Do you get up each morning, look in the mirror, and say, “Should I drop out of college?” No matter how long you’ve attended college to further your education, you may find yourself yearning for more in life, and you’re not alone. Over one million students will drop out of college each year in the United States. Many of these people are first-time college students dealing with the pressure of pleasing their parents while being the first to graduate college within their immediate family. Sure, the idea of being the first to do anything is great but is it worth doing something you don’t want to do at the expense of your mental health? Not at all. If you’re feeling indecisive on the next move to make, check out these 13 reasons to drop out of college.

 

#1. It Doesn’t Excite You Anymore.

When you’re in high school, most of the people around you are hyping up the idea of going to college, including your teachers, school counselors, and even your loved ones at home. When everyone around you keeps going on and on about how good college is for you and how you need it to be successful, it’s easy to fall into this trap where you feel like you’ve got to apply to different colleges and get into at least one of them to succeed in life. However, what usually happens for many students is that they realize college isn’t what they expected, and it no longer excites them. If you get up each day dreading the thought of spending a single minute taking classes, attending lectures, or studying for exams, college might not be for you, and there is nothing wrong with that. Why stick with something that causes dread, fear, and anxiety instead of excitement and pure joy?

#2. College Costs More Than Most Can Afford.

College is so expensive that most students struggle to afford it, even with partial scholarships and financial assistance. When you depend on student loans to afford the cost of college, it’s a constant burden in the back of your mind because it’s a reminder that you’ll need to find work immediately after graduating to afford the cost of paying your loans back. If you don’t come from a wealthy family or don’t receive a full-ride scholarship to the college of your choice, you can end up thousands of dollars in debt by the time you graduate. Why continue to let the debt accumulate by attending a college you dislike to learn about a subject that no longer interests you as much as it did when you first started? It’s not worth it.

#3. You Enrolled in College Because You Felt Pressured.

Pressure from family and friends to attend college is a real thing. If the people around you were constantly telling you that you needed to attend college to become something in life, you likely felt pressured to get good enough grades to get accepted to a college of your choice. But is this what you truly want in life? If you’re going to college for the sake of someone else, such as your parents, dropping out is the best decision you could make. You need to follow your heart and do what feels right for you instead of putting yourself through the pressure of college for no reason!

#4. You’re Struggling to Stay Afloat.

If you’re trying to juggle being a student in college and working a part-time or full-time job simultaneously, you’re probably struggling to stay afloat due to a lack of time for anything other than school or work. And, when you can’t work as much as you’d like to earn enough for bills and other living expenses, it becomes a struggle to survive. When it’s not working out for you, dropping out is the better option because it frees up more of your time, allows you to work a job that you like to afford living expenses, and helps you avoid dealing with massive student loan debt.

#5. You’ve Discovered a Side Hustle That You Love.

Have you come across a side hustle that you’ve fallen in love with and enjoy doing in your spare time? If it’s become your number one passion in life, and you’ve already started to earn from it, why not put your all into what you love instead of staying in college and doing something that doesn’t ignite a fire within you? Sure, the side hustle might not last forever, but it could also turn into a profitable business venture that allows you to earn six figures or more at some point. It’s a risk worth taking when you’re not enjoying the time spent at college.

#6. The Long Days and Even Longer Nights Are Stressing You Out.

Academic demands are no joke. Unfortunately, most students aren’t prepared for the heavy workload they’ll receive while taking multiple courses each semester. If you feel like the days are long and the nights are even longer because you’re constantly studying, working on a project, or doing something else school-related, ask yourself if this is something you truly want in life. Do you want to dedicate every waking moment to school in hopes of graduating and getting a job in a specific field, or is there a chance that you can still become something amazing without having to sacrifice every moment of your life?

#7. What You Want to Do in Life Doesn’t Require a College Degree.

If you’ve recently discovered that the career you’d like to have doesn’t necessarily require a college degree, why waste your time going to college? For example, you can find plenty of high-paying jobs that don’t require a degree in the programming and information technology field. Why spend four or more years of your life in college when you have the potential to get started now and work your way up the ladder to earn more? Having a college degree might sound good on paper, but it’s not a necessity for every high-paying job in existence, so you can still make it in life without one.

#8. You’ve Decided It’s Not What You Want Anymore.

If we’re honest, some people go to college and realize it’s not what they expected and not what they want to do for the next several years. If you feel that way, you’re not alone, and you shouldn’t feel bad about it. When you’ve decided that college isn’t what you want, it’s better to pull yourself out and save yourself the money, stress, and frustration so that you can pursue what you love.

#9. You Can Make a Living Without Going to College.

Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t make a living without a college degree. Mark Zuckerberg, the billionaire co-founder of Facebook and former college dropout, would beg to differ. While he’s a prime example of a successful person who dropped out of college and still made a name for himself, he’s not the only one. Even if you don’t create the latest social media platform that billions of people use daily to stay connected as Mark Zuckerberg did, you can still make good money without a degree. There are thousands of no degree-required jobs available in different industries, including plumbing, pest control, marketing, auto services, and more.

#10. It’s Taking a Toll on Your Mental Health.

It’s not worth staying in college if it’s taking a toll on your mental health. If you constantly feel depressed, anxious, and stressed because you don’t know what you want to do in life and feel like you’re wasting time in college, drop out and pursue your passions. There is no good reason to stay in college, racking up student loan debt when you’re not even sure that you want to stick with it. Prioritize your mental health above everything else!

#11. You Want to Travel and Explore the World.

Attending college can hold you back from traveling and exploring the world. If your goal is to visit incredible places, meet new people, and see new things, you can head out on the journey of a lifetime instead of staying in college while attending stressful, boring classes that don’t interest you in the slightest. If traveling makes you happy, you can even turn it into a career by becoming a travel blogger or photographer.

#12. The Passion for Your Major No Longer Exists.

When you first decided to go to college, you may have had a major in mind. However, after attending school and taking classes, there’s a chance you’ve decided that major isn’t for you and is no longer something you’d like to do. If you feel that way, don’t feel bad. Instead, find a passion for something else while dropping out of college to pursue your interests. You don’t have to stay enrolled just because you feel committed to a specific major.

#13. Dropping Out Doesn’t Equal Failure.

Don’t let anyone tell you that dropping out equals failure. If you know that college isn’t what you want or isn’t working out for you, the wisest thing to do is leave to pursue what you love in life. There is no good reason to waste years of your life doing something that makes you miserable when you could be out there discovering new hobbies and interests while turning them into opportunities to earn a living.

While some people excel in college, it’s not for everyone. You don’t have to feel bad about dropping out of college to pursue other things. If it’s taking a toll on your mental health, costing you a fortune, and causing more frustration than you could’ve imagined, dropping out is the most feasible solution.