3 Things I Wish I Knew Before Attending University
Photography by Rendezvous Photography
Jewellery by Julique By Design
I’ll be honest, I never completed any tertiary education. The only study I finished was a Certificate III in Makeup - and I did it mainly to learn about basic makeup skills. Not to have a career in makeup at all. Completing university was really stressful for me - I attempted Nursing, Linguistics, Korean, Photography and Fashion Design (not really in that order) and I don’t have any degree under my belt. Here are three things I wish I knew about University before attending it:
1) That taking a gap year doesn’t mean you’re failing in life
There is so much societal pressure that after completing high school, it’s ideal and best to attend university straight away. I felt pressured by societal norms to attend University. I applied for a scholarship to boost my OP (Overall Position) so I could get into Nursing - and I did and got it. I wish I had someone tell me that taking a gap year is ok - it’s okay to find yourself and not have to follow societal norms. I felt my self-worth was based around where I could get into University.
2) That University is stressful - and will get harder and more stressful
I developed a lot of anxieties when I attended University - I wish someone would tell me that the teachers were there to deliver information, not teach the courses. I had anxiety around meeting new people, trying to get along with the other students. The assessments got harder and harder and every time I failed an assessment/course, I developed even more anxiety and I didn’t know much about mental health when I was 19 years old. I got depression, and was diagnosed with depression, went to hospital and started on anti-depressants.
3) It’s okay to fail and take a break from it
Attending university and the classes was one thing (to motivate myself) and completing the assessments and passing exams was another thing. I failed many courses during my time in University, and I kept pushing through to pass it - but as my mental health got worse, the harder I found to complete the studies. I wish someone would tell me to take a complete break from University after failing a subject once - and not push through, for mental and emotional health purposes.