University killing love for learning
As someone who loves to learn, college has been one of the worst things that could have happened to me. I am currently finishing the third year of a four-year European law degree, and out of thirty classes, I have enjoyed very few of them. Because the curriculum offers zero flexibility (unlike the customizable programs in the US), I find myself relying on short-term memorization and AI tools just to get through subjects I have no passion for. It would be way more productive if we were evaluated on deep research on topics we actually care about (even if within a course), but universities seem terrified that AI makes that kind of assignment too easy to cheat on.
This makes me deeply hesitant to pursue a master's degree in the one niche I have found to enjoy. First, I'm afraid I'll have another problem with an inflexible program. Second, with AI rapidly changing the job market, I feel pressure to bypass further education and rush into the job market before entry positions dry up I have actually been offered one already.
Should I take it and do the master's later, even though some firms prefer candidates who already have one? Also, I tend to procrastinate on university work to focus on my real interests, but then feel guilty because I haven't done what I was supposed to. Three years have passed and I haven't built something I'm proud of outside of university. What to do?