Changing course was the best decision I have ever made

Before coming to uni I felt many mixed emotions, which is natural for everyone. I was nervous, excited and ready to start a new adventure, however I had no clue where this adventure would take me and what challenges I would face. The thing I was most worried about was who I would be living with. Moving from place to place has always been a big part of my life but this time it would be without my family.

My course had always been the least of my concerns.  I was excited to start it as I had always enjoyed Biology in school. Although I was nervous and thought it would be much harder than what I had previously studied, of all the challenges and changes university would bring, this was the one thing I felt most comfortable with.

I soon realised that learning in uni was very different to learning in school. I found it incredibly interesting but I started to feel like I couldn’t quite get my head around a lot of it. But I pushed through and kept telling myself that if I put the effort in I should be fine.

This was not the case. After persevering for a year I realised that the course was just not right for me. And now I was faced with a huge decision: what now?  Was it better to stick it out or make a change?  I’d chosen Biology because I thought it would be a good option for me and help my future prospects. The reality was different and it left me feeling quite panicked. I felt like there was a lot of pressure to decide my whole life there and then. It was scary to think all the effort I had put into getting into uni and all the work I’d done this year might have all been a waste of time.

Something I found particularly difficult was the number of people who had opinions on what I should do next. This gave me different perspectives, some of which I hadn’t thought about before, but it also made me feel more terrified of going back to uni. Ultimately, it was a decision I had to make and it was incredibly stressful. What if I made the wrong choice again?

Now in my final year of uni, studying Geography, I have realised that my first first year was not a mistake and hasn’t gone to waste. I learnt a lot about myself and taking the plunge with my course gave me the confidence to make crucial changes to my life and take up new opportunities as they come my way.

I have had some great experiences throughout uni, getting to go on fun field trips and making great friends from both courses. I feel so much more comfortable with my course now and find it interesting learning about different aspects of the world. I was able to focus my dissertation on things that inspire me. There are definitely times where I still feel nervous but that helps motivate me.

Sometimes it takes a while to work out where you want to be and I am still trying to work that out but I truly believe if you follow the things you are passionate about you can succeed.  So if you’re not enjoying your course, make the change.  You’ll only look back and regret it if you don’t.