<p>Ok so I got sick and then I fell behind in school. When I came back I was overloaded with absent work and fell behind. Then I got really depressed because my grades are ridiculously closely tied to my self esteem. Now I'm heading into the end of the semester with straight Bs. I see all these other people with straight As who are completely not stressed. I just sit here struggling and drowning to only get a crappy and horribly 3.0. What should I do to get back on track?</p>
<p>Well I’m getting A+'s and I’m depressed. So there’s that.</p>
<p>But you didn’t get sick…
Also you’re being an *******. How would you like it if someone said “Well I’m depressed but I’m still better than you”</p>
<p>He is hinting at the important point that if your grades are tied to your self-esteem, you will always be vulnerable to depression.</p>
<p>Many straight-A people you observe are probably good at hiding stress.</p>
<p>Jesus people are so touchy</p>
<p>Depending on what grade ur in u can raise ur gpa later andmy grades are tied to my slef esteem too so ik how u feel. I have a few As anf Bs but im totally stressef out so everyone struggles so try to cheer up u always have next semester or next yr one semester isnt the end of the world just try to raise ur grades up and fyi there r ppl who struggle for Bs so just b thankful ur not failing or anything and hope u feel better: )</p>
<p>I also found Eric’s post to be a little vexing, in terms of saying that and not providing any real advice which you graciously asked for. Halogen is also right with what he said, but Eric should make that a little less obscure. </p>
<p>I’m not depressed, but I also manage A’s above a 94 and like you, grades are strongly acquainted with my attitude. I’ll try not to get into details and seem like a ***** as many have much worse situations in their life, but even with the harsh weekly lectures about making a small mistake and grades, I keep my cool inside class. What keeps me going is the prize which I so direly want is going to go to a good college, (hopefully an Ivy League). I don’t let my parents hinder my attitude by trying to make them feel bad by getting bad grades intentionally because I know that will only reduce my chances and my future for the most part. While top colleges have averages of 3.8< (as far as I know), whatever your GPA turns out to be will not ruin you unless you have less than a 3.8-3.9 currently. You’ll be fine, make up for it somehow in EC’s or test scores if you want a top 10. If not, you’ll still be eligible to get into the top 25 imo.</p>
<p>In summary, keep going, look forward into getting into a good college. Don’t get depressed because if you know you have the capacity to improve to a 4.0 in second semester. Explain a bit about it in your Common App because I know people explain their brief hardships and tell about their previous issues that affected them. Keep me or us updated on your progress. Good luck bro.</p>
<p>Agree with Halogen. I’m a straight-A student and I’m extremely stressed, but I don’t really show that when I’m at school. If you talked to any one of my friends, they would all tell you that I’m the most lax and happy person they know - but that’s not true at all.</p>
<p>I used to be depressed (actually sick with depression, although it was mild, not just the “oh, today was a crappy day - I’m depressed”) and my grades also plummeted for a short period of time in 9th grade because of it. A lot of getting over it has to do with time, but finding something that makes you happy with yourself is also important. For me, that was music. Not to sound conceited, but I’m a lot better than most of my peers at my instrument, and that was the only thing at the time that I actually felt confident about. So I focused on that.</p>
<p>Also, seek extra help in the subjects that you’re getting Bs in. Going the extra mile and actually telling the teacher “I can’t seem to understand this” or “however much I try, I just can’t master this concept” shows them you’re putting in effort (as opposed to just you knowing) and they may even give you a little bit of leniency on tests (but don’t be angry if they don’t; you shouldn’t expect them to).</p>
<p>This reply is already super long, but I just want to add in one more thing. Stop comparing yourself to others. That always makes me feel upset because there’s ALWAYS someone better at x, someone who has a higher grade in y, someone who’s more talented at z, etc. Learn to be comfortable in your own skin. Set your standards high, but also be content with a test grade in the 80s if you know that you studied your butt off and put in a lot of effort. Then, have a talk with the teacher and find out WHY you got that 80 instead of the 100. (But don’t turn into a grade-grubber.) This last bit is cheesy, but listen to inspirational music. I don’t know why, but that always makes me keep going when I’m feeling unmotivated and I want to give up. Give yourself a break once in awhile. Go for a walk after you finish studying to clear your mind. Breathe. Straight-studying is often worse than not studying at all (granted that you paid attention in class and genuinely understand the material). Relax, and know that you’ll finish what you need to finish - there’s no need to rush.</p>
<p>I hope second semester is better for you!</p>
<p>@OP: Halogen pretty much hit the nail on the head. College exams are killers, and people rarely get high grades. I would suggest targeting the problem first before trying to fix your grades. I don’t really know you, but I’m going to take a hunch and assume you do not have a (or one that you’re passionate about) extracurricular. I would invest in one if this is the case.</p>
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<p>love 'em hypocrites.</p>
<p>I provided advice, you didn’t bro.</p>
<p>And you were still just as ‘vexing’ as me, bro.</p>
<p>Try reading the entire post.</p>
<p>In your opinion, but lets not get into another conflict, lets just end it here before we wage online war.</p>
<p>I agree with apandia. Grades were just a way to justify my depression. I don’t feel any different in the summer when there are no grades. But I did feel slightly better when I had straight A’s. Try not to dwell on it too much. As a person who is depressed, I can’t offer any advice. I’ll leave a suggestion: just don’t overthink things that weren’t meant to be deep.</p>
<p>In the summer I swear I never get PO’D.</p>