The Three Signs of a Miserable Degree

Book: Patrick M. Lencioni (2007) The Three Signs of a Miserable Job: A Fable for Managers.

I just read the book above today when out for a stroll. I was so bored of my revision and studying I decided to browse the bookshelves of Border's. And during my browsing, I came across this book. I thought, "I'm miserable at my job (i.e. studying) - maybe this book is relevant for me." And it hit home why I've felt so useless these past three years in three, simple points.

Anonymity
I am a naturally very loud person. So loud in fact at heart, that I have to tone down my personality to fit in places.

Because I cannot compartmentalise at university, separating out my different desires and aspirations (career, social, intellectual, sexual etc.), I chose the other route - to disappear entirely and become anonymous rather than gain notoriety and be hated by people.

Likewise, trying to be someone at a prestigious institution is difficult. Everyone is fantastic. How are you going to be different? Being a perfectionist, I chose to disappear rather than fail.

Irrelevance
I had high goals and hopes before coming to university. I wanted to genuinely help people - by acquiring skills which would lead me to politics or another profession by which I could give value.

At university, I felt my contribution was irrelevant for two reasons:

1. I felt I was learning nothing of use (i.e. public policy and knowledge relevant for public policy), nor were my tutorials of any use (the grades on my essays did not contribute to my degree mark, and due to the lack of syllabus were not focussed in any way on the course).
2. Any other goal at university would not help the causes for which I felt passionate about, like helping others in poverty (whatever the poverty is - material, economic, or emotional).

Immeasurability

The nature of my degree is that it cannot be measured. There are only four real grades: 1st class, Upper Second, Lower Second, and Third. The proportions are 10%, 75%, 9% and 1% respectively. But earning a first is something that cannot be defined or measured - no one can really tell you how to get a first class result. It's something which is not completely SMART - getting a first might be achieveable, realistic and timed, but it is not specific or measurable.

Now if you think that the work you do every week is not only properly measurable, but in no way directly contributes to your final mark, and you have a problem.

Conclusion

Now, I might be heading for a terrible degree grade. Now I know why. If I had to do my degree again, I would aim to be:

• Known
• Measure my progress in someway
• Do something which I think is relevant