Pulling out of university helped Nick Arnst realise what he really wanted to do

After doing a year's worth of university engineering papers, failing half, then changing direction to do psychology, Nick Arnst decided to stop and take stock.

"I felt like I was at university just for the sake of it, that I was wasting money and wasting my life. I thought my parents wanted me to be there, but I talked to them and they said they wanted me to do what I wanted, and that they would support me.

"So I worked for mum and dad, who were establishing a hazelnut orchard. I also got a part-time job installing irrigation for horticulture projects. I loved being in the outdoors, and found I had a knack for irrigation. It fitted the way my brain works.

"I also found that one of the biggest things I enjoyed was that practical, hands-on work."

This experience helped Nick decide to go back to university to do a degree in horticultural management and marketing. This time around he has had a much more positive experience – topped off by a scholarship from Horticulture New Zealand.

Read about how Nick decided which horticulture courses to take