people in my class who took gap years to have industry experience (hence I feel they’re better than me) and because it’s an industry that involves a lot of talking and consulting and providing advice to people which is vastly different from everything I’ve ever done.
I’m also scared that I only made this choice to change industries because I had a terrible internship experience in the industry my diploma is from and I felt that by changing industries I’ll never go through it again. I know it’s probably unrealistic, and that is exactly why I’m scared I made the wrong choice.
But while I know I could still choose to switch courses, maybe even to the same industry my diploma is from, I just feel that I already managed to enter this course (again, it is really hard to get in) and I’m already this close to starting school, so I might as well just work really hard and do my best to do well in this course and industry. After all, I survived that internship experience where I’m pretty sure I hit the lowest point of my life, so I can make it through this too, right?
hey! i often wonder and get anxious over whether i made the wrong decision on something, so i feel you hahahaha. but if i may ask, what made you choose this new field specifically? i hear that you’re worried because of your bad internship experience, is it due to the nature of the work, or because of the work culture (poor management, colleagues, policies etc.)?
i think it was a mix of both, but i also suspect it was mostly the work culture. i 'm scared it clouded my judgement and destroyed me so much i may have made the wrong choice :")
hello! thanks for sharing, I can tell that you are under a lot of stress about your course choice. Choosing a course or industry is a big decision so its totally understandable to feel scared or unsure.
It seems like you are comparing yourself and your progress with other people, and this kind of comparision can usually cause a lot of stress and self-doubt. People learn and grow at differently, and what works for someone maybe not work for another. At the end of the day it is your journey and you should do what feels right for you. Also from what you shared, you’ve managed to get through a difficult internship and even got into a difficult course in uni! That is already very impressive and i think you should give yourself more credit for that. I’m sure you’ve worked really hard to get where you are so i hope you will be more kind to your self and recognise that you have acomplished so much already!
Maybe you could talk to someone, such as friends or family to get more opinions too if you’re still unsure about your course! But whichever course you decide to go to in the end, I’m sure you’ll do just fine : ) jiayouss okiee!!
i get it… i used to intern in a place with poor work culture and felt a lot of burnout, making me not want to step into that field at all anymore :’) however, if you have passion in the current field that you are starting on, maybe it’s worth going for! it’s commendable that you are able to get into a course that is difficult to get in, and that you managed to go through a challenging time, i think that is a positive reflection of how you will handle things in the future! but please enter the course because you are happy in it, and not for these reasons. don’t rush into it and take your time to discover what’s right for you. for example, i see that the course involves a lot of communicating with others and providing advice, so maybe you can try out a similar scenario with your friends or family and see how that feels for you? it might also help to read up on topics and real-life stories relevant to the field, and see if that sparks anything in you! if your circumstances allow, there is no harm in taking a gap year as well to gain some experience and see how you feel about it. this also applies to other fields, including your old one, that you may have interest in as well. all in all, be kind to yourself and it’s okay if you need more time!!
these are all from my personal experience and as i don’t know what your course is exactly, please take this with w pinch of salt, but i do hope that it provides some insights. feel free to let me know if this is going in the wrong direction… hahaha
Hello @tryingtheirbest ! Thanks for sharing your concerns with us. Personally, I was also from polytechnic but now I am in university studying something completely unrelated to my diploma. Not gonna lie, I struggled a little at the start as I had zero knowledge about my course content which means that I had to start all over. But now I am coping well and I am sure that this is what I’m going to do in the future.
Hence relating to your concern, please do take the time to discover what’s suitable for you! Weigh the pros and cons, talk to people who are in the industry, read up more about your course and seek opinions from others too. I feel that if you are passionate or curious to learn something - even if it’s unrelated to your previous studies, you will be fine! It will get better as time goes by! The most important thing is to enjoy the learning process and take it easy. Don’t be afraid to take the leap of faith!
