Any tips on not getting so down(emotionally)...

[SCDP]

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I know I am one of those people that are naturally smart and in high school I never had to really study much, just maybe review the night before a bit and I'd still get mostly A's, even when taking tougher courses. I got a 28 on the ACT without studying at all. I am not trying to brag but just showing I know I have the mental capability to succeed. BUT....

College has been a whole new world compared to high school(which was a joke). I have done well, but THERE ARE SO MANY TIMES where when something seems so tough and I feel like I can't do it and lose all self confidence in my educational capabilities, like not understanding something in chem, doing bad on an exam, not knowing where to start for an essay and just feeling LOST. Everytime that happens, I just want to give up, get sad and depressed, don't care about anything anymore and just want to drop out, find a job at target and find a way to be happy living quite simply.

I swear, I never experienced any sort of emotions like this in high school, but now in college it's like a roller coaster any time something gets tough.

Sure then I work a bit harder and stuff and understand the material slowly and then I'm all motivated again and feel quite confident.

I'm just tired of this, because I feel like one of these times I will end up dropping out and fuk up my life just because somethings a little tough...

Any advice?

 

[pasdebourree]

One of the most important things that I wish I knew how to do as an undergraduate was knowing when to ask for help. I was the same way--fiercely independent and used to succeeding on my own. When all of a sudden things got hard, I did not know how to cope, and my grades suffered because of it. As someone who has since graduated and learned from mistakes big-time, please heed my advice and be proactive about seeking help. This means both academic and emotional support. If I could turn back time, I would be at my professors' office hours every single week, staying on top of my work instead of falling behind. I would have been reaching out to classmates and tutors when I didn't understand something. I should have sought help BEFORE things got rough, instead of waiting until it was too late.

Seeking help is not an admission of weakness or failure--actually, it is a sign of emotional maturity and self-awareness.

As far as emotional support goes, there is also absolutely nothing wrong with talking to an adviser or counselor. Most college campuses have confidential and free counseling services, which is again something that I wish I had taken advantage of while I was an undergraduate. It never hurts to just have someone to talk to, even if you're not in crisis mode, but especially if you are.

It's really important to learn how to cope with this feeling now, and become comfortable asking for help, because in medical school, it is only going to get harder. Be aware of this, and really consider if medical school is a place that you will be able to thrive. That being said, I'm confident that if you reach out for help and take advantage of all support resources, you will do just fine. Wishing you the best of luck in your studies!

 

[Mr Interesting]

I know I am one of those people that are naturally smart and in high school I never had to really study much, just maybe review the night before a bit and I'd still get mostly A's, even when taking tougher courses. I got a 28 on the ACT without studying at all. I am not trying to brag but just showing I know I have the mental capability to succeed. BUT....

College has been a whole new world compared to high school(which was a joke). I have done well, but THERE ARE SO MANY TIMES where when something seems so tough and I feel like I can't do it and lose all self confidence in my educational capabilities, like not understanding something in chem, doing bad on an exam, not knowing where to start for an essay and just feeling LOST. Everytime that happens, I just want to give up, get sad and depressed, don't care about anything anymore and just want to drop out, find a job at target and find a way to be happy living quite simply.

I swear, I never experienced any sort of emotions like this in high school, but now in college it's like a roller coaster any time something gets tough.

Sure then I work a bit harder and stuff and understand the material slowly and then I'm all motivated again and feel quite confident.

I'm just tired of this, because I feel like one of these times I will end up dropping out and fuk up my life just because somethings a little tough...

Any advice?

Yes, suck it up. Tough love time

In high school you were not challenged academically and did well. Now that you are in college, everything is not so easy yet you are still doing well. That is life, you will be faced with problems and challenges all the time.
These problems will serve as roadblocks to your goals. However, the difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is how you use them. College is not meant to be a walk in the park but it's also far from torture. If you are struggling with a class or getting emotionally down, do seek out help with student success at your school. Let someone know that you are having any difficulties. For what it's worth, everyone works at their own pace, some faster than others some slower. All that matters is how well you in the end. At this moment, I'd say you are doing fine. We may need to work on your self-esteem and confidence though.

 

[type12]

Remember, frat boys go and graduate college. People who have driven drunk and killed, graduated college.

You're better than them, and you have no reason to think you can't handle what they could.

 

[Patros]

@Mr Interesting wasn't kidding, is this zero-confidence week or something?

I'm sorry for being blunt about this, but this topic comes up a lot. Here are the staple answers:

1) College is different from high school, there'll be nobody to hold your hand anymore.
2) You can't allow yourself to get beaten down by coursework, find your motivation and stay motivated. (Why do you want to do medicine?)
3) Seek an academic adviser for help with scheduling, seek TAs or tutors for coursework, seek a psychologist or therapist if you find this is negatively affecting your well-being
4) Don't worry about past mistakes, most transcripts can be saved with good work in the future.

And sorry to rain on your parade again, but a 28 on the ACT is not at all impressive, studying or not. Don't you think a 32 with studying is much better than a 28 without? Remember, success in life comes more from hard work than it does from raw intelligence, child prodigies don't rule the world.

 

[Boolean]

@Mr Interesting wasn't kidding, is this zero-confidence week or something?

I'm sorry for being blunt about this, but this topic comes up a lot. Here are the staple answers:

1) College is different from high school, there'll be nobody to hold your hand anymore.
2) You can't allow yourself to get beaten down by coursework, find your motivation and stay motivated. (Why do you want to do medicine?)
3) Seek an academic adviser for help with scheduling, seek TAs or tutors for coursework, seek a psychologist or therapist if you find this is negatively affecting your well-being
4) Don't worry about past mistakes, most transcripts can be saved with good work in the future.

And sorry to rain on your parade again, but a 28 on the ACT is not at all impressive, studying or not. Don't you think a 32 with studying is much better than a 28 without? Remember, success in life comes from being more from hard work than it does from raw intelligence, child prodigies don't rule the world.

This is pretty much on-point. Really could not agree more.

 

[Optimus-Prime]

you need to start picking things up and then putting them down

 

[optimistic3]

You sound a lot like myself. I did very well in HS with minimal effort but I quickly got my butt kicked in college because I could no longer get by on that minimal effort. Much fewer assignments and exams in college classes means you really need to do well on just about everything.

You need to change your study habits and change them NOW before it's too late. I highly suggest starting to study EARLY and OFTEN. Do not procrastinate!!!!

Also like the other poster said, seek help. Do not be afraid to get tutoring and go to office hours often. It may help a lot more than you think it will. You can still turn this around and do much better but remember you need to put the effort into it. In just about all of my classes, grades are proportional with the amount of effort a student has put into it.

Good luck and remember that if your classmates can do it, then you can do it too.

 

[Goro]

Depression is poorly managed on anonymous internet message boards. Go to your school's counseling center and get some help.

I know I am one of those people that are naturally smart and in high school I never had to really study much, just maybe review the night before a bit and I'd still get mostly A's, even when taking tougher courses. I got a 28 on the ACT without studying at all. I am not trying to brag but just showing I know I have the mental capability to succeed. BUT....

College has been a whole new world compared to high school(which was a joke). I have done well, but THERE ARE SO MANY TIMES where when something seems so tough and I feel like I can't do it and lose all self confidence in my educational capabilities, like not understanding something in chem, doing bad on an exam, not knowing where to start for an essay and just feeling LOST. Everytime that happens, I just want to give up, get sad and depressed, don't care about anything anymore and just want to drop out, find a job at target and find a way to be happy living quite simply.

I swear, I never experienced any sort of emotions like this in high school, but now in college it's like a roller coaster any time something gets tough.

Sure then I work a bit harder and stuff and understand the material slowly and then I'm all motivated again and feel quite confident.

I'm just tired of this, because I feel like one of these times I will end up dropping out and fuk up my life just because somethings a little tough...

Any advice?

 

[Soviet Poland]

The thing about medical school is that it is only going to get more rigorous. Failing a test, getting a poor grade. Those aren't deal killers and should not be construed as the end of the world. What will set you apart as someone who is able to succeed into and beyond medical school, over just another pre-med statistic, is how you handle that failure. And what I mean by that is, do you recognize that you aren't expected to 100% everything with no effort, and that your success is more reflective of your willingness to try and try again?