I'm so screwed... (getting this off my chest)

[Dystopia]

So, as some of you may know I'm a law student and I'm on my 3rd year right now (technically 3rd year but it's my 4th because I failed last year, so I'm repeating 3rd year and doing a few classes from 4th year because I didn't fail 100% classes). Basically, I lied to my parents and told them I only failed a few classes but still managed to pass the school year. I have a scholarship that pays my tuition and costs associated with university from the government, but I'm going to lose it. I'm waiting for the responsible social services to tell me that I don't have a right to a scholarship anymore, because legally I don't meet the requirements, it's just that they take super long to reply to my request, but I already know that legally it is impossible to have a scholarship pension because I failed my school year, and failing means you will not receive pensions to fund your studies anymore.

So, my parents are super proud of me and think I'm going to be an awesome judge or lawyer, and expect highly of me - The truth is I have to pay 1000€ in tuition and have no means of doing so, I don't have a job because I live with my parents and I'm starting to really hate my degree and I'm tired, I want to drop off university. I just don't want this anymore, it's not for me as much as it used to be and classes feel boring and boring. My mom thinks I have a scholarship to pay tuition and expects me to finish my degree this school year, but it's not going to happen.

I want to do something, I don't want to be a parasite - I'd like to get a job, but I have no idea how to do it. In my country it is estimated that there's about 30-40% youth unemployment if you account for fallacious variables that accidentally tend to make the numbers lower. Aside from that, a bigger problem is short term temporary jobs. Basically it's trendy to hire people temporarily and you know beforehand that you'll go away after a period ranging legally anywhere from 6 months to 3 years. This creates an unstable employment situation where people, specially with low qualifications tend to jump from job to job without knowing what will happen to them and many times receive a low salary. Aside from that, there's a legal possibility that after the contract ends you can renovate it and basically stay for another equivalent period of time or it can even become permanent, so that leads desperate people to blindly be abused by employers with fear of losing their jobs. Minimum wage is not very high, it's about 500€ and the average rent price is 250-300€, + at least 150€ in water, electricity, etc.

I have no idea how to get a job, I was never prepared for this. But I want to earn my own money and sustain myself. Most jobs require experience, which I don't have. Most jobs with low paid wages (which I'm qualified for because I only have highschool diploma) or even decent ones require social skills and interaction, which I really suck at. Seriously, I avoid people, enjoy being alone and avoid talking to people. I'm terrible at talking to strangers and sounding convincing. I try to be nice but sometimes still convey indifference and antipathy without noticing or intending it. I have no idea what to do. Aside from knowing English, I don't have any decent skills. I'm not qualified and probably won't be good to work in most low paid jobs. 

My girlfriend is taking a degree in education and wants to work at a teacher. She is actually good at what she does. And she has a part time job right now. She always has friends who give her a job, which I don't, and she is super extrovert and persuasive. She can adapt to any job that requires social interaction and excel. She can talk to anyone and be nice, convincing. I can't. I am literally one of the worst category of people for the majority of jobs that require social interaction. There's some jobs I would actually enjoy taking, but most of those require previous experience

I'm not asking for help, I just wanted to get this off my chest. Thanks for reading

[brewer]

Can you get a job (even part time) working for a law firm as a paralegal? Does the school provide any job placement services for students? In grad school, the school helped place me in PT professional jobs so I could work and still attend classes.

You need to fess up to your folks ASAP. The longer you let it slide the worse it will be.

The dropping out issue is totally up to you. If you're 100% convinced you'll never use the education you should probably look at options. If you can stick it out I think you would be better off. Sounds like you're 2/3 or 3/4 of the way through already. A degree is always worth something even if not applied in the legal profession. The business world loves an educated individual. I can't tell you how many managers we had at our company that had undergrad degrees and making good money when their degree had nothing to do with the business.

Does your country offer student loans? By the time I got through school I was $40K in debt, and this was in the 80's. No scholarship/funding for school, just loans and part time work. Best decision I ever made.

Good luck and best wishes.

[Dystopia]

Can you get a job (even part time) working for a law firm as a paralegal? Does the school provide any job placement services for students?  In grad school, the school helped place me in PT professional jobs so I could work and still attend classes.

To answer your question separately:

- My university does help students get jobs, but it's only for full graduates because having 3/4 of a diploma done is the equivalent to having nothing. Either I finish my course, or I will have to put on my CV that I only have highschool (to be fair, when looking for a low paid job it's actually and advantage to only have completed highschool). Aside from that, my university usually only helps students with over the top average grades (I think Americans call it GPA) getting jobs. Average students like me need to look outside

- Most law firms are composed by lawyers and require you to (1) Have a full graduation (no masters required, just normal graduation) (2) Have above average grades (3) Be well dressed, with manners and have high social interaction and persuasion skills. Aside from that, there's lots of unemployment in the Legal field because basically some decades ago a bunch of low quality private unis opened up one after the other and now we got lots of law graduates that basically bribed grades and exams and don't know shit about what matters the most in law. For this reason, it's hard to get a job as a lawyer if you're not well connected. 

- Other jobs related to law require full degree. Again, half or 3/4 of a degree aren't worth anything. Everything must be 100% completed. 

You need to fess up to your folks ASAP. The longer you let it slide the worse it will be.

What do you mean by this?

The dropping out issue is totally up to you. If you're 100% convinced you'll never use the education you should probably look at options. If you can stick it out I think you would be better off. Sounds like you're 2/3 or 3/4 of the way through already. A degree is always worth something even if not applied in the legal profession. The business world loves an educated individual. I can't tell you how many managers we had at our company that had undergrad degrees and making good money when their degree had nothing to do with the business.

I agree with you, but keep in mind what I said about temporary jobs and unemployment, getting a good job in a decent medium sized company is becoming very complicated - Yes, it can be an advantage of high paying jobs but if I ever need to work in a lower paid job having a degree works against me, specially a law degree, law students have trouble being hired for other jobs simply because they know how labour law works and how to prosecute cases of abuse by employers. No one wants a MacDonald's worker with a law degree, that would be irrational.

I can't tell 100% I won't do anything with my degree, but I can tell there's not much I don't want to do with it. I find it boring, pure and simple. I don't want to be there.

Does your country offer student loans? By the time I got through school I was $40K in debt, and this was in the 80's. No scholarship/funding for school, just loans and part time work. Best decision I ever made.

In theory banks loan for anything you need as long as its legal, but loans for uni are not common - Firstly, if you need a loan you need a stable job to prove you will pay on time, you need to pay interest rates and you need a decent salary, none of which I have. Secondly, 1000€ annually is a low value that most banks are not interested in investing, most loans are for housing, cars and so on but few really care about helping students. Most students either pay everything with their parents money, get a schoolarship if they're poor or work part time to pay directly to the uni. If you work part time, there's no reason for a loan, you can pay directly and even save money for some time so that you have enough to pay like half a year. I know College in America is expensive, but 1000€ per year for a public uni is not much because you end up paying 100€ per month during 10 months. It is some money, but not unbearable.

Good luck and best wishes.

Thanks by the support

[Aoi Magi]

Option 1:
Confess about failing to your parents. Then get a part-time job and pay the fee yourself.

Option 2:
Move out and try getting a full job, provided you can resume your degree after a break or have some choice in distance education.

[drfuzzy]

Are there any alternative uses for (what I'm assuming are pre-law?) classes?  I would take this opportunity to quickly research mildly related fields, and see if you can make a lateral move.  You probably have all the prerequisites down.  For example, there are all sorts of information technology and computer specializations that would draw on legal knowledge.  You must be good at research.  It's not hopeless, particularly not if you find a growing field that seems interesting to you.  Then you could present your alternatives to your family as a career that is growing, and holds more interest for you than law.  Describe your fears about getting hired as a lawyer, play up your interest in this other career path, and a lateral move could even help explain the need for more classes.

I have two Masters Degrees and a Doctorate.  Not one of my four college degrees has ever helped me get a decent job. In fact, having the Doctorate means that most people won't hire me, not even to stock the shelves at a store.  It's very important to get a degree that will help you find employment.

[brewer]

"Fess up" means to tell your parents exactly everything that is going on and tell them. Sure, they might be hurt, disappointed and not happy. However, I think you'll find that parents can be very forgiving and supportive. If you put it off there is a good chance that they'll be more pissed off because you didn't tell them in a timely manor. In a time when they can possibly help before it's to late.

Go to the school job counselor anyway. What to you have to loose? Same with the bank for financing. Don't have the "it'll never work so why even try" attitude. That attitude only leads to failure. You can't tell me that law firms don't have/hire support staff. Support staff includes law clerks, paralegals, legal assistants, legal secretaries, .....

http://research.lawyers.com/identifying-...ffice.html

The "law students have trouble being hired for other jobs simply because they know how labor law works and how to prosecute cases of abuse by employers" sounds like another excuse not to try and quite frankly bullshit. Not every business has employers that don't comply with labor laws. In fact, we have businesses that hire individuals whose entire job is to ensure that labor law practices and OSHA (occupational safety and health admin) guidelines are in practice. These people are definitely not attorneys.

As for the lower paying jobs. Simply don't tell them about school.

In the most supportive way I can say this, bottom line, stop making excuses, get off your ass, and go and make the attempt.