I’ve had somewhat bad grades this entire year, and I haven’t been able to make close friends this entire year either.
I feel like summer is going to be any better. I need advice from somebody please, academically more than socially.
This might be a bit vague for you to get helpful advice – can you explain your situation more?
Well freshmen year, I actually had one of the best school years I’ve had in a while. I had a 3.7 W GPA, 3.1 cumulative, and socially I was in a sense cool and could talk to anyone. This year, I’ve kinda lost my touch, nearly failing a lot of my APs (Sophmore Year; AP HuG, Euro, and Physics I Hon) and feel like I have social anxiety or something, and dont have as enjoyable conversations with people. My GPA now is a 3.48 weighted and a 2.8 cumulative. I know I don’t have an upward trend in grades, so junior year feels like it isn’t going to do much. I’m really looking to go to a state school (in FL, so FSU or UF are my top choices) but in my spare time I manage to look at some of the athletic alumni there and feel like I won’t be able to make it if I can’t even pass through high school with decent grades. I go to a college prep, but I don’t think that’s gonna do much for me if I’m failing regardless. What do you think I should do?
Perhaps talking with a therapist could help you with your anxiety.
i feel like that too. tbh i felt like my entire year just went down the drain. however, i’ve been trying to be more optimistic and i’ve tried adopting a growth mindset.
i also did a little bit of self-reflection and discovered that i was spending too much time on social media and that it was making me unhappy. over the past few days, i’ve unfollowed everyone who had a negative presence in my life and am currently taking a hiatus for as long as i can as a way to become more relieved. so i would definitely recommend self-reflecting on why this year went poorly and what u can do to make every day after this school year better.
you’re a sophomore!!! chances are, you’re 15 or 16. the average lifespan is around 80 years. you have TIME. yes, one year went down the drain, but u have several more years to go. and there’s no point dwelling on the past; learn from your mistakes, reflect, and change. repeat as needed.
summer’s coming up soon, which means NO SCHOOL (gah so excited) and more time to do this self-reflecting stuff. try to be as productive as possible. limit mindless consumption of media (social media, news, etc) and try to be more mindful and aware. do things that truly make u happy, whether that be biking or coding or traveling or things like that. don’t do things because you are “bored” and need “something to do” to “waste time”. u should never try to waste time purposefully. do things mindfully. let’s take me for example. i might still go on social media, but i will be MINDFUL of my consumption. i will look at posts mindfully and see if they’re adding value to my life, and will cut ties with people who are negative.
i plan to use my summer to do useful things, like coding and going to summer programs and running and listening to podcasts and finding new cafes to go to. i’ll try to block instagram, news, youtube, netflix, for as long as possible, and will only use those sparingly.
i also currently don’t have the patience to journal (thx ap exams and finals) but journaling is really useful. it seems overhyped but it’s not. it’s incredible for self-reflection and is amazing for improving ur life so u can accomplish things. there are so many proven benefits of it like happiness and creativity; just search it up and u will find a ton.
idk why i wrote so much, but i felt like (if u read thru all of this) u could really use it. i know it would’ve helped me a lot. also i probably had bad grammar throughout this whole spiel, so sorry about that. i’m running on a few hours of sleep here.
anyways, hope this helped. hope u get stuff done and have a happy and productive summer and junior year!
Excuse me, not to be rude but why is the answer on CC always go to a therapist or a psychologist? What if the poster, say, comes from a low-income family (hypothetical). How would they be able to afford professional help? The solutions you guys give for problems like these don’t seem inclusive at all in my opinion.
Edit: I thought I posted this 3 hours earlier but it didn’t load, this was directed towards @happy1
For college students, you can often go to the campus health center for a few free visits with a therapist. That is one reason it is often suggested, especially for students who mention issues like depression or anxiety.
There are also school counselors available to help too. I would agree that talking to a professional when a student may be depressed and anxious is a reasonable suggestion.
I agree that taking a break from social media may be a good plan, esp if you are on it a lot. People suggest seeing a therapist because some psychological issues do develop at that age. Is the school counsellor an option?
Go to the health center and see the counselor. A few weeks of therapy could make a world of difference. Also, you’re there to get an education. Social life is a distant second.
Hi! As a student, I can say I can feel with your situation.
I would say take time to give yourself a break and really consider your values. This is what I did and it helped immensely. Think about 10 or even 20 years from now, and consider “what really matters”? I agree with @needtosucceed27 that it is sometimes social media and random pressures from the external world that are the most stressful. Sometimes it does feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders and you are unable to identify where it is coming from. It is absolutely okay and normal. Take some time for yourself. When it comes to socializing and class, I would say be able to balance both and work out that balanced level with yourself. In terms of academics, I would say take time during school to really pay attention during class. Also, sleep is very important in being functional and ready to tackle anything. Take a deep breath and tell yourself that next year, you can, and you will. Set yourself some goals and reach for them. Stay strong and onward. I hope this helps! :))
Hey! I felt like I was in the same situation around a year ago (end of my freshman year)
For starters, I moved to my current school from a much smaller school and knew only about 3 kids going there. I also felt that I had a “good enough” academic year, but didn’t do anything that could stand out. Socially, even though I had a group of friends at school, I didn’t really interact with them outside of school. I also feel quite awkward in social situations too.
Since summer is starting, I would use this time to cultivate interests and focus time on yourself. Now that you don’t have the stress of school, focus on giving yourself time to think about what you want to do, what makes you happy, etc. Maybe after you find something you’re really good at, you can find a program/group of friends to do it with. Or you could also decide to try something completely new. For example, I decided to do cross country this year and ended up having lots of fun (even if I wasn’t on varsity).
When school starts back up again, I would make sure that your academics and your life are able to coexist, without one becoming too demanding. It will help you feel less stressed and give you balance. Take harder classes in subjects you are good at/are interested in. If you feel like you are in trouble in any class, try tutoring. When school starts back up, try finding some extracurriculars that will showcase your academic performance or magnify it, like science/math club or newspaper.
As for the social aspect of things, sometimes even just talking to people you may know through classes can get you friends. Try talking to people who sit next you in your classes and see if you have any common interests.
Hope this helps! Good luck!