How to Survive College If You Don’t Like Your Course

Kids are always asked the same questions when they are introduced to an adult for the first time: “What is your name?” “How old are you?” and “What do you want to be when you grow up?” The first question is easy. The answer doesn’t change unless you legally change your name or if you suddenly got famous and choose to go by a stage name instead. The answer to the second question varies from year to year for obvious reasons. The third, however, is difficult. Just like how your favorite song or your favorite ice cream flavor change from time to time, so does your idea of the “perfect” college course for you.

I am an example of someone who took the wrong course in college. I didn’t like the discipline itself, and my college life was overall unpleasant. I knew from the first day that I didn’t like the course, but I didn’t have a choice at that point. Fortunately, I was able to graduate on time and without flunking any subjects (at least not officially, but I’ll talk about that in another article). My grades were average, but I was able to make it through without spending an extra year or an extra semester trying to get the degree.

You may have just changed your mind, or like me, you may have someone tell you what course to take. No matter what the reason is, being in a field you don’t like makes you feel like you’re stuck in a foreign world that you want to get out of. To help you ease your way out, here are my tips for coming out of college in one piece even if you dislike your course.

Let’s say that since you were a kid, you wanted to be an accountant. Now that you’re studying for it, why does it feel like hell? Sometimes, finding that something is hard does not necessarily mean that you were not born for it. If you truly know that this is what you want to become, think hard about the real factors that are making you doubt yourself. Maybe it’s just a really bad semester for you because you don’t like your teachers. Or maybe the pressure to excel is just so high. These reasons don’t necessarily mean that you don’t want to be an accountant anymore. They don’t mean that you’re not fit to fulfill that childhood dream. Maybe it just means that you’re choosing the wrong teachers. If so, change sections. Or maybe change schools. There are a lot of students who struggle more than others even though they are taking the same subjects because they have different teachers with different standards and techniques in teaching.

Once you identify these factors, the solutions will be clearer to you. If you’re sure that you’re enrolled in your dream course, don’t give up on it even if the road to graduation is tough. It’ll be worth it. If it’s not, however, pick a different course. But if you’re like me who didn’t have a choice, read on.

When you look at my less-than-impressive transcript of records, you’ll soon notice a trend in my GPA for the different semesters. In those that I did fairly well, I had subjects that were related to literature, humanities, art, or other subjects that are not related to my course. Some of them are electives while others are mandatory. Either way, on all the semesters where I got a really low GPA, I had only taken subjects that are related to my course, which I was not fond of.

The effects of these breather subjects to me were profound. I would use it as my springboard for every study session. So what if I don’t want to study my major subjects? I just started to study for the subjects that I liked, and that would get me in the mood to tackle the harder ones. I know it is recommended to do the hardest things first, i.e., eat your frogs first, but when you lack the motivation to even get your book out of your bag, you may try this technique. It certainly worked for me.

When we were on an educational trip, we visited lots of factories and manufacturing plants. I would get so bored with all the stuff I was seeing. No matter how big those reactor vessels are or how awesome the machines might be, they still fail to amaze me. However, whenever I talk to my friends who do appreciate the technology behind these things, I’ll have that insight that I previously didn’t. It made me understand why people find these things important and interesting. Realizing the importance of what you’re spending long nights on is a big factor for keeping your grades up. This is because you’ll find it easier to get to work on something that you know is important and is worth your time.

Depression is common when a person is confused and doubtful about his abilities. This is especially observed in cases that will have a high impact on your life like finding the right person to marry or figuring out your calling. This is why it is important to be healthy. Eating the right kinds of food will be very beneficial to your overall well-being and mood. That whole gallon of ice cream might feel good now, but later on, you’ll still feel as down as before.

Try exercising every day even if it’s just for a few minutes. I did yoga and jogged while I was in my most stressful semesters in college, and that has helped me stay sane. Exercise could also improve your mental health because it releases chemicals that would make you feel more motivated. It gives you a natural high, and you’ll definitely need that when you feel like the world is caving in.

Aside from physical and mental health, it is also important to be at peace with God and know that he is with you no matter what. Even the tiniest problems can seem big when you try to solve it with your natural strength and abilities. There is someone rooting for you, and he’s always got your back. You just have to ask.

Most people who commit suicide do so because they are not able to let go of their problems or tell anyone about them. Problems seem heavier and more difficult to solve if you do it alone. When you have a person or a group of people who will hear you out and empathize with you, you’ll feel much more relaxed. Your friends and family are always there for you and would be ready to accept you no matter what. They will rejoice in your achievements and will lend a shoulder for you to cry on when you’re down. You can count on them to hold your hand on the way as well. Choose people who will understand your situation and who know how difficult your problems are.

One of the reasons why I disliked my course is because I’ve always thought that if you graduate as an engineer you have to be an engineer. I thought it was that or nothing. Over time, I realized that this is not true at all. A lot of people work in a field that is unrelated to their course. For example, I work in the publishing industry as a copy editor even though I’m an engineering graduate. My manager is a computer engineer. One of our senior editors is a medical technician; another one has a degree in information technology.

Although your course has a big effect on your future, you have the option to choose a different direction after graduation. So what if you’re already a licensed teacher and you realize you want to become an astronaut instead? Go for it. What if you spent a decade studying to become a doctor and decided you want to become an Egyptologist? Hurray for you!

People will tell you that you’ve wasted your time, talent, and money, trying to reach for an “impractical” dream. That’s guaranteed. They’ll say you’ll be wasting your life. I beg to differ. My definition of a wasted life is one where you were not able to do the things that make you and your Creator happy because you were so busy trying to please others and conform to the standards of society that were set by people who didn’t get to live their dreams. You owe it to yourself to live a happy life because, in the end, that’s what matters.