I hated my first semester but my second is better. Still, I’m so exhausted from school. I really want to cry I’m so miserable. I love my major and the classes but it’s too much. I’m currently taking 16 credits and I really want to take 12 but I’ll lose my scholarship if I go under 16. I work about 16 hours a week. I hardly hang out with people outside of my friend and one sweetheart. I wish I could see both of them more but it’s so draining to visit them. I’m not in a good spot. I don’t know what to do. I signed up to volunteer at this autism center but that’s too much right now. I’ll probably do that in the summer. Since I wanted to make more friends I joined an org but that’s stressing me out. Does anyone have ANY advice? Like should I hate college this bad? I wanted to do online school so I can work more and take fewer classes but I go to a top research university. I want to do resercah here but I don’t know if I can take being here.
First, breath.
Second, get thee to a counselor, pronto. You are clearly overwhelmed. You like you major and like you classes. You like your friend and you love your sweetheart, but all together it’s too much.
You also seem to be an introvert, which means that every social interaction drains you. You also perhaps may be not getting enough sleep and/or eating well. The sleep thing becomes a vicious cycle - you’re too tired to get things done, but this stresses you out, making it difficult to sleep, and so the cycle goes.
Individually, you like everything you do, but all together it is too much for you to deal with. You are like somebody sitting at a great meal but you are trying to eat to many things at once, and it’s making you sick.
You really need to speak to a counselor and have them help you develop coping behaviors. Yesterday.
Also, remember to take care of yourself. Don’t feel guilty for not doing stuff which is too tiring for you. Put making new friends aside for a bit - it is difficult enough for you to find the time and energy for the two people in your life right now.
And tomorrow morning, make an appointment to see a professional.
Do take care of yourself.
PS. Yes, I am repeating myself.
Why are you working 16 hours a week? I’ve heard of some colleges suggesting a limit of 10 hours per week. I think that even 10 hours is too much.
Try to reduce the number of hours you work. Whatever rate you make now will most likely be much less than you will make after graduation. Don’t jepordize your post college career by working too much and getting poor grades.
Unless you must work so much to support your basic needs of food shelter and education, you should either halve your hours or quit outright. If you’re working to earn money to eat out and buy clothes, quit the job.
I’m surprised a top college allows you to work that much. IMO, the excessive working is the problem. Many colleges won’t allow you to work more than ten hours. Eight is common.
You are at college to learn. Maintaining a social life is important for your mental health. Something has to give, and unless it’s one hundred percent necessary to work so much, I suggest you quit immediately, or drastically reduce your hours. Doing non-academic things that you enjoy are a good way to stay sane in college.
Meanwhile, make an appointment right away to see a counselor. It’s great that this semester is better. It shows you are willing to adapt. You can improve your situation. The first step is to reduce your hours right now. Good luck.