General Chat

I went to Uni and the job that I do now I could have done without my degree. It did however put me in a better position and I have got further up the ladder than most people of the same age as myself. I wish that I could have gone when I really knew what I wanted as what you want at 18 is so different to what I would do now. It was a fantastic experience and a great reason to move out of the family home.

My son liked it so much he did a BSc, MSc and PhD. Now her works at Cambridge uni. Gwynne

Nyneve, Partner was at Sheffield Uni - I loved it there too when I used to visit! Jay

I loved it in Sheffield, Daniel but at first was very homesick.I now look on it as one of the best periods of my life, However I wish I'd had better careers advice and done more vocational training, Yeah I have a degree but it doesnt qualify me for much, Cazxxxxxxxxx

My son seems to love it, he's still lives at home. He starts his second year in September. My daughter got a job after she left college and did more studies at Uni in the evenings, so she has all her qualifications and had a nice savings account, until she bought her own house. Her company paid for her courses too. M.

Dan Also remember not every young person handles it like Lucia has My middle son is awaiting his GCSE results on the 24th of this month, he could not give a fig as long as he gets the 4 passes he needs to get into Art collage. Steve

Just clarifying what I was on about - the need for qualifications in my opinion, is real. How you get there, via uni or OU etc, is up to you. I would guess that uni life gives you styles of life that you would never otherwise see.

RAOFPMSL !!!!!!!!!!! Don't remember there being a Uni in good old Ponders End lol ! :0PPPPPPPP Joan xxxx

:0PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP to Joanie!

*Thinks blimey Kaz went to University I wonder what she studied ? Textiles & fashion perhaps ??* pmsl :0)) Joan

I agree with Gwynne best 3 yrs of my life, Did things I would never have had the opportunity to do now. Part of my course was a 6 month swap to live in Florence. Travelled, met good friends. Wouldn't have changed it, though it is an individual choice. catherine xx

It's not a personal plea for advice. I'm not going in the near future that's for sure. It's just seeing Lucia's sleepless nights, not eating, and other strange symptoms which made me post.

When I was 18 (hundreds of years ago), only 2% got the chance of Uni. There was no suggestion that I could ever aspire to such heights of intellectual achievement, At 40, I got a degree from the OU. I'm immensley proud of that although it did me no good other than the achievement But, Dan, you've got to decided what is best for you Anne

I'm not saying that qualifications are not important, but the stress and 'Life or Death' emphasis on going to university is really over the top. There are other avenues for successful careers. People seem to forget that.

Apparently the venu for your degree is now also something to be taken into account. OH tells me that engineering job adverts often now stipulate degree from 'traditional' uni, as they want depth rather than breadth of knowledge. Jay

While I was doing A levels, the pressure to go to Uni was immense. If you didn't really know what you wanted to do after A Levels they asked 'why are you bothering with them?' I couldn't take it and left half way through my last year. My head of 6th form tried to talk me into staying on, but it didn't help when he said people were turning up at his office crying, because they felt so pressured. I'm now doing a degree at the Open Uni and it's the best choice I've made. Considering my boyfriend is at Nottingham Uni, I'm glad I made my choice as I can see what uni life is like for him, and he's not enjoyed it as much as he thought.

Son and eldest daughter both went both enjoyed themselves, daughter is considering going back to do another course, number 2 daughter isnt sure, says it seems a lot of hassle so each to his own........ Barbara..xx

Dan, my daughter loved Uni, but there again, she did go to the University of Liverpool!! (and 9 months in Madrid!)

Daniel, Both my boys seem to be enjoying it and they are only an hour away from home. Every other weekend they come home to raid my pantry and deep freeze. My Daniel was up north and was studying languages. After two years he decided that he was in the wrong course. He came back down south, changed courses and this October will be starting his third year in tourism. David, on the other hand had an adjustment problem and I was convinced that he would not make it through the first semester, his friends gave him lots of moral support. I just told him to do whatever he wanted to do as long as he did not become a 'beach bum.' He made it through the first year and in October he will be starting his third year in computer engineering. On the down side, they have both become lazy slobs and drink but I am thankful that neither of them have started smoking. Lindy ;-)))

Think of the DEBT Dan, then think if you can get ahead with your natural abilities,(which I am sure you have plenty!), consider what prospective employers might expect and then decide. Lots of employers do inhouse training or allow release for uni courses and as a lot of people on here have said - you get more out of any course having experienced the big bad world first. Personally speaking I feel the 'kudos' of having a university education isn't there anymore - it used to be only the top 10% of the more able students that went - now its everyone whether they have the ability or not and thats a shame because the incidence of self harming and other problems in this age group have more than doubled due to the pressures put on them and the coincidence is there for all to see. University is not for everyone inspite of what th govmt. says! Good Luck whatever you decide jen