<p>Thing is everyone has always overestimated me, teachers, friends and even my parents. They think I'm sort of a genius who will go far. Problem is that I'm not as intelligent as everyone thinks I am. But I'm scared of being mediocre. I have no idea what do do with my life. I have no direction or a ****ing clue about what I will do or become. People are telling me to become a doctor but I don't feel like becoming one, infact I don't feel like becoming anything. I'm treating the inevitable college app process with fear knowing that there is no avoiding it. I know nothing about financial aid or which college to go to. I don't know if I have ADHD but I can never finish homework or even sit down to do it. I haven't started my homework yet, I pass my tests by chance and hate everyone congratulating me. I hate how much I use the word I. I am completely lost and can't turn to anyone at all. What should I do?</p>
<p>Chill, and speak to a psychiatrist, career counselor and a financial aids rep at some college. </p>
<p>I'm in the same model of boat as you but not exactly the same boat. </p>
<p>I really don't know what I want to do, but at least I narrowed it down to a gigantic field. Just be happy you don't have to declare a major at most colleges till the end of freshmen or sophomore year, iirc.</p>
<p>When it comes to choosing a college, pick one that has a diverse field so that you can pick one when you finally decide.</p>
<p>Being mediocre isn't that bad; despite what CC says. It takes the pressure off things and you still can live a full life.</p>
<p>go to community college for a year or two. there's nothing wrong with that. Often times, it'll help you realize what you really want to take, and you can then transfer to a good college (depending on your comm. college GPA).</p>
<p>also, most colleges that I know don't ask for you to declare a major until beginning of junior year...</p>
<p>I have a similar problem. The solution, I've found, is to act stupid around the right people. Say dumb things deliberately. Let people laugh at you. Don't be seen as the "know-it-all" or the "smart kid". Get good grades, but base your image on something else, like "the super-athletic kid" or "the random nice kid" or "the kid who plays way too much NetHack." You don't have to be mediocre, but it sure helps to act it. When people don't think of you as superior, they're more inclined to help you and get closer to you.</p>
<p>Oh, and it helps to constantly degrade yourself academically --
"I totally got raped by that test"
"Sure, I took linear algebra, but that doesn't mean I remember any."</p>
<p>It also helps if you can get away from the people who overestimate you and start a clean slate. Change your name and leave the country. Or just go to college.</p>
<p>You do sound overwhelmed. Best to take things one baby step at a time and not look at the whole big picture at once. You are young and do not have to decide what you want to do with your life right now. Tell other well meaning folk that you are not ready to make such decisions now and to stop asking you about them. </p>
<p>Maybe have a meeting with someone you trust..maybe a guidance counselor, family member or friend's parents who you can share your feelings with. It is hard to feel alone.</p>
<p>It's ok to be mediocre. You are putting an awful lot of pressure on yourself. Try and spend time doing things you love.....go for a nature walk, pet a puppy, go to the beach. Focus on what is great about life and less about school. Have faith that things will work out.</p>
<p>Eh, I disagree with Fizix. There's this kid at my school who constantly tries to seem laid-back about school, pretends that he doesn't care and that he never puts effort into anything, and that he does badly on tests. I hate this kid. I want to punch him in the face. He is SO. ANNOYING. Just do well on tests, but don't say anything about them. Don't say, "I thought that test was easy!" Don't say, "I definitely failed that test..." Don't announce your grades... just keep them to yourself.</p>
<p>I know how you feel, though. All of my friends tell me, "Oh, shut up, you're not allowed to get stressed out- you'll get in everywhere that you apply!" They expect me to get A+'s in all my classes and be cool and collected all the time. In fact, when I got into silly moods and had laughing fits, my teachers would even joke about "how you would never guess that LesOs was a genius!!!" Then, the entire class would chime in and start talking about how I'm so smart and never have to put any effort into anything (both untrue). In some of my classes, I can't get a single assignment back without someone asking me what I got on it. Some people even randomly accost me in the hall, asking what I got on my ACT... It drives me crazy, because 1.) I am not the "genius" that everyone thinks that I am and 2.) everyone has insane expectations of me, and I know that I can't actually meet them. It's going to suck when decisions come in, and I find myself with a pile of rejections. Oh, well... at least it will be a giant "Told you so!" for me...</p>
<p>My suggestion? Never bring up tests, homework, SAT-stress, colleges, clubs, or any other thing that could possibly be related to college admissions or academics. That's basically it.</p>
<p>Fizix's solution works, but some people will be able to see right through that act and find it very annoying.</p>
<p>its not going to be the end of the world if you mess up
no one is ever 100% successful
and you know, people think a lot less of you than you think they do. they don't even care what grades you get. you just imagine that they do. except well like your parents.
if you're feeling so overwhelmed maybe you should drop one of your really hard classes or an extracurricular, and you should talk to your parents about it. are they pushing you too hard? or do you try so hard because you think it'll make them love you more or get attention? i dont know if its you but i think a lot of kids who try so hard do it for that reason because they got nothing else to distinguish themselves from their siblings and good grades is what gets their parents to pay attention to them.
who are you trying so hard for and why are you so afraid to fail/be average? </p>
<p>if you are worried about a career, you should do more research about different jobs instead of for example, thinking, i have to choose between doctor and lawyer! and limiting yourself
this website helped me out for information on a lot of jobs, just to give you a general overview.
<a href="http://www.bls.gov/search/ooh.asp?ct=OOH%5B/url%5D">http://www.bls.gov/search/ooh.asp?ct=OOH</a>
and if you think you might like a certain career, then find some way to try it out a little. like i was thinking of becoming an accountant, so i took an accounting class and found out i hated it. and when you go to college take the general courses that are required for the first years so that you have more time to make sure thats really what you want to do.</p>
<p>and go take a nap or somethng. itll calm you down.</p>