Anxiety Support Group
Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...
I hope you like the title---thought it would be a funny way to strike my current position. Though it is a joke, the comment runs through my mind at least once a day since I've started college. Now that it's December the thought crosses my mind at least three times a day.
I'm a freshman in college and it's been pretty stressful but I've (luckily) been handling---handeling?---it pretty well. I've got A's in three out of four classes. However, I have a D in my Political Science class which is stressing me out because I'm trying to do my best in that class. The issue with Political Science is that there are only three exams and one paper. The exams are stressful because they're three open-ended questions that can range from anything we've talked about in class. So I'm sitting there, studying as much as I can, but it feels like it's useless (obviously I'm going to keep studying). I'm filling my brain with so much information that it's hard to remember and grasp details on command. I've talked to my professor, gone to study groups, ask for help, etc. but the result is always the same: low test scores, leading to a low overall grade. I'm stressing over the final exam due to the results of the previous two and the future paper. I have to write a 8-10 page "literature review" for the class... I HAVE NEVER WRITTEN A LITERATURE REVIEW BEFORE---it's completely separate from reading a book and analyzing it. Though I've been reaching out to people and doing my research, I still have no idea what I'm doing for this paper. I'm trying to stay positive about the class but it's becoming extremely difficult.
Aside from that, I also have other important things due in other classes. Psychology: two exams, a paper, and presentation. Ethics: two short essays and a seven page paper. Black Lives Matter Seminar: seven page paper and presentation. And I have to write a three page reflection essay for Political Science and Ethics for the pilot program that I'm in. Another thing that I should mention is that all of the papers are due on the same day! December 13th is the new Dooms Day, everybody! And my final exams are also on the same day---Dooms Day Part II is on December 19th!
I know a lot of people have it worse than I do---that I'm not the only person struggling---I'm just stressed out. All of this is giving me anxiety which is making me have a hard time sleeping at night. For those of you who are going to say "take a break, go have some fun": I have and I do. I make sure not to overwork myself and have some fun. I still hang out with my friend's, take naps, workout, do my crafts, etc.. It just doesn't help as much as I need it to, you know?
I'm not a perfectionist by needing to get all A's in my classes. I'm not anal retentive about that. It's just that I can't afford to lose my scholarship. It's just my mom and I. Even though we actually do pretty well for a single family income it's not enough for college. Especially since my mom was out of work for a year because she was fired and blacklisted. The sad thing is that she was fired because her boses didn't like how she would speak up if something wasn't right (she was an ethics researcher for the government). So the "offical" reason that they came up with to fire her for was making too much money. I know, how stupid is that?
My point in bringing this up is that all of the college money she had saved for me over the years had to be used to pay for the house, bills, and everything else that we needed. I told her that I would be okay working more and going to community college but she insisted that I should still go away for school. Even though I couldn't go to my dream school, I was and still am perfectly okay with making that sacrifice. I'm sorry for going off topic (I have ADHD) but I wanted you to understand why I'm stressed out. I can't lose the scholarship.
Yes, my mom is aware of what is going on. I tell her everything because she isn't just paying for me to go to college but also because she's my best friend and I'm so grateful to have her in my life. Though she's bummed about the grade, she understands that I'm giving it my all and that's the best thing I can do. I just don't want to fail any of my classes and lose the scholarship.
Thanks for listening to my TED Talk. Hopefully venting this stuff out helps to alleviate some of the stress. I'm also crossing my fingers that I survive my first semester of college... just gotta take it one day at a time.
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Hey all, i know its been quite awhile since i posted on here. Its been a summer all right. Its been something else........... You know how they say not to open the can of worms? Well a few months ago i decided to find out what my due date would have been for my first baby, the one conceived by r***. My baby would have been due on March 4th of 2006. They would be 20 years old. I was R**** on June...
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My day...today...misplaced my debit card...didn't realize it until I got to the register after shopping to a full cart. Used a different debit card and pulled apart everything looking for missing debit card before I left parking lot. Got home, dropped keys. So now I have a missing debit card, missing keys. A full cartload to unload and put away. I got everything put away.Dumped purse for a...
Attempted humor aside. . .
Rambling allowed here. It helps with the sorting and there is quite allot to be sorted in the anxious world of college life. Listening. . . Vent freely and vent often.
Welcome aboard. Hope you find stabilizing companionship here.
For what it's worth
I've only taken one Political Science class and got an 'A' for having too many opinions to simply regurgitate facts. Maybe you should study with your mom for this one?
As for knowing that other people have it a lot worse. That is true of any situation ever, that's not to say you don't have reasons to feel upset, angry, stressed etc in hard times. It's natural, we all feel this way.
You have ADHD and are in college? I think that shows how capable you are. It may not be an option you wish to explore, but if you have ADHD there may be a students services at school that can help you. Assisted tuition, extended deadlines etc, sometimes they can provide this. I get if you don't want to.
I think you are more capable than you are giving yourself credit for. If you dedicate yourself you should get through it alright and you'll probably end up wondering why you were so worried to begin with. Good luck with it, and believe in yourself.
You already know you're trying so hard, you're missing out on the fun part of the class.
It's difficult to sit back and take the time to process the class as it is, and not as you are seeing it. It's a class.
You can make it through this! What I found works to help me improve to understand the professor's "idea of worth for a grade" was to write out the questions I had previously asked, also the answers, and then I approached it from a different view.
Your perspective is different because of your previous experiences with grading and what was expected.
Best wishes! You're stronger than you realize!
Are there tutor options? Talk with your professors and
see if there are hours set up for student/tutor sessions.
Hang in there!
Traditional schools cannot teach us to be come rich. To have enough money is how you manage your money. Getting rich is how your think.
For the guy, its great for throwing away extra money. First off, I am big picture thinker. First I think of my personal safety. Also the safety and condition of my car. I am sure the clients of the strip clubs are not the most honorable men. I worry about the parking lot situation i.e. getting robbed or beat up by one of those wholesome men clients. Or just having a general issue in the parking lot.
Then I do worry about throwing my money away. For what? A little tit-ilation? neat. Lovely. Meh. Also thirdly, believe it or not. I do think of the position I put the stripper ladies in. They are doing that for money. I don't want to be a party in dangling $1's and $5s in front of them (yes I am a high roller). The hell if I am going to start distributing Jacksons. I am not Rockafeller.
So these are the reasons, in order why I don't frequent these establishments.
1) Stripping - sure you were joking, or mostly joking, but it's probably a bad move longterm. Someone, from school, will see you, the word will get around, and it will be seen as a negative by many. Too bad as it is a great part-time job while in college.
2) School - I remember doing my best studying when I was able to do study with a small group. Whether I knew more or knew less I always gained a lot from those group study sessions. I'd see if you can find a couple people in your poly sci class to study with.
Good luck!
It took forever, but it really helped improve my grades. And if this helps at all, I promise college gets easier and you'll find your flow.