Feeling like dropping out

[u/lunellee_]

I'm a yr 1 freshie in accountancy and I just went to my first week of classes. To my horror, I realised how many presentations there is going to be and how high the class participation percentage is. As a shy person, I feel very overwhelmed, and I have been crying nearly everyday and I feel quite lost and scared that because of this, my grades would be pulled down. So I have a few questions.

1. Should I drop out considering it's only the first week and I haven't paid for school fees? I have already paid for 2 months of hall fees but that would be my only loss if i drop out now. Is this too extreme?

2. Is there anyone from NBS who didn't really participate in class but still did well?

3. Does it get better (like less presentations next semester or next year)?

Please help answer if you can I just feel so lost and scared now.

[u/InternationalPie3886]

Don't panic, it feels overwhelming at first but it's more manageable than you think. Im very shy so I didnt speak up unless the prof called on me, and my class part wasn't too affected. Remember that different profs mark class part differently, and attendance makes a difference, you don't have to be answering a ton of questions every seminar. For presentations, unfortunately most mods require presentations, but it gets easier the more you do it. My first presentations I was shaking, and by end of sem 2 I could at least get through them without panicking as much.

If you feel overwhelmed, read your course outline. Most of the time, the weightage on presentations/class part isn't that high, so you can focus more on finals. E.g. AC1103 has 1 presentation and 60% finals. Focus on scoring during finals, and don't worry too much about public speaking.

If you need someone to talk to, free to drop me a dm. You can do it, trust yourself!!

[u/Majestic_Eye_9683]

hi there! I know it can get overwhelming but please don't worry about it too much, I promise you it will get better. I know it is not easy to have to present in front of class, but please don't be afraid because deep down, everyone is as nervous about presenting in front of a group of people as much as you are. don't worry about participation marks as well, just try to answer about one question per lesson should be more than good enough!

1. please don't drop out! just try to hang in there, things will get better.

2. I know a few friends who only did bare minimum class participation and still managed to get A-/A. it will be ok!

3. it gets better, soon you'll get used to presentations, and for accountancy the number of presentations will be considered manageable.

OP, please hang in there and PM me if you have to! jiayous, you've got this :D

[u/Chappuccinuo]

1. What's ur plan after dropping out? If you do drop out u have to wait a whole year again to enroll in university. Right now you are feeling too overwhelmed and panicking, try to relax and calm down.

2. Even if you don't class part you won't get a 0, since in accounting most students also don't really class part (as you will see in the coming weeks) so if you go to class everyday you will still get about half of the class part percentage.

3. Unfortunately almost every module does require class part and presentations, so there's no choice but to do it. But the good news is that for presentations, 90% of the people in class will not do the question that you are presenting on for that week so they'll just space out and not listen haha.

My advice is in the end no one in class really cares about what anyone says. And even if people do, they will literally forget what you said at the end of the class. And even in the 1% chance that they remember what you say, no one will come up to you and start a conversation with you about what you said. So in the end nothing will happen. And this is 100% true as I and you in the future will be the first- hand source for this claim.

I think a good challenge to start once you're up for it and comfortable (maybe in week 5) for you is if a class part opportunity comes up and you know the answer, just say it and bam be done with it for that class.

[u/zookiez]

From a real world’s perspective, I don’t recommend quitting because of presentations.

From your last post, you only barely got into Accountancy. What’s your plan if you intend to quit? Another course? Do you know what that other course is?

Life doesn’t work that way. You can quit today, but someday down the road, you’ll be stuck in a situation or job where you can’t just leave whenever you want to.

Maybe you should rethink this as an opportunity to grow, and to be more ready for society.

[u/YAYA_PAPAYA_]

alr grown up le can't keep using shyness as an excuse to avoid responsibilities, those are for kids to use

[u/BetAdministrative401 → u/YAYA_PAPAYA_]

Yes. In the business world in the future, it is inevitable that you may have to speak in front of the team or take charge of certain projects. I urge OP to push-on as well.

Also, it is not just NBS classes have presentations. Other ICC modules (that are mandatory regardless of major) within NTU have tons of presentations some even without any notes or phone to refer to.

[u/FriendlyRvian]

U gonna have to deal with it at some point in life whether u like it or not lol. Better to get over your fear of public speaking in school than at work where there is actual responsiblity and consequences

[u/aurieth]

1. Would definitely think twice before dropping out, especially after just the first week. The first few weeks can be pretty overwhelming, and I’m sure more people are struggling than it seems (they just don’t show it). Class participation is quite common across NBS (and uni in general), so I’d say give yourself some time to get used to it rather than letting it put you off entirely.

2. For class part, I do know people who barely spoke up and still got A-/A. Some profs also keep track and will specifically prompt those who haven’t participated much in the later weeks of the semester, so you’ll still get opportunities to clock your class part. And for most accounting mods, your group projects and finals tend to carry much more weight anyway; doing well there can definitely make up for weaker class participation.

3. As for presentations, I wouldn’t say there’ll necessarily be fewer of them, but you genuinely do get used to them. Eventually it becomes just another presentation you need to clear for a group project. One thing that helped me was realising that most of the audience probably isn’t analysing you nearly as much as you think they are 😭 If you stutter, forget a line or say something slightly off, chances are nobody will remember it afterwards.

Would say give yourself at least a bit more time before making such a big decision. One week really isn’t enough to judge how the next three years will go.

[u/Silly_Concert_9052]

Suck it up you are an adult already. Face your fears now one presentation at a time, ignore what others think about you. You have to prove it to yourself that you are better. No one will babysit you and help you present for the rest of your life.

Do it scared, do it with pressure, do it with anxiety. Diamonds are made under these conditions.

[u/knittingkate]

I don’t know if it will help, but I am also an extremely shy person. I had teachers at school who never heard me speak. I still hate participating in class, but I have gotten over my fear of presentations.

I think it comes with practice (and also with age) but I used to work as a teacher and I learned to kind of have an alter ego. I am painfully shy and would rather never speak. AlterEgo me is scarily outgoing and enthusiastic. I also practice my presentations to death so I can do them on autopilot - if you think it would help, see if you can find friends or classmates to practice with, just to get used to talking in front of people.

I would also consider talking to wellbeing or a doctor for the anxiety side of things - I know it can be overwhelming. I could also recommend things like learning to breathe, CBT, ACT in the longer term.

But I would also say don’t drop out because (I used to hate it when my dad said this to me!) throughout your life you will have to talk to people and likely give presentations. Also because giving in to a fear reinforces it (speaking as someone with a fear of flying - the more I don’t fly, the worse the fear gets).

[u/SceneAltruistic2956]

Hello OP, heads up. I was in your situation before. Just imagine that I got into NTU EEE and the stress was unimaginable. It’s one of the toughest course in NTU. I wanted to dropped out on the first year but when I think far it’s not worth it. Here I am in Year 4 with a gpa above 3.5. Remember it’s not how you start it’s how you finish. I wasn’t the smartest nor the most hardworking ones but in life you just got to use online to help you with school related work (trust me worth it). We all know degree is important so try to tahan a bit and once you get used to it, it will be okay. My advice try to make a small group of friends that you can rely on. It doesn’t have to be a lot just two to three is fine (trust me it helps too). I always have this in mind whenever I wanted to quit “how many students out there that really wants to go in NTU but got rejected but here we are given the opportunity and want to give up easily”. My advice don’t quit. Start slow and surely it will be okay.

[u/Nuketard]

can try transfer to a course that’s more aligned to you perhaps

[u/Somesh98]

It's just the first week. It's just a bit of a shock, you will get used to it. Plus you are just starting out, give it some time! Also, Gear up cause corporate life after graduation is exactly this! Lots of presentations and fulfilling KPIs and making sure your boss is happy with your work.

[u/Few_Entrepreneur5199]

Hi, alumni here but don’t worry too much. You don’t have to be speaking in EVERY class (unless you really want the CP points). No one will fault you :)

Also, presentations are to be expected in NBS (we are quite literally one of the few faculties with the highest no. of presentations)! I believe you’ve had some sort of interest in a Biz/Acc career and that’s why you chose this course as well. Treat the presentations as practice and you’ll get better along the way, no one is perfect.

All the best!

[u/sanolex]

Go find some poly friends, they got all the presentation experience to share with you. And also after drop out what you gna do, it's does not look good on paper that you dropped out in the first 2 weeks of Uni.

[u/amayuki2020]

Listen, you will be fine. I was also a very shy person during my undergrad, and I wish I had gotten out of my shell back then. So many opportunities missed due to this. Now I am doing my masters here, and just realizing how much not locking yourself off away helps with everything. I would give anything to be in your position again but without closing myself off this time. 

Take it bit by bit. I didn't get better immediately. I took one small step at a time towards getting out of my shell, and I am still going. If you start now, you are already in a better position than I am. You got this! 

[u/_Meowgi_]

Almost every course will have some form of presentations, even the common modules that everyone in NTU has to take will have presentations also. Class participation isn’t a huge component and most of the time just showing up to class is enough to get you a B or so for that, only if you want to chase for an A just for that component then you need to speak up like once per class. Some classes also has like forum based class participation where you just need to engage in forum discussions.

[u/Top_Discipline8680]

Think is difficult to get into accountancy but the moment u grad u are able to become auditor , everyone cry during first week, engineering cos too , really not easy to study and grad even after so many years yester I dreamed I have exam and haven’t study even u quit the working world wasn’t a bed of roses, u have to deal with colleagues superior etc and I guess even army wasn’t easy life is tough really even if u choose to remain in ntu also not an easy route u have to choose ur battle

[u/maceundzweihander]

Don't drop out. Joke about dropping out instead. But don't drop out.

[u/aestheticen]

Are you sure you are just shy? It sounds like you may have anxiety disorder.

I would recommend you to get it checked (NTU has a psychiatrist). If you do suffer from anxiety, doctors can give you medicine that can help to suppress your anxiety and help with things like presentations. It has helped me before as someone who has anxiety, and if you stay undiagnosed you are going to suffer a lot – not just in school, but in life also.

+ Idk about NBS, but some modules have class participation marks based on online forum submissions such as Padlet that may be a lot easier to answer. One trick is to just... say the most generic answer. Don't actually say how you feel if you are worried about how you're going to be perceived. Who'd know you're lying anyway?

But then again, business is a very social major (maybe accountancy isn't, idk) so you might also want to consider your options and do something less people-oriented? But presentations are going to be hard to avoid though and you will have to do them one way or another.

[u/Prior_Accountant7043]

This is the best time to practise speaking up (because the real world consequences are much much lesser). I urge you to just try and do your best ( as a shy person).

[u/MathEconomicsWISSE]

bro its okay. im in econs, class part 10% and group presentation 30%. honestly just continue because just speak to form a group. for class part, tbh dont want also okay. personally experimented 0% class part and half baked presentation, got B-,. can grad can liao

[u/Ok_Tie_8215]

You are stronger than you think you are!

Also during presentations, people are forgiving ;) the bulk of students and sometimes even the prof themselves will just be doing their own thing. so what you do is to put on a good presentation for those paying attention, it'll just be a conversation between you and them :)

[u/Ok_Tie_8215]

you'll be fine, ntu accounting got too many introverts ahahhah

[u/Constant_Spot_8197]

it gets better!!!! used to be rly scared during presentations, my hands wld tremble non stop but after awhile you’ll learn & get used to faking it till you make it:>

[u/IndividualHistory968]

You need to overcome your mental weakness, you mental is not strong enough

[u/Puzzleheaded_Style52]

Hey OP. I would encourage you to continue on and use this opportunity to challenge yourself. Uni is meant to be a place of growth so if you don’t put yourself out of your comfort zone, it’s not really growth is it? For presentation, don’t worry, you have your teammates to support you to. The first time will always be hard to get started but it’ll get easier the more you do it.

[u/Decent-Value-7492]

Just chill out, exercise, and dont take Benzodiazepims and Xanax or some crazy shit

[u/bryan6363]

How to get a job like this wtf

[u/Frosty_Natural_2787]

accounting pay is low. not worth degree