Thoughts on dropping out of university.

[kommen]

Hello. I've already read TMF and just began reading TGRRE , but having only a couple days left until the end of my second semester, I'll soon be charged with the fee for the next semester. But I feel that unlike other "dropping out of college to go fastlane" threads here, my situation is a bit complicated and I need help contemplating it. Most of the suggestions in those threads are to just stay in university. All the prices here were adjusted from Rupiahs to USD in this post's date exchange rate.

I've made a horrible blunder a year ago, which was to enroll in university in IT. I feel that the blunder wasn't the university itself, but rather a combination of the location of the university and my financial situation at the time. Back then, the stupid 18 year old me thought it was very affordable and worth the struggle to enroll in a Campus 30km away from my house, where there is only pricey third-party accommodation within that area, because the campuses near where I live were much more expensive and this campus was only $600/semester at the time. I had no income, and my dad was divorcing my mom and was leaving, while my mom was only earning $346/month, and we also have a $4000 interest-less debt to pay by the end of 2023.

My justification at the time came from the typical slowlane mindset. Firstly, I thought there was no other way to reach my dreams under 30 than to enroll in a bachelor's course and hope either I can achieve it through a master's scholarship or by working an IT job where the monthly earnings of $533 at the higher end. I'd like to keep my dreams private, but if money could buy it, I'd need at least $40k. And I was already cucking myself by lowering my dreams. Secondly, I thought the pandemic restrictions would last a bit longer, because at the time the government was procastinating re-opening physical classrooms so often that I thought they might as well do it for 4 years. Thirdly, even if restrictions ended and I have to travel back and forth everyday, I thought it wouldn't be so bad as I live "close" to the train and bus stations and not have to live in the third-party dorm rooms that I couldn't afford.

And I was wrong for the second and third part. After 2.5 years, we're starting to have face-to-face classes next September. And I've been to campus a few times. I don't have a vehicle, and turns out the bus station near my house only operates at certain hours on certain days, and the train that operates most of the time everyday takes 30 minutes to walk to from my house, and I have to walk through wet mud and sketchy slums where I could have gotten mugged. Oh, and when it rains in my campus, it can flood up to knee-level with water mixed with sewage water. On a typical trip to campus, I would spend 1.5 hours walking to the bus+on the bus to campus, and because that area gets so severely congested after 5 pm, I would usually be cramped standing in the bus for 2.5 hours after sunset and sometimes arrive home at 10pm when I have extra-curricular things.

I think that's enough so far. And you can argue that this struggle is part of the journey to success and freedom. But I'm just thinking, is it worth all those struggle just to earn an office job back here for $533/month at maximum, or to just drop out and find a minimum-wage job in my area where it's much cleaner, developed, sparse and never floods, where I'll earn $200-250/month next couple months, and use that money to buy books/courses to learn the same skills university teach me. I will accept the consequences. In my crappy job mopping floors and being a cashier my future boss might treat me like crap and employ me at retarded hours, and customers will be rude at me all day, but I think that struggle is much more worth than going to my current university. Damn, if only I took my applications to state-funded campuses more seriously, none of this would've happened.

Anyways, thank you very much for taking the time to read my thread. The context provided here is most likely not enough, so I'll definitely answer questions ASAP.

 

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[Happyheart]

Hello. I've already read TMF and just began reading TGRRE , but having only a couple days left until the end of my second semester, I'll soon be charged with the fee for the next semester. But I feel that unlike other "dropping out of college to go fastlane" threads here, my situation is a bit complicated and I need help contemplating it. Most of the suggestions in those threads are to just stay in university. All the prices here were adjusted from Rupiahs to USD in this post's date exchange rate.

I've made a horrible blunder a year ago, which was to enroll in university in IT. I feel that the blunder wasn't the university itself, but rather a combination of the location of the university and my financial situation at the time. Back then, the stupid 18 year old me thought it was very affordable and worth the struggle to enroll in a Campus 30km away from my house, where there is only pricey third-party accommodation within that area, because the campuses near where I live were much more expensive and this campus was only $600/semester at the time. I had no income, and my dad was divorcing my mom and was leaving, while my mom was only earning $346/month, and we also have a $4000 interest-less debt to pay by the end of 2023.

My justification at the time came from the typical slowlane mindset. Firstly, I thought there was no other way to reach my dreams under 30 than to enroll in a bachelor's course and hope either I can achieve it through a master's scholarship or by working an IT job where the monthly earnings of $533 at the higher end. I'd like to keep my dreams private, but if money could buy it, I'd need at least $40k. And I was already cucking myself by lowering my dreams. Secondly, I thought the pandemic restrictions would last a bit longer, because at the time the government was procastinating re-opening physical classrooms so often that I thought they might as well do it for 4 years. Thirdly, even if restrictions ended and I have to travel back and forth everyday, I thought it wouldn't be so bad as I live "close" to the train and bus stations and not have to live in the third-party dorm rooms that I couldn't afford.

And I was wrong for the second and third part. After 2.5 years, we're starting to have face-to-face classes next September. And I've been to campus a few times. I don't have a vehicle, and turns out the bus station near my house only operates at certain hours on certain days, and the train that operates most of the time everyday takes 30 minutes to walk to from my house, and I have to walk through wet mud and sketchy slums where I could have gotten mugged. Oh, and when it rains in my campus, it can flood up to knee-level with water mixed with sewage water. On a typical trip to campus, I would spend 1.5 hours walking to the bus+on the bus to campus, and because that area gets so severely congested after 5 pm, I would usually be cramped standing in the bus for 2.5 hours after sunset and sometimes arrive home at 10pm when I have extra-curricular things.

I think that's enough so far. And you can argue that this struggle is part of the journey to success and freedom. But I'm just thinking, is it worth all those struggle just to earn an office job back here for $533/month at maximum, or to just drop out and find a minimum-wage job in my area where it's much cleaner, developed, sparse and never floods, where I'll earn $200-250/month next couple months, and use that money to buy books/courses to learn the same skills university teach me. I will accept the consequences. In my crappy job mopping floors and being a cashier my future boss might treat me like crap and employ me at retarded hours, and customers will be rude at me all day, but I think that struggle is much more worth than going to my current university. Damn, if only I took my applications to state-funded campuses more seriously, none of this would've happened.

Anyways, thank you very much for taking the time to read my thread. The context provided here is most likely not enough, so I'll definitely answer questions ASAP.

Is there a chance of help from the side of the university, or might you be able to get a job as an assistant to a professor, or at a place where you either earn enough or can have a room to stay? Maybe there are students with little money where 4 of you could rent a small room just to sleep. Where I live, there are elderly people who rent out a room so that you can help around the house and buy groceries. Do you have any family members there? Would your parents have other ways to help you?

If you would spare 5 hours with not commuting, you could fo some work on fiverr.

On the other hand, you could quit and learn those things yourself - that is entirely possible, but there are upsides to university too, e.g. connections and other experiences and chances, that can be of advantage.

You will have to look at every angle and all possibilities. Think outside of the box.

 

[kommen]

Is there a chance of help from the side of the university, or might you be able to get a job as an assistant to a professor?

It is my fault that I didn't practice well in one subject and I feel like I might not meet sufficient scores for a scholarship. I heard assistant professor positions only pay $60 a month while rent is at very minimum $93 a month.

Do you have any family members there? Would your parents have other ways to help you?

No. And I don't trust my dad and his side of the family due to complex reasons and my mom's side couldn't help.

If you would spare 5 hours with not commuting, you could fo some work on fiverr.

Freelancing or any other online work is my last hope maybe, if I can do it on the 2 short days I don't go to university. Upwork has been a race to the bottom recently as well, but I can get creative, maybe.

Thank you very much for replying though.