You have recently started university and you are already having thoughts of wonder, "have I picked the right course?" or "Is university really for me?" Many students have these thoughts and there are options available, one being the taboo, withdrawing.
Withdrawing from university can have many implications, no more so than the financial side. Tuition fees, maintenance loans and of course that dreaded accommodation contract that can cost you a lot of money - depending what term you decide to withdraw. But, put those matters to one side, for now, at least.
You're unhappy with the course you have chosen, simple, speak to someone at the university about changing courses. But, what happens if you don't like your course and your university? There is really only one option, withdraw. Yes with withdrawing come all types of stigma, but do you really want to be stuck at an institution you are not happy with for three whole years?
Don't worry if you do withdraw, you're not alone. According to the Higher Education Statistics Authority (HESA), the number of students dropping out in the academic year 2011-12 increased from 28,210 to 31,755 last year - a rise of almost 13 per cent.
I made the mistake in choosing a University I had never visited before, and a course I had never studied in any depth. Once arriving at my university of choice, I realised straight away what a catastrophic mistake I made. I didn't do anything straight away, I gave it a chance, the university deserved that, as did I and as did my family. I toured around the campus, alone, like a lost puppy looking for its mother, to no avail of any emotion apart from, "oh, crap, what have I done?" I then went to all of my induction and the next two weeks of lectures, hoping the course would be so good it would change my mind, it wasn't and it didn't.
Three weeks into university, I withdrew. Do I regret it? No, because I will be starting again in the next academic year (September 2014), at a university I have already visited and one I will visit again; doing a course I know I will love, a course which was my original choice, before I decided to change to the course which wasn't for me. That was my mistake, as I was told by a senior lecturer at college - stick to your convictions.
Withdrawing from University is not an easy decision. You will struggle to come to any conclusion, you will call your parents, teary eyed asking for advice - they may tell you to stick at it, which will give you even more doubts about the withdrawing process. But, remember, it's about you, it's your choice and it's your future. You will eventually get to the stage of signing the withdrawal forms, you will have mixed emotions. You may well feel emotionally drained, but you know you made the right decision for your future life and for that career you crave.