What to do if school is not for you 👎🎓-
Introduction 👋
School isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and struggling with school systems is a common challenge for students. 🏫
Many students don’t feel suited to traditional schools, due to reasons like:
- Their learning style doesn’t match school methods 👩🎓
- Not being interested in subjects
- Feeling overwhelmed by workloads or stress 🌪️
- Social pressures or bullying
- Mental health struggles 🧠
- Feeling misunderstood or out of place
- Wanting more practical learning 🛠️
The good news?
There are plenty of other paths to success and happiness that don’t necessarily involve sitting in a classroom all day. 👩🏫
Today we’re explaining the different options you can choose, if you don’t feel like school is for you.
1. Consider why you feel this way 💭
If you feel like school isn’t for you, it’s important to take some time to think about why that might be before deciding what to do next. 🧠
Understanding the root of the issue can help you make better choices for your future. 🔮
You might feel like school isn’t for you because you:
- Find the subjects uninteresting or irrelevant to your goals
- Don’t learn best from the teaching style at school.
- Struggle with the pace or feel left behind.
- Face social pressures or feel isolated from people your age
- Have personal challenges outside of school that make it hard to focus
- Feel stressed or overwhelmed by the workload and expectations
- Prefer hands-on or practical learning over traditional academic settings
Each reason has a different solution. ✅
By getting to the bottom of what’s making school difficult, you can find paths that suit your learning style, interests, and goals. 🗺️
2. Talk about it 💬
If you feel like school isn’t for you, it can be helpful to talk about it so you don’t feel isolated or overwhelmed.
If you can, try and speak to someone you trust— a parent or guardian, teacher, friend, or school counsellor. They may have advice or ideas to help you make school life more manageable. 💡
Sharing your feelings helps others understand and support you, and it can lead to finding solutions that better suit your needs, like different learning styles or alternative paths.
3. Look into alternative learning options 📖
Traditional school isn’t the only way to learn.
Instead, you could consider options like:
- 🏡 Home education – Learning at home using a tailored learning plan that suits your interests and pace.
- 💻 Online courses – Flexible online learning platforms offer a wide range of subjects, often with interactive content.
- 👷♀️ Apprenticeships – Hands-on work experience combined with training, allowing you to earn while you learn a trade or profession.
- 🏫 Vocational colleges – Practical courses focused on specific skills, such as engineering, healthcare, or the arts.
- 👩💼 Traineeships – Short programmes designed to prepare you for work or an apprenticeship by teaching essential skills.
- 🎓 Alternative schools – Schools with different teaching methods, like Montessori or Steiner schools, that focus on individual learning styles.
- 🤝 Community learning – Workshops, courses, and activities offered by local organisations to develop you to develop new skills in a relaxed setting.
4. Find your passion 🔍
Sometimes school doesn’t work because it doesn’t align with your interests. 🧠
Instead, you could consider spending time figuring out what excites you. ✨
If school doesn’t feel right for you, finding your passion gives you direction and motivation. 🧭
By finding your passion, you can then explore alternative learning paths that suit your interests and lead to a fulfilling career. 🗺️
Doing what you love makes learning more enjoyable and keeps you focused on your goals.
Whether it’s coding, baking, fixing cars, or photography, finding your passion can guide your next steps. 👣
5. Gain work experience 💼
Jumping into the world of work can be a great way to learn valuable skills and build confidence. ✨
If school isn’t for you, gaining work experience is important because it helps you develop practical skills and learn about different careers. 🛠️
Getting work experience can help you to build your confidence, expand your network, and make you more employable. 🤝
Work experience also helps you discover what you enjoy and what you’re good at, guiding you towards a career path that suits you. 🧭
6. Consider starting a side hustle 💰
If you’re entrepreneurial, why not start your own business? 👨💼
If school isn’t for you, starting a side hustle is a great way to learn new skills, earn money, and explore your interests.
It teaches you responsibility, creativity, and problem-solving.
A side hustle can also help you discover your passions and might even grow into a full-time career, giving you more control over your future. 📆
As a side hustle, you could consider things like selling handmade crafts, offering social media services, or even dog walking.
There are lots of possibilities!
7. Learn through life 🌍
Not all education happens in a classroom. 🏫
If school isn’t for you, learning from life experiences like travelling, volunteering, and meeting people from different backgrounds is valuable. 🤝
Learning through life experiences can help you develop important skills like communication, adaptability, and problem-solving.
These experiences broaden your perspective, boost your confidence, and teach you about the world in ways textbooks can’t.
They also help you discover your passions and build connections that can lead to future opportunities.
Travelling, volunteering, and meeting people from different backgrounds can teach you just as much—if not more—about the world.
8. Consider your mental health 🧠
Struggling with school can take a toll on your mental health, and feeling unhappy or stressed can impact your wellbeing and motivation. 🏋️♀️
Taking care of your mental health helps you make clearer decisions about your future and find learning paths that suit you better.
Prioritising your mental health can also ensure that you stay positive, resilient, and feel ready to explore new opportunities. 🗺️
Talk to professionals if you need help, and don’t be afraid to take breaks when necessary. 🛀
9. Create a plan ✍️
If school really isn’t for you, it’s helpful to have a plan for what comes next.
Consider your goals for the future and write them down, then figure out the steps you need to take to reach them.
Our article How to set goals for 2025 (that you actually achieve!) 🗓️ can help you to set achievable goals for this year.
10. Remember, success looks different for everyone 🌟
Success doesn’t always mean getting good grades or a fancy university degree.
People find success in all sorts of ways—through creativity, hard work, and determination. 💪
Find what success looks like for you, and go after it with confidence.
Conclusion 👍
If school isn’t your thing, don’t panic!
You’re not a failure, and there are plenty of exciting opportunities waiting for you outside of the classroom. 🏫
So that’s it!
If you feel like school isn’t for you, you can try things like:
- Consider why you feel this way 💭
- Talk about it 💬
- Look into alternative learning options 📖
- Find your passion 🔍
- Gain work experience 💼
- Consider starting a side hustle 💰
- Learn through life 🌍
- Consider your mental health 🧠
- Create a plan ✍️
- Remember, success looks different for everyone 🌟
Hopefully this article has helped you to understand different options if you don’t think that school is a good fit for you.
If you know any friends or family members who feel like school isn’t for them, share this post with them!
Finally, don’t forget to check out our similar articles below!
Similar articles to “What to do if school is not for you 👎🎓” ⬇️
How to be a grown-up: 10 skills you should learn to feel more like an adult 🎓
How to use social media without hurting your mental health 🩹
What am I good at? 25 valuable skills
What digital skills are in demand? 10 digital skills for you to learn👩💻
9 essential digital skills you should learn to navigate life 💻
10 ways to be less hard on yourself 💖
133 ways to make someone feel special 💖
Teamwork makes the dream work! How to work well in a team 🧑🤝🧑
What do employers look for in a CV/resume? Top tips to stand out ✨
What do employers look for? The top 3 qualities employers want from you 🌟
The 6 main types of job interview (and how to prepare for them!)👨💼
5 ways to improve your mental wellbeing 🧠
🎓
Follow us!
for free daily Grown-Up lessons 🙌🎉
