Quitting Uni  − 1 April, 1993

My last year in Maranatha Christian School (my high school) was 1991. I really didn't have any idea of what I might do after that year, but I found myself doing Primary Education the next year at Monash University, Frankston.

At the end of Year 12 I had applied for 7 graphic design courses and 1 education course (my last choice). I think I only put education on my list because a teacher of mine had made the comment "you'd make a good teacher, Thomas". My final Year 12 result wasn't that good, around 65% (which ruled out some choices, but not teaching, strangely).

One vivid memory from that time was how disheartening it was doing interviews for the graphic design courses. All I had was my piddly folio from Year 12, and I was competing for places with people who had years of experience. The smart thing to do would have been to accept a place at TAFE, develop my folio, and apply again the next year.

I wasn't smart. And I was lazy. And truth be told, I wasn't all that talented at drawing. So that's why I was happy to be accepted for Primary Teaching.

I survived the first year at Monash getting only average grades and not putting in a lot of effort. A few months into my 2nd year, I "deferred". I never planned to come back.

A few things had been on the boil at that time. I was broke. I hated Uni. I wasn't doing that well. I didn't even want to be a teacher. Schools were closing and we'd been advised to consider "other options" if jobs were scarce when we completed Uni.

I don't feel bad that I quit, mostly because I had no idea of what I wanted to make of my life after high school. At that time, all my effort was just on finishing school. In retrospect, rolling straight into university was probably a bad idea - maybe I should have taken a break after Year 12.

After I quit Uni I went on to work full-time at the local hardware store, McEwans (now Bunnings). At last I had some decent earnings (and none of the homework)!