I Dropped Out Of Uni & Read 3 Books...Coincidence? I Think Not // Weekly Reading Vlog 2021
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ม.ค. 2021
- Hey hey folks! We have another weekly reading vlog, in which I drop out of uni, read three books, and frolic around in the snow for awhile.
MENTIONED:
Books to read in 2021 - • Books I Want To Read I...
ACOWAR liveshow - • ACOWAR Live Show with ...
Reading Sprints on Tuesday with @BeccaandTheBooks and @GavinReadsItAll - • Live Reading Sprints w...
#FaRoFeb - / farofeb
Emma Hamm interview February 21st - • In Conversation With E...
BOOKS MENTIONED: *
All of the book link below are for Book Depository. However, if you would like to support independent bookshops in the UK and support me at the same time, you can use my general link while buying and/or take a peep at my profile, which includes themed lists of book recommendations from me - uk.bookshop.org/shop/afrolict...
Otherwise by Nicoletta Arbia - tidd.ly/3oXmuSH
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas - tidd.ly/3nReTUp
The Power of Hades by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson - tidd.ly/3qtUCG4
*All of the above Book Depository links are affiliate links, meaning I receive a small amount of the money you spend at no extra cost to you. If you are buying from Book Depository and don't want to buy any of the specified books but would still like to use an affiliate link of mine (thank you!), you can also use my general link here: : awin1.com/awclick.php?mid=5478...
SUPPORT ME VIA PATREON - / afrolicthroughfiction
Here you can join my Patreon exclusive book club, liveshows and more!
SCRIBD
I use Scribd for both audiobooks and ebooks, and highly recommend it! You can use this link to gain a two month free trial of unlimited reading - I'll also gain a month free! - www.scribd.com/g/7rz8tk
MY LINKS:
TWITTER: / frolic_fiction
BOOKSTAGRAM: / afrolicthroughfiction
GOODREADS: / ashleigh-a-frolic-thro...
PATREON: / afrolicthroughfiction
For Business Enquiries, contact: afrolicthroughfiction@gmail.com
MUSIC: Falling Snow by Aakash Gandi
![Autumnal Earthy Books // Month-Long CHALLENGE // When Books & Sustainability Collide [Ad]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bXzV2_N9kMI/mqdefault.jpg)
Until now, I have never seen anyone that has felt the same way about academia as me. Education is such a huge part of my life and when I finished my Bachelors degree I thought for sure a Masters degree was the right thing for me. I made it about two months into my first semester of grad school, my mental health was on a huge decline, I was stressed all the time. I had to make the difficult decision to drop out of grad school and it is the best decision I ever made. It took me years to come to terms with it and to stop thinking of myself as a failure but I am finally getting to a place where I am content with myself and my choices. Letting go of all that unnecessary stress was such a relief, I felt like the moment I submitted my request to drop out I could finally breathe again. I guess the point of my rambling is, from someone who has been in a similar situation, you will get through this. I have no doubt that you will. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s to trust your instincts, they won’t lead you astray. Sending you best wishes!! 💙
Thank you so much for this, really 💚
Not uni, but several times in my life I've had to step out of or leave behind activities/jobs/commitments that were deeply part of my identity. Each time I spent years feeling torn and then eventually, when I finally committed to the decision, great relief. Post decision there was also a bit of grieving for what is past, as well as reflection on my decision, but eventually peace with it.
As you said it would fill a whole video to talk about your relationship with academia and your reasons from dropping out, I was thinking I'd love to see that video! If you're comfortable with it, of course. I've seen in passing lots of articles about academia, in particular how the pandemic has revealed its underbelly etc. So your point of view would be interesting. This being said, I'm glad this has helped you feel better already, and that you're working on going through these changes. To new beginnings!
Regarding your masters, you followed your gut and regardless of whether it feels like the correct thing to do or not, you did what's best for you and ultimately that makes it the best decision. You definitely come across as lighter, for want of a better word, so it's so nice to watch this video as you can see a positive change!
I'm still recovering from grad school a year later. My caffeine intake and mental health was trash, so I understand the anxiety and stress. I hope you find some peace and relief 🖤
You look happier and more relaxed. You can also see the relief in your eyes. Do what makes you happy. I do have to say I'm jealous of the snow you have.
So, so nice to see some of your spark coming back! You absolutely can tell the weight that’s been lifted for you. Sending you all the love & positivity going forward 💚
Thank you so much 💚
Masters degrees are hell on earth. People always said I was overreacting and exaggerating when I said Masters was the hardest thing I've ever done. You can't explain it to people - the only people who understand how insane Masters are people who do a Masters. Good for you for putting your mental health first.
well thank you, I was planning to do a masters since I'm immensely enjoying my bachelors, now I'm scared :/
Heyyy Ashleigh, you're so strong for having dropped out of uni, I'm sure that must have been terrifying! 💛 I am actually thinking of doing the same, started my master in october and with all that has been going on + massive career doubt + crippling mental health, I am just at the end of it, which honestly breaks my heart. The one tweet you wrote at the end of december about your love of academia having to fight against the current shit show resonanted so deep with me. I haven't made up my mind yet, but seeing people in similar positions is comforting (while being extremely sad as well, that we're all in this position) 💛 (sorry, rambled a bit about my life)
Love your videos and this calming and comforting vibe you radiate ❤️
I'm so happy you chose to take care of your mental heath! I'm the exact same as you in terms of seeing my academic path as a parameter for how much I'm worth. Currently doing a medical PhD and my stresslevels are through the roof up to the point that I am also thinking why I'm doing this and if I want to have this amount of responsibility for the rest of my life.
I can relate to this so much. I dropped out of my PhD and it was an incredibly difficult decision and I needed counselling to get through it but it was the right decision for me and the weight that was lifted after leaving it was unreal. My only regret is not doing it sooner as it was destroying me!
Girl please don’t be hard on yourself for choosing to stop doing your masters.. you were taking on such a huge thing in the middle of a pandemic and if you say you value education it is always there. If you choose to go back in the future you always can there’s no rule that says you have to do it all at once I did the same thing I got too anxious about going straight from undergrad to masters I took 4 years out and then I was like oh ok now I’m ready and yeah I was a little older than the others but it was fine. Likewise you may decide you don’t want to go back and that’s fine too.. please don’t let your brain tell you otherwise because you are already so successful. Look at what you have accomplished in here. You have a wonderful job with fairyloot. You are a successful queen already. I’m glad you made a decision that will make you happier in the long run 💗💗💗
I saw so much of myself in this video! 😭I was studying veterinarian medicine but I became severely depressed and was just constantly so stressed and afraid of failure. The pressure of all of it became impossible for me to handle and after two years, I finally decided to drop out. Even though it still felt like a failure and that I was somehow giving up, i am now much happier trying to find what else I want to do with my life!
I think you definitely made the right decision by dropping out if your mental health was declining because of your degree, it is a terrifying decision but I hope you find peace in it!! Much love and happiness for you 💗💗
Ahhh! The snowy forest is so pretty! 😍😍😍 I know what you mean about having to train yourself to relax because I’ve had to do that before. I have struggled to just sit down & read at times too. That actually happened yesterday. My brain wanted to physically pick up a book but I just couldn’t do it. Congrats on dropping out of uni! I know what you mean about the decision being the best thing for you, but your brain saying a million other things. Hopefully, that will subside soon!💕💕💕 You look like a weight has been lifted off of you! 🤗🤗🤗 Who you are is so much more that just accomplishments! ❤️❤️❤️ Not saying they mean nothing...but you also want to continue to be tied to things that bring you joy & don’t deplete you! Well, Goood morning, my dear! ☀️☀️☀️ I hope you have a great day! ☺️✨✨ I love you! 🥰🥰🥰 Happy Reading! 🤓📚✨
I will say this, I saw your vlogs on classic literature and I thought wow 1. You love literature 2. You are a good reader 3. You communicate well. If the purpose of academia is to teach and publish, then you are already doing that. I have three degrees in literature and all during those years my main worry was that I might not be able to read for pleasure any more! I think you can always do an MA or for that matter a PhD latter if you want, but not at the expense of losing the pleasure of reading. Thank you for all your delightful vlogs. You have a fair number of subscribers and I am sure in days to come you will be able to get a slot on the radio or tv presenting literature/culture or write your own books.
Thanks so much for sharing your woodland walk. It was just what I needed this evening. 😊
Glad you enjoyed it!
I’m sorry you had to drop out but I’m also glad you feel a lot better and don’t worry you’ll keep learning even though you aren’t in “uni” ❤️
As I started the video I was just thinking something feels “more lightweight” and then you told us about Uni and I think it’s such a important decision to focus on your mental health. (I write this as I’m need to do something about my own) so happy for you 🧡
I had something similar, because I'm the only one in my family to go to university and get a degree, I felt like a lot of my self-worth was tied with academia. I immediately dropped my Masters when I realised I wasn't doing it for me and I have gained so much happiness and calmness since then. But man it's so hard to un-train your brain when all it knew to do/excel at was academia!
I feel like I can relate to what you say about uni and mental health. Last year in March during the national lockdown (the first and I hope the only one!) what keep me motivated to do thinks was the fact that I had lessons to watch and exams to prepare for. There were times where I was really close to dropping out, I don't know what made me rethink that but at some point, I was like "what I'm doing? This is pointless". Honestly, I was like that until a week ago when my tutor said that my thesis was good and everything was going as planned. I had at least three massive panic attack in the last two months, it's been difficult.
I'm now feeling a lot better and I can't wait to graduate, but I think that mental health has to be the priority ;) we are going through a difficult time we have to do everything we can to stay healthy in any way, physically and mentally :D
💚💚💚
I did the same thing few years ago, I dropped out of Uni and it was the best decision ever. I was so miserable and felt horrible all the time, because it was just too much. I don't regret it at all.
You've got some PERFECT reading weather going on right there!
ahhh the snow shots make me so jealous! 😍
I can definitely tell that a weight has been lifted off your shoulders! So happy for you and that you realized what you needed to do for your mental health and to make you happy. It's so important but can be so scary. Congratulations!
I get what you mean about academia. I actually started my degree in physics and I was planning to become an astrophysicist since I was like 15. About 3/4 of my way through my first year of physics I realised I wasn't into it anymore. I then changed my degree to an anthropology one, and now I am in creative and professional writing honours. It has been a trip, and it was also a very difficult decision for me to change my degree to what I did. There was also a stage I think I should had stepped out of uni for a semester because my mental health really went down but I didn't and I regret it. If you need to separate yourself for the sake of your health, that is not a bad thing, and yeah it is scary. But you'll be okay.
Just wanted to say that I highly respect and admire you for making the decision you did and that you took your mental health seriously... not everyone does and that can end up making them really sick for a long time... so good on you for making a hard choice in order to take care of yourself and I am glad to see it is helping already 😊
I'm so glad that you have some relief now & taking care of your mental health💕
lovely to see you really happy. loving the snow
Love the piano music and the snow. 😍
Omg your attitude about your sleep schedule is exactly mine; I've never felt so seen: "well, it'll sort itself out eventually!"
I'm so glad to hear that you're feeling better now! The snow scenes were absolutely beautiful.
I hope you're doing okay. Uni took a toll on my mental health too and it probably would have been better for me to drop out looking back on it, but it's never an easy decision. I'm always chuffed to bits to find out you've uploaded again and I know that everyone else feels the same. I'm glad that you remembered that you come first.
(Make sure you have loads of cozy winter reads)
Glad you're feeling better. I feel like it really shows in this vlog. 💚
I'm so happy for you! You already seem so much happier and that is the best thing to watch :) Also, incredibly jealous of your snow! We only had a few flurries in York but not nearly enough!
Loved the snow 😍❄
Hello Ashleigh, I'm glad you feel better after dropping out of uni, I'm sure it must have been a difficult decision but it sounds like you made the right choice! It might be a bit too early to do so but I would be be interested if one day you made a video about your college experience and why you decided to drop out. As someone who had a lot of mental health difficulties during my own time in college, it would be very interesting to see your opinions and thoughts about it.
Have a great day! :)
The forest beside where you live so so gorgeous and I smile everytime it appears in your vlogs 💗
Hey! I'm sorry to hear about uni, but at the same time I'm relieved for you too. I had a similar experience with my Masters so I can understand the stress, but, things can only get better now, and you've got more time to invest in other things you love 🧡 Sending you positive vibes for the future x
Ahh the snow was so pretty! Really proud of you for withdrawing from your course, sometimes the decisions that are best for us are the hardest to make ❤️
I'm glad you've taken some stuff off your plate❤️ I hope you are less stressed because in 2021 we are not going to be stressed to the point of crying no more !!! It ain't the vibe💕
That Hades story sounds really interesting😊😆
Love your loves :) keep being awesome!
Sending you lots of love and positivity ❤️
I get you honestly, I'm in second year uni and there has been hardly any time to just sit down and read and if I do find the time its usually about a chapter or 30ish pages and even when you're reading or trying to rest fo relax your mind keeps wondering back to your work and its like you can't really switch off from uni. Honestly even shutting my eyes to go to sleep I'm still figuring stuff out and working on the backs of my eyelids and, urgh its exhausting. I'm sorry to hear that its been effecting your mental health and I'm happy you're feeling relieved and are getting help :) look after yourself x
God you are so lucky with the snow! Here in Essex we got like two hours of sleet then it rained for the rest of the day. I love the rain but the snow is so magical and I want it😩❤️
I'm glad you took a decision that would reduce your stress and anxiety.. ❤️ I haven't finished a single book since this year started :/ So I'd love to be a part of the livestreams! 😊 The snowy woodland was mesmerizing 😍
I lol'd when you were talking about the returning home thing in ACOWAR 🤣
Uni destroyed my ability to relax and look after myself so I'm still trying to unlearn that and not feel guilty when I rest! Although I didn't get to post-grad, I relate so hard to your feelings about academia ♥
I never got as far as my masters but I have been to Uni twice (for two different courses), and I dropped out both times. Like you, I pride myself on academia and my successes in that area so it was difficult, but I just don't think Uni is the right way to go for me and I'm learning that that is okay too. I love your vlogs and it's ace to see you a bit happier already after having that weight lifted! Sending you love & positivity! You got this 💪🏼💜
i feel what you mean so much about having to train yourself to relax after uni, i'm feeling so guilty atm when I'm doing anything that isn't uni related 😅
I downloaded the power of hades right after this video and just wow ! Thank you for mentioning it , it’s one of the best books I’ve read and short enough to not get bored of it ! I’m now on the second book :)
Great sweater. Love it.
What you said about uni and not being able to relax, same Ashley same! I'm studying with the OU and love it, but with full time work and family life it's a lot. However, personally I find that it gives me something that is entirely for myself so I don't stress so much about it. I did drop out of uni the first time around though because of mental health reasons so that might also be a factor for me. There seems to be a stigma around "dropping out" but you just have to do what you and your brain needs at the time.
Yes! I *barely* finished my MA and think I should have dropped out SO MANY times. Between surgery, hurricane that destroyed our city, and my last semester being when COVID kicked off, getting my degree felt like something that was holding me down and making me feel terrible and just genuinely felt unimportant to me. Idk I have a lot of thoughts and feelings.
You had to do what you needed to. And that's okay. Im with you with the sleep pattern it sucks.
3:50 flexing them thumbnail skills 💪🏼
The irony is it took me so long to make both of these that you only saw a tiny part of the process 😂
It must have been such a hard decision to drop out but I'm glad you're giving yourself more time and space to breathe!💕 I really really should pick up ACOTAR!
I’ve never heard anyone talk about the power of hades trilogy! i read them last month and i really enjoyed them!!
I love Emma Hamm, I just ordered the second book in the Heart of the Fae series. Also definitately read the Novella it is alot about clean up and set up for the next book. Alot of folks were mad at it, but i thought it was fine. :)
That snow!! Wow! Also, are you wearing a Medusa ring?! It's so pretty! Can I ask where it's from 💖
I wouldn’t mind a super long video on your thoughts about uni if you wanted to make one- deciding not to do post grad was one of the hardest and suckiest decisions I’ve had to make
Why is watching you make thumbnails so calming
Hey my lovely, great to see you back xx
Loving the b roll footage of the snowy walk, accompanied with the music it is lovely 🤗
So proud of you Ashleigh for making such a huge decision, a weight is lifted off your shoulders and it can be seen. You just have to relearn that there is a bucket load of fun waiting for you. You will get to the stage where you are at peace with yourself more and more, it may take a little time but you will get there.
Crikey I go bed really late and no matter what I always wake up at 4am, even if I have gone to bed at half 1 or beyond I will sleep and then wake at 4am 🤭😳
Bring on the squad sprints 🤗🤗🤗
💚💚💚
We should normalize changing the term "dropped out" bc though thats TECHNICALLY true, I feel like it has a failure/negative connotation to it that may even make it more dramatic or a bigger and more negative step than it has to be! You do you girl! You decided to do what was best for your mental health and are no longer studying for a masters degree and THATS OK!
I am reading this book at this moment! How weird!!
Not getting enough sleep for me has only become an issue since having to drive on the motorway on a motorbike every day. It's really mentally and physically taxing so I can't afford to be sleepy. Before that I would literally not sleep for 30h straight and not bat an eyelid 🤣
I wish I could edit thumbnails with the skill you do 😂
It takes me far longer than i care to admit half the time 😂
Just had a thought 💭. It would be cool to find books that are a retailing of a favorite Greek God. I wonder how many retelling there are of Hades? Zeus? Aphrodite? 🧐
ooh i really want to read otherwise, poetry and myths sound incredible!
for me, my insomnia was mostly a reaction to the nightmares I had. I changed my diet, the nightmares stopped, and since then I've been sleeping well. That was idk maybe 15-20 years ago, which means it was like 35-40 years before I figured it out.
Can you describe what you changed your diet to? And what your diet is now? Might help me and others 👍
@@JulEnglefaris Back then I used to love a late night pizza washed down with orange juice. I knew it gave me nightmares but I deluded myself into believing that they were vivid dreams. Afterwards I tended to stay awake two or three days in a row, and then sort of pass out into a dreamless sleep of exhaustion. It was several years before I understood I had become afraid of sleeping. As for the food, hard cheese, like Swiss, plus the very sweet citrus juice always triggered the nightmares. Part of the problem was that it was so easy, so now I tend to cook more and have replaced some servings of fruit with vegetables.
@@jamesduggan7200 really interesting, thanks for replying. I definitely drink a TON of OJ constantly so a good thing to think about cutting back on.
@@JulEnglefaris with any luck you'll work out a good sleep schedule at a much earlier age than I had. I was a bit stubborn back then, but now I sleep regularly.
I am also debating if I should be dropping out. I have my Bachelors Degree but I am in an Intensive program where I am taking 7 courses a semester. But i am just not enjoying the academic enviornemnt. I am just nervous what I would do without school after being in it for so long.
Have you read Lovely War by Julie Berry? If bot you should really give it a look, I think you would like it ^-^ it's a lovestory set during ww1, told by some of the Greek Gods and Goddesses and is about how Love loves War 😉
Have you read Radio Silence? If not, it might be the perfect read for you right now!
What software do you use to create thumbnails? I'm also genuinely confused as to why thumbnails are called thumbnails because they have nothing to do with thumbs... or nails lmao
Ashleigh = Academia.
Whether in an institution or not.
💚💚💚