By. Patrick Wabuteya
Being in university is indeed fun, but for most students, being in a lecture room isn’t such an éclair in the mouth after all. This is because most students usually sign up for courses but along the way, as the content advances we end up realising that things aren’t as sweet as we had anticipated them to be. Thereafter, lectures usually become such a bore but I don’t know why we continue to stick to those same boring time tables and looking at the same old faces of the same confused lecturers. Perhaps it’s about time you changed course and I will share with you a few proper reasons for it.
The program of study may be different from your expectations.
Often times we apply for programs without prior knowledge of what they may entail, and if we do, then that knowledge is usually insufficient for an overview of what to expect. Basics are usually not enough to rely on when choosing a course and one usually needs more than just what one may hear about the course. It’s for this same reason that a student may quit the course because perhaps the work content is too much or even harder than what was expected. Sometimes, the content is just too confusing to comprehend.
The academic level is too high or low for you.
Though most students will deny this fact, those that have faced it will consent with me. Just like one may be overly qualified or under qualified for a job, it’s the same with some courses. You may venture into a program you feel you can contain, only to land on material that may be too advanced for you to grasp as expected. Another person may as well find the same material so simple for him that it is a waste of time for him in such a class. If you belong to either category, then you may be misplaced in that course and perhaps it’s time for you to change to something more suitable for your academic level because sometimes hard lining may eventually harm your morale and by the time you may quit, you will have wasted just enough time and resources.
You do not like the institution, the city or your accommodation.
It’s not news anymore that some students opt for particular universities simply because mummy or daddy went to the same institution too. You may like the course, yes, but the atmosphere of the college or even the location of the university may not be your taste for a proper learning environment. Sometimes, a lecturer in that particular program may be pushy, tough or overly demanding (some even go as far as asking for intercourse in exchange for marks) and if you can’t change institution, then perhaps change to a more preferable program that will suit you better.
You are missing your home and friends.
Nostalgia is a common feeling especially in those first weeks of campus. It’s especially common in freshers who are so accustomed to the pampering life style back in high school and find some difficulty coping with the self- driven life style at university. Indeed, it may sound a silly reason for one to change course, but you know, some people treasure their friends and family so much that an hour away from them is enough to cause them a stroke. Therefore, it’s better for someone like that to switch to a program that is loose a bit and can allow time to visit friends and family. Well, after all, it’s not always about academics only. Is it?
You have become interested in one particular part of a program of study, and want to specialize in that area.
Sometimes the demands of a particular program may require one to know or at least have knowledge of other information one may consider irrelevant to what he/she is interested in. Therefore, that hustle to grasp even what may not be useful can cause someone to change to another course that is more direct and in line with that person’s interests.
You are having difficulty coping financially.
Not all fingers are of the same length, thus not all pockets at campus are of the same depth. If a particular program is more expensive in terms of requirements or even simply tuition, then change to one within your means. It’s meaningless to boast of a strong financial muscle by doing an expensive program, yet you hardly have enough to even print out the required notes.
Finally you may have personal, health or family problems which make it difficult or impossible to continue studying
Though not so common, it still cam be a good reason why you may change program. Life threatening ailments like sickle cell anaemia, asthma or even the common sinusitis may strain one from doing well in a particular course, forcing the student to switch to one with less constraints.
Personal problems may be issues to deal with the hatred factor among classmates or a program where you feel you simply cannot fit in. In that case, change of course to something more welcoming isn’t a bad idea after all.
