I’m just a freshman, but I’m so sick of college. I used to care about school and doing well, particularly in the first 3 years of high school. I was getting burnt out senior year and didn’t want to do work then (and not just because I had senioritis). Now I’m in college and I freaking hate it. I have so much work to do all the freaking time and I never have any time to do stuff I want to do. I sometimes even have to do homework on Fridays and Saturdays. I tried to care, but for the past two weeks I just have not cared anymore. I don’t want to get out of bed and go to class. There are times that I know I have work to do and I just can’t do it or I’ll start and just zone out and not be able to finish it. Or I’ll just watch a movie or read a book for pleasure or listen to music when I know I have work to do. I set an alarm to get up to finish studying for a test one morning and just decided to sleep through it. I don’t know what to do. I can’t drop out of college, my parents would be extremely angry, plus I don’t even know what I’d be doing if I weren’t in college. I used to be really happy before (like always smiling and laughing and joking), but I feel like all my happiness is drained now. I don’t know what to do.
Get a summer job landscaping or hauling rocks. It will re-motivate you.
Have you talked to your parents about your problems that you have written about before? Any thoughts doing something different next semester?
Seek out your school’s mental health office. You’re certainly not alone in feeling this way. Talking to a counselor / therapist might help you sort things out.
Are you in a dramatically different climate, perhaps one with less sunshine? It can affect your mood. Chances are you’re suffering from burnout but do seek some help and also try to take a break over the holidays.
If you are a gifted kid, this might sound crazy, but you could be getting overwhelmed with the pace of college. Where in HS, smart people are able to put in a little effort and get great results, that doesn’t work in college - almost everybody is smart, and the professors can push students pretty hard, where it can feel like each of them must think you are only taking their class. This is what my my (now Junior) oldest daughter did: she took a study skills class in her second semester. Most colleges offer them. It was a great help for two reasons: It’s a GPA booster/easy A. No homework, no crazy midterms, no huge time commitment - just one credit hour, but it still helps. And secondly, because it actually did give her study skills that were useful in a college setting, for staying motivated, managing her time, and prioritizing.
Here are two more thoughts, which can help shorter term:
- Pick something you like as a reward, and hold yourself to it. It helps if they are the things you use to procrastinate and distract yourself with. Listen to one album, only after you studied this study guide. Watch one movie, only after you complete that draft. Read one more chapter, then you can check your snapchat.
- If you are a competitive person, find a person to study with, and compete with. I’ve seen my kids stay pretty motivated because they are “competing” with a friendly nemesis in the same class - who got a higher quiz score this time, who did better on the last project, etc. It’s more motivating than waiting until a final grade at the end.
I have seen your other post and I want you to go to your schools counseling center first thing tomorrow morning. What you describe sounds a lot like depression. Talk to your parents too. They won’t be mad, they will be concerned. Get help now, and take it one day at a time. You will be home soon and can recharge yourself. Remember also that there are plenty of kids that feel like you, but you can’t just abandon your principles and risk your place at your college.
I agree wholeheartedly about getting to the counseling center ASAP. Talk to your parents as well.