Making a Decision
Even once you’ve thought about all the practical considerations, you might still be unsure whether or not to drop out. Emotions influence our decisions too, so you may feel a certain way about staying at your university or college and the prospect of leaving. Other people may give you their opinions, whether or not you ask for them. All of these factors can make the decision-making process difficult and add to any stress you’re already experiencing.
Talk to people you trust
Find someone you can talk to about how you’re feeling and what you’re thinking. Talking to family members or close friends who will listen may help to clarify what you want to do. Remember that you don’t have to follow their advice. It’s your life so whatever decision you make will impact you most of all, even if it has some effect on other people in your life. Try to talk to a couple of people to get different perspectives.
Be your own best friend
Think about what you would say to a friend if they were in your position. What advice would you give them? How else would you support them? Try to treat yourself with the same kindness and patience. If you keep thinking about what you should do, for example ‘I should stay at university to complete my degree’, try replacing ‘should’ with ‘could’ to show yourself more compassion. This can also help you think about alternative options to what you think you ‘should’ do. For example, ‘I could stay at university to complete my degree, or I could leave at the end of my first year to do something different’.
Consider taking a break
If you’re really unsure about whether you want to drop out of university or college for good, consider taking a break for now. This could give you more time and headspace to make an informed decision about your future, if you’re worried about making the wrong decision.