If you're an academic failure, your life is destroyed.

[PrincessMeow]

I'm from India. We have too much cut-throat competition here due to overpopulation, less resources and development, and corruption. To have access to a decent life in India (by decent I mean buying your own flat in a tier 2 city, able to afford basic amenities without hesitation and affording healthcare without a hole in pocket) you need to have either of these 3 things:

1. Political power
2. Money
3. Great academic success

I was born in a middle class, very normal family so I don't have the former two. About the third...

I bombed my college entrance exams and got into a real shitty college in a tier 2 city, that too in electronics engineering program (mind you, there's very little scope for electronics in India). My parents were hellbent on me taking engineering, and also would beat me, pressurize me into getting good grades since I was little. I had 95% in 10th grade, and my downfall started from there. I understand my parents expectations in a third world country is for my own good, but now I shiver at the slightest thought of failure.

Anyways, I once again bombed my first semester, with a 6.2 sgpa out of 10. And a backlog in Maths exam. Tomorrow is my mathematics re exam, and I couldn't prepare for it at all as I got severely sick. I can't tell my parents either, I'm going to fail miserably tomorrow and I can't think of anything other than suicide.

My luck also has always been really bad. My university is a shitty one where the papers they check are so fucking random. My friends passed in maths despite having less studied than me. I know someone who got a 7.0 sgpa despite not studying at all. The checkers may sometimes grant marks based on how many pages you filled, and this 7.0 friend of mine filled entire answer copy with 9th grade formulas.

Because of overpopulation, academic failure is a huge setback as your opportunities to get a job is nearly zero. Once you graduate, your failures haunt you forever.

 

[PrincessMeow]

Lol i survived, although I bombed my maths paper. Lol

 

[eupdplishlp]

I agree the system is rigged in that sense of not having qualifications is limiting to life. that is unless it's a creative endevour. Creative careers don't need qualifications to be sucessful.

I'm deeply sorry for the pain and suffering in your life. I can only imagine what it's like in india right now. my pms are always open if you need

 

[kopebaldy]

Also if you chose the wrong major because you're 18 how the fuck would you know what you want to do until the end of time?
How the fuck did some ppl prepare for this shit when they're only 16? 15? 14? What?

 

[The_Hunter]

hi there; i'm very sorry to hear you're in such a rocky spot, that has to be hell. i can understand feeling like you're screwed into a certain hole after failing an exam, feeling like you're failing from grades, and feeling like there's no way out. i just wanted to suggest a few things in hope of it quelling your pain. have you considered any non-graduate jobs or trades in india, perhaps? i know i don't know your situation so sorry if this sounds trite, but i just wanted to add it for good measure.

• 52% of math majors switched to another major
• 50% of engineering majors switched

—Student Research Group

i understand you feel fucked being in the current path you are in right now... and i know its not going well... so... perhaps a different major could be more fruitful?

hope this helps. (and my apologies if it didn't.) (i hope you're able to find moments of solace amongst all the pain you're in right now, in whichever ways you find most heartening.)

best wishes.

—from hunter

 

[notreallybored]

ב''ה,
Worldwide it seems plenty of people with degrees are fucked and without one it's even more limiting.

The tuition game is nuts and the proving your financial life / getting strapped into debt to even play is also nuts.

 

[lookingglassinsect]

In Russia, you get drafted when you turn 18. If you don't want to go, you can stay in university. But if you get kicked out, the army's waiting for you.

 

[Worndown]

Well, in the US, we need mechanics, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, roofers and just about every other trade that involves getting your hands dirty.
If you are good, you make more than those people with the degree.
(We only have so many CEO's)

Now we are hell bent on tossing out anyone that did not have their ancestors thrown out of Europe between 1600 and 1900. That will be a problem.

If you cannot go forward, go left or right.