I just don't care about this profession anymore, no real interest in class material or anything. I thought I would just suck it up and keep going but I just can't keep faking it anymore. I have almost 4.0 so classes are not that hard, i just don't care about optometry. Problem is i am now stuck with $60, 000 loan ( 2nd year student) with no plan B. I mean what else can I do if I drop out. My family will be so upset and I will look like a complete failure. I don't know I might be just depressed, no idea. Any advice on what to do ?
seriously thinking of quitting school
- Thread starter q1we3
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2nd year notoriously sucks since it's all intense classroom before you get to clinic. I'm there too. Maybe talk to a counselor at your school or something and see if they have some advice, I'm sure people before you have walked his same line. There must have been something that caught your attention about this as a career before, but right now logging 12+ hour days at the library with no end in sight it can seem so far away, and I can see why you could get depressed and have a bleak outlook. I wouldn't give up-you're obviously doing well and you have put in a year and change (and debt) already. Get to clinic and I'm sure you'll feel different. But talk to someone about this. It might be normal anxiety, it might be a little more.
What you do in the first two years has little relevance to what you do when you get the degree. I hated the first two years of school, but I like the profession now that I'm working (and my life doesn't reflect the sob story that a certain poster on here tries to insist that this profession is).
I already started studying less and less due to no desire, only matter of time before I fail. Feel like part of me wants me to fail. God, all the money, effort, and time I wasted. This might just ruin my life for good and send me into permanent depression.
I made it a bit further than you before I wanted to quit. I remember feeling that my time in optometry school was a waste beginning during spring break 2nd year. I made the decision, and it was the right decision for me, to stick it out. I had invested too much time and money to leave with no degree. I gave myself permission to leave optometry but I would not leave optometry school. One does not need to practice optometry with an optometry degree. There are a number of other directions to go.
I enjoyed third and fourth year more. I enjoyed learning in a clinical setting but I was still not completely sold on optometry. Now, many years later, I am still working as an optometrist but I've gained a graduate degree and am in the process of another degree. Optometry has allowed me to pursue these other things.
What helped get me through the wanting to quit was having someone to talk to. Find a faculty member to speak with. You already know the ones that would be most helpful as you work through this. Go to them.
Lastly, hang out with people who are not optometrists or optometry students. Your life will be better just by doing that. Optometrists suck.
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Ya, that is the problem. I have no one to talk to, that is why I am here on these forums. I feel like if I brought is up to anyone in school they would be like wtf were you thinking when you signed up for this. I don't understand how my classmates tolerate the school and the profession. I guess some have higher calling to become an optometrist and work at walmart. I wish tuition was refundable if you quit early, at least some of it. I would pack my bags and leave tomorrow while dancing to the airport. lol. do something completely unrelated to health field
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You really need to talk to a counselor or something. And get out and make some friends! Go to the gym and blow off some steam, get you some endorphins so you won't be so depressed. That's probably a huge part of why you don't like school. Without a support system or someone to turn to, it's easy to want to throw in the towel.
You are right, really wish I could do what you recommend. But I won't for some reason, no desire, sorry.
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Don't apologize to me, I'm not the one who's miserable. Just trying to help since years of work and thousands of dollars are at stake. I would put in some effort, but it sounds to me like you're seriously depressed. Good luck man.
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These were my questions too. But it sounds like you aren't interested in health care so that's a problem.
If you continue further, how much debt will you have by the time you graduate? You *probably* will still earn more with an OD degree than without one.
You say you have no back up plan, so what would you do otherwise?
See a psychiatrist.
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what are they going to say? either you want to continue or drop out, its that simple. They are going to say the same old cliche bull**** "don't give up" " you can do it" "keep going" . Ya thanks for that. if I could do that I wouldn't be here. there comes a point where there is no desire for anything success, money, friends, family, nothing, nothing matters.
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You are going to be even more miserable if you drop out. This economy sucks. There are no jobs out there and with congress acting like a bunch of spoiled idiots, the economy is going to tank even more. If you quit, you will be unemployed for a long long time. And if you do evtually find one, you'll be making nothing. With loans to pay off, you'll go into major financial trouble and be even more depressed.
Stick it out. Meet people in your class. Join groups at school. Find something you enjoy. Mix it up. Do anything that is not moping and reading these forums. Get off these forums. I am sure reading trolls like JasonK is only making you even more miserable. Don't listen to them. They are cranky whiny bullies.
Yes, school is not 100% fun but it's a stepping stone to a better future. Don't quit. You are going to regret it every day for your entire life.
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If it's an MD or DO that you see, they might say "I'd recommend you talk to a therapist about this, and start taking this Celexa." Because you sound depressed. Nobody can diagnose you over the internet, but you really should visit a healthcare provider if you're having all of these thoughts. Here's a wikipedia page that has the diagnostic criteria for a major depressive episode. I think you've described 4 of the symptoms so far and you only need 5 to make the diagnosis.
This is of course completely separate from the fact that you may not want to be an Optometrist. I can't really comment on that one. But you should at least consider that if you are depressed it's going to be hard to make any sort of real big life decision while in that state.
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Well, this seems like a bit of an overreaction.
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You think those loans are going to go anywhere after graduation?
Chocolate CreamPuff, people who hold opinions that are different from your own are not "trolls." In most cases, they'll probably be people who are simply more knowledgeable than you.
You are aware that you're telling someone not to get up and leave the theater, and yet you've not even finished watching the previews, right? The only good advice on this forum is the advice telling q to go talk to a counselor of some kind. People need to make these decisions on their own, talking to friends, family, professors, and when necessary, a counselor. Making major life decisions, based on something I say, or something some clueless, chocolate-flavored pre-op says, is foolish.
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Looks to me you only have one option based on your quote above. Drop out, get yourself into gov't housing, enroll in Obamacare with a big subsidy for low income. Apply for food stamps. Fake an injury so you can get a "disablity" check for life. Maybe pump out a few or 7 kids and live the good life on the American taxpayer.
Why not? Approximately 48% of your fellow Americans are going this route. It's the new American Dream apparently. If you have no desire to anything, this is about your only route.
On the other hand, you can put your big boy/girl underwear on and either finish what you started or drop out, get some mental health treatment, get into a Physician Assistant program for 2 years -- have a $80,000- $100,000 job before you even graduate and be part of a career that is actually in demand and one that provides a real and valuable service to humanity (while totally taking over the role of family MD)..
But don't knock option A. It's looks pretty good from the outside looking in.😀
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I don't understand this...you are a second year student in opto school. What could have possibly changed since you made the decision to enroll in opto school? You haven't even worked in opto yet to know you made a bad decision....
Wouldn't quite be the internet without at least one person injecting their own twisted and hyperbolic ideology into what is clearly a personal and non-political issue 🙄
I am not an American you scum
But you are a little whiny cry-baby asking strangers on the internet what you should do with YOUR life. Think about that.
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Don't give up q1we3. Remain positive and be thankful for where you are right now in life. There are people out there dieing, cancer, in war, etc. Good luck.
I wasn't asking for advice from scums like you. I know this might shock but not everyone on the internet is useless as you, I got some decent advice through private messages who went through similar stuff. No matter how miserable I get in my life, I can take comfort in knowing that at least I am not a low life maggot like tippytoe who likes acting all tough on the internet. In person, people like u don't get to run their mouth like u do here.
So you picked optometry and then your giving up on it halfway, thats fair. People change all the time and if your that hateful about your career your investing in, you'll have a better time somewhere else. Make decisions that'll make you happy and forget about your debt, you'll have debt either way your going.
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Those services are foul compared to what optometrists do. Also, I couldn't give a damn about what their demand is when I'm employed full time and make more than virtually all of them with a ~37 hour work week.
They also aren't on the same footing as optometrists are for being private business owners.
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q1we3, did you seek out help? Hope it all works out. If you do decide to leave, 60k isnt as difficult to pay off as 100k+. If you have a science degree, you could always try to be a lab technician for like ~40k a year. But I hope you did decide to stick it out so you can be closer to making an OD salary and pay off your debt. If you left, i think its a terrible idea to pursue another profession right away for the risk of having the same feeling. Not to mention that enrolling into another grad problem will cost a lot of money.
Wow, what state do you live in? and would you be willing to help me relocate? I would like to add procreation to my list of hobby's. In my state, you only get to abuse the good american taxpayer for a maximum of 3 kids.
Wow, what state do you live in? and would you be willing to help me relocate? I would like to add procreation to my list of hobby's. In my state, you only get to abuse the good american taxpayer for a maximum of 3 kids.
You have been doing well in your classes, that at least is a positive! I too have wanted to quit, many times, mostly because I am not doing well and it is a constant struggle. I am not a quitter though, once I start something I just won't give up. I feel it will get better once I have patient contact, that is what is keeping me going. If I had to do it again , I would not...but here I am. I feel that you have invested a good amount of time in this keep going...finish and then see where you go. Yeah you will have loans up the ying yang but you will have those loans (smaller) with no degree. Good advice to talk to someone, find a counselor off site. Make friends get out, get drunk whatever floats your boat. I found a small job that has really helped, and of course counseling. Anyone who tells you they are not miserable is lying!!
OP, can you take a year off at your school? I'm not in optometry school (yet) but I've heard of lots of med students feeling burnt out (esp in 2nd year), and a few of them take a leave to get things sorted out. Maybe that might help for you, to have some more time to think about whether you truly want to leave, or if you are feeling lonely/depressed/burnt out you can take the time to recover? hope that helps, wishing the best for you!
Before calling it quits, just make certain you're not suffering from a form of depression. Depression can cloud your judgement and can make you believe a lie.
The stress of optometry school can bring out mental disorders or illnesses that normally would remain dormant. Several people in my class were behaving rather bizarrely by the end of 2nd year -- ranging from extreme promiscuity to depression to a nearly full-blown breakdown. I sat in an emergency room consoling a classmate who was crying and freaking out after having a seizure! My roomate and I had found her curled up in a ditch on the side of the road! This same person went on to have a very successful practice and a rewarding optometry career.
Before calling it quits, make sure your feelings are real and not the product of an illness or disorder. There are lots of wonderful anti-depressant medications that can take away the sadness. When the sadness is subtracted from the picture, then you can find out if your feelings towards optometry are real.
If you still feel the same towards optometry after some sort of treatment ... be it meds or counseling ... then you'd need to reevaluate the situation.
I'd consider finishing even if I hated it - but that's me. I tend to think like a Ferrengi by evaluating things in terms of profit vs loss. You won't lose by finishing the program. If you quit, you can lose a potential source of profit. It's listed somewhere in the Rules of Acquisition. ;-)
In any case, see a school counselor before quitting. At the very least, they can provide you with a fresh perspective.
Best wishes.
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Very sad to read this... you've been very optimistic in many of your other previous threads. Hopefully you find the right answer for you. I would continue and push on through.
But that's me.
Do what's best for you. 👍
But that's me.
Do what's best for you. 👍
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Let me guess, SUNY?
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I mean everyone's situation is different.
--Think about how much money you will owe when you are done. I know PCO is a money sucker.
--How much do you enjoy learning about eyes and science?
--How much do you enjoy being a Doctor and helping take care of people?
--Are you willing to relocate away from your school when you graduate to serve the people that need you the most?
All questions you have to ask yourself and make a decision. You don't want to end up like Jason K with $200,000 in loans, hating practicing Optometry, coming on these forums and whining in a semi psychologically unstable way.
Personally I go to SUNY and if I knew I'd get out with more than $50,000 in loans I'd probably choose a different career. Education was never this expensive in the history of civilization. Its something which I think most current students don't realize and just blow off. Anyone ever think that maybe males places more weight on finances? Some food for thought for the changing demographics of Optometry schools.
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You need to realize that this is not simply opto school. Medical and dental schools are just like this. Anything competitive and difficult is going to draw you out of the "real world".
The real question you should ask is:
1. Did you know what you were getting into?
2. Is the reason that got you into opto (or other professional) school enough for you to go through that rigorous training?
It's temporary... it's only 4 years. Stop sounding like you've been beat down. Many others do the same.
The real question you should ask is:
1. Did you know what you were getting into?
2. Is the reason that got you into opto (or other professional) school enough for you to go through that rigorous training?
It's temporary... it's only 4 years. Stop sounding like you've been beat down. Many others do the same.
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