Having trouble studying for finals

College Life
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<p>I need some advice here. I'm really having trouble getting started on studying for the finals. Some back ground info: I have a 3.9gpa at a community college and currently I have 2 A+s an A and a B+ going into the finals. Even though I'm doing well, I frequently get depressed about my performance. For example, I need a 89% on my math final to get an A which is not that bad since I'm in the B+ to A- range. But somehow I'm just terrified by this obstacle(really a B seems like the end of the world). I got a 80% on my last exam and that caused me to shy away from studying for a week. Its weird. I think its because I'm a perfectionist that I'm procrastinating all the time. I'm too scared to make a mistake that I would rather not attempt the work( until right before midterms and finals out of nessicity). As a result, I probably study the least out of my classmates and yet I'm still stressed out most of the time. And When I do study, I take forever because I'm just to damn distracted or stressed out. So if I spend 4 hrs studying for a exam, I get maybe 1hr of quality study time out of it. Also I go into most of my exams thinking I'm going to fail but that never happens.</p>

<p>I was planning on spending the morning studying math but I just wasted most of the time daydreaming. Just right now I was in the process of writing my research paper and I took about 2 hours to write a single page double spaced. I wrote so slow because I'm just too nervous. I kept writing until I got to the point where I broke down crying. Right now, I can't get anything done. Its so frustrating. I'm just sitting here having repetitive thoughts about being a pathetic failure. I might have a disorder. But the finals is next week and I have to do something! Right now, I'm not doing anything but I'm still super worried. Ironic huh?</p>

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<p>these are really good grades! don’t worry, finals won’t be a problem if you understand the material well anyway, and you look like you do. you just need to brush up a bit in case you’ve forgotten something. finals week is a time to relax – the grades will come naturally. think of your classes as stuff you love to learn about and everything will be okay.</p>

<p>oh, and most of all, don’t worry about worrying too much. if you think you’re incomplete or have some sort of mental disorder it can really break you down and make you worry even more. you’re fine. you’re a really good student, you just need to relax a bit.</p>

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<p>The problem is that I’m at a community college. So a 3.9 is really bad. Also, I feel like that if I have to study in order to get an A, then theres something wrong with me. But if I get an A without studying, then theres still nothing impressive. Basically I’ve discounted everything I’ve accomplished up to this point. I just don’t feel like I can succeed in life. And I’m really scared that I’ll fail out after I transfer. </p>

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<p>Thats precisely it. Unfortunately, its very compulsive. I don’t feel like this just during final. But rather most of the time.</p>

4

<p>Why don’t you transfer to a university that you think will be challenging enough for you academically?</p>

5

<p>Well, I’m transferring to UC Berkeley next year. But I’m scared the same thing will happen.</p>

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<p>WOW.. seriously chill out. A ‘B’ at a community college does not equal out into “failing out” at a university.</p>

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<p>You need to calm down and not be so anxious. You’re doing fine.</p>

8

<p>take some xanax.</p>