The Perks of Taking Your Time With Your University Degree

From someone who did it.

Uni can be a rocky journey, and the pressure to get in, get out, and enter the real world as quickly as possible is real and intense for a lot of us.

Because we’re all different, and we all move at our own pace, this pressure in the mix with working, having a social life, and figuring yourself out can put you in a pretty sticky spot.

That’s what happened to me.

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My story.

I went straight from high school, into my dream degree at uni studying Journalism.

I’d considered a gap year, but I was really excited to start my career. Looking back, I kind of wish someone told me it was okay not to rush.

I put a lot of pressure on myself to do well because I’d gotten into uni on an alternative pathway, and I felt like I had something to prove.

I was working two jobs and life quickly got in the way. My mental health and uni work suffered. I was not making the most out of the degree I was so stoked to be starting.

That’s when I dropped back to part-time studying, and it took me four years to do a three-year degree.

I got to work more hours, save, and then travel during my uni break.

I used the extra time I had to pick up extra hours at my jobs and figure out what I wanted to do. And I had a major craving to travel.

That was when I became a bit of an unofficial travel planner, and I got to experience a European summer in my first and second uni breaks – thanks to my savings and extra time for planning.

It taught me so much in the way of life skills, independence, and confidence. Seeing the world and meeting new people also solidified that I really did love what I was studying. 

Realising how important travel was to me early on also helped me utilise overseas study/travel opportunities during my degree, too.

What I’m trying to get at here, is, you don’t necessarily have to hit Europe every year to feel better about taking your degree slower (especially in a COVID-19 world...). But, taking your time allows you to hone in on what you really want and learn more about yourself along the way.

I got to utilise volunteering and work experiences I probably wouldn’t have had the time to do during full-time study.

I was about a year and a half into my degree when I realised, despite absolutely loving my units, tutors, and university as a whole, I wanted more. So, I went on a hunt for volunteer opportunities in journalism/media, which was another pivotal move in my journey.

Part-time uni meant I was able to fully immerse myself. I ended up falling in love with community radio and became a dedicated volunteer at my local station.

I tried my hand at everything and quickly gained super valuable experience—running the news department and presenting my own weekly show within a year.

This volunteer experience complemented my degree so well and was so valuable when applying for jobs.

The verdict, should you or shouldn’t you?

Here’s the thing, taking my time worked wonders for me, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to get your degree done in its allocated time. Some people want financial security, while others find university boring or too regimented for the careers they will pursue.

But, in every job interview I’ve done, my life experience, travels, and volunteering has been at the forefront of the conversation. No one has ever asked why it took me longer to get my degree.

Taking my time ultimately meant I was able to make the most out of my uni experience.

It can be hard to watch people you went to school with graduate before you, but it’s so important to remember we’re all on different journeys.

So, if you’re considering taking a semester off, going part-time, or changing majors, that’s okay. Uni will always be there. It's okay to take your time.

I look back at my studies and I’m so grateful for my education and all I got from it. Uni is the best, and it got me to exactly where I wanted to be.

But, if I had to pick an extra early morning lecture, or an extra early morning volunteer radio slot, I’d pick the latter. Every time.