[skillaft]

Hi,

Before starting, I understand that this is an automobile focused forum, but I am posting this in the Shifting Gears forum because at this stage I am confused out of my mind, and do not know what to do and any assistance provided by you could be beneficial.

I am currently pursuing law in a Tier-1 NLU, currently in my 3rd year (will be entering in my 4th year in June 2023). However, I do not want to pursue law (not wanting to do that for sometime now but was sucking it up). I do not understand, what I should do? Should I leave my college and pursue my bachelors, in the field I am interested in, again from the beginning? I have consulted with my parents regarding the same who were quite against it but they were not totally against it, they were open to me quitting if I absolutely do want to leave but still they do not recommend it. So, a couple of questions have pop up in my mind which I hope you guys can assist me clearing up.

1. Is it worth it leaving college right now? I am currently in my third year (2 years left) and will be graduating when I turn 22. If I leave college right now, I will have to pursue another bachelors degree costing me another 3 years. However, there is one more viewpoint, that my final 2 years in the college will however be wasted. So will I be saving 2 years in pursuing another bachelors or will be wasting the 3 years, I initially put it. I am not sure if this gamble is worth it or not unless I take it and find out. However, there is one more point, that I can go back home and start internships in the field of finance full time which I cannot right now.

2. Sucking it up and graduating- Should I suck it up and complete my course? and then pursue what I want to in the way of an MBA/ CFA or another degree. Some important points to note are that my grades are completely screwed up and there is no coming back from that. I am just passing in any subject. So by that come to the question, will my law degree from a Tier- 1 institute be that helpful if I want to make a career shift in finance after graduation because if I want to pursue studies in finance by the way of masters, my UG grades will matter and those are screwed till kingdom come.

3. Lastly, I cannot be objective at all in this point, I hate this place, I hate it here. Initially, I did not like it (didn't hate it in the beginning but, yes did not like it) here but now I hate it here. By here, I do not mean the course but rather the place. I constantly get homesick even if I have just come back from home. All I can think about is just leaving this place and never return.

Conclusion:

I have stated my 3 questions which I am seriously confused about and am not sure what to do about. I would be highly obliged if someone who has been in the same shoes or someone with experience or anyone who has any advice can share their opinion.

Thank you.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by skillaft

However, I do not want to pursue law

This is all you need to make your decision.

Three years is nothing when you are in your 20s. You have all the time in the world to start again and make something of it, while also enjoying what you do. Better write-off these 3 years now, rather than the next 30 at a job that you don't want to do.

Too many of my generation just drifted in to our Bachelor's degree programs without any real idea if that was what we wanted. Your generation need not make the same mistake.

Also, something to think about. Can't make out from your post, but since you say you are homesick, have to consider this. Is that the only reason you want to leave college? Will that same thing happen even if you switch colleges/fields? You have to leave home sometime, so that's something to think about. (Of course no need to post about if that is the case, if you are not comfortable posting, just consider it.)

[ike]

If you would be graduating at 22, there is still plenty of time after that to do what you wanted to do initially and then some more. But you already know what you are going to do so I'm not offering suggestions for the sake of it.

[shifu]

My 2 cents - it is ok if you want to leave college and do something else. 3 years wasted is better than 5 years wasted.

BUT

You should have reasonable confidence and clarity about what you want to do if you leave college now. Maybe you have that, and you haven't mentioned that. If you don't, then I would suggest you figure that out - either yourself, or talk to a career counsellor and see where your strengths are.

Until you figure that out, it might be worthwhile to continue with your course. And maybe introspect on what you can do to get better grades (easier said than done). In the end, you might not even end up in the field your current course is preparing you for. But the experience of being able to introspect and being able to come up from rock bottom - that confidence will take you places.

Stay positive, and good luck!

[bhphog]

Originally Posted by skillaft

I have stated my 3 questions which I am seriously confused about and am not sure what to do about. I would be highly obliged if someone who has been in the same shoes or someone with experience or anyone who has any advice can share their opinion.

Thank you.

Hey bro,

Would like to begin by telling you to please relax, this is a common occurrence and 10 years down the line, you wouldn't really care about this feeling. Don't stress and don't impact your mental health.

Now you may ask why do I say this? Let me tell you!

I dropped out of B.Tech after successfully reaching the 3rd year.

Came back home, gave entrance exams, pursued graduation via a government college and cleared the course with flying colours.
It been 6 years since I graduated BBA and am currently employed at one of the biggest privately owned groups in the country at a senior management role.

Yes, my parents weren't happy then, whose parents would be?
Yes, I was behind my pals in career development, but so what?

Bottom line, Its my life, I will not be stuck doing anything that I loathe.

Today, my parents don't hold anything against me because at the end of the day, I am happy and doing well for myself.

I know it may seem a case of easier said then done but I have done it and I am here, can't talk about anyone else.

Only thing I took care of was to not be a financial burden on my family.

Things will fall into place but only if you act.

Also, homesickness and comfort zones should not be intertwined. Its one thing to miss home, miss family and that's okay. But why do you miss them is the question?
Is it because you don't want to push your boundaries and home is a comfort zone, because that would not be correct in my opinion.

All the best!

[condor]

You have not mentioned what is your field of interest.

You have said you hate the place but you have not given any reasons why, or what exactly do you hate.

There are enough people who are successful in a profession/career away from their area of graduation. Some would have taken additional training, others doing a post-grad. See if you can complete the course, and then do either of these.

If you decide to continue and complete the course, see if you can structure your day & week with time for something interesting for you to do. This way your mind is distracted from the course and may be what you hate about the place.

It's a difficult situation, I will agree. But without sufficient details, I am not sure if valid suggestions can be got. May be try counselling - JUST to get calrity of your thoughts. While you are trying to decide you can try analysing your thoughts - esp about what you are hating. If you can find what exactly it is, and thus, Why you hate, you could find your path towards peace of mind.

[AZT]

will my law degree from a Tier- 1 institute be that helpful if I want to make a career shift in finance

Definitely. A lot of lawyers make bank working in financial institutions. A CFA and LLB would be a good combination. You can just do an MBA too and have the field of Finance open up to you.

[udzgodfather]

Originally Posted by skillaft

Conclusion:
I have stated my 3 questions which I am seriously confused about and am not sure what to do about. I would be highly obliged if someone who has been in the same shoes or someone with experience or anyone who has any advice can share their opinion.
Thank you.

Hi @Skillaft, my key question to you is that you said you want to work in finance sector, I want you to know that field of finance itself is very big, some are good in accounting, some are good in projections and planning, some are good in working in credit sector, some have there moolah tied in capital market. So which sector in Finance really kicks you?

MY VIEW: The world of finance says "a bird in hand is better than two in bush, the risk assessment also tells that, you should first complete your graduation."

Also note that 5 Yr LLB also teaches you the world about business and finance. You can tap in Finance sector through being master in Corporate Law/Securities Law. You can also start preparing for CFA's while being in college itself if you are comfortable with just scoring passable marks to complete your degree. Lawyers/Solicitors in Capital markets are also going to be huge demand in the coming years, as more and more investors pipe in there money in Capital market. That'll also open a lot of options for you. In totality you don't have to axe your current studies to tap into other segments(This is coming from a consultant who works from sectors of environmental compliances to capital market single handedly. I barely passed accounting papers in college but today I can make a lot of CA's run for there money when it comes to adjustments and book keepings.) So keep studying, keep exploring out of your field of law but also get your degree, three year is a good amount of time to be invested in a college. Also I believe college is to make friends and families for life, to have fun, to party and to learn the practical way of life.

[androdev]

If I read between the lines, it's not so much about dislike for pursuing a law degree but unhappiness with your situation: poor grades and disconnect with place and people.

Let's talk about the grades:

Your grades matter only for your very first job after graduation, after that your college and professional background count - nobody would care about your grades. There are two type of students with poor grades: not so smart ones who genuinely struggle to master a subject in spite of putting in the effort and those smart but lazy ones who don't take academics seriously for various reasons. The latter category face very minimal risk due to poor grades in the long run, in fact, these guys tend to do exceptionally well in the long run once they understand the rules of the game.

A good reason to drop out of college due to poor grades would be if you genuinely believe that you don't have aptitude for these subjects and you are confident of doing much better by switching to some other field. It's great if you are passionate about something (like sports, performing arts, social service, etc.) and you don't care about the probability of success but typical college education is all about probability of success/economic incentives and less about true passion. The decision to switch needs a brutally honest self-assessment. This type of change of college degree mostly works when switching between mathematics oriented field vs others.

About the disconnect with the place and people:

With the limited information available from your post, it seems to me that you had to leave a fantastic setup in Mumbai and crash landed in Bhopal among peasants. Are you homesick because you miss your room/F&B in Mumbai or you miss your folks?

I would say come down off your high horse and improve your attitude about living with people and making friends. Exposure to people who are different from us and how we are able to impact them and improve ourselves in the process is the ultimate and unavoidable mission of our lives. I say unavoidable because you are bound to meet these people at some stage of your life and you can't always escape. Even if you "complete all levels" without putting up with such people (college, job, marriage, etc.), you might end up with a son who would want to quit his college in the middle.

When to suck up in life? Nobody can tell.

God grant me the serenity to suck up to the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference

[skillaft]

Hey everyone, my sincere apologies for the late reply. Firstly, I cannot thank you guys enough. You helped me a lot by your advise and I did achieve some clarity. I was travelling back home to think about this, talk to my parents face to face and chill a bit at home. I have decided to complete my course here only. Even though, I dislike the field, I have started something and I think I should finish it and it is not like everything I learn here will go to waste, quite the opposite actually. Talked to some passed out seniors and some more people in the industry, completing the course seems apt choice.

Originally Posted by am1m

Also, something to think about. Can't make out from your post, but since you say you are homesick, have to consider this. Is that the only reason you want to leave college? Will that same thing happen even if you switch colleges/fields? You have to leave home sometime, so that's something to think about. (Of course no need to post about if that is the case, if you are not comfortable posting, just consider it.)

Hey am1m, thank you for your reply. I gave it some major thought last night (came back home). Not liking the place is one of the factors not going to lie, but the dislike for the field is also present. I even talked to my parents about it. They seemed pretty open. They told me one thing and that is, it does not matter whether or not to pursue law. They just told me enjoy the college life for the next two years while doing whatever I love on the side (not just wasting time and enjoying entirely). I have my entire life to make a career. Coming to the aspect of homesickness, they just told me that I can go back to home whenever I feel like for sometime as long as I do not mind the travel. So, that helped me a bit.

Originally Posted by shifu

Until you figure that out, it might be worthwhile to continue with your course. And maybe introspect on what you can do to get better grades (easier said than done). In the end, you might not even end up in the field your current course is preparing you for. But the experience of being able to introspect and being able to come up from rock bottom - that confidence will take you places.

Stay positive, and good luck!

Hey shifu, thank you for the reply. I am going to continue here for the time being till I figure out something.

Originally Posted by bhphog

Also, homesickness and comfort zones should not be intertwined. Its one thing to miss home, miss family and that's okay. But why do you miss them is the question?
Is it because you don't want to push your boundaries and home is a comfort zone, because that would not be correct in my opinion.

All the best!

Hey bhphog, thank you for your time. I am not sure why I would like to shift back home. When I had joined the university in the beginning, I liked everything here. I, myself, do not understand why I started disliking the place but it is something. Anyways, I will be pursuing here for the time being. I do not want to quit with just two years remaining.

Originally Posted by condor

If you decide to continue and complete the course, see if you can structure your day & week with time for something interesting for you to do. This way your mind is distracted from the course and may be what you hate about the place.

It's a difficult situation, I will agree. But without sufficient details, I am not sure if valid suggestions can be got. May be try counselling - JUST to get calrity of your thoughts. While you are trying to decide you can try analysing your thoughts - esp about what you are hating. If you can find what exactly it is, and thus, Why you hate, you could find your path towards peace of mind.

Hey condor, thank you for the reply. I will be continuing the course for the time being. Atleast, the degree from this institute and the tag will be helpful. I will take some time out and pursue what I like on the side.

Originally Posted by udzgodfather

Hi @Skillaft, my key question to you is that you said you want to work in finance sector, I want you to know that field of finance itself is very big, some are good in accounting, some are good in projections and planning, some are good in working in credit sector, some have there moolah tied in capital market. So which sector in Finance really kicks you?

MY VIEW: The world of finance says "a bird in hand is better than two in bush, the risk assessment also tells that, you should first complete your graduation."

Also note that 5 Yr LLB also teaches you the world about business and finance. You can tap in Finance sector through being master in Corporate Law/Securities Law. You can also start preparing for CFA's while being in college itself if you are comfortable with just scoring passable marks to complete your degree. Lawyers/Solicitors in Capital markets are also going to be huge demand in the coming years, as more and more investors pipe in there money in Capital market. That'll also open a lot of options for you. In totality you don't have to axe your current studies to tap into other segments(This is coming from a consultant who works from sectors of environmental compliances to capital market single handedly. I barely passed accounting papers in college but today I can make a lot of CA's run for there money when it comes to adjustments and book keepings.) So keep studying, keep exploring out of your field of law but also get your degree, three year is a good amount of time to be invested in a college. Also I believe college is to make friends and families for life, to have fun, to party and to learn the practical way of life.

Hey udzgodfather, thank you for the reply. I have decided to complete the course since I am more than halfway done with it. As you said, I will be pursuing CFA on the side, and yes, I am ok will just scoring passable marks, so that is not a worry for me. Also, I had talked to some seniors who also made the shift after graduating and they also recommended the same i.e., to finish college first and not quit in between.

Furthermore, I will start by to picking some Equity Research internships to learn about the field and narrow down my interests with time.

Originally Posted by androdev

If I read between the lines, it's not so much about dislike for pursuing a law degree but unhappiness with your situation: poor grades and disconnect with place and people.

Let's talk about the grades:

Your grades matter only for your very first job after graduation, after that your college and professional background count - nobody would care about your grades. There are two type of students with poor grades: not so smart ones who genuinely struggle to master a subject in spite of putting in the effort and those smart but lazy ones who don't take academics seriously for various reasons. The latter category face very minimal risk due to poor grades in the long run, in fact, these guys tend to do exceptionally well in the long run once they understand the rules of the game.

A good reason to drop out of college due to poor grades would be if you genuinely believe that you don't have aptitude for these subjects and you are confident of doing much better by switching to some other field. It's great if you are passionate about something (like sports, performing arts, social service, etc.) and you don't care about the probability of success but typical college education is all about probability of success/economic incentives and less about true passion. The decision to switch needs a brutally honest self-assessment. This type of change of college degree mostly works when switching between mathematics oriented field vs others.

About the disconnect with the place and people:

With the limited information available from your post, it seems to me that you had to leave a fantastic setup in Mumbai and crash landed in Bhopal among peasants. Are you homesick because you miss your room/F&B in Mumbai or you miss your folks?

I would say come down off your high horse and improve your attitude about living with people and making friends. Exposure to people who are different from us and how we are able to impact them and improve ourselves in the process is the ultimate and unavoidable mission of our lives. I say unavoidable because you are bound to meet these people at some stage of your life and you can't always escape. Even if you "complete all levels" without putting up with such people (college, job, marriage, etc.), you might end up with a son who would want to quit his college in the middle.

When to suck up in life? Nobody can tell.

God grant me the serenity to suck up to the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference

Hey androdev, thank you for the reply. The people here are the only thing keeping me here. My seniors and batchmates are great and it is not about the people here. Not going to lie, I am mainly missing my home and nothing specific but a little bit of everything and everyone. Anyways, I am going to continue here and pick some things up which genuinely interest me to keep me busy and explore my interests furthermore.

Lastly, I wanted to thank everyone again for your inputs, they were really helpful.

[condor]

Originally Posted by skillaft

. I have decided to complete my course here only. .

Best of Luck !

Dual-skilling is something that can be very unique, and in demand. Even with us IT professionals, cross-role experience and knowledge bring in roles & opportunities that more certified folks dont have. To close, would like to mention about a friend who studied stats in college, but today uses the fundamentals from there in solving complex IT problems of technical nature. The current role ? An enterprise architect in cyber-security & cloud for a top MNC. And has a good number of tech grads reporting into the position my friend holds today.

[Streetracer_372]

I am happy to see someone else going through the same dilemma as me. I am currently halfway through the first year of my Bcom. I was pursuing CA alongside but failed my first attempt in the Foundation exam. I have lost my interest in Accounting and feel that Tech/IT has a safer future and better pay prospects.My first plan was to pursue post graduation(MCA) but I am not eligible for admission due to not having studied Maths or Statistics in Class 12 or UG.Are there any valuable certifications or in demand skills that can help me to change careers provided that I can pursue it on a part time basis or after Bcom

[Sa!lor]

Hi it is good you are sharing your dilemma here which can help others as well, if you are clear what you want to do other than law it's better to drop from college now and start doing what you like because wasting 3 years for doing what you like is better than wasting further years regretting what you do not like.
Down the line this 3 years will not even matter once you are happy doing what you really wanted to do.
Remember not everyone get's to do what they actually want to do so if you have got this clarification so early in your student life it is better to make that switch.

[KANNURAN]

To put it in a nutshell: FOLLOW YOUR DREAM

But having said that, it can help if you incisively research and seek out "Skill Combinations" that can potentially take you to your destination.
Strong legal + finance qualifications can uniquely position you for a head start in corporate governance in the medium to long term.
(It is natural to be impulsive at your age. Try to UNRAVEL the reasons for your hate for the place / course and try to mitigate)

Instead of throwing away 3 years, invest 2 more and finish the legal bit. Alongside, burn some midnight oil and enrol in online / part-time courses in finance. You will be much better off.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by KANNURAN

But having said that, it can help if you incisively research and seek out "Skill Combinations" that can potentially take you to your destination.
Strong legal + finance qualifications can uniquely position you for a head start in corporate governance in the medium to long term.

Awesome, practical advice!

In US universities, it is not uncommon for students to switch their majors, often more than once. The course structure is designed in such a way that several foundation courses can be carried over and even contribute to the overall requirement to complete a degree in the new major.

I guess our university system is not that flexible yet. But this suggestion to leverage whatever you can, in your way, towards your ultimate goal is a very good one.