i don't think you should be scared of backing out if it's not right for you - it may cause problems in the short term but staying if it isn't right will cause them in the long term so...
that said i think it's best to think hard about alternatives before dropping it, if you can come up with a viable plan b, it won't look like just a kind of student hissy fit (not that i'm suggesting it is, but some people see these things that way), and you'll come over as the responsible adult! but i'm with jetpack on this, you have to do what's best for you!
i never went to uni straight from school, my school were desperate for me to (oddly enough to do forensics! wtf? i'm a book person!) but i was so ill there was no way i could've done it - i'd had several depressive episodes while at school and at least 1-2 manic episodes during the last couple of years at school and was totally fucked. being permadrunk + incessant selfharm + frequent suicideattempts =/= a good student, believe me!
i worked for years before going back to uni (although even that i barely managed) and the first time i went to uni it was such a big deal and i ended up making myself so ill i got sectioned at the end of the first and second terms so had to leave. result! ultimately i started doing a part time evening course at a local uni (in london so not like a community college!) and i loved it so much i'm now doing another one.
i'm a firm believer in people not going to uni straight from school anyway - i don't think most people are equipped to make the right choices or to make the most of it. some are, but they are exceptions. far too many people go to uni because their family/school want them to (and do subjects "recommended" by family/school) and end up hating it/resenting it/failing/not putting the effort in etc.
i think it's more useful to get a year or few in the real world before deciding what you want to do to set up the rest of your life! my college is primarily for mature students (ha, i'm so mature!) and it's great, everyone wants to be there, everyone has chosen a subject for themselves and is dedicated to it, and we all pay our fees upfront so if you miss classes you have a bloody good reason!
basically like jetpack says, it's no point making yourself ill/miserable over it - it took me a long time to work that out and it's a horrible slog, so try to remember you and your sanity are more important than grades or kudos at uni could ever be.
no subject
that said i think it's best to think hard about alternatives before dropping it, if you can come up with a viable plan b, it won't look like just a kind of student hissy fit (not that i'm suggesting it is, but some people see these things that way), and you'll come over as the responsible adult! but i'm with jetpack on this, you have to do what's best for you!
i never went to uni straight from school, my school were desperate for me to (oddly enough to do forensics! wtf? i'm a book person!) but i was so ill there was no way i could've done it - i'd had several depressive episodes while at school and at least 1-2 manic episodes during the last couple of years at school and was totally fucked. being permadrunk + incessant selfharm + frequent suicideattempts =/= a good student, believe me!
i worked for years before going back to uni (although even that i barely managed) and the first time i went to uni it was such a big deal and i ended up making myself so ill i got sectioned at the end of the first and second terms so had to leave. result! ultimately i started doing a part time evening course at a local uni (in london so not like a community college!) and i loved it so much i'm now doing another one.
i'm a firm believer in people not going to uni straight from school anyway - i don't think most people are equipped to make the right choices or to make the most of it. some are, but they are exceptions. far too many people go to uni because their family/school want them to (and do subjects "recommended" by family/school) and end up hating it/resenting it/failing/not putting the effort in etc.
i think it's more useful to get a year or few in the real world before deciding what you want to do to set up the rest of your life! my college is primarily for mature students (ha, i'm so mature!) and it's great, everyone wants to be there, everyone has chosen a subject for themselves and is dedicated to it, and we all pay our fees upfront so if you miss classes you have a bloody good reason!
basically like jetpack says, it's no point making yourself ill/miserable over it - it took me a long time to work that out and it's a horrible slog, so try to remember you and your sanity are more important than grades or kudos at uni could ever be.