<p>I'm a first semester senior in college and beyond burnt-out. Every semester since freshman year, I have taken atleast 18 credits. Right now I have 21 credits and 10 classes total. I have class from 8 am every morning during the week till 5 pm. When I finally get home, I have atleast 5 hours worth of homework to do. </p>
<p>I know the amount of classes and work I am doing seems excessive, but even with these many credits it will still take me 5 years to graduate. I feel like I'm losing my mind because I literally have no time to do anything besides school. On top of this, I don't deal with stress well. Because of this and the fact that I only get about 4 hours of sleep a night, I am constantly sick with something and rundown. I feel like I am killing myself over college and I'm sick of the stress. Is anyone atleast going through the same thing and able to symphasize with me? Or better yet, offer some ideas for how to relieve some of the stress? </p>
<p>I'm going completely insane but don't want to give up now since I'm so close...</p>
<ul>
<li><p>It seems odd you’ve taken so many units and still need that many years to graduate. Did you switch majors? How many courses did you fail?</p></li>
<li><p>If you have failed courses, that is because 18 credits is heavy in itself. Try lightening up your courseload.</p></li>
<li><p>21 credits is an extremely heavy amount; if it’s causing you stress, drop a few classes.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>It’s better to do the 7yr plan than to just stress yourself out like this.</p>
<p>Exercise helps relieve a good deal of stress. Drop some of those classes, carve out some free time for yourself, and work out (or chill with friends). Your mental health > graduating in five years. In fact, your mental health >>> graduating, period.</p>
<p>Take care of yourself first. Then, and only then, worry about school.</p>
<p>you can probably find the most sensible answer by reading what you just wrote:
you’re burnt out, you say you have no life, and you’ve been at it since freshmen year… These aren’t good things.</p>
<p>Also, going insane is probably not a good thing either. That means something needs to change.</p>
<p>It doesn’t take someone 5 years to graduate if he/she’s taking 18 credit hours/semester. What majors/minors are you doing? That’s crazy.</p>
<hr>
<p>I used to commend exercising to relieve stress. But now, I believe working out is only a temporary solution, not long term. Your body is begging you to stop putting overwhelming stress on it, but your mind is pushing you to work harder. If this doesn’t many any sense to you, then I’d say that finding balance in your life is more important than how much you accomplish. It’s not a game of whoever accomplishes the most before he dies, wins. I don’t recommend you to think that after you work your butt off in college, you will suddenly start to enjoy a life of luxury, which is a concept that my parents happened to have forced down my throat ever since my balls dropped. I do understand your position, and I can confidently say that I’m on a different boat now. It makes me feel like a 16 year old girl to say this, but live your life.</p>
<p>No, I am not ■■■■■■■■… And yes it is taking me 5 years to graduate. I am studying to be a teacher and also doing performance in the arts. The performance degree alone is 130 credit hours total. The reason I need to finish in as little years as possible is because I am not eligible for any financial aid because of my dads income and he also has 3 kids in college ATM, myself included. It’s a big financial cost to him since one of my brothers is going to a private school as well. I guess no one else is going through this and it’s obvious that some of you don’t believe me any way. Sorry for posting and looks for some help.</p>
<p>Also to answer one of the previous posters, I haven’t failed any classes… I am an A and B student and have only got 2 C’s thus far. The performance degree I am doing has a lot of extra credits and requires basic proficiency in German, French, and Italian as well as a lot of one credit classes that require a lot of work. Also I have taken 8 classes that required work but were for zero credit. Yes, its really frustrating. I have heard most people take like 5 classes max a semester… Must be nice :/</p>
<p>I don’t know, but the financial aid system is probably designed to give money to people who really need it. And assuming that you don’t qualify for financial aid because of your dad’s income, your dad probably has a decent income. oh well, I’m not going try to piece together your whole situation.</p>
<h2>I would suggest looking at scholarships. And I can understand how it may seem like a pointless venture to waste time filling out scholarships when you are desperately trying to keep up with classes. I mean the choices are all there.</h2>
<p>wait private school??? aren’t those the schools that get the more federal support in financial aid? no luck with the fafsa or what’s the deal?</p>
<p>The key thing here, I think, is that you’re trying to do both a performance degree and teaching studies. Maybe you should choose between one or the other. Unless you really need both to do the job that you want to do. Perhaps talk to advisers at your school in the respective programs to find out what the normal requirements are for a certain career path. Maybe it would be possible to only finish one part now and then study another part at community afterwards? That would ward off the money problem.</p>
<p>One more key thing, ask yourself “Am I having fun doing what I’m doing?” If the answer is no, then maybe you need to reconsider.</p>
<p>My dad does have a decent income. I do have a decent 8k scholarship from my audition into performance school, which is why I haven’t dropped that degree. My college is not overly expensive, (about 6-7k a semester now that I’m living off campus with my boyfriend) but as I said one of my brothers is in private school that runs about 75k a semester. It’s not even accredited (don’t get me started on this, I’ve made a point of it to my parents multiple times.) Crazypianist, you make a good point and most of the time I DO have a lot of fun when I am concentrating on just performance or not stressed out an able to enjoy my classes. Right know I am stuck in a couple education classes that feel pointless to me because 1) the teacher has never taught young children… Which are my focus 2) her ideas about discipline and educational psychology are fundamentally not something I agree with, and 3) she is utterly boring and painful to be in class with. She has yelled at students for talking without raising their hand. She has no business teaching this class, but she’s the only one who does. Throw onto that a level 400 history class, teaching practicums that require nightly reports, private lessons that require extra hour or more of study a day, 3 more music classes, and 2 one credit courses that meet for an hour and 1/2 EVERY day and I am beyond exhausted and stress. There is a lot of pressure to finish fast from the councilors of my degree anyway, but my scholarship is about to expire at the end of next semester (my last semester of classes before student teaching). </p>
<p>I guess more than a solution I was looking to rant a bit about my situation and try to find someone going through the same thing. I have strep throat, flu and ear infections ATM thanks to the stress of school. Midterms are in one day and I haven’t studied because I’ve been sick. I’m freaking out to say the least and ****ed at myself for taking so many classes.</p>
<p>Not to bring this off-topic, but although it may be designed to give money to people who really need it, in reality it shuts out a lot of people because it doesn’t take all factors into account (i.e. cost of living where you live). My dad’s job means that we live in an area with a higher cost of living, but the FAFSA simply says that we make x amount, so we must be able to afford y. It’s a complicated process, but I know a lot of people in my situation - they make just enough that they won’t get significant aid, but not enough to actually be able to afford college. It’s really frustrating.</p>
<p>Anyway - I’m sorry to hear that you’re so burnt out. Is there ANY way you could drop a class, or do you really need every class you’re taking for your major? It seems odd that you’ve taken so many classes every term and they are all required for both degrees.</p>
<p>pinkpaca
For some reason, your messages really touched me. I guess I hate to see someone hurting who is trying so hard and really basically doing something impressive and well-meaning, including yelling out for help.
First of all, you ARE very close. If you were not so close to the, I would recommend that your try to take some time off or work in an off-campus experience that still fulfilled all your credits.
You should be very proud of what you have accomplished and for setting a high goal.
That said, you are learning so much from all this- that there are limits to what you should expect of yourself. This is very valuable for you to know for the rest of your life.
And so is the experience of finishing and making it through such a difficult situation.
While these things do not change the situation, maybe they will help you stand back a bit, take a deep breath, and lower your anxiety level. Anxiety is a costly use of your precious energy.
As to ways to change the situation:
Can you take an independent project of some time next semester to make your credits?? Can you do a combination of performance and education in some way?
Do you have any academic advisors or mentors that might hep you come up with a practical approach to minimizing the actual load you have, yet fulfilling your majors?
For instance, would a work-study project cover both?
You are on the verge of entering the real world. You sound as if you have passion for what you do, but have lost some of that in the stress and busy-ness of it all.
This happens to everyone at some point in their lives!
I just wanted to say that you struck a chord with me. I do hope you can get through what is left and can take all this with you in the best way!!!</p>
<p>I really can’t afford to drop a class right now, and I am passing them all so I might as well finish out since the semester is nearly over. Next semester is my last of actual classes so I will probably have atleast 18 credits to finish up everything. </p>
<p>Performersmom, thanks for your reply and the encouragement… I don’t think there is much I can do at this point but I am atleast excited about finishing! </p>
<p>I’m actually feeling a bit better after some medicine and nyquil, lol. I went to classes today and got sent home since I looked like I was dying, and I ended up getting a 5 hour nap… Now I’m actually getting to go to bed for 8 hours and get some rest since I toughed it out and finished some assignments earlier. Next week is spring break too, so I will be able to get some more rest and recoup some before going back to school. Thanks to everyone who replied, I appreciate the suggestions, encouragement, and the fact that you listened to my mini-rant. Hope you all finish out the semester with good grades =)</p>
<p>Just wondering if it might be sensible to try to take one or two “I” (incompletes) that you can finish over the summer so you can have a more manageable load. It doesn’t sound healthy that you are working as hard as you are and your poor health attests to that. It might be good to sound out sympathetic teachers who would be willing to give you an “I” to free up some time in hour over-booked schedule so you can get through this term, finish up promptly in the summer & recharge to come back in the fall.</p>
<p>Good luck! I never took anything near your courseload, so I’m afraid I can’t identify with your crazy academic schedule. I did take 15-18 hour coarseloads/semseter, worked at a workstudy job about 20 hours/week, volunteered on campus and national activities, and had a BF in college, so I kept busy myself. Somehow, with pacing, it worked out for me except when I had food poisoning or mono, but all bets are off under those circumstances anyway.</p>
<p>Take care & talk with your teachers/advisor about helping make your schedule a bit saner, perhaps with an “I” or two, if that makes sense at this point & you have willing teachers.</p>
<p>I don’t take that many units but I keep the same kind of schedule anyway, and I am also constantly tired, sick, and rundown. I don’t really see any other option other than to tough it out until graduation unless you can afford to take a lighter course load. </p>
<p>I am currently coming down with my third cold/flu sort of thing since Christmas. Ugh.</p>
<p>75k per semester? I don’t care where your sibling goes, I call BS. I attend a private college and my tuition is ~$26,000 per semester.</p>
<p>Why do you need proficiency in so many languages? Are you doing vocal performance? The workload of a music major is intense enough, why are you trying to do both paths at once? I would have died by this point.</p>