I had reached the end of my first semester of law and I had done the unthinkable: survived university.

But that sense of elation was quickly dampened with dread; I couldn’t face the idea of going back, of doing law for yet another semester. I didn’t get a single HD either.

Case studies, contracts, criminal negligence – they were terms I couldn’t give a damn about. I fell into a rut of binge-watching Netflix and pretending I wasn’t an adult.

Until, well, I dropped that degree like a hot potato. And it felt so good.

The truth is I’m glad I did that one semester of law. It taught me things that I never would have learned unless I had done it, and here are some of the things I figured out. Better late than never.

HDs Aren’t Everything

Being half Vietnamese, I felt like there was no room for anything less than 100 per cent, even if I did suck at maths.

I studied throughout high school adamant I needed 99.95 as an ATAR. If that wasn’t enough self-pressure, my Vietnamese cousins were studying to be lawyers, dentists and doctors and none of those professions appealed to me. I wanted to be a writer; I loved stories. But lawyers love case studies and contracts – no room for Shakespeare sonnets here.

If you’re highkey hating your degree, it’s no use trying to power through it. Law wasn’t making me happy, nor was thinking I had to achieve HDs in order to succeed. It’s good to aim high, but your marks won’t be what make or break you as a graduate.

Put Yourself First

My time at university had reached the point where I had to seek counselling. I was losing my sense of purpose; I stopped attending lectures, I avoided my friends.

I was burned out and I had to do something about it. Mental health was a very new concept in my household, so telling my parents I was seeing someone raised some questions about happiness at uni. While I may have dreamed of being like Donna from Suits (the entire first season was set as homework just FYI), it wasn’t as soul crushing as I thought it would be to leave it all behind.

Disappointment Is Inevitable, But Don’t Fear It

Initially, I didn’t tell my parents I was dropping law. I couldn’t bear their disappointment at what I perceived to be my failure. Dropping out was simply unacceptable.

But once it was out in the open (and their disappointment withered away), they were surprised at how determined I was to start something that made me want to get up and work.

The thing is, I’d picked up law as a means of pleasing my parents, especially my mum. Knowing they have my back now is the best thing I can ask for.

Dropping A Degree Is Not Failure, It’s Starting Anew

If I start something, I have to finish it. That’s how I roll. So leaving behind $1000 worth of law textbooks and saying goodbye to my contract tutor was like falling into an ocean of failure.

It took me some time to realise that crying over Australia Woollen Mills Pty Ltd v The Commonwealth did me good. I’m allowed to change my mind and explore new paths.

I swallowed my fear and picked up journalism. I learned Italian and made a friend I always speak to now. I joined the literary society and found connections. Just do what makes you happy. Because law isn’t for everyone, and it certainly wasn’t for me.

Sofia Casanova is a cappuccino enthusiast with a love for words. When she’s not studying for her Public Communication degree at UTS, she’s glued on her Twitter feed (@sofiaecasanova) or attempting to be aesthetic for her bookstagram (@theliterarycasanova). 

(Lead image: Suits/USA Network)