SOME PEOPLE TAKE to college life like a duck to water, and others… well… others flounder.

And I should know; I deferred for a year, then happily took my place, quickly dropped out, and finally got my head around the whole thing.

Whether it’s the choice of course, the workload or the lack of daily structure, some people simply can’t adjust to life at third-level, and ultimately make the decision to leave.

Many return, others change courses and a few decide that college just isn’t, and never will be, for them.

And if you’ve ever decided to throw in the towel – whether temporarily or for good – you’ll have endured the same conversations, and lived through the same scenarios as anyone else who finally chose to surrender their student card.

Here are just a few things you’ll recognise…

1. The agonising moment you decide to break the news to your parents.

Would they get their fees back? Would they get even some of their fees back? Why didn’t you pay more attention when you were filling out your CAO?

What are you going to do now? But more importantly, what about the fees?

2. The way you made countless jokes at your own expense.

Look, you didn’t sign up for third-level with the intention of dropping out, and even if it is the right decision, you can’t help but feel a sense of deflation that you’ve hit a bump in the road.

So, what do you do? You become the king or queen of self-deprecating humour, and regularly make derogatory remarks with regards your intellect. It doesn’t work, but that doesn’t stop you.

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3. How you made yourself available for every hour going in your part-time job.

Oh sure, you absolutely hated the place and you used resent having to do a paltry four hours on a Saturday when you were a bonafide college student, but thing have changed.

Maybe you’ll grow to love it, if you spend every waking moment in it. Yeah, that’ll do it.

4. The way you refused to miss student nights.

Look, you may no longer be part of the student body, but you’ll be damned if your mates are getting €2 drinks and you’re out here with a €6 pint.

You paid your dues, you handed in at least one essay during your time at the college, and if that doesn’t guarantee you at least a year of student drinking rights, there’s something very wrong with the system.

And yes, you had to sneak in, but looking over your shoulder all night was worth it.

5. How you rationalised your decision over and over.

If second-guessing was an Olympic sport, you’d have placed during this time. And if rationalising qualified as an event, you’d have brought home gold.

You head is melted in the weeks after you drop out, and it feels like you’re in a constant argument with yourself.

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6. How you dreaded telling certain relatives.

Sound and all are your parents may be, they refused to do your dirty work for you.

And sidestepping the subject wasn’t an option because the relatives in question could smell your evasion, and it wouldn’t be long before you were trotting out a list of multi-millionaires who dropped out of college before their first week of lectures came to an end.

7. How you sought comfort in other college drop-outs.

Whether it was a friend’s sibling or an aforementioned billionaire, you regularly used their lives as a reminder that dropping out wasn’t the worst decision you ever made.

Telling your parents about it without even knowing how much they invested in it was.

8. Paying full-price in clothing stores and cinemas cut you to the core.

In fact, there was a time when you wondered whether embarking on the wrong career entirely might be worth it for a discounted wardrobe and social life.

Then again, now that you’ve sold your soul to your boss, it’s not like you can even juggle a social life.

9. The rush of relief you would feel in the weeks after followed.

No doubt you wished it could have gone differently, but deep down you know it was the right decision.

And yeah you never thought you’d have to refer to Steve Jobs as much as you currently do, but you’re grateful you have him as an example.

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