What Should I Do?

I don’t feel right about college at the current moment. I have been here for almost a month, but I find myself feeling lonelu and insufficient. Classes are now in their second week, and I’ve already experienced three quizes with one to come tomorrow and another on Friday. Each quiz has brought with it anxiety given the 3.5 grade point average required to renew my scholarship. Without my scholarship, I’d more than likely have to leave because I simply cannot afford $40,000 a year. It doesn’t help I lost $4,800 in financial aid anyway due to a lack in “financial need”. I love working on the farm with the horses, but the classes themselves seem useless to me except for my equine class and the riding lessons. I find myself unmotivated to complete homework and assigned readings. I have to force myself to be productive. I also have no friends in my residence hall, and the few friends I do have are always busy or unavailable. I know college is necessary, but I so inadequite and overwhelmed by the work. One question I’ve heard twice already from two different professors was “What are your passions, and do your passions know what they do?” What is that even supposed to mean? I honestly don’t know what to do at this point in college. I really hope I’m not being over-dramatic about it.

First to the quesdotn of “what are your passions?” I think you professors are trying to get to know you and are trying to help guide you. If you don’t know your passions - no worries. It’s a question you can think about an explore. That’s an easy one…so you’re about 18 years old and are in the process of discovering your passions. This may be ongoing throughout your whole life. Whew! See how easy that was? No problem.

You are feeing nervous about the workload and afraid you can get and keep the GPA you need. I understand. All you can do is do your very best. You must have been a good student in order to get those scholarships so use the study and student skills you have in your wheelhouse. If you need academic help, seek it out. Try to take it one day, one week, on quiz, one test at a time. If for some reason you can’t get the grades you need, regroup then. But for now don’t borrow trouble.

Now feeling like you don’t have any friends after nearly a month. What I bet you don’t realize is a lot of kids feel the same way. Keep being friendly, keep your door open, smile and do all that you can. I think it will happen. Remember you are not alone. It isn’t obvious but this is how many freshman feel after a month.

The only part of your post that concerns me a little is that you feel unmotivated. Is this something new or have you felt this way in the past? You might want to make an appointment to talk this through with someone at the counseling center.

Take a deep breath - you’ve got this - you can do it! Enjoy the horses and the class you do like. Put your best effort with the ones you don’t. In time, things will come together.

College is hard. College is not always comfortable. Success comes down to keeping your eye on the prize, which is a degree at the end. It’s hard to keep that focus at the beginning when there is so much to learn, so much uncertainty, and the beginning and end don’t seem very connected. Sounds like some time spent at the counseling center might be a valuable use of time to help you figure out how to proceed. In the meantime, do as well as you can academically do you keep options and decisions open.

One month is not enough time to settle in. The good news is,you have friends. Read the pinned post at the top of the college life forum, called to theose who feel lonely/homesick…

Meanwhile, make an appointment at the counseling center today. Keep the appointment. You will be fine.

Every freshman feels like this…but some more than others.
If you feel overwhelmed, your college has many support systems for you. You pay for them, use them!

For making friends, read this:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-life/1808143-having-trouble-adjusting-to-college-making-friends-top-10-things-to-do.html

For how to do well in college and the support you might use:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-life/1920853-college-is-a-step-up-from-hs-16-tips-on-doing-well-in-college.html

For dealing with no motivation, go to your Counseling Center and talk to them.

When your professor says: “What are your passions, and do your passions know what they do?” and you don’t understand, raise your hand and ask for more details, or talk to them after class, or go to their office hours (which is time specifically set aside to talk to students) about it. This is a great way to get to know your professor a bit better.

Let’s say your passion is horses. What do you want to do with that? Lets say maybe you want to run a horse barn.
Why do I need Math? To be able to run the business of the barn.
Why do I need Biology? To understand more about the biology of living things like horses.
Why do I need English? To be able to write about your horses or do marketing or whatever.

As far as the GPA requirement, my daughter and I both had to maintain a 3.5 GPA to keep our scholarships, and were both able to do so. Believe in yourself, take one day at a time,and keep up the great study habits that you must have had in high school to merit this scholarship.

The first month – or several-- can be hard. Missing family/ home makes it harder. If it helps, know that many, many students have struggled with this at first. Keep doing the work, attending classes, and avail yourself of counseling services.