</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
My attendance is really quite low, and I skipped all of my classes today too. Some of my classes I haven;t attended since January; some, before that . At the moment, my motivation is really in the pits.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">
Something I picked up from David Burn's book "Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy." Motivation often FOLLOWS action. If you can convince yourself to get up and start the activity that you are not motivated to do, you'll often find that you get motivated WHILE you are doing it. Little successes build on each other. Take baby steps and don't apologize for them. Try shutting off your computer, brushing your teeth, and going to sit through ONE class. Don't force yourself to take notes, or get there on time, or listen closely. Just make it your goal to attend one class.
</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
I'm so far behind in my work it's unbelievable (uncompleted coursework since November) but what's worse, I don't have the motivation to even pick up my pen to do the easy work , never mind write 2000-word essays.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">
That giant pile of work would be scary to someone who wasn't depressed, of course it's discouraging to you. You CAN'T catch up on all of it today. Pick some small tasks that you know you can finish in an hour [or a half hour] and do those. This is very possible and will probable make you feel a lot better.Don't worry about the giant pile so much. The worse that can happen is that it can all go away.
</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
I've told my personal tutor ( a kind of teacher we have who we go to about problems with work) about my depression, since he also handled the paperwork when I withdrew last year, but I'm reluctant to tell him the full extent of how I'm doing, and besides, I haven't seen him since before Christmas. talking to people in authority like him scares me... so I don't.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">
It sounds like he helped you then, he will probably be helpful now even though you haven't seen him since last year. He probably has seen many students with problems like yours and might have some helpful suggestions.
</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
it's only in the past few weeks that I have been finally considering seeing a psychiatrist for meds. I've been seeing both my dr and the university counsellor since November. I'm seeing the psychiatrist today. I hope it goes ok.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">
These are all good moves. I encourage you to follow through and schedule another appointment with a psychiatrist even though your first one feel through. The meds have helped a lot of people deal with this stuff. ANYTHING you do to help yourself will make you feel more in control.
</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Basically I am being overwhelmed with all this stuff. My counsellor warned me from the beginning that she was afraid this would happen, but I didn't have the motivation to complete work then either. Of course, it probably would help me if I stopped coming to this site so much. But even when I'm not here, and I'm bored, I don't start my work. Though I probably should do.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">
Being overwhelmed is not fun. I've been there many times. I still deal with those feelings. Even this morning, I've been fighting that kind of a mood. I'll probably have a good day today if I can keep my head above water and stay active. School is tough and there are a lot stress. Trust me, you're not the only first year student dealing with this kind of situation, although yours is probably tougher than some others.

If you suspect that coming to this site so much interferes with your other goals, don't come to the site so much. It's generally a positive place, but if your recovery is suffering from it....
</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>

If I could, I would withdraw from university again and take a year out somewhere, somewhere relaxing - maybe New Zealand, lol. But of course I can't afford it and I would never be allowed to do it. So all I am left with are fantasies and piles of work...

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">
....or you could cut back on your course load for a year until you catch up, then resume full-time classes

....or you can work something out with your professors to make up the unfinished work over the summer

...or you can take a year off, get a job at the fish market, learn how to juggle, and become a street performer
</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Any tips? Any advice? Thanks for any replies.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">
Good luck and hang in there silver.

I'd love to hear other folks' suggestions for silver_queen's options. Doesn't she have plenty of options? ;-)