<p>Hey everyone,
I am 18 years old and it's going to be my 3rd year in college. I graduated when I was a junior, my grades usually consisted of A's and the occasional B's. I took dual-enrollment classes in my junior year but it ended horribly, I focused on my high school classes more than on the college courses and ended up failing 2 of the 3. By the time I graduated high school, my college GPA was probably a 1.5, this left me with no other choice than to go to a community college, despite my high school GPA being a 3.8/4.0 and my SAT scores being above average. I accepted this, it was my fault for failing to be responsible. My college GPA was finally at a 3.20 after a few semesters. Though last semester I became depressed as I realized that I had no life outside of school, and it had been that way since I was in middle school. Anyways, I didn't fail any classes but from all A's I went to C's and B's. This semester I failed 2 classes and barely passed the other 2. My mother doesn't know this semester's results yet but she told me if I got below an A she would get rid of my laptop and phone. Which isn't a big deal since I have no social life, but I didn't want to disappoint her.
Sorry for the rambling. My question is basically, what should I do now? My major is nursing and I know that's what I want to do, but I'm not sure how well I'd fare in such a competitive field when my GPA is a 2.8. I have been seeing a psychologist since November but it hasn't really helped. I already have 40-50 credits in college although some of them don't count towards the AA requirements. Also, sorry for posting this in the parents forum... I'm not sure where else to post it... or if this even belongs in CC. Thank you.</p>
<p>I’m having a little bit of a problem reading between the lines here. Are you not getting the support you need from your mother? Or do you feel that you’re burdened by high expectations that you can’t meet? Obviously your mother needs to find out your grades at some point, and you should try to have an honest discussion with her about how having your laptop and phone being confiscated will bring about positive change.</p>
<p>Do you think your grades are falling because the coursework is too difficult? Or do you feel like your depression is interfering with your study habits? As far as having a social life, I was the same way in college. I found that it took a lot of effort to make small talk and I forced myself to join clubs. I found that the best thing to do was to join really active organizations that expected everyone to contribute (as opposed to organizations where the officers formed their own clique and didn’t care who showed up for meetings.) Clubs that perform a lot of community service are excellent for people who feel like they would like to get out more. Even getting a part-time job can help you with your social life.</p>
<p>If the coursework is too challenging, don’t be ashamed to ask for help from instructors and tutors. Also, try not to pressure yourself to graduate by a certain time. Some students find that they need a little more time working on their foundations than others. Once they’ve mastered the basics, they can then go on to do quite well. I have a relative who took free online versions of classes that he had already taken just to help reinforce his knowledge. (He took these classes during the summer.) I know of another student who was able to salvage his college career by paying for a private tutor to help him out during a rough patch.</p>
<p>In the meantime, best of luck to you. </p>