<p>I just started this semester and I'm been getting bad grades in almost all my classes (this is not normal!). I'm extremely lethargic. I feel like I'm rushing through everything. </p>
<p>It's a complete nightmare. To be honest, there's just so much to do, and I want to do it all, but am I grinding through mindless work and not understanding concepts or what's happening here? Does anyone else have experience with this and more importantly, how do you solve this? It's like every time I schedule something, it takes way too much time. For example, I had to read 40 pages of a small book (like a 150 page book; easy right?) and take a quiz on it, and it took me around two hours to read and comprehend and I still didn't understand all of the small insignificant details that professors seem to love to add as test questions.</p>
<p>I'm taking these classes:</p>
<p>Physics (Algebra)
Organic Chem
Speech
Literature Class
Anatomy and Physiology</p>
<p>Plus, I'm a TA for an intro chemistry class. </p>
<p>I posted this here because parents have a lot more experience with their own kids, and all my friends seem to brush everything off like no big deal. </p>
<p>What year are you in? Sometimes in college it’s healthy to take a break from the academic crush. A semester doing an internship, a semester overseas, of just a semester to “recharge.” </p>
<p>But while you contemplate that go get a physical! Mono, anemia, thyroid…so many things can cause muddled mind or minor depression or numbing fatigue. Many of those types of things come up in young adulthood and sneak up on you to the point you don’t even realize your tired, fatigued, muddled. Get a complete physical and make sure you’re healthy. If you are healthy I’ll tell you what I tell my kids: take your vitamins and get good night’ sleep and get outside and some physical exercise everyday - a walk, a bike ride, etc. and not just to and from class, stop and smell the flowers, look at the sky, something and of course, eat regularly (eat breakfast!) and see what happens in a couple weeks.</p>
<p>You are taking 5 classes, at least one of which is difficult for most people (o-chem). You also are working a TA job. It’s possible you have simply overcommitted, in which case the solution is to drop a class. It’s also possible that you have a medical or psychological issue, so it’s a good idea to get a checkup.</p>
<p>Things have probably come easy for you up until now. You’ve just hit a wall with some difficult classes. That happens to almost everybody at some point in time.</p>
<p>Perhaps look at your time management and/or study habits. If you are not “getting” a subject from your traditional ways (reading the textbook, etc), then perhaps you need to look into an alternative way of learning the subject. Videos, tutorials, study groups, using a different textbook, etc.</p>
<p>Physics, O-Chem and A&P are tough classes. There’s no shame in having to put in extra study time to learn those subjects.</p>
<p>Sounds like normal transition for many from HS to college. What do you mean by ‘bad grades’? Just not As because that is what you are used to? Or actual failing grades? </p>
<p>As a professor, I would say that it should take you <em>at least</em> 2 hrs to read and digest 40 pages of college material. I’m surprised you would think that is an indication that you are doing something wrong. </p>
<p>Maybe it’s your expectations are out of synch and if that is the case, you’ll adjust.</p>
<p>Consider withdrawing from one of your classes. You have a pretty heavy load, and sometimes a student can just hit a wall. And I agree with other posters about getting a checkup.</p>
<p>Since you are taking these courses, particularly O-chem and TA-ing, it’s clear you are not a freshman. What worked for you in earlier years? Is it possible you “overlooked” the fact that O-Chem is notoriously one of the most difficult courses to take? And have you TA-ed in prior years? That’s not easy either, and while you may have TA-ing in other years, each professor has his/her own style and it may just need getting used to.</p>
<p>Or it could be that you’re, in general, not psyched to be in school for yet another year. That’s actually something some teachers feel too. It may take a while to get into the groove of school again, but take a break this weekend. Then, get charged up again Sunday evening for what’s ahead, but be sure to focus on the fun stuff. Give yourself something to look forward to. You’ll get into it soon enough.</p>
<p>I commute, so, I went with my parents to a clinic and I checked for mono and I don’t have mono. I think I might need to get some rest and buckle down for a bit. I still don’t know if I am anemic or if I might have something else. I just had a physical last April and everything was fine. I just don’t remember being so groggy; I’m almost always upbeat and energetic.</p>
<p>Judging from previous posts, OP is a sophomore male. Hopefully that rules out pregnancy. </p>
<p>OP, there are some sleep disorders which creep in around your age - maybe get checked for sleep apnea and RLS. Regarding the time it takes to do things, maybe you are not so realistic in judging how long things “should” take. I don’t know what book you were reading, but I allot myself 1 hour for every 10 pages in hard-core science texts.</p>
<p>I really don’t understand the issue with courseload. Maybe I’ve been in Canada too long but hte norm here is 5 courses per term for 4 years for an undergrad degree.</p>
<p>Do you have some kind of paper agenda or notebook that you can write things down in?</p>
<p>You have a lot of different things going on right now, and that means you have a lot to keep in your head at the same time. The problem with this is that it’s a lot like juggling – all these obligations are in constant motion in your head, and that makes it all appear to be more than it really is. On top of that, you’re exerting a constant subconscious effort just to keep it all in the air. The net result is that you are mentally exhausting yourself keeping track of what appears to be more work than you really have.</p>
<p>Once you write things down you can stop mentally juggling them, and you’ll find there’s not as much as there seemed to be. And since your obligations are written down and you no longer have to juggle, you’ll find you have more energy for actually completing the tasks.</p>
<p>Get a notebook of some kind (paper, not electronic) and start keeping track of your obligations and their due dates. Write them down as soon as you get them so you don’t devote mental energy to remembering them. The reason you should do this on paper is that you can cross each one off when it’s done rather than simply deleting it – you need to see your past accomplishments along with your pending obligations, otherwise life becomes a never-ending list of obligations without the satisfaction of completion.</p>
<p>Do this for a week or two and I think you’ll find yourself less stressed, with more energy, and much more in control of your life.</p>
<p>Get your thyroid levels checked!!! Males and females can have low thryoid levels, which cause symptoms such as foggy-headedness, fatigue, lack of concentration, etc.</p>
<p>I think you would have known if you had mono. You don’t get just tired, you get straight up sick.
Start getting into a routine. I know that a few years ago, if I was stressed my body would automatically shut down to avoid my work. Start setting up an enjoyable routine to read/study, like a certain place, listening to jazz, etc.
Also try working earlier in the day. It may sound harsh, but I get alot more done at 5am than 5pm because I’m more awake. It may sound way too early now, but start drinking black coffee and taking cold showers and you’ll find its not that bad.
Also, working out makes a big difference. If you start jogging or biking, you’ll unlock more energy from your body and help yourself think more clearly.
Eat right, sleep well, and get a tutor if you need it. EOM</p>