Dropping out of tafe
Hi guys, I just did something that I was kind of dusting under the carpet for a while. I completed the all theoretical assignments for my tafe course but I did not want to continue with the prac side of the course.. this is not only because it was in a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic and im scared as barnacles but its also because I changed my mind about what I want to do. My course was ending on the 26th of June.. do you guys think its odd that I dropped out when it was almost completed? Also, I am completely lost about what I want to do with my career.. Im 18 years old and just graduated from high school and wanted to give something a go and thats why I started the course.
If you guys could give advice / share your experiences about discovering your passions that would be awesome ^-^ I am really interested in self wellness but I dont know of careers that relate
Thank you very much!
Comments
Hey @Symphony7 ,
That sounds like a difficult decision to go through!
It sounds to me like you did well. You had a great goal in mind when you first enrolled (to give something a go), and you definitely reached that goal! I think you were very wise to reflect on your experiences and realise that this course doesn't fit with what you want to do in the future. Many people fall for the 'sunken cost fallacy' and continue courses to get qualifications for the sake of it, which doesn't help them personally on their path to a fulfilling career.
I hope you don't get caught up in feeling like you have wasted time. Six months or a year on a different path only equates to a tiny tiny fraction of a lifetime. And if this time has helped clarify your ambitions for the future through the process of elimination, that's invaluable time that is certainly not a waste!
What aspects of self wellness are you interested in?
@Symphony7 I haven't done any TAFE courses, but I found your experience relatable. When I was your age, my parents often told me to pick courses or think about what I want to do for my future, but life took very different turns for me and I'm sure a lot of other people on ReachOut can relate too.
It's perfectly okay to change your mind about what you want to do. You are still young and have so much ahead of you. As long as you are able to, you can take all the time you need to find out what you want your future to look like. It is also okay to defer your studies for the sake of your mental health. My sister is completing high school part time at the moment, which will take her an extra year (she will be 19 when she finishes), but there is no way she would be able to do it full time whilst focusing on her health.
I actually wish I did something similar when I was your age. I feel like I completed a really difficult degree at too young an age and lacked the necessary experience to do much with the knowledge I gained in the course. What I wish I would have done differently was getting a job first, one that didn't require a degree, and completing it alongside my degree or taking a gap year to gain more experience before I started. The main reason I got job and postgraduate interviews was not because of my degree or high grades, but because of my volunteering experience.
I am glad to know Im not the only one.
Its really great your sister is able to do high school part-time and I wish her many blessings for her health.
I understand exactly what you mean but be sure to give yourself kudos for completing a difficult degree at a young age. It takes courage and hard work to do that and you ended up getting to where you wanted to be 😊
I am kind of feeling mixed emotions now.. I completed many units that taught me a lot and I can still mention in my resume so I still did achieve a lot from doing the course. Now that its over I feel so free but also lost. With the time I have now I am planning to prioritise fitness, try out new hobbies, explore my own city (cause I realise I spend too much time indoors and in familiar places), and after the covid19 settles I’ll return to my part-time job as well as some volunteer experience.
Btw, what did you study? & what kind of volunteer work did you do? I remember talking to you about volunteering in a nursing home a few months ago. But I haven’t been on RO forums in a while.. Im glad to be back.
Thanks ^_^
@Symphony7 Thanks for the kind words!
I think it's a good idea to mention the units that you've completed on your resume. 🙂 I think your other ideas are great too. It's amazing how much I didn't know about my own city when I was in high school! Atlas Obscura is a good website for finding cool places to visit near you.
I studied a four-year psychology degree with an honours component. Yep, I still volunteer at the nursing home and went there again yesterday! It was fun because I got to help out with trivia.
Most of my volunteer work has been related to psychology or mental health in some way. For example, at the nursing home I volunteer at, I often help with the lifestyle activities and provide emotional support to the residents. The one I go to is not taking any new volunteers, but volunteering with those kinds of places could be a good idea if you're interested in self-wellness. Here is a document showing the kinds of activities I've helped run and how they can improve wellbeing.
I've found some new online mental health-based volunteer work to do to increase my skills during the pandemic. I've received payment for doing some things but I'd like to have a more regular source of income. Unfortunately, I think due to the whole COVID-19 situation, people I've interviewed with or been in contact with regarding potential roles are taking a long time to get back to me.
