Pressure

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Tebesu

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I just finished my first year of college. My first semester went pretty well I had a 3.9 GPA, 4.0 non-science, 3.7 science. I was volunteering 4 hours a week at the Emergency Room. This past semester I had a 3.2 GPA, slacked off a lot more. I volunteered for 4 hours a week at my university's Immunology and Signal Transduction Lab headed by my dean.

I feel so pressured out to maintain extra-circular activities and a high GPA. Part of my decreased performance last semester was simply just stressing out about grades. Now that its summer I was supposed to attend the SMDEP at UCLA but I got pneumonia so I couldn't go. I feel like my summer is going to waste so I'm reading up classes I'm taking next semester.

I feel quite exhausted, stressed and very pressured out. Its quite hard for me to relax. I just wanted to know if anyone else is feels the same way as I do and how they successfully dealt with it.

Thanks

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You burned out/became complacent. You deal with a burnout, by taking time off and relaxing. Stop reading up on classes for next year and relax. When next semester starts, work really hard.
 
You know you're only ****ing yourself over more by doing what you're doing. If stressed, take it easy in the summer and bounce back refreshed, it's not gonna do you any good to prestudy now cause you're type will stress regardless. I never understand why people force themselves to stress out, they're just gonna do worse, stress more and continue in a downward spiral. Personally, I could care less since you're probably not gonna handle the stresses of med school very well and the sooner you realize this the better it is for you.
 
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You know you're only ****ing yourself over more by doing what you're doing. If stressed, take it easy in the summer and bounce back refreshed, it's not gonna do you any good to prestudy now cause you're type will stress regardless. I never understand why people force themselves to stress out, they're just gonna do worse, stress more and continue in a downward spiral. Personally, I could care less since you're probably not gonna handle the stresses of med school very well and the sooner you realize this the better it is for you.

This is ridiculously silly. I assume you're joking...


OP: First of all...chill out. You're a freshman, and it sounds like you hit the ground running a little too hard. You don't need to try to cram in every EC that you read about people doing on this board. Figure out a pace that works FOR YOU--something that won't drive you crazy or make you miserable or burn out. You should be having some fun along the way. Don't compare yourself to other people. Just do the best you can and be happy with that.

It sounds to me like you might have an issue with balance (I think a lot of us do). Keep some perspective and don't make your grades and this one goal the center of your life. Try to find a more healthy balance between work and personal things you enjoy.

If it keeps up, I'm sure your university is well-staffed with counselors/psychologists who could be helpful. I think this is probably one of the most prevalent issues that university counselors deal with, so they're probably pretty well-versed in helping students deal with stress. Just saying it could be helpful just to talk to someone, and they can identify the source of your stress and the pressure you put on yourself, and perhaps give you some tools to better deal with it. Worth a thought.
 
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From what it sound like you just need to relax and find something fun to do on the side. I do for the most part everything you do, but i make time in the evening to hang out with friends and socialize. It will only get more difficult once you add research into the mix (assuming you will). Freshman year was an adjustment period so adcom's will cut you some slack. Also, schedule your classes to your advantage. Take 2 sciences and supplement the rest of your schedule with much easier classes such as a survey history course. You will be applying to medical school the summer before your senior year so they will really only see freshman-jun year. Pad your stats anyway you can. Its ok to burn some electives early and have a semi-difficult senior year.
 
Thanks its good to know others feel this way and its just burn out. I think I get carried away sometimes and don't see the big picture. I'm just going to take some time off and work hard this coming semester.
 
yeah, definitely just burn out. I had the same experience last year and almost went crazy. An amazing spring break trip helped immensely.
 
I just finished my first year of college. My first semester went pretty well I had a 3.9 GPA, 4.0 non-science, 3.7 science. I was volunteering 4 hours a week at the Emergency Room. This past semester I had a 3.2 GPA, slacked off a lot more. I volunteered for 4 hours a week at my university's Immunology and Signal Transduction Lab headed by my dean.

I feel so pressured out to maintain extra-circular activities and a high GPA. Part of my decreased performance last semester was simply just stressing out about grades. Now that its summer I was supposed to attend the SMDEP at UCLA but I got pneumonia so I couldn't go. I feel like my summer is going to waste so I'm reading up classes I'm taking next semester.

I feel quite exhausted, stressed and very pressured out. Its quite hard for me to relax. I just wanted to know if anyone else is feels the same way as I do and how they successfully dealt with it.

Thanks

Female companionship?

Can be expensive but you're guaranteed to not think about school for a bit. Seriously though, try exercising. Its tough to get up an go to the gym every morning but you wont believe the difference in energy and mood you will get from an hour work out everyday. Even if you're the skinniest, funniest looking guy in there, everyone has to start somewhere. Try it out, you may find its of great benefit to you. Plus, it wont hurt with the ladies either.
 
Female companionship?

Can be expensive but you're guaranteed to not think about school for a bit. Seriously though, try exercising. Its tough to get up an go to the gym every morning but you wont believe the difference in energy and mood you will get from an hour work out everyday. Even if you're the skinniest, funniest looking guy in there, everyone has to start somewhere. Try it out, you may find its of great benefit to you. Plus, it wont hurt with the ladies either.

Exercising did the trick for me. You don't even need to go every morning (especially if you're just getting started). Just once or twice a week is still pretty good. And the great thing is, if you keep at it, you will start to see improvements pretty quickly :)
 
working out is great. i got up early twice a week and i felt worlds better. try it out when school starts.
 
Female companionship?

Can be expensive but you're guaranteed to not think about school for a bit. Seriously though, try exercising. Its tough to get up an go to the gym every morning but you wont believe the difference in energy and mood you will get from an hour work out everyday. Even if you're the skinniest, funniest looking guy in there, everyone has to start somewhere. Try it out, you may find its of great benefit to you. Plus, it wont hurt with the ladies either.


i was thinking about the same thing. take your mind off school, reinvest it on girls til junior year
 
I can relate, and I'm almost done. You will always have stressful events in this line of work, it's just how you deal with this those events.

Everyone's different, but mostly everyone responds the same to exercise. I would suggest it.
 
i "invested" in a girl who burned me a week before the mcat....so be careful with that
 
Female companionship?

Can be expensive but you're guaranteed to not think about school for a bit. Seriously though, try exercising. Its tough to get up an go to the gym every morning but you wont believe the difference in energy and mood you will get from an hour work out everyday. Even if you're the skinniest, funniest looking guy in there, everyone has to start somewhere. Try it out, you may find its of great benefit to you. Plus, it wont hurt with the ladies either.

I do have a girlfriend she does help take my mind off things but sometimes I feel like I should be doing a little more studying.

I just bought a gym membership last week and I've been trying to go. I do feel a little shame cause I am like the smallest, youngest person there. I try to go when it first opens since theres less people but thats at 4:45 am. I went today so I'm pretty happy with myself, I just need to continue going. I just need to find time to schedule it in when I start the semester.

anyways thanks for your guys continued help and suggestions there much appreciated.
 
I just bought a gym membership last week and I've been trying to go. I do feel a little shame cause I am like the smallest, youngest person there. I try to go when it first opens since theres less people but thats at 4:45 am. I went today so I'm pretty happy with myself, I just need to continue going. I just need to find time to schedule it in when I start the semester.

Don't worry about the first bolded part at all, everyone starts out small, it's a gradual process. Trust me - no one's going to be staring at you wondering why you're small - they're going to be staring at the tool who ripped the sleeves off his affliction/hurley/*insert graphic t here* shirt flexing whenever he walks by a mirror. If it makes you feel better about yourself and gives you a boost in energy, keep it up. Making it a habit now while you have free time is important
 
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