As the end of the semester approaches I’ve never been so happy for it to be over. This semester I have been borderline depressed (more so unmotivated) and am just tired of school. I am currently a Computer Engineering Major and have a lot of scholarship opportunities and stuff but I feel like college is a scam? Not a scam in the idea of college but the layout. I feel like there are too many exams, too much homework, and not enough learning. All we do is study and take exams. I have learned more from working than my years in college. People say nowadays I look sad or tired and I don’t know what to do. Any tips? Would be very appreciated. Thank you!
There are many reasons.
- Student isn’t academically or socially prepared for college life.
- Student needs mental health support.
- His college is not a good fit for him.
- His college is just not a good learning environment in general.
- Student isn’t getting good academic advice.
- Student has family or financial problems.
- Student isn’t involved in interesting non academic and social activities.
As you mentioned in your other posts, you are at a community college, trying to transfer. It’s possible you’ll have a better time at new college.
In meanwhile check with mental health folks, carve out some fun time, eat/sleep/workout well. Keep a positive attitude. No good or bad phase is for ever.
Eat your fresh fruits and vegetables(and I am only half kidding).
The other reality is that running a college is expensive and paying for college is expensive. Four years is a short time to get in all of the learning required, so timeframes are very compressed, leading to pressure and stress.
Students can consciously choose to take fewer credits than required each semester and take 5 or 6 years to graduate, but this usually isn’t financially attractive.
The requirements for an Engineering program meeting accreditation needs are possibly the worst in this respect. There’s just a lot that you need to know to get an accredited Engineering degree. And most parents don’t want to pay for 5 years of college.
Welcome to life. Accept it, work hard, and find balance in your life. Sometimes you have to work super hard (like college) and other points in your life might be a little slower. Life seems to have an ebb and flow to it. Sometimes I feel as if today’s youth didn’t get that memo. Be positive and be grateful. Attitude is everything.
Studying=learning. Your exams are proof of that, or not, depending on your grades. It’s up to you to get more from your college experience. But you also have to accept that college isn’t meant to be easy. It’s called earning a degree for a reason.
Make time to relax and socialize. When I was at CC, my social opportunities came from work. Even at CC, there are opportunities to meet people. Schedule your down time, or be sure you do something relaxing at the same time every day.
College isn’t a scam. It’s what people need to get ahead these days, and if you want to get ahead, you have to get through it and make it work, like everyone else.
@57special haha will for sure keep this in mind. Thing is, I’m lucky if I eat 1 meal nowadays.
You can’t afford proper meals or you are too busy to eat?
Irregularly-timed meal consumption increases stress on the body and mind, and throw you into the vicious cycle of being tired and stressed. Besides studying and worrying about studying, make sure you get some exercise (or just walk around campus to clear your mind) to reduce stress (via release of endorphins, our happy molecules), eat healthy food regularly, including fresh fruits and vegetables as suggested by 57 special.
@RichInPitt I have been in college more than 4-years sadly…I always pay for my school and am not in debt. I work and go to school. Yes I’m aware, us engineers have harder and much more workloads than even business students. I remember reading at even one school they had to start implementing an invisible net because so many of the students kept jumping off from the top to commit suicide due to the stress.
@tgl2023 its a mixture of both but mostly I’m too busy. I usually go grocery shopping for good food but sometimes if I’m stuck at work late I’ll eat whatever is closest because of the nature of my boss. I don’t really have time and majority of the time skip breakfast and lunch because of work. I really only eat dinner. My body can do without eating for days so it’s not a big enough deal. I haven’t had time to work out in a long time. I sincerely don’t have time. Not even to randomly walk around campus. I’ll walk to classes and stuff but not just because. For me to do that I’d have to even plan a head to just be spontaneous. Like I’m so busy that I have to plan about 2 weeks(minimum) or a month ahead to even hang with one of my guy friends. Majority of my tiredness and stress is coming from school sadly. I’ve become bored and unmotivated because of the structure of college (not enough learning or hands on but only studying and exams) which is lame.
I think that your body and mind are trying to tell you that they cannot handle your routine of meal-skipping, manifesting in your constant tiredness, sadness, heightened stress. Please do eat properly and regularly, your body and mind will perform better, giving you back more quality time. Try to avoid fast food, pack a sandwich or two instead.
Please, take care of your body first and the rest will be easier.
@Riversider I like college I just don’t like the layout if that makes sense. All we ever do is homework,study, and exams but we don’t get to actually learn. I wouldn’t have a problem if there was less exam and more learning. Yes, I will be transferring soon and am excited yet nervous. I cannot wait to finally graduate and be done. I am so busy I don’t have time to workout or even hang out with my guy friend except like once a month if that. One of the academics here keeps yelling at me but I’m sure it’s his way of touch love maybe? One advisor is my friend and has been super supportive. So much has happened like I lost my dad to malpractice when I first started and my grandpa died last year and then I was hospitalized at one point at etc…(they basically told me never be that stressed out again since I ended up blacking out). I work and go to school and through my past jobs I’ve actually learned more. Then one of my aunties keeps comparing me and even told me “omg just change your major even if it’s easy and you don’t like it so you can graduate” which I found absurd. Eating I eat maybe once a day now. I feel bad because I was supposed to finish on time last year and all my mates are done (granted they majored in much easier stuff). For me to make many changes requires time which I don’t have which is sad. I feel unmotivated by the time it’s taken me and the age I’ll graduate (I’m 24 now so about 26 or 27 I should be done). I feel it’s mostly the layout as I stated. Haha hopefully all this stress will be left in college. You think?
Hopefully when you transfer to a more “traditional” school you will feel a little less stressed. Will you still have to work so much? It sounds to me like you are simply TOO busy. If you’re working a lot and then going to school on top of it, you are basically doing the equivalent of 2 jobs. Not having time to walk around campus or eat properly is a red flag regarding how overscheduled you are. Anyone would get burned our and despondent in that situation.
I get that it’s hard to feel like you’re actually learning anything when you’re just focused on the grind of getting work in and taking tests. You ARE learning, it just doens’t feel like it to you. But, your learning could be supplemented (and hopefully will be when you transfer) but participating in research, activities and clubs associated with your major, internships, etc. I hope you’ll be able to get involved in those things at your new school.
It’s okay. Life threw some curve balls but you managed and now moving on to the next phase. Stay focused, stay healthy, finish education and start independent adult life. I hope you find happiness and spread it around to others too.
@PrdMomto1 sorry for the late response school is FINALLY over (thank goodness). Yes, hopefully a traditional school will be much more pleasant. I am planning on transferring soon but am still trying to figure out logistics with GPA,averages, and etc. I told you I was extremely busy haha. Yes I have to work in order to pay bills. If I didn’t have to that would have been amazing. I have done full time school and full time work before. It’s totally manageable but it kicks your butt haha. Right now I’m part time 20 hours a week and a full time student. I am planning on working out during break but when I start school again will probably be too busy to do that. I’m too busy to do many things but since I’m on break right now I can somewhat regain my life back. But I’ve been supplemented my entire life. Quite frankly it’s boring. What ever happened to drawing pictures & graphs, hands on, fields trips, actual research projects, and working shadowing companies to departments you’d like to work in. I find that way more beneficial and much more meaningful than taking a bunch of lame exams and constantly studying all the time. I guess you’re right… I don’t feel I’m learning anything yet but maybe when I take classes more related to my major I’ll do better. I participate in some school clubs but I don’t have time to do hobbies or organizations. The clubs are all on one day and thankfully the day I work from home so it’s a bit flexible even though sometimes I have to work on the computer while present. I hope so too! I’m super excited yet nervous about transferring to a real university. I wonder what the adaptation will be like and if I gain more motivation. Honestly, I just want to be done and get my degree ASAP haha.
@tgl2023 my body can go days without eating so far as I drink water. I can go without sleep for about 3 days. I remember once a while ago I pulled the ultimate all-nighter (maybe all dayer haha I invented that term.) I legit didn’t sleep or take a nap for 2 continuous days like a whole 48 hours and it almost went to 3 days. My body is used to it all. However, I am trying to definitely eat much better and exercise more and even lose weight. I do try and make food but sometimes I have to eat out but not really junk food (my body doesn’t like eating junk food more than a certain amount of days). I am using my break to have a mental health staycation and really focus on sleeping, working out, working, and proclaiming my life back and temporary reduce my stress level. I hate the way of school but I have to study ahead and I need to prepare for next semester since regardless wether of not I have to suck it all up so I can get my engineering degree finally and get the heck out. I’m already sad for graduating late and looking like a loser so I am planning on making some life changed before I finally transfer. Yes absolutely! Do you have any other suggestions in regards to reducing my stress and maybe somewhat have motivation to go to school? I’d love to hear any advice. Thanks!