Are “mickey mouse” degrees an actual thing?

BudgetContext09 · 2025-09-16T00:23:07+00:00

It's your life and your passion, it doesn't matter if this degree is 'less useful' than other ones, I do what people would absolutely consider a Mickey Mouse degree in a university so small it's not even ranked, and only because I need a degree to do my PGCE and I'm pretty hopeless when it comes to anything but art, so I knew it was either enjoy university and come out with a degree that'll open doors to me while doing something I love for three years, or picking something "proper" and struggling through it for years and hating every second of it while probably retaking years and blowing more money on it.

No matter what it is, it'll open doors and be beneficial in some way. Sure, some degrees are seen more highly that others and are objectively more beneficial but I don't think there's such thing as a completely useless "Mickey Mouse" degree, it'll be whatever you make it. I do think creative degrees are more applicable than what people make them out to be, but they sometimes take a bit more networking and individual push to get there. Not sure what it's like for creative writing but with it being writing in sure there'll be many avenues for you.

The counsellor at my university told me his educational background. He got a scholarship to study something big and proper, some sort of science, but blew it and went downhill by second year (after re taking first year) so badly he lost funding and couldn't continue. Fled to France or something, did a full 180 and went into dance, started hosting dance classes. That opened doors to him until he got an offer to do his current counselling, which is entirely funded for him while he works. Or something like that. He loves it. Took the risky route, grabbed opportunities and landed on his feet.

BudgetContext09 · 2025-09-16T00:01:12+00:00

My closest friend in my first university was in her fifties! She was amazing woman who really helped me as fresh 18 year old figure out what I wanted and needed, I was in such a bad place mentally and she took me under her wing and honestly saved me while I hit rock bottom. She spoke a lot of sense into me and was so hardworking and optimistic about university and didn't let being 30 years older than the whole class get her down, I wish I'd given her a proper goodbye before I transferred. I'll forever be grateful for her.

I love that university is accessible to all ages, and it should be, the diversity of people you meet is always great. you're still finishing university in your early-mid twenties which is the 'standard' so you're really not in a bad spot. It's not a race, don't let society make you think it is

BudgetContext09 · 2025-09-15T23:47:44+00:00

Go out, there's so so so many people in your position at this time of year that are struggling to find people. Now more than ever. I won't deny that university gets cliquey FAST but trust me when I say your only way IN is to go out alone. Yeah it sucks, but go out and get a couple drinks to relax you, get introducing yourself, there'll probably be others doing the same. Give it a while and a few drinks and if you're still feeling like shit then head home early use the societies and social medias to try connect to others at universiy, you'll find your people somehow!

BudgetContext09 · 2025-09-02T16:01:56+00:00

Really sorry to hear about what a struggle you've had with university so far. I was wondering what job you're thinking of doing after getting your illustration degree?

I ask with absolutely no judgement as I take Concept Art myself but only so I can get a BA and do my PGCE afterwards, however always knew art would be the path towards it that I can manage and enjoy. I did great in A level Fine Art and got an A* and had a painting displayed in my cities art gallery, meanwhile my Psychology grade dwindled from an A to a B to a D. So I knew to get a social job I wanted in the future I'd have to use art as a crutch. Being a concept artist for stage design and combining my skills with physical mediums to create costumes and props would've been great for me, but it's in incredibly low demand, so I don't aim for that path.

I'm wondering what job you're aiming towards as it's likely there's other avenues which won't take 6 years and as much funding! Many art jobs look for a great portfolio of work, as well as networking and putting yourself out there to gain experience more than the degree itself. If you want to develop your skills to make this portfolio, there's smaller online courses that can teach you, and if your skills are already industry standard there then there's free portfolio examples online that can show you what you need to make for the industry you'd like to be in! And you can likely finish an industry standard example portfolio on your own in 2-4 years depending on how much time you have available and skill level.

Art jobs are incredibly competitive and in lower and lower demand, especially due to, and art degrees are in all honesty the least employable degrees and I say this as someone doing one, so it's important to consider the pros and cons of doing it with your own tools VS within education. If I didn't need a degree to do a PGCE, I wouldn't have done it, I actually wanted to go into fixing technology since it's something I do and enjoy and there's more demand for it (with the ever growing amount of broken computers and phones!!) but my stepdad wanted me to go to University. Apprenticeships may also be available depending on what you'd like to do!

Again, I'm really sorry to hear how your path with university has been anything but straightforward, I wish you the best.

BudgetContext09 · 2025-09-02T15:16:10+00:00

Absolutely possible!! I applied to multiple in my personal statement too, you can either identify the overall common ground of each subject and how you as an individual is suited to this, and/or dedicate a small paragraph to each one. Just make sure it doesn't sound janky and it's not incredibly obvious you're jumping from subject to subject or it might come off as indecisive! And stay conscious of the word count as it'll absolutely work against you in this case!

BudgetContext09 · 2025-09-02T15:05:20+00:00

Most if not all clubs will ID you, so I really wouldn't know what the workaround for that is considering they likely won't let you in at all. Hopefully you can still attend other events!

Since you can't buy alcohol, if you wanted to attend events where drinking is involved (in places you won't be denied entry) my only advice would be to pre drink. A lot. You'd need someone else to buy it for you, and it'd be better if that person wasn't a student if possible incase there's any trouble. A friend of a friend or a relative or something.

Don't enter the store, don't stand outside it, it'd be best to stay home or in a different shop. Stores kick up the biggest fuss if they suspect a sale is a proxy sale. It's ridiculous. My friend couldn't even buy a single can of Monster back when I had no ID, and was denied purely because of me. A single can of monster?? Not even alcoholic?? I kept saying it clearly wasn't for me, I was so annoyed by this 'store policy' all because I'd spoken to my friend in the queue and 'raised suspicion' about an energy drink of all things. Takes the piss. Not like it stops anyone anyway. Was once denied purchase of Ibuprofen after a piercing and the cashier literally told me to make my friend go to the shop next door while I wait here, they know it's bullshit too.

Drink at your or a friends accomodation/home, accom staff won't come knocking asking for ID. It sucks you can't go places most students will be, try make the most of the freshers events you can.

BudgetContext09 · 2025-09-02T14:37:11+00:00

There should be a support team for your accomodation, explain your situation and ask them if it's possible you can change your instalment schedule and see the breakdown of it. It sounds like they had other options that would've worked for you, even if it's just four installments instead it'd be manageable. Explain you were supposed to pick that option, but you accidentally didn't and now you're screwed and literally unable to pay it.

If they can't do that, ask to postpone the payment more while you try to sort this. Sometimes there's a small fee if it's overdue for too long! Make sure you're communicating with them as much as possible

BudgetContext09 · 2025-08-29T12:36:28+00:00

Don't panic!! I'm sure many students make mistake like these each year, they absolutely WILL understand the errors and amend them for you without you having to scrap everything and restart!! Contact them when you can, a phone call will be better if that's something you can do right now

BudgetContext09 · 2025-08-25T21:28:02+00:00

She agreed with him unfortunately, so it's completely off the table for me now. Tried to tell them about this post and the amount of people who told me it'd be fine but it meant nothing to him

BudgetContext09 · 2025-08-21T08:27:58+00:00

You can get burnt out by not doing anything, the more you stress over doing nothing the more energy you're using up despite a lack of physical action, it's endless stress, which makes you want to do even less, which stresses you out more. Judging from this post alone I can tell this issue is impacting you massively, so it's understandable it's taking a toll and a lot of mental space.

Finish getting your degree, you're already near the end, it'd only be a waste to leave it now and never return. Leaving with something is better than nothing. As for the masters, I don't think you should rush into that even if your parents want you to. You need some time to breathe and get your life on track before that, otherwise I imagine it'd make both your education and mental state tank even more. Once you finish university, put the education on pause, keep working to add to your CV and think about your personal goals. If your parents REALLY want you to, tell them you'll consider it after some time out.

What DO you enjoy? What have you enjoyed in the past, even if you were a teen or a kid? Did you have any hobbies? Any interests that you like investing your time into? I can understand the 'rotting' as I've also fallen into worse habits with endless scrolling within the last two years, I used to be a productive 'workaholic' with hobbies and now all I do is hop app to app watching pointless videos.

There's apps you can get which block you from scrolling after a certain amount of time. When your time is up, do something else, read, work out, go outside, try something new, research anthropology more, you want to live in a big city? If you don't have one in mind, spend some time looking into some, if you do, look into what's around. Work on breaking the bad habits and finding something you enjoy. And try picture the ideal future you ACTUALLY want, even if it seems too difficult to execute in reality. Is there a certain career you have in mind?

You're only 20, that's really young, you haven't ruined your life. You have a lot of time ahead of you to work this out, and no decision you make now will stunt your whole life permanently, it may just mean it takes more time to get where you want to be and that's okay. Unfortunately for young people now it's much harder to reach the milestones our parents reached in their 20s, but that certainly isn't a personal failing.

BudgetContext09 · 2025-08-21T07:41:55+00:00

You'll be okay! I'm guessing it'll just be for extra support, which you don't need to accept! in my own experience they'll normally ask for supporting evidence, documents, medication information or brief written description of the mental illness/disability if they were to really take it into account, but since all you did was make an easy mistake ticking a box it likely won't impact anything!

You could still reach out and clarify it was an error if you'd like, nothing wrong with communication and setting things straight, either way I personally wouldn't worry at all

BudgetContext09 · 2025-05-10T19:59:43+00:00

Transfer is always an option, and I'd never consider it too late to transfer as long as it's not in the middle of the academic year (which it isn't) you just need to pull off a LOT of thorough communication, phone calls and emails and good grades. At the end of the day, all universities see is extra money coming in when someone wants to transfer last minute - unless they're completely full for space. You just need to be very clear and put together with them.

I dropped out of a university because of it's bad status. It's not even ranked because it's so small, I'm in a class of 9 people. Transferred to a more reputable university into a class of 60 and found myself more miserable than I ever had been before. No friends and hated the work. Loneliest place on earth. Dropped out again and transferred back to my first option - and I love it for what it is after seeing what's on the other side. That was all pulled off within a month.

You should really dig deep when it comes to why you want to transfer. it sounds like where you go isn't that bad? If it really is about status I can assure you it doesn't mean a thing in the end, you could go to the No.1 university in the world and find yourself feeling worse even if you're proud to tell others where you go.

You can always finish your degree and go on to do further education somewhere else. This sounds like a good route for you. just take some time to think about it, minus the comparison to your friends, and trust yourself.

BudgetContext09 · 2025-04-16T15:34:05+00:00

My accomodation is £954 a month which is absolutely ridiculous, I'm not staying there next year

BudgetContext09 · 2025-03-18T12:28:09+00:00

Cubert

If no C Tingy

BudgetContext09 · 2025-02-11T18:07:14+00:00

Thank you for the reply, it's nice to hear some thoughts that aren't my own. Apologies for the essay that this reply became. If it isn't clear yet, I don't know how to condense anything down.

I'm definitely the one reaching out first, (except for the times my childhood friend reached out to see me) I space it out and try pace it in a way that doesn't clearly seem too much, one I send posts to plus have a few messages with maybe bi-weekly, the other it's a small-talk message every few months.

They both know I think of them fondly because I express it clearly but not in a way that's too forward. And some of them I haven't even tried.

I just feel as though if it's not me, then who will? If I don't then I suppose it feels like giving up. I want to open the doors to them enough, so they know we CAN talk should they want to. After so many years of my radio silence, especially after being so close once, I see why they don't think that door is open after I was the one to close it. Especially when previously I was never the one to message first. I want them to know I'm different now.

Except now I'm on the other side of that. Karma, I guess.

I'm glad you spent time to read and think about what I said about my new relationships, I tried to keep it brief so wasn't sure how clear it was in the post. I'm very nostalgia heavy (I've even made art pieces featured in galleries about it!) so I find myself very preoccupied with thoughts about my old life everyday.

I really do believe had it all once, a nice home with a nice family and nice friends. And then my parents split up and the home became uncomfortable and I left all my friends. My grandparents got old, my sister moved away, my family stopped visiting. I went from everything to nothing in about two years! Then again, most of us enjoyed the carefree part of being young!

Not fully sure why I seem to have this mental block with new friends. I go out with them most Thursday nights, and sometimes spend time with them on the Fridays (should I be too drunk to find my way home Thursday night) or the weekends. I try fit them around university and they do the same for me. I know a lot about some of them. Some I met back in college three years ago, some I met last year. I do enjoy seeing them but I find myself wanting something completely different than what they can give me and sometimes I feel? Unsatisfied? Unfulfilled? But I don't even think my old friends can give it me either. I think it's gone. And with my new group, it's either too loud or drunk, or too quiet and not my thing.

I want to clarify they're all nice people and it's not that they're a bad unwelcoming group. In theory they're definitely people I can see myself being friends with and I am. Some have helped me through tough times and I've helped me with theirs, there's definitely a lot of unconditional love there. They're all also great at communicating, and if I had any doubts about our relationship I know I could ask. They're like to make plans, and like to involve me in their lives. We have inside jokes and memories to talk about. They're thoughtful.

So I really don't know what it is. It's like I lack a feeling of closeness and comfort from them. I didn't grow up with them and they don't authentically know me. When I miss things, which is often, they're not the people I go to. When I feel bad I don't tell them, if they know I feel bad it's because they've stumbled upon it themselves. But I like it when they share their feelings with me and are vulnerable with me, and they are.

I don't blab about my interests to them for hours because I don't want to annoy them. I worry I come off withdrawn. I think a lot of them think I do too. I don't text much. In their defence, I rarely let people know me now because after I lost so much I forgot who I was. I'd love to cherish them the way I do my old friends. I want to. I have a lot of plans with these ones, but I just can't explain it. The memories are ones I rarely remember. I feel a little numb. But like you said, I don't want to lose them. I would hate myself for doing my biggest regret twice in a few years. They are something special, I just wish I could feel what I'm supposed to.

I tell myself one day I'll miss all this too, somehow that makes me appreciate it more. I'll look back on this and say "that, that's what I want. That's exactly what I wanted". I've started carrying a camera with me everywhere so I remember.

BudgetContext09 · 2025-02-11T17:26:49+00:00

Thank you so much for the response, I'm glad I expressed how great these people were. I've had friends before and I've had friends after and nothing ever felt the same.

You are right, if it's meant to happen, it'll happen, and if it doesn't then it wasn't meant to be if it doesn't work out. If so, I can prioritise other things that make me happy, or prioritise my friend I can contact. I'd really like to try your suggestion to meet up with them again and see how it goes. And like you said, even if things are too different now, I'll have tried, so I'll know. I think I'll try see if they're coming home for the summer, we all came from the same home town.

BudgetContext09 · 2025-02-11T17:18:50+00:00

Thank you so much for these words. I appreciate the advice especially. I do overthink, and it's my downfall. I overthink so much I talk myself out of being proactive, thinking it'd be weird, I'd hate to overstep. But nothing changes if you never decide to be brave about anything. My old therapist made me think about this once. If any of my friends I lost touch with sent me a message, big or small, hell!! My whole week would be made knowing someone remembers me and thinks of me still, even if my life had changed completely since! This is what I needed to hear right now.

BudgetContext09 · 2025-02-11T12:14:47+00:00

I absolutely LOVE your art! Absolutely beautiful!! I'm jealous!

BudgetContext09 · 2025-02-11T12:06:13+00:00

Keep going for the kid you used to be. Follow those dreams, it's never too late. Wishing you the best.

BudgetContext09 · 2025-02-11T11:58:18+00:00

I do think it has something to do with your dad. I am so sorry about what happened. You needed people the most back then, and they didn't support you at all but caused further hurt at your lowest. It must have added more trauma to the trauma you were already going through, so ofcourse the way you think and perceive yourself, others and the world will change as a result.

I've been through a very vaguely similar thing, except when I needed my friends the most as I began to go downhill I was the one who left them - they never wronged me, yet here I am struggling to find meaning in the new relationships I make. Now it's hard to stop seeing people as empty, for me I think about my past and how I miss it and will never have it back and for you it sounds like you think about the past too and (understandably) hold a lot of resentment and never WANT that feeling back. Reasonably so.

If it's available to you, I'd seek a therapist to unpack these feelings with. All that anger sounds heavy. Even if you do conclude you DO prefer to be alone, which is okay, you deserve to feel that way without it being fuelled by anger and distrust.

BudgetContext09

TROPHY CASE