If you’ve just dropped out of school, your levels of self-doubt might be at an all-time high. In today’s post, I’ll be sharing three perspectives to support you with transforming this experience into an opportunity for growth, joy and fulfillment.
When our career coaching clients talk about withdrawing from their studies, they also frequently share the immense levels of self-doubt they’re experiencing. Their reasons for dropping out of school tend to vary greatly. And in most cases, one or more of the following didn’t feel right: their major, the school, the city or the other students. But, sooner or later the same questions bubble up for everyone: “Is there something wrong with me? Why does everything seem to be working for my peers and not for me? Am I not meant for university?”
Instead of going down this negative thought spiral, it’s much more constructive to explore your next steps and how you can create opportunities out of this apparent drawback. After all, an awareness of what you don’t want is also really valuable information.
What went wrong?
The first step in drawing valuable conclusions from your decision to drop out of school is to investigate what happened. I encourage you go beyond the conclusion: “It just wasn’t right for me.” Many factors play a role in feeling good about going to school.
Consider how you feel about:
- Your environment (the city, your housing, your friends and family)
- The type of program (is it more theoretical or hands-on?)
- The type of institution (is it a college, online course, or university?)
According to a study at the DZHW, the most common reasons for students dropping out of school are:
- Achievement challenges
- Lack of motivation towards studies
- Personal reasons
- Financial situation
- Work opportunities
- Familial situation
- Professional alternatives
- Academic requirements
- Organisation of their academic program
What’s next?
Depending on your reasons for dropping out, there are various options for next steps you can take. Did financial challenges or the dual strain of studying and having to earn an income influence your decision? Then you might want to consider exploring part-time studying, an apprenticeship or a work-study or integrated degree program. Similar options apply if you didn’t resonate with your program. For example, adding more hands-on experiences to your university education can create a welcome balance between practical and theoretical learning. And in most cases, you can get credit for the classes that you’ve already taken. Just speak with an academic advisor at your institution who can offer you guidance and insight on this process.
Alternatively: take a break
At the same time, you don’t have to make a decision about a new course of study or change in major right away. In fact, a hasty decision might lead to another drop-out further down the line.
I love the following quote by Patrick Lindsay about taking a break:
All that is important comes in quietness and waiting.
As a “break activity”, internships in an interesting field, volunteer work, a stay abroad or a language trip might be a good option. To find further inspiration on how to make productive use of the time you’ve gained, read some of our other blog posts on choosing a course of study:
Knowing yourself is the beginning of every successful career
Choosing a course of study: your heart vs. your mind
You can also always book a free intro coaching session with us where we’ll go deeper into discovering what your next steps might be.