4 signs that your study doesn't suit you

Choosing a study program is quite strange. You're often 16, 17 or 18 years old and suddenly have to decide which direction you want to go. While at that moment you usually don't really know what different studies involve, which jobs go with them and what you actually find interesting. As a result, it quite often happens that people after a while think: does this study actually suit me? 

That doesn't immediately mean you have to quit. Sometimes you're just going through a difficult period, have a few boring subjects or need to get used to the way of studying. But if certain signals keep coming back, it is smart to seriously investigate where that feeling comes from. 

Here are 5 signals that your study might not be a good fit for you. 

Everyone postpones things sometimes. Writing a report, studying for an exam or rewatching a lecture isn't always fun. But if you notice that you structurally postpone everything, that could be a sign that there's more going on. 

The difference lies mainly in the repetition. If you have trouble getting started every week, only do assignments at the last minute and even simple study tasks feel heavy, then it's probably not just about laziness. Often procrastination is a signal that you don't feel a connection somewhere. Your brain then prefers anything except that study. 

What you can do is not only look at thát you postpone, but especially at what exactly you postpone. Is it one specific subject? Then it might be the teacher, the topic or the form of testing. Do you postpone everything, including the subjects that should actually be important for your future? Then that's a clearer signal. 

A practical way to check this is to keep track of which tasks you avoid for a week. Write down why you postpone them. Don't you understand the assignment? Do you find it boring? Don't you see the point? Does it make you insecure? After a week you often see more quickly whether the problem is temporary, or that the study as a whole doesn't feel right. 

Every study has subjects you have to get through. Even with the most enjoyable education there are parts that are dry, theoretical or just annoying. That's normal. But if you find almost no subject interesting, that's a different story. Then you're probably mainly living from deadline to deadline. You attend lectures because you have to, study because there's a test and forget the content afterwards. Not because you're stupid, but because it simply doesn't interest you. 

That's important to take seriously. A study doesn't have to be wonderful every day, but there should be topics among them that make you curious. Even if it's just one direction, one field or one type of assignment. If that's completely missing, it becomes difficult to stay motivated. 

What you can do is distinguish between the content and the way that content is delivered. Sometimes a subject area seems boring because the lessons are poor. Therefore, look for the same topic outside your education. Watch a YouTube video, listen to a podcast or read an n practical example about that field. If you still don't find it interesting, it's probably not just about the teacher. Also ask yourself: what topic would I want to know more about on my own? If that's always outside your studies, that's valuable information. 

One of the clearest signals is that the study itself might still be manageable, but you feel nothing for the jobs that come with it. Maybe you're studying law, but you don't see yourself working as a lawyer at all. Or you're doing business administration, but you get no energy from management, consultancy or business processes. Or you're following a healthcare program, but you notice the work field doesn't actually attract you. That's an important signal, because a study isn't a goal in itself. It's usually a route to something afterwards. 

Of course you don't need to know exactly what you want to become later. Many people end up somewhere different than they initially thought. But if almost all logical directions after your study put you off, you need to do something with that. 

What you can do to get clarity about this is to concretely research the work field. Not by just reading program pages, because they make everything look better than it is. Look up people on LinkedIn who have done your study and see what they're doing now. Ask older students where they did their internships. Look at real job vacancies and read what you would have to do daily. Then ask yourself this question: would I want to try this work for at least a few years? It doesn't have to be your lifelong dream. But if you already feel resistance to it now, that's information you shouldn't ignore. 

This might be the most difficult one. You've actually known for a while that the study doesn't fit well, but stopping feels like losing. You think about your parents, study delay, money, friends, your resume or the idea that you "have to start over again". So you keep going, not because you want to, but because stopping feels too scary. That's understandable. Stopping a study isn't a small decision either. But staying out of fear is usually not a good long-term strategy. Then you're not making a choice for something, but only against discomfort. 

At the same time, this doesn't mean you should just quit as soon as you doubt. Especially if you've already been at it for a few years, it could be a waste to throw everything away. A diploma can still be valuable later, even if you don't work exactly in that field. What can help is making that choice less black and white. It's not just "quit" or "continue forever". You have more options. 

If you're in your first year and you know fairly certainly that this doesn't fit, quitting and choosing again can be logical. But if you're already in year 2, 3 or 4, finishing might be smarter. Then you can still go in a different direction afterwards through a master's, traineeship, minor, internship or first job. So don't just look at what feels good, but also at what's practically wise. 

If you're seriously considering quitting, don't do it based on one bad week. First plan a conversation with your study counsel advisor or dean. Not to ask permission, but to get your options clear. 

Find out what the financial consequences are, whether you can transfer study credits, when you might be able to re-enroll and which programs would be a better fit. Also talk to people who are doing the study you're considering. Don't just ask if it's "fun," but especially how a normal week looks, which subjects are difficult and what people do after graduation. 

A good test is to look at some real subjects, lectures or assignments from that new direction. Not just the beautiful program brochure. That mainly sells the ideal picture. You need to know how it feels daily. 

Sometimes a study doesn't fit perfectly, but finishing is still the best choice. Especially if you're already far along. Then the goal is no longer to find the study amazing, but to get through it smartly and meanwhile prepare for something that suits you better. 

In that case, it helps to see your study as a means, not as a final destination. Choose internships, minors, electives or projects that are closer to your interests. If you're studying communication but prefer to go toward psychology, look for assignments about behavior, research or target groups. If you're doing economics but prefer to work more creatively, look at marketing, entrepreneurship or branding. 

Additionally, you can already gain experience outside your studies. Do volunteer work, take a short course, start a small project or shadow someone in another field for a day. This way you build evidence for a next step, without having to throw away your studies immediately. 

Doubting your studies doesn't automatically mean you should quit. It mainly means you need to better investigate what's not right. Maybe it's temporary. Maybe it's due to one subject or period. Maybe the study doesn't fit perfectly, but finishing is still smart. Or maybe stopping is actually the best choice. Whatever you do, make the choice consciously. Not out of panic, not out of shame and not because others think something. Your studies don't determine your entire future. But how honestly you dare to look at what does and doesn't suit you does determine how much faster you find the right direction.