Ok

What are you doing at uni? If that was something that you chose to do then don't drop out as soon as it gets tough. Go talk to your mentors and explain to them what your problems are, afterall that is what they get paid for.

If you're looking to join the Army as an officer that is no easy route and is not a quick fix. The process will take many months and you're not guaranteed to get anywhere after all of it.

If I was you I'd think about why you are dropping out of uni, is it because you really don't like the course you are doing/where the course will lead or is it because you're struggling with second year?
 
Speak to an Army advisor, I did, guided me through, really helpful and won't beat around the bush about the obvious. Expect some glitter on a turd though.

I had to drop out due to a back injury, still to this day, wish I could have stayed.

ags
 
kenmare said:
I've been told this before, but truth be told, I'll be able to cope and I'd rather not the stigma of being labelled depressed, for the simple fact of peoples perception and job prospects.

It's perceptive of you to point that out though.
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Your choice mate, but you don't have to wear it like a label. It's no-ones business but yours. I went through a bout of depression, sought help. Quack gave me a choice, take anti-depressants or see a shrink. He advised against shrink unless I was committed to a lot of pain before seeing results. I chose the tablets which spaced me the hell out, so much that I stopped taking them and found the mental strength to deal with it myself.
As I understand it the vast majority of cases of depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain, it can be cured so life can resume. Otherwise it can be extremely self-destructive and self-perpetuating. I felt like I got my life back but accepting that I was in a situation to be dealt with was the hardest step.

I'm not trying to argue you into anything, just elaborating my point with a bit of background into why I said what I did in the first place.
I'm hoping to see a thread in a year's time stating how joining the Army was the best thing you'd ever done :)
 
philjohn said:
Have you thought that, rather than "living the life" at University, you're not actually suffering from depression. Lack of motivation can be one of the symptoms.

edit: looks like someone else has said the same thing. Wouldn't worry about the stigma, a not insignificant proportion of people suffer with depression at some point in their lives, either brought on by a major life event or just being wired that way. At the end of the day it's an illness like any other.
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Not unfortunately to organisations like the Army, police etc. From what I read, it's a life ban from joining.

fullmetaltony said:
Your choice mate, but you don't have to wear it like a label. It's no-ones business but yours. I went through a bout of depression, sought help. Quack gave me a choice, take anti-depressants or see a shrink. He advised against shrink unless I was committed to a lot of pain before seeing results. I chose the tablets which spaced me the hell out, so much that I stopped taking them and found the mental strength to deal with it myself.
As I understand it the vast majority of cases of depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain, it can be cured so life can resume. Otherwise it can be extremely self-destructive and self-perpetuating. I felt like I got my life back but accepting that I was in a situation to be dealt with was the hardest step.

I'm not trying to argue you into anything, just elaborating my point with a bit of background into why I said what I did in the first place.
I'm hoping to see a thread in a year's time stating how joining the Army was the best thing you'd ever done :)
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Thanks for taking the length of time that must have taken you to write that, it was very informative and helpful.

I think the depression/malaise that has enveloped me was primarily due to my upbringing/life/etc rather than a medical reason.

You're right in that I need to get it sorted, but I'm just being careful about how I go about it.
 
Don't just join the Army without looking at the other services first, Navy and more importantly, the RAF!

I was in a similar position to yourself 3 years ago when I finally admitted that I had a real motivation problem. The military helped me a lot, but it's not the only answer and definitely not always the right one.
 
Yeh go for it.

Join the Army to sort your life out where you'll undoubtedly fight futile and greed-fuelled wars for people you'll never meet, risking your life and freedom for average wage, and being a participant in destroying communities and families under the premise that you're waging war on an unknown enemy.

Should certainly get you on the right track.


>_>
 
kenmare said:
Not unfortunately to organisations like the Army, police etc. From what I read, it's a life ban from joining.



Thanks for taking the length of time that must have taken you to write that, it was very informative and helpful.

I think the depression/malaise that has enveloped me was primarily due to my upbringing/life/etc rather than a medical reason.

You're right in that I need to get it sorted, but I'm just being careful about how I go about it.
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I was informed that depression/mental health disorders are not an automatic life ban. Each person is taken on a case by case basis and you may be allowed to join providing you are not on any prescription medication and have been symptom free for at least 3 years.

Source: wanted to join the RMR, but got told I couldn't as I take long term prescription medication.
 
Think about joining at officer level if you have good A levels. But if its not set in stone in your head, dont do it.

Been in that boat at another uni (not for the same reasons, failed first year). Speak to someone in your uni and they might be able to let you redo the year.

Don't worry, its not the end of the world.
 
Zefan said:
Don't just join the Army without looking at the other services first, Navy and more importantly, the RAF!

I was in a similar position to yourself 3 years ago when I finally admitted that I had a real motivation problem. The military helped me a lot, but it's not the only answer and definitely not always the right one.
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How old were you when you joined the military may I ask?

AndyT said:
.....are you pre-emptively writing a drop-out letter for the military before you've even started?!
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No, for university lol.

Deific said:
Yeh go for it.

Join the Army to sort your life out where you'll undoubtedly fight futile and greed-fuelled wars for people you'll never meet, risking your life and freedom for average wage, and being a participant in destroying communities and families under the premise that you're waging war on an unknown enemy.

Should certainly get you on the right track.


>_>
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Thanks for your opinion.

AndyT said:
I was informed that depression/mental health disorders are not an automatic life ban. Each person is taken on a case by case basis and you may be allowed to join providing you are not on any prescription medication and have been symptom free for at least 3 years.

Source: wanted to join the RMR, but got told I couldn't as I take long term prescription medication.
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I'm a little sceptical, there are so many people out there who want to join that they have the cream to pick. (relative cream this is).

Brookert said:
Think about joining at officer level if you have good A levels. But if its not set in stone in your head, dont do it.

Been in that boat at another uni (not for the same reasons, failed first year). Speak to someone in your uni and they might be able to let you redo the year.

Don't worry, its not the end of the world.
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I'll definitely be joining at officers level. A-Level's are not the greatest but I'm in a fantastic university (top 10) thanks to a good story. :)
 
Personally I can't think of much worse than joining the fighting forces of the military. I actually quite like the discipline aspect of it and find that appealing, but on the other hand, you can die. The latter part makes it a total non-option for me. Someone I know trained with the marines and was shipped out to Afghanistan, as soon as he got there his vehicle went over a mine and he was blown to bits. You can go on about the career, the rewarding sides etc as much as you like, but it doesn't stop people coming home in body bags.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do :)
 
Nitefly said:
Personally I can't think of much worse than joining the fighting forces of the military. I actually quite like the discipline aspect of it and find that appealing, but on the other hand, you can die. The latter part makes it a total non-option for me. Someone I know trained with the marines and was shipped out to Afghanistan, as soon as he got there his vehicle went over a mine and he was blown to bits. You can go on about the career, the rewarding sides etc as much as you like, but it doesn't stop people coming home in body bags.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do :)
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This is what put me off. Liked the idea of the discipline, it rewards you well and its a career for life.

I did think about the navy but all those sailors and what they get up to put me off :p

note: I'm not just being nasty about sailors, I had two mates who joined the navy and both came back gay when they left :p I'm sure they had inclinations that way before they left but I still have a laugh with them about it :D
 
You know the chances of you dieing are much less than the chances of you surviving, it's not a death sentence to join the armed forces. Admittedly the RAF and RN (less marines) have even less chance of getting hurt.
 
kenmare;1910428o4 said:
I'll definitely be joining at officers level. A-Level's are not the greatest but I'm in a fantastic university (top 10) thanks to a good story. :)
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Your qualifications aren't even half the battle when trying to join as an officer. What extra curricular activities do you do? Be prepared to justify exactly why you have dropped out of uni half way through.

Again don't think about dropping out just yet as you may not get into the army.... then what? If you can sort out your failed second year (which would be much easier than getting through the officer recruitment process) and finish your degree you will be in a much better position to decide where you want to go.
 
Nitefly said:
I actually quite like the discipline aspect of it and find that appealing, but on the other hand, you can die. The latter part makes it a total non-option for me.
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To be fair though you can die driving a car, and a lot of people do.


iirc 10 a day in the uk.
 
Tefal said:
To be fair though you can die driving a car, and a lot of people do.


iirc 10 a day in the uk.
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Yes, but I assume those who are the hands of the wheel aren't trying to kill you :p

You can't really compare driving a car to work to being stationed in Afghanistan, but I appreciate the point you are trying to make.
 
kenmare said:
I've attended around 5% of my lectures/seminars. Just been drinking, living the life etc.

I'm now 6 weeks away from major exams/coursework which incorporate a years worth of intense study.
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I'd suggest not writing it off too early, 6 weeks of hard work (and it will be hard if you've been messing about up to now) could see you actually passing the year and able to continue with the course if you chose. Even if you don't continue with it walking away with a second year that you've passed (or at least made a damn good attempt at) has to be better than just jacking it in and saying "bit hard, couldn't be bothered" - I don't know too much about the armed forces but I suspect they'd be more impressed that you'd made the effort.

It's possibly also worth pointing out that you're hardly unique in not doing much until it comes up to exam time but provided you've done the courseworks as necessary (even if you got relatively poor marks for them) then it's perfectly possible to pass the final exams for the year. I generally didn't start revising until a week or two before exams although I did go to the lectures (not that I necessarily did much but I was there) - not saying it's a good strategy but it's far from impossible.

If you do decide that the armed forces is for you then good luck but it's something you need to think carefully about as it's a pretty big commitment.
 
You're making quite a generalisation there Nitefly, joining the forces isn't really risky at all unless you join the services/trades that are dangerous.
 
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