So I have been in college for a little over 3 weeks and I am already feeling overwhelmed. I was pretty smart in high school. I graduated with a 3.8 gpa, and got most of the material pretty quickly. Now that i am in college I’m struggling with a couple of my classes and I feel generally confused. I have been going to review sessions and it has been helping, but I’m still skeptical about the first tests in those classes. Also, i feel buried by the amount of homework, and assignments due. I know they said college was a lot more work than high school, and I was prepared for that, but its only the third week if classes and I am drowning in homework. It gets to the point where I am so busy throughout the day that i can only manage to eat one meal a day. Also i can never get enough sleep. I find myself staying up to about 1 am trying to complete assignments. Now none of these assignments are procrastinated, I just like to be ahead on my assignments. Even on the weekends when I am suppose to layback and go out to relieve stress, I constantly find myself worried about assignments at 12 am at a party. Is there anyway to relieve this stress. I am going home for labor day weekend so i am hoping that can get my mind off of the stress, but is there anything else i can do ? Thank you.
Maybe try dropping a class? If it’s too much for you then definitely lighten up the courseload. After all, it is your first year. Also, try talking to an academic counselor. College is different than high school yes but I’m taking 18 units and doing just fine over here… perhaps your high school wasn’t rigorous enough?
Don’t be at party at 12am as way to reduce stress. Exercise and short breaks to sit out in sun, yoga, few minutes doing deep breathing etc are better. Get some power bars and other portable healthy snacks so you don’t get too hungry. Often colleges have sessions on stress that will help.
Do check deadlines for dropping class if really under water but be sure and check to see if dropping puts you below full time or messes with progress needed to keep scholarship/financial aid.
Take some time to map out what needs to be done when for each class to see if you can be more efficient. Good luck
Many colleges have support available in the office of student affairs, or in a similarly named department. Make an appointment to see them. They will have suggestions for managing your time effectively, and they do expect to hear from freshmen who find the transition to be challenging.
I agree with @scmom12 being at parties at 12 AM may not be the best way to relieve stress. Also, if you are on a food plan, there may be a “grab and go” option (sack lunch/dinner) for students who have obligations during meal times and have trouble getting to the food service.
I also believe @MidwestDad3 makes a good suggestion, find those academic support services at your school.
You may have high expectations about how much time you have to lay back and relax in college. Studying and completing assignments is a priority, and is ongoing and for many students continuous until they graduate. The reality is that college is NOT always fun, most things that are very rewarding are not.
Dude, you seriously have to get your crap in order. First you cry when separated for 24hrs from your parents, now you are being academically strangled.
Take a step back. No parties. No homework. No parents. No tears. Just take a good hour or so and evaluate your situation:
Is your course schedule manageable, do you have too many credits? Can you handle your schedule’s finals week?
Are you balancing academics and socializing well? (Ac come first)
Are your friends stealing all your time?
Are you still in the resume-stuffing High School CC’er mentality with clubs and things?
Are you getting enough sleep?
Take some paper and a pen and hand write your responses to these questions (along with the questions). Go to bed, sleep more than 8 hours, drink a big black coffee, come back and read the questions and your responses. Make changes to your life as necessary based on this.
Food, sleep, and exercise are important.
Make sure you eat enough, and that what you eat is healthy. Eating enough will give you enough energy to function properly, which definitely isn’t happening with only one meal per day. Plus, not eating enough makes me worry more, and it might do the same to you.
With more sleep, you’ll probably find that the pace you work at will increase and you’ll be better able to finish your work in less time.
Finally, exercise. Being cramped up inside can seriously slow your pace of thought and retard your ability to get stuff done. Go to the gym, take a run, or start swimming. Or, if you’re not the sporty type, even going on walks can reduce stress and let you recharge, even short walks. Seriously, give it a try.
Additionally, you may want to talk to someone about study strategies to improve your work pace.
Even if you do all of that, you might still find yourself struggling to get everything done. That happens to a lot of people, and it happened to me. However, you’ll likely naturally become a more efficient worker with time, so don’t stress too much.