Study doubts - and now?

Anne Papenfuß is 27 years old, a 2-subject Bachelor's student and campus reporter at RPTU in Landau. She is also a self-proclaimed "expert" when it comes to the topic of having doubts about studying. A topic that is talked about far too little, but affects many students, she says. In her column, Anne talks about her experiences as well as tips and advice services that have helped her and can assure you that doubts about studying are normal and it is important to talk about them.

I thought for a long time that I was one of the few people who had doubts about studying. My fellow students all seemed so confident and determined, as if they had a perfect plan for what they would become later on. I felt bad and out of place. Am I the only one who doesn't know exactly what she wants and has already thought about dropping out? Many students I have spoken to since then have had doubts about their decision to study or have no idea what they want to do after graduation. This is particularly common in degree programs such as the two-subject Bachelor's degree, where you don't specialize in one profession, than in teaching degrees, for example.

Nevertheless, I have the feeling that too little is said about this topic. I think it's particularly important to talk about it, because doubts about studying are definitely not taboo. They are a sign that you are developing as a person, reflecting and coming to terms with your wishes and needs. They don't mean that you have made the wrong study decision, should drop out immediately or are now unhappily stuck in one career direction forever.

In my experience, the reasons why students have doubts vary greatly. Homesickness, financial worries, changed wishes and goals, failed exams or new career opportunities. Uncertainties can arise at any time, whether at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of your studies. They may not arise at all or they may go away over time. If they do arise, it is important to know how to deal with them and what to make of them so as not to lose yourself in them. Unfortunately, I don't have a step-by-step guide for this, but I do have four points that helped me personally when I had doubts about studying and that I would like to tell you about based on my story:

After my Abitur in 2016, I started out pretty carefree when it came to the world of work. I was 19 years old and felt like I still had all the time in the world. After fulfilling my childhood dream of training as an actor, I felt the urge to do something else, to develop myself intellectually. So, quite spontaneously and without a plan B, I decided to study at the University of Landau. Sociology and Business Education in the two-subject Bachelor's degree course sounded pretty exciting to me. Towards the end of the first semester, I suddenly had doubts. I liked the degree program and student life, the subjects were interesting, but I wondered if it was really what I wanted. Although I had been so carefree before, I suddenly got an oppressive and constricting feeling and was afraid that I had made the wrong decision. I felt there were subjects I was more interested in and when I heard that the best thing I could do with my combination was to go into HR, I knew that wasn't the right path. I dropped out of my studies and moved back home. From that point on, I set myself a time limit of six months to figure out what I wanted to do. I took what felt like a thousand skills, study choice and personality tests in the hope of finding the right direction for me. Looking at myself did me good. The focus on myself and my strengths also really strengthened my self-awareness. Even if I didn't learn much new about myself, at least it confirmed what I already knew and that was good for my self-confidence.

In addition to self-reflection, I also did a lot of research and reading to get an idea of what opportunities are available. The research was also helpful in narrowing down the range of options for me. For example, if I liked a degree program in Berlin, I knew that I could rule it out for myself as I wanted to stay close by. I also had lots of(advisory) discussions, for example at the employment agency or with friends and family. The advice from the Competence Center for Studies and Careers (KSB) in Landau helped me a lot back then. The KSB now also has a number of offers on its website for a personal check-up if you have doubts about your studies. The Central Student Counseling (ZSB) in Landau and Kaiserslautern also offers advice for prospective and current students on the topics of orientation, study doubts and decisions. Personally, I usually find consultations and discussions with neutral people more productive, as they have a more objective view, specialist knowledge and know options that you wouldn't have thought of yourself. Ultimately, however, you have to make the decision yourself and should therefore trust yourself and your gut feeling, not just the advice of others.

In summary, self-reflection, research and consultations are great for gaining an overview and coming to terms with yourself. But what helped me personally the most was simply doing things and trying them out. When the six months I had planned were up, I decided against a new course of study and started a new apprenticeship. I didn't want to study something again that I wasn't one hundred percent sure about. So I decided to train as a marketing communications specialist. After all the research and discussions, the content suited me best and, above all, I felt comfortable with this decision. Not only did the apprenticeship give me more time, I also knew afterwards what I was interested in, what I was good at, what I was less good at and what I didn't want to do. During this time, I also discovered which topics I had missed during my training and in which subject areas I would like to continue my personal education.

After two years of further life experience and completing my training, I finally decided again, and this time out of conviction, to study for a two-subject Bachelor's degree at RPTU in Landau. This time with the subjects German Studies and Educational Sciences. And what can I say? After six semesters, I am still convinced that it was a really good decision. That may sound very promotional, but I was actually very convinced of the concept of the two-subject Bachelor's degree back then, and I still am, and despite dropping out, I only have good memories of this degree. I also knew the university and the procedures and that gave me a good feeling, especially during the coronavirus years.

However, you don't have to drop out of university to gain practical experience. There are several opportunities to try things out at and outside of university. For example, a job as a working student or as a student assistant, an internship semester or an honorary position. Prospective and undecided students can first get a taste of university life before deciding on a course, for example as part of RPTUzero, the orientation course. I also work as a student assistant and do voluntary work on the side. This work in different sectors and areas really fulfills me. In addition to my income, it gives me an insight into interesting career opportunities that I might not have thought of before. But I know that university life itself can be very stressful, so don't stress yourself out and only do what fits within your framework and capacities.

Finally, there is one point that is particularly important to me and that I would like to recommend to anyone who tends to have doubts: Stop overthinking!
Yes, it's easier said than done, but not everything that seems hopeless at first is. There is a solution for most things, including doubts about studying. Sometimes there were also uncertainties during my time as a student that were resolved afterwards. An example of this would be the corona semester, when it was difficult to make new contacts, or the failed statistics exam, which robbed me of many nights. It's normal to doubt or at least question your own path from time to time. But we learn so many skills during our studies that we don't even have on our radar because we don't actively notice them. Competencies such as abstract thinking and problem solving, scientific work, self-organization and many more are soft skills that are in demand in every profession. Don't let doubts get the upper hand, reflect and see what you can and want to change with your current resources. Talk to others and seek advice if necessary.

No matter what, don't despair!

If your doubts and insecurities are causing you psychological and physical strain in the long term, it is important to seek professional advice, for example from university offices (RPTU website), or at therapeutic facilities. The Mental Health First Aid Teams in Landau and Kaiserslautern also offer a first point of contact for students on the subject of mental health.