Should I Switch From University To College

[jazzytakara]

Hello,

I am currently taking an Honors Bachelor of Arts Degree at the University of Ottawa (Canada), more particularly a Specialization in Communication. I have been in school for three years and have switched my major around roughly four times. Thankfully (I guess) all of the courses either were shared mandatory courses or counted as electives. Due to all of the switching I have two years left. Career wise I want to get into television broadcasting (I am currently volunteering at a local television station), and a degree is not necessary for the type of job I am working for, as I am not seeking out an upper level supervising/management job.

The reason I am contemplating switching is that I am so tired of my university and its poor education system. I am not learning anything that will get me a job when I graduate, professors have verified that my program is rather unemployable. I am also learning things that have nothing to do with my desired career field. Last year I visited with a academic advisor/councellor, and was told that this program would guarantee broadcasting/journalism jobs, and now that I volunteer in the broadcast industry I am being told that my degree is useless/unemployable. I have resented my time at university since my first month there, thus all of the program switches. I never felt challenged, I never felt like I was learning anything, and I was quickly becoming discouraged with all of the studies claiming I was a 'barista of tomorrow' with an unemployable arts degree. So many in my faculty are in a similar situation. My university won't hire me as a student worker due to its bilingual requirements, understandable except for the fact that they will higher French only students, yet not English only students, I have had bad situations on campus that make me hate/fear going there (I was sexually assaulted first year...), and my love of learning and knowledge has gone down the drain. This semester I can barely stomach going to class. my school is also highly liberal nearly every professor works out an attack on Christianity and Catholicism into lectures'. For instance my statistics professor claimed that only an idiot would believe in intelligent design (displayed a picture of God) as it has no academic/researched proof. It had nothing to do with the class... I respect everyone's rights to their own opinion,but there is a difference in having an opinion and insulting someone else's opinion. Its called mutual respect.

Anyway, the college in my area (Algonquin College), has an excellent broadcast-television program which teaches hands on skills as well as theoretical knowledge, provides co-op placements and internships, and is taught by individuals in the industry. I also have a slight 'in' into the program so to speak due to my volunteer experience in broadcast and the connections I have made as a result.

The only problem is that my family does not approve, as well as other influential people in my life. Many Canadian high school pump the notion that college is not as good as university. And sadly many have bought into that. I have thought of (an applied to) switch out every year of university so far, I just stuck it out for my parent's and grandparent's sake, I figured that I may be one of those people who isn't supposed to be happy. I hate my program, my school, I am depressive and moody, and I am pretty sure that my dissatisfaction with my education and career options is partially to blame for my anxiety issues and OCD. I have nervous breakdowns at the notion of being stuck here for the next years, I am inclined to neglect my homework and class attendance, and the fact that my career field doesn't require a degree really adds to the frustration.

I honestly think that the reason I have stuck it out this long is fear of my family's disapproval (and disgust), fear of failure, fear of the unknown of college, fear of screwing up my life further, and reluctance to throw away three horrible years of mind numbing classes. An example of why my classes are not teaching me about broadcast/journalism...a class I am taking now which is supposed to be about new media applications and electronic news gathering, is teaching me about how it is becoming a norm to have online mistresses and should be excepted, and that robot sex is the way of the future...trust me watching robots with fake skin thrusting is a guaranteed way to ruin your morning. I have professors say their job isn't too teach us skills but to shape us into liberal minded thinkers, against religion and the government, etc.

I really just don't know what to do...anyone have any advise...people are noticing my downward spiral into my prior depressive tendencies, my reluctance to wake up in the morning, my 'moodiness', my unhappiness..and I am sick of being miserable and stressed all of the time...

[eagle_eye222001]

Switch.



Scared of the unknown is nothing new...and we are reluctant to make decisions that basically contradict previous decisions. However, one thing I remember from economics in high school is that you should not make decisions in the present based on what you have previously invested and can't get back.

This concept is known as "sunk costs."

Unfortunately, as humans, we get emotional and want to make present decisions that justify our past decisions. Instead, we should always be looking to make the decision that makes the most practical and moral sense going forward and not looking back.

Concerning your situation, let's apply the principal of sunk cost to the situation.

You can spend two more years in hell. And get a piece of paper that is worthless, but you justify past decisions and make parents and godparents temporarily happy until they realize you can't find a job (or at least one that justifies your schooling).

or, you can switch, and learn something construction, do something practical, and go somewhere in life via co-op and other such job opportunities etc. Unfortunately, this goes against parental and godparent support.





I would sit down with your parents if you have not done so, and go over all the pro's and con's of switching or staying. Make your case and listen to what they have to say. They may have legitimate reasons and concerns, so be fair. If you are in search of truth, give it a chance. It will shine in the end.

Best-case scenario. Your parents agree and you get to switch.

Worst-case scenario. Your parents disagree and refuse to let you switch. Well, you are an adult. So they can't literally force you to go. But they can influence via money.

Basically, in this case, you may have to decide to make some hard choices. Can you just cope it out for two years? And survive by getting involved with groups you agree with? It is most critical you do not keep doing the same thing. Something needs to change. If you do not have an outlet for all the negative garbage you receive in school, you'll crack. Note that online stuff does not qualify as an outlet. Online interaction stinks and does not suffice for normal human interaction for long periods of time such as two years. Sadly, we as humans are not invincible, and we all have our limits. It would not be wise to think we are the exception and not the norm.

You obviously hate your situation. You don't see any redemption in it. If there was some real reason to think there was redemption, then maybe my advice changes a bit. However, you have presented a real bad scenario.

Something needs to change. Perhaps it is time to consider drastic options such as quitting school for a year to save money for college if money is a concern. At this point, ignore the typical scenario. Ignore the fact you are supposedly "behind." You will only be behind if you keep the status-quo. Don't compare yourself to other people. Now is not the time to despair with irrelevant facts and figures. Now is the time to make the most practical decision that will best serve your future.



Prayers.

[Groo the Wanderer]

switch to a US college. FUS is close to you :-)