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The reason i am thinking about dropping out of uni isn't because i don't enjoy it as such its more that the education system isn't for me. I am not someone who

The reason i am thinking about dropping out of uni isn't because i don't enjoy it as such its more that the education system isn't for me. I am not someone who does great in exams and don't enjoy the british education system. My portfolio as the moment is one humble website.. http://breakanycontract.com/ http://breakanycontract.com/ Its not great but its a start, and everyone has to start somewhere right? The reason i ask because i wondered if other people maybe have been in the same boat as me and could offer some insight. I also have my site which is a WIP.. www.joshhornby.co.uk

ColinWright 15y ago
What are you studying? What Uni are you at? How are you spending your spare time? Are you already learning Ruby? PHP? Python? Do any uni departments offer service courses in these subjects? Uni isn't for everyone, but there's a lot to be gained if you use your time well, far, far more than you think. If you want to be a freelancer/entrepreneur/business person then you need to be able to think laterally, and make the most of every situation. Uni can be expensive, but there are more opportunities there than there are outside. And speaking entirely for myself, you'd make a better impression if you correctly put apostrophes in "it's" and correctly capitalised "I". These things make a difference if you want to impress people and get them to give you money. The impression here is that you don't pay attention to the sort of nit-picking detail that makes a difference in a web site. And if I sound harsh, wait till you get your first real client from the wild. And in the interests of full disclosure, I got a PhD and did enjoy my time at university, but I did a lot of stuff outside my coursework/studies, and the benefits from that are still being felt 30 years later.
- joshuahornby 15y ago
  Multimedia Internet Technology at Salford Uni. I am not currently working on any of these no, but i feel these will be important for future success? Outside of uni i am trying to understand how websites are build and the skills needed. And i take on board your comment on the small details, this is something i do need to work on.
  - ColinWright 15y ago
    Sounds a lot to me like you're on the wrong course, and you're not learning about what you want to be doing. I strongly urge you to find a lecturer in the department and tell them that the course is nothing like you expected, that you're not really interested in the material being presented, and that you'd like to be challenged more, and see what they say. If you're intended to drop out anyway then you have very little to lose from this, and possibly everything to gain. Tell them that when studying stuff you find interesting you have no trouble putting in the work and time. Ask if it's possible to design your own course of study. If you go into freelancing, these sorts of negotiations will be essential. If you can't do it now, you need to learn. If you don't want to bother, what makes you think you'll be able to make a living freelancing? Studying something you're not really interested in is nastily similar to finishing the last fiddly bits of a web site before getting paid. Leaving now is a potential waste of a great opportunity. Look to exploit it before you discard it.
    - joshuahornby 15y ago
      Thank you for you advice. But the point still remains that exams and all the education learning side aren't for me. Teaching my self and learning on the job so to speak sounds much more like me.
      - ColinWright 15y ago
        That's fair enough. It sounds like you've made up your mind, so I wish the the very best. There are people here on HN and in other places who can help and offer advice. My advice now is to do stuff, lots of stuff, to show that you've done the work and are willing and able to take advantage of advice they offer. Remember, 90% of everything is crap, so you need to do 10, perhaps 20 or even 30 times as much work as you want for your final output. Volume, along with introspection (so-called "deliberate practice [1]) and "taste" [2] will be your friends. [1] http://programmer.97things.oreilly.com/wiki/index.php/Do_Lots_of_Deliberate_Practice http://programmer.97things.oreilly.com/wiki/index.php/Do_Lot... [2] http://www.paulgraham.com/taste.html http://www.paulgraham.com/taste.html

ColinWright 15y ago

What are you studying? What Uni are you at? How are you spending your spare time? Are you already learning Ruby? PHP? Python? Do any uni departments offer service courses in these subjects? Uni isn't for everyone, but there's a lot to be gained if you use your time well, far, far more than you think. If you want to be a freelancer/entrepreneur/business person then you need to be able to think laterally, and make the most of every situation. Uni can be expensive, but there are more opportunities there than there are outside. And speaking entirely for myself, you'd make a better impression if you correctly put apostrophes in "it's" and correctly capitalised "I". These things make a difference if you want to impress people and get them to give you money. The impression here is that you don't pay attention to the sort of nit-picking detail that makes a difference in a web site. And if I sound harsh, wait till you get your first real client from the wild. And in the interests of full disclosure, I got a PhD and did enjoy my time at university, but I did a lot of stuff outside my coursework/studies, and the benefits from that are still being felt 30 years later.

joshuahornby 15y ago
Multimedia Internet Technology at Salford Uni. I am not currently working on any of these no, but i feel these will be important for future success? Outside of uni i am trying to understand how websites are build and the skills needed. And i take on board your comment on the small details, this is something i do need to work on.
- ColinWright 15y ago
  Sounds a lot to me like you're on the wrong course, and you're not learning about what you want to be doing. I strongly urge you to find a lecturer in the department and tell them that the course is nothing like you expected, that you're not really interested in the material being presented, and that you'd like to be challenged more, and see what they say. If you're intended to drop out anyway then you have very little to lose from this, and possibly everything to gain. Tell them that when studying stuff you find interesting you have no trouble putting in the work and time. Ask if it's possible to design your own course of study. If you go into freelancing, these sorts of negotiations will be essential. If you can't do it now, you need to learn. If you don't want to bother, what makes you think you'll be able to make a living freelancing? Studying something you're not really interested in is nastily similar to finishing the last fiddly bits of a web site before getting paid. Leaving now is a potential waste of a great opportunity. Look to exploit it before you discard it.
  - joshuahornby 15y ago
    Thank you for you advice. But the point still remains that exams and all the education learning side aren't for me. Teaching my self and learning on the job so to speak sounds much more like me.
    - ColinWright 15y ago
      That's fair enough. It sounds like you've made up your mind, so I wish the the very best. There are people here on HN and in other places who can help and offer advice. My advice now is to do stuff, lots of stuff, to show that you've done the work and are willing and able to take advantage of advice they offer. Remember, 90% of everything is crap, so you need to do 10, perhaps 20 or even 30 times as much work as you want for your final output. Volume, along with introspection (so-called "deliberate practice [1]) and "taste" [2] will be your friends. [1] http://programmer.97things.oreilly.com/wiki/index.php/Do_Lots_of_Deliberate_Practice http://programmer.97things.oreilly.com/wiki/index.php/Do_Lot... [2] http://www.paulgraham.com/taste.html http://www.paulgraham.com/taste.html