Are University Degrees Still Relevant?
As a current third-year student, who has no interest in her current degree, I am currently debating whether a degree is relevant. The pandemic, specifically, has changed my perspective on degrees and university in general. There are lots of changes to how universities run and although some of the changes could not be helped, that has significantly changed the university experience.
My first year of university was amazing. I had the most amazing flat mates, the accommodation was nice, and we had the most amazing time… until March 2020, when Covid-19 hit and closed the country (and the rest of the world) for months.
I would say Covid-19 has heavily impacted and altered my university experience. Although, the first lockdown was quite enjoyable for me. I was still able to work, and my flat mate and I were having fun, being the only ones left in our flat. It was not an awful experience.
But when university began again, I found it a lot harder. We were completely online, and I struggled to concentrate on what was happening. I would find it very easy not to turn up to the zoom lectures and I was generally disconnected to university. I lost the love I had in my first year for university and my degree and fell in love with my part-time job A a care assistant in a nursing home.
Since the first lockdown, I have worked myself up to a senior carer role at the home I work at, which comes with more responsibility, but I love it. This has led me into making the decision that I do want to further this career and not pursue my Journalism degree anymore. Whilst I am still working towards obtaining the degree, I know that my career is not in Journalism. So, this leads to the question: is getting a university degree still relevant?
In my opinion, I do think for some careers they may still be relevant, but in my personal experience, I have found that there are other ways you can progress in your career without having to have a fancy degree to show off.
I started working in a nursing home as a domestic at the age of sixteen. Whilst I was going through college and now at the age of twenty-one, I have worked my way up to a senior carer and I plan on trying to work my way up. This has become a popular thing, especially throughout lockdown, many people have found fame and other ways to progress their career during lockdown. Many people use social media platforms like Tik Tok to create content that is entertaining, to promote their businesses or to show a talent.
This shows that you can still have a successful life even if you have not got a university degree. You can start a business and start earning any way you like, if you have the drive to make it successful, as many people have achieved through Tik Tok. They took the time when the world was virtually shut to grab people's attention, to create content, to entertain, to earn and make something of themselves. Some of these Tik Tok creatives might have university degrees and some may not but, either way, they have gotten to where they want to be.
A university degree does not make you successful; it is the hard work and commitment you put into your work and what you want to do in life that makes you successful.
To conclude, university degrees are not the be-all and end-all of your professional career, you can build your career without a degree and on your own with determination and hard work. University degrees are becoming less relevant. I believe that, whether you get a university degree or not, your career will be successful no matter what if you have determination and self-belief. If you do not believe in yourself then you will not believe in your work. No university degree can give you self-belief – we, as individuals, must find that ourselves.
Written by Georgia Clarke
21, Journalism Student
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