<p>I'm a sophomore in college now and I have been hopelessly floundering for my entire time here. I could really use some help or guidance. On paper, I seem like someone who should be excelling. I got a perfect score on my SAT (not a joke), I graduated at the top of my high school class, I was always a bright student with many interests. I had high hopes for myself and many ambitions for my college and post-grad years, as did my family. I knew what I wanted to be doing in terms of my career, further education, research interests, extracurricular activities, etc. But once I got to college, I fell apart. Long story short, I almost failed out. The courses I took weren't too hard for me, but I couldn't handle them. Looking back, it wasn't really anything too out of the ordinary--everyone has adjustment issues once they come into college out of high school. But I took the adjustment (and subsequent slip-ups) harder than most and got really messed up. I took some time off after my first year and straightened some things out for myself, but now that I'm in my second year, I'm starting to lose it again. I'm failing a class already this semester. I don't know what to do. It's not that I'm distracted--I don't party or even have many friends, really. Everything is just so challenging and I tend to give up and lose hope right away. I don't have any strengths to look back on and build off of, either, since I've never done anything well in college.</p>
<p>I look at myself now and I feel that I've regressed in many ways since high school. I no longer have goals and ambitions--I'm just trying my hardest now not to flunk out of school. I never would have envisioned myself in this place. Why is getting by in college so hard for me? Is it really possible that college isn't for me? I'm not actually considering dropping out, but I'm wondering whether I'm cut out for school, academics, anything challenging. I'm someone who supposedly has so much potential, yet I am struggling even to maintain a 2.0, while everyone else is putting their potential to use. I just can't seem to perform, to do the work, and I stopped believing in my abilities long ago. Do you have any advice for me?</p>
<p>I've only taken 2 classes in my major so far. Both of which I got a B in. All the rest of my classes have been general requirements, like calculus, ethics, foreign language, writing, etc.</p>
<p>I like my major--at least, I think I do. I'm not pre-med, so it's nothing incredibly difficult. In theory...</p>
<p>Perhaps you're in the wrong major? While making money doing a job is important, it shouldn't always be the first consideration. Perhaps you really like things more artistic than science in nature. Could that be making you upset? I know that I feel like I'm in the wrong major, I kind of forced myself to do it because of my love for animals, but I've yet to find the right job that addresses the important issues I have with working with them. So I'm doing something else I love instead. I still plan to work with animals, only on a voluntary basis.</p>
<p>Also, I think a lot of people now a days think they have to go to college and thats always the step to take after high school, but thats not true. Many respectable, intelligent, people will choose to go to trade school, and make a good amount of money once they are done.</p>
<p>I wanted to be a vet for so long, since I was little. I went into college and thought I had to do that, its what I wanted. After a while, I realized I was unhappy. I thought I wanted that because I had the thought of it for so long - but I realized it truly wasn't for me. I'd rethink things. It doesn't hurt. Make a list of all the things you truly love doing (debating, art, cooking, etc), and see if that perhaps points you in a different direction.</p>
<p>It's not my major that's the issue. I picked it because it's what I want to study. I'm just having trouble with my performance. I'm finding that I'm no good at anything and it's demotivating. It's a self-fulfilling thing, though: I get frustrated that I'm no good, so I don't try, so I never get to be any good, so I get frustrated, and on and on.</p>
<p>Some smart students get to college having never really learned how to study. They lack skills such as time management and note taking. Could that be your problem? Did you get good grades in high school without trying? If so you could probably talk to an advisor or tutor about it and get some advice. Or ask some of the other students who seem to be doing well to give you some tips.</p>
<p>what specifically are you having trouble with? and when you mentioned that your grades were Bs...those aren't really considered bad grades in college</p>
<p>Maybe you just need a break for a year to grow up. I know it's hard to be living on your own AND to have rigorous course work to keep up with. I suggest you travel; take time to figure out what you want out of life.</p>
<p>dsultemeier, I am starting to think that that's my problem--a lack of study skills combined with a lack of confidence. It's really a shame that it took me this long to figure it out, when it's a relatively straightforward problem to fix. This week I finally decided to meet with the academic skills counselors at my school. It's something I'm long overdue for. and mcb52, those 2 Bs are the reason I haven't already failed out...</p>
<p>how hard are the classes you're taking? I would suggest forming study groups b/c when you study by yourself it's easy to get distracted but when a whole group of you is studying you kinda have to study also</p>
<p>I hope the meeting with the academic skills counselors goes well and is helpful to you. It sounds like you are on the right track. The study group idea sounds good too and would help you make some new friends. Good luck!</p>
<p>I had the same problem when I entered college for the first time directly after high school. It didn't help that I was also battling clinical depression, but I was also not ready to take on the responsibility of a college setting. I stopped going my second semester and decided to live on my own for a while until I had the ambition to go back to school.</p>
<p>One of your problems may be insufficient time management, study skills, and planning skills. College is so different from high school. I got excellent grades in high school because there wasn't a real need for access studying, planning, and knowing how to prioritize my work. Since I've been living on my own, I've learned a lot of life skills that helped me succeed in college once I enrolled after two years of being out of school.</p>
<p>Confidence is also key to succession in higher education. Do you feel good about what you are studying? If you don't believe in your own abilities then it makes it excruciatingly hard to portray them in your performance.</p>
<p>I'm not sure if you covered this but do you have intrinsic motivation to go to school? One of my biggest problems was that I enrolled in college simply for the fact that it was the
"right thing to do." Once I had a reason to be there, I found that studying and keeping on task was much easier.</p>
<p>maybe you just haven't developed the right study skills. everyone always says if you have the right study skills, you can excel at really anything. maybe you're overwhelmed because you've bit off more than you can chew. try to take a few deep breaths, and work out a way to study and do better..adn get rid of that i've-given-up-attitude. not to sound cliche, but really sounds like you've become indifferent. you really ought to think about what you want from school, and re-evaluate. i'll bet it sucks to not know where you're going. </p>
<p>another thing i think is that you just are taking general classes that don't interest you..is there anyway you can work that out to take more of the classes you enjoy?</p>
<p>I have internship directly after school and I work there until 7pm and get home at 8pm. By that time, I'm usually too wiped to do anything.
For this reason, I always study in the morning since I don't have class until 11am. I'm not wiped, my mind is focused and I don't have any distractions.
Try studying at different times and different environments.</p>