<p>I'm a freshman at a prestigious college this year. I've been here for about three weeks, going on four. I never really enjoyed high school at all, never studied, and I cut a ton of class my senior year with no grading consequences thankfully. I graduated at the top of my class and almost had a perfect SAT score. I'm mentioning this not to sound arrogant but to point out that all of my family and friends think I have so much potential and are expecting a lot from me. However, the bottom line is this--college and school in general just isn't for me. I absolutely hate, hate, hate sitting in classes, taking notes, listening to lectures, memorizing pointless facts that I would just look up in the real world, and doing anything school-related. I'm not really a lazy person, but I just absolutely despise how school is set up. I can't imagine doing any of this for four more years. I've felt like this for years, and even though I always do well, it makes me feel miserable when I clearly don't want to be. </p>
<p>I constantly daydream about running, which I love, being outside, hiking, just being free and not having to do any of this nonsense. I love to learn on my own, though. I have taught myself several programming languages, entire subsets of mathematics, etc., but it was all on my own time and at my own pace. I love having intellectual conversations as well, but still the school scene makes me nothing but upset. I know that I have some idealistic, ridiculous view of life, but I can tell you I'd much rather work construction or dig ditches than work in an office.</p>
<p>I can't drop out because I can't even fathom how my family would react, and I don't know what I'd do either. I don't see how transferring would help, as it's not the social scene or anything like that. The people here are fine, and I've made a couple friends and some came with me from high school. It's just the schooling. I have no idea what to do.</p>
<p>Well… uh… maybe you can try changing your area of study or picking your classes wiser with a mind towards the teacher. And some schools also have programs that allow you kind of create your own major. Maybe this will help.</p>
<p>But honestly, based purely on your own description, college doesn’t look to be for you.</p>
<p>Yeah you’re the victim of K-12 being so horrible that it allows someone so resentful of school to succeed at it. Sounds like it’s catching up to you. The work is obviously more demanding now so you can’t just skip like you did last year. I’m pretty much the same way except one of my lectures does resonate. The others are crap, a total waste of time and it becomes a game about BSing your way thru discussions or whatever. “25 people say something substantive in the next 20 minutes GO” </p>
<p>Fortunately there’s plenty else around campus I take interest in that has nothing to do with classes. I mean, you’re only in them for like 12-15 hours a week right? Could be worse I guess. Could be high school. Could be unemployed, starving, or living in the parents’ basement. Just gotta force your way thru it. Maybe get high beforehand. Then use the degree to secure that first construction job.</p>
<p>It may take a while to get switched on. I know it took me a while to get into the swing of things and it’s a lot more interesting when you eventually find something you love and explore it as deeply as possible. Doing research is a lot of fun (outside of the classroom). </p>
<p>Ever thought about archaeology? Botany? Anthropology?</p>
<p>I just want to point out that not everything you memorize, you would look up in the “real world.” Sometimes you need to memorize them so that the next step happens more quickly.</p>
<p>Anyway, you have to live your life for you and not your family and friends. My brother went to college for one semester and realized that it just was not for him. He, like you, couldn’t sit still and listen to lectures for hours on end - he’d rather be working with his bands and making money. He’s quite intelligent and could handle college if he wanted to, but he chose instead to go to a vocational program to learn how to be an electrical line worker. He makes about the same average salary as a college graduate, owns a mostly furnished and beautiful house, and he’s planning to take classes part-time to get a college degree - except now his employer will pay for it, and he can do it at his own pace on his own time.</p>