help from current/past students?

[MPHestudiante]

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Hi guys. I am having some serious issues & I could really use some advice. I sort of feel like my life is spinning out of control & everything just really caught up with me. I am a first year MPH student in global health/epi. At the end of the first semester I finished thinking this was the easiest & most enjoyable semester of my life. I am only including this information to show that I can do the work & do love the program. Now here is the problem.

I have been having some significant personal & family issues all semester. Basically what happened was I was dealing with some family issues which caused me to really not put as much time into my studies as I should have (I was still trying but not 100%). Also, this is something I truly do not understand because I have never dealt with anything like this before, but I believe as a result I have been suffering from bouts of depression/severe social anxiety. I am not trying to make excuses because I know this is 100% my fault, I just want to lay out the situation 1st. Anyway, I had 2 horrible mid terms (57 & 70) & now there is a possibility I will end up with two C's for the semester which is absolutely ridiculous for grad school.

I really want to talk to my departmental adviser, but I feel like it is now too late & it will just seem like I am making excuses. Especially because I feel like with my grades I look like I supreme slacker. I also do NOT feel comfortable talking about what's going on in my family or with myself so I don't really know what to do.I live alone & have sort of isolated myself from my class this semester so there isn't really anyone I can talk to here (again, I am not normally this sort of person at all).

So I am really just asking for advice on the school side of things. I know I have a lot of crap to work out on my own but I just really don't know how to be successful in the future with these grades. Is there any way I can redeem myself with these grades? I truly can not see a way that professors or anyone who looks at my transcript will take me seriously (plus my chance at higher education is prob shot).

Thanks in advance for any advice/experiences.

 

[Stories]

Talk to the profs, they have ultimate control.

A second option is to repeat those classes you're doing poorly in the following year and hope that you can replace your poor grade with the grade you get in the new term.

 

[SMUrandy]

I would second the idea of speaking to the professors as much as you can. Sometimes they will be willing to work with you. Most importantly, make sure to care of yourself.

 

[classicvendetta]

You'd be surprised by how understanding some professors can be. Sometimes we forget that they're not robots but people too. In my experience, professors would rather know what's going on.

Not telling them makes you seem like a slacker but if they have a better understanding of what's preventing you from doing your best, they'd be more apt to cut you some slack. Professors can tell the difference between B.S and significant issues. Talking about your personal problems with strangers can be hard but sometimes, it's in your best interest to do so 🙂

Good luck to you!

 

[colormonger]

Also, don't deny the value of counselors at your school! All schools have people available to talk to, usually included in your tuition and fees, so it's free or really cheap. Go talk with a professional about the problems in your personal life! That's really the problem, and until you work on managing that, it will be difficult to improve your grades this semester, let alone next semester. They can also provide excellent advice on how to talk with your professors, manage your workload, and may be able to provide confirmation to your professors that you need a helping hand with school temporarily.

 

[phdiva]

Hey,

I went through something really similar in undergrad. the only thing i can say is, you're not alone now or in general. It's not nearly as rare as it feels right now for people to have problems and need a little support, but no one is going to give it to you if you won't ask for it.

 

[concern]

I am not trying to make excuses because I know this is 100% my fault, I just want to lay out the situation 1st. //
I also do NOT feel comfortable talking about what's going on in my family or with myself so I don't really know what to do.I live alone & have sort of isolated myself from my class this semester so there isn't really anyone I can talk to here (again, I am not normally this sort of person at all).

Must've been hard enough putting it down here but it's good that you did. I can't tell you how to do the damage control in the academic sense (not too familiar with how things are on ground in the US), but the others have offered their bit on that.

Are you totally convinced about attributing the low performance to family/other concrete issues? Are they taking up your time mostly or your mental space? Is the isolation due to lack of self-esteem from low grades? Is it actually hard to pin down the low performance to anything convincingly, which maybe making you think (erroneously) that it is 100% your fault? (I'm obviously not saying you answer these questions here; only suggesting that thinking them over may help- analyze but don't overdo it).

If it's your mental space these issues are taking over, for the interim, making a daily routine time table to the hour may help. Keep short stretches for studies interspersed with breaks. Keep a slot for thinking through your problems as well. Force your mind to not get negative- develop mental strength. It's a boon. Don't get negative- it NEVER helps. Don't get negative, if only because you know that it never helps.

Know that it is possible to haul yourself out of this.

Also, do see a counsellor if things don't get better soon enough- expect help but not a golden solution. You'll have to work through this yourself but seeking help is wise and there's absolutely nothing to lose. you've been academically good in the past; you can be even better again.

 

[lebeth]

Sorry you're having such a hard time. I second everyone who said to talk to your professors. Talk to them ASAP. The longer you wait, the more you will stress about it, and the chances of the outcome being negative rise drastically.

I work in a med school and we frequently have students with family or personal problems. Faculty are always willing to accommodate them so that they can still succeed academically while they're suffering in other areas. I'm sure it is the same at your school. Last year I had a student in my lab with a pretty significant personal problem that was affecting her academically and she came to me to ask for advice about talking to the faculty. I ended up talking to the faculty myself, who reached out to her by contacting her to set up a meeting. She was nervous about approaching them, so by them contacting her, the pressure was off. We'd already noticed she was slipping simply based on her exam scores but nobody knew the reason, so the faculty were relieved to know what was going on and worked to get her back on track. Is there someone you know at your school who could do that? Or maybe someone who could just point you in the right direction for getting this resolved?

Also look into your school's counseling options. I'm sure there is something available and the first few appointments are probably free. You said you have a hard time talking to people but you're going to have to overcome it to resolve the situation. The counselors will help you organize your time and will be able to give you the support you need to finish out this school year and help you do better in the next.

Good luck and I hope you feel better soon!

 

[sevogose]

It sounds like you are having a rough time, I hope things improve. I can't really speak to your emotional or mental health issues because I don't really have any experience in those areas. You should know, however, that having two Cs on your record will not destroy your life after graduation. Employers will obviously care if you complete your MPH, but they typically don't care about the details of your grades.

Be warned that a couple of Cs on your record WILL be a major problem if you intend to continue on to a PhD or DrPH. If you apply to doctoral programs, your MPH grades and even undergrad grades will be highly scrutinized and a couple of Cs will be viewed as major blemishes on your record. If it is your intention to continue on, you will need to do everything in your power to improve them (like repeating the classes for an improved combined grade). Then, be prepared to address why you had to repeat those classes with a clear and coherent story that shows that how you persevered through difficult times and took responsibility for correcting the situation.

Good luck!

 

[cutie20]

Many students dont know this but the school pays and employs either a therapist or a counselor to help students.It is vital that you seek one of such persons out in your school and make an appointment to visit with them.
You can be totally open with them as that will help the person best assist you and suggest options for you to improve with your mental,social and emotional state.
Finally, talk to your advisor, you dont have to tell the whole story but definitely discuss things with him.
Hope this and all the suggestions posted by others help!!
Goodluck w/everything and hang in there!!!

 

[kjat32]

It sounds like you've gone into your "cave" to process and attempt to heal whatever you're dealing with. In which case, talking about it may be the last thing you want to do. I know.

Here's one more suggestion. I don't know if you're a member of any church, but most pastors offer free counseling and they are not involved with your school, plus they're 1000% confidential. You might want to try talking to someone you trust or a pastor a friend recommends or just look a church up and walk in. Sometimes anonymity can really help. Once you "break the dam" and talk about it person, face -to- face, with someone, you'll find that pressure released and you can start to get a little perspective. It's impossible to have perspective in a cave. You HAVE to talk to someone. Once you have gotten past that point, you can work on talking to your profs and dealing with the academic stuff, and it will all seem much easier than it does now. And remember, it really isn't the end of the world, although it may seem so now. But talking to someone will help you reach that perspective yourself. I have some experience in this area (close to suicidal my second year of college), and lots of experience counseling people struggling to cope, and I would be happy to "talk" to you privately if you want to send me a private message.

Blessings,

Katherine