As a beginner Winterhold in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Anyone have any idea about this? I not supposed to join the college at a low level? Because I did, and now, a few quests in I'm in a dwemer ruin, and I'm getting my ass handed to me. Even if I turn down the difficulty, it's still near impossible to properly fight and defeat all the enemies there. That or a pure mage without weapons isn't a viable option, which is of course infinitely worse than not playing the college at low level. Also, concerning that same ruin, a key is needed to enter the last area. I've been through the ruin three times, and have not found a single key, save the one you get right after you enter to open the first door. I realize few people have the game, and of that small percentage, only a few will probably have started the "mages guild", but I have to ask about the key, because it's starting to annoy me.

The game is a lot harder than Oblivion when you're comparing difficulty levels. Alteration and restoration have been my 2 best friends as a mage so far. That and kiting around enemies or just running away. Anyway I haven't been to the ruin you described yet unless it's the first dungeon as a mage but that didn't have a key so I can't really help you.

I do the same. Though I also conjure an atronach, combined with armor upgrade and that shielding spell. After that it's mostly hit and run, but in that dungeon, at my level, it just didn't work. And it indeed is quite a bit harder than Oblivion, but considering the mages guild is pretty basic, I didn't find my question so strange, as other might have suggested. And you'll get to that part pretty fast, only small stuff in between, should you find it, could you please contact me? I still haven't found it, I reloaded another safe just to be sure it wasn't some bug. Though I'm going to do some other stuff first, I really didn't like that ruin.

I was reading some another person’s experiences with the game so far and though not a direct answer to your "key" question, it seems that this other player had to complete a different quest line to obtain a "strange key" that would open a door somewhere. Reading between the lines, I'd say that that door is apart of a quest you do not have yet. You need to ask around until you find another quest for that ruin.