Can't decide what to do in college?!

1ZRed

I'm not sure where to post this so mods feel free to move it.

I'm on a year out and I have no clue what to do in college so it's really stressful.
I'm thinking Biotechnology in Galway or Civil Law there too.
I'd love to go to Dublin but with both my sisters in college as well, thats just not going to happen. NUIG is the only feasible option.
Very stressed because everyone is at me to pick something even though I don't know what I even what!
And to top it off, I'll probably be living at home unless I manage to find a job soon.

Has anyone else felt totally lost like this?:(

KeithM89_old

Moved over from AH

Pushtrak

It's more important you figure what you want to do than anything. Don't just do something to be doing something.

plasmaguy

Personally if I was in your situation, I would do something to maximise your chance of getting a job when you leave college, probably in Ireland.

I would choose an IT or computers course myself.

1ZRed

plasmaguy wrote: »

Personally if I was in your situation, I would do something to maximise your chance of getting a job when you leave college, probably in Ireland.

I would choose an IT or computers course myself.

Haha well I'm great for knowing what I don't like and sadly, IT is one of those things:)
I would think that biotechnology would offer more jobs compared to law?
The biggest thing stopping me from making a decision would probably be that I'm going to be stuck in Galway when I don't want to be. That's kind of keeping me from picking something.

longhalloween

Whatever you're going to pick please make sure there's a good chance of getting employed straight out of college. Nothing worse than putting years of effort into a degree then going to sign on the day after graduation(I have experience of this )

Biotechnology would be a great course to pick, especially with all the medical device and pharma companies in Ireland. Why can't you move to Dublin? You might qualify for a grant if both your sisters are in college too.

1ZRed

longhalloween wrote: »

Whatever you're going to pick please make sure there's a good chance of getting employed straight out of college. Nothing worse than putting years of effort into a degree then going to sign on the day after graduation(I have experience of this )

Biotechnology would be a great course to pick, especially with all the medical device and pharma companies in Ireland. Why can't you move to Dublin? You might qualify for a grant if both your sisters are in college too.

I was really gunning for biomedical engineering but I failed the entrance exam because I have more than enough points, but I lack honours Maths!:(
I would have loved the course but I'm just not up to that level of Maths. Ever since then I'm unsure what to do.

I don't think I'd qualify for a grant. None of my 3 sisters have gotten one before but there's no harm in trying anyway I suppose:)

I can't move to Dublin because my parents just can't afford to keep me accommodated up there.
It would be fine but since two of my sisters are also in college, it's too much of a strain on them.

Procrastastudy

1ZRed wrote: »

Haha well I'm great for knowing what I don't like and sadly, IT is one of those things:)
I would think that biotechnology would offer more jobs compared to law?
The biggest thing stopping me from making a decision would probably be that I'm going to be stuck in Galway when I don't want to be. That's kind of keeping me from picking something.

LOL - no really

On a serious note join us in the Legal Discussion forum and lament never making any money. Only do a law degree if you really REALLY love law. Much better off being a plumber.

Now that I've been flippant let me offer you some advice: Do what you love - not what you think will get you a job. Also do it as cheaply as possible - if that means staying at home do it. Uni is stressful enough without worrying about where the rent is coming from. If you pull a bird go back to her place! I know it seems like this is the opportunity of a lifetime - and in some ways it is - but having the degree will be a greater pay off than two years pissed out of your mind. Trust me on this one £27K in debt from two years in Edinburgh 'studying'.

Incidentally assume you've already applied as the CAO is well closed at this point.

1ZRed

GCDLawstudent wrote: »

LOL - no really

On a serious note join us in the Legal Discussion forum and lament never making any money. Only do a law degree if you really REALLY love law. Much better off being a plumber.

Now that I've been flippant let me offer you some advice: Do what you love - not what you think will get you a job. Also do it as cheaply as possible - if that means staying at home do it. Uni is stressful enough without worrying about where the rent is coming from. If you pull a bird go back to her place! I know it seems like this is the opportunity of a lifetime - and in some ways it is - but having the degree will be a greater pay off than two years pissed out of your mind. Trust me on this one £27K in debt from two years in Edinburgh 'studying'.

Incidentally assume you've already applied as the CAO is well closed at this point.

Thanks for the advice man:),
I'd like to do law because I have an interest in it but I don't love it. It was just in my points range and considering it fell in points a lot in recent years, I thought I'd grab it while it's reasonably low.

Your right, I need to stay realistic and make do in NUIG(still a great college btw) I should be grateful I'm even going to college! I'm hoping that if I get work for the summer I can move out into Galway. More than anything I want my freedom and independence;)B Could I do that with 3-4 months of work?

Procrastastudy

NUIG is great for certain aspects of Law, at least at post Grad. Law is also a great general degree but there is no work as a solicitor or barrister. Yes people make it big but that happens in every walk of life.

As for budgeting for Dublin:

Accom - €400 a month
Average night out - €50 - €100 inc Taxi and Kebab -but then I like to have a few
Bills (Elec, gas etc) - €100 a month

Oh and law books are mega mega expensive! Mine would have been €600 just for core texts this year - hence use of the library!

If you really want Independence get yourself over to Scotland - amazing experience and loads of Unis. Just don't do that if you want to do Law as Scotland has it's own legal system.

1ZRed

GCDLawstudent wrote: »

NUIG is great for certain aspects of Law, at least at post Grad. Law is also a great general degree but there is no work as a solicitor or barrister. Yes people make it big but that happens in every walk of life.

As for budgeting for Dublin:

Accom - €400 a month
Average night out - €50 - €100 inc Taxi and Kebab -but then I like to have a few
Bills (Elec, gas etc) - €100 a month

Oh and law books are mega mega expensive! Mine would have been €600 just for core texts this year - hence use of the library!

If you really want Independence get yourself over to Scotland - amazing experience and loads of Unis. Just don't do that if you want to do Law as Scotland has it's own legal system.

Haha I think it would be a push to get me to Dublin, nevermind Scotland!:p
Galway probably would be cheaper than Dublin but I'm partial to the odd kebab too so that doesn't help with the expenses either.

About the books, I thought you could download them on an iPad and save loads?
I could well be wrong on that and it would probably still be crazy expensive:rolleyes:

longhalloween

GCDLawstudent wrote: »

Do what you love - not what you think will get you a job.

I would disagree with that. I completed a course I loved in college(archaeology and history).

However when I graduated there was no hope of me getting a job in that field so for the past two years I've been working minimum wage jobs I dislike and studying for an engineering degree which will hopefully get me a full-time profession.

In an ideal world you'll study what you love and eventually get paid to do it, and fair play if you do! But realistically, you have to go where the money is. Do what you love as a hobby or even study it for pleasure when you have the means to.

1ZRed

longhalloween wrote: »

GCDLawstudent wrote: »

Do what you love - not what you think will get you a job.

I would disagree with that. I completed a course I loved in college(archaeology and history).

However when I graduated there was no hope of me getting a job in that field so for the past two years I've been working minimum wage jobs I dislike and studying for an engineering degree which will hopefully get me a full-time profession.

In an ideal world you'll study what you love and eventually get paid to do it, and fair play if you do! But realistically, you have to go where the money is. Do what you love as a hobby or even study it for pleasure when you have the means to.

I agree with you on that. I would love to have a job where I would be doing what I loved but that's quite unlikely.
The problem is I don't have honours Maths to do engineering. It wouldn't be my dream job anyway but the career opportunities are fantastic.
Biotechnology on the other hand has bad pay in comparison. You'd think a science degree would pay up but sadly it doesn't.

More than anything, I want to have a respectable job that pays well, gives me freedom and flexibility and lets me travel.

I know engineering would give me those things but I'm not sure a science degree would.
That's why I'm having a tough time deciding.

HavingCrack

1ZRed wrote: »

I know engineering would give me those things but I'm not sure a science degree would.
That's why I'm having a tough time deciding.

Some branches of engineering would, certainly not all. Civil and mechanical engineering graduates are really struggling to find work. Chemical engineers on the other hand are pretty much guaranteed a job on graduation, either in Ireland or the UK on a good salary.

1ZRed

HavingCrack wrote: »

Some branches of engineering would, certainly not all. Civil and mechanical engineering graduates are really struggling to find work. Chemical engineers on the other hand are pretty much guaranteed a job on graduation, either in Ireland or the UK on a good salary.

I wanted to do biomedical engineering which is booming ATM. The more scientific sectors of engineering like biomed, chemical engineering are very highly paid and sought after jobs.
Kind of ironic that the pure scientific jobs pay way less and are less respected

I'm hoping I can get a good degree in biotechnology at NUIG though. I was in contact with the course coordinator there and he got me really interested in biotech but I'm still not 100% gunning for it but heavily leaning on it.