[letsdance7]

I am in an organic chemistry class and am having a really difficult time with it. I am doing pretty much everything I can (going to all lectures, studying daily, working on homework with multiple groups of people, going to tutoring) but am still not getting good grades.

I started getting major anxiety this week and am having a hard time keeping myself sane and calm. The stress is making me feel sick to my stomach and I haven't had much of an appetite because of it.

I don't think I've ever felt this stressed throughout my whole college career and it's really scaring me because I don't know how to handle this level of anxiety. I'll feel okay one second and then a second later this cloud of anxiety engulfs me.

Have any of you been in my shoes and do any of you have advice for me on how to cope with it? I only have three weeks left of this class but I can't go on feeling like this all the time, I'm not sure I can go through that.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

P.S. I've dealt with anxiety, depression, and OCD in the past so that's partly why this is really scary for me. It is, however, an anxiety I haven't felt in the past.

[CANDC]

Sometimes it is the little things that set me off. I find having enough protein at school helps me stay calmer and the brain to focus better. Every 3-4 hours I have tofu or yogurt or unsalted nuts or milk or whatever. THat may not solve all the problems but it could reduce your anxiety level to a coping point.
What about talking to the professor - maybe he could help or suggest resources. What about extra credit project?
Maybe a new major is called for unless you are firmly committed to science.
What would you study if you had no required courses. Maybe that will be a hint.

[FutureLib]

I have totally been in your shoes in a General Bio class. Science and math aren't my forte, and realizing that has helped me some. What helped/helps me is understanding that "doing my best" changes from minute to minute, day to day, course to course.

A question you should ask yourself is "what's the worse that could happen?". THEN, analyze how rational your response is. Is is really possible for you to flunk out of college is you make a lower than desire grade? If that is a real possibility for you, then proactively plan how to offset the low grade. Could you talk with your instructor to get extra credit? Could you take the course over with a different instructor? In most circumstances, there is leeway for failed courses even when you receive financial aid. I know that I must pass 67% of my courses in order to remain in good academic standing and receive financial aid. Keyword here is 67%, not 100%, because people ain't perfect.

Instead of beating yourself up about the class, realize you ARE doing your best. You should also reflect on the pressure you feel to do well in this course. Why do you feel this exceeding pressure? Do you have unrealistic goals? Do you feel external pressure from others? Is this a longstanding behavior based on the expectations of others? Why are you taking the class? Did you want to take the class?

Originally Posted by meganms

I am in an organic chemistry class and am having a really difficult time with it. I am doing pretty much everything I can (going to all lectures, studying daily, working on homework with multiple groups of people, going to tutoring) but am still not getting good grades.

I started getting major anxiety this week and am having a hard time keeping myself sane and calm. The stress is making me feel sick to my stomach and I haven't had much of an appetite because of it.

I don't think I've ever felt this stressed throughout my whole college career and it's really scaring me because I don't know how to handle this level of anxiety. I'll feel okay one second and then a second later this cloud of anxiety engulfs me.

Have any of you been in my shoes and do any of you have advice for me on how to cope with it? I only have three weeks left of this class but I can't go on feeling like this all the time, I'm not sure I can go through that.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

P.S. I've dealt with anxiety, depression, and OCD in the past so that's partly why this is really scary for me. It is, however, an anxiety I haven't felt in the past.

[letsdance7]

Originally Posted by CANDC

Sometimes it is the little things that set me off. I find having enough protein at school helps me stay calmer and the brain to focus better. Every 3-4 hours I have tofu or yogurt or unsalted nuts or milk or whatever. THat may not solve all the problems but it could reduce your anxiety level to a coping point.
What about talking to the professor - maybe he could help or suggest resources. What about extra credit project?
Maybe a new major is called for unless you are firmly committed to science.
What would you study if you had no required courses. Maybe that will be a hint.

Thank you for your reply! Making sure that I eat something every few hours is definitely good advice. I do not handle missing meals/snacks well, I just haven't been paying attention to food lately. I will start bringing things with me to snack on, thanks for that advice!
I talked to the professor today about how I'm having a hard time and she gave me advice more on how to understand the material, which was kind of helpful but did not reduce my anxiety at all. I am seeing a tutor for the first time next Friday so maybe that will help a little.

The thing is that I'm actually in the major that I love - Psychology - but I am doing a Bachelor of Science so I am required to take organic chemistry. This is my last chemistry class required though, so I'm really hoping I pass it so I'm done after this!

[Odee]

Trust me, I have been there and have failed more classes than not over a year because of it.

Search for counseling resources on campus. My college provides unlimited sessions with psychologists and psychiatrists over the semester for a one time $60 charge. The first "walk in" appointment is free regardless if you have paid for the 'well being' service. The medical clinic was also free and doctors there were willing to prescribe common medications without psychiatric recommendation. They were also pretty well versed in discussing mental health conditions with students. Counseling sessions was tantamount towards me learning how to control my panic attacks that were causing me to leave, miss, and fail classes.

Every campus should have resources available to you!! Look for them! One emergency walk in session may just be enough to give you perspective to get through the next three weeks.

Here's to feeling better. Hugs!

Also: If you are having a difficult time eating please at least try and keep yourself hydrated. I find them dehydration tends to worsen anxiety-like symptoms that would often make me worry. For example, dehydration can give you heart palpitations or give you a terrible headache. If you can afford it, nutrition shakes like muscle milk or pedialite may help you from feeling worse due to food deficiency/hunger/low blood sugar (diabetic or not!!). However, as a college student myself, I don't have the money for that. lol

[CANDC]

Good advice about adequate hydration, it does help.
Sometimes just having the determination to get through organic chemistry by personal effort will take away the doubt.

[letsdance7]

Originally Posted by Odee

Trust me, I have been there and have failed more classes than not over a year because of it.

Search for counseling resources on campus. My college provides unlimited sessions with psychologists and psychiatrists over the semester for a one time $60 charge. The first "walk in" appointment is free regardless if you have paid for the 'well being' service. The medical clinic was also free and doctors there were willing to prescribe common medications without psychiatric recommendation. They were also pretty well versed in discussing mental health conditions with students. Counseling sessions was tantamount towards me learning how to control my panic attacks that were causing me to leave, miss, and fail classes.

Every campus should have resources available to you!! Look for them! One emergency walk in session may just be enough to give you perspective to get through the next three weeks.

Here's to feeling better. Hugs!

Also: If you are having a difficult time eating please at least try and keep yourself hydrated. I find them dehydration tends to worsen anxiety-like symptoms that would often make me worry. For example, dehydration can give you heart palpitations or give you a terrible headache. If you can afford it, nutrition shakes like muscle milk or pedialite may help you from feeling worse due to of
d deficiency/hunger/low blood sugar (diabetic or not!!). However, as a college student myself, I don't have the money for that. lol

Thank you for the response and the suggestion! That's actually a really good deal that your college offers! I think mine offers around 5 free sessions and then you have to start paying per session, but I'm not 100% sure. I will certainly check into that. I am actually going to see a therapist I've been seeing on and off for the past couple of years this week but it is expensive, so I am interested in seeing what my school really offers.

That's great that counseling helped you with your panic attacks! I hope you are feeling good!

I have been feeling a little better lately and have been eating more regularly. I will certainly try to stay hydrated, thank you for the suggestion!

[letsdance7]

Originally Posted by CANDC

Good advice about adequate hydration, it does help.
Sometimes just having the determination to get through organic chemistry by personal effort will take away the doubt.

Thanks for your response! Yeah, I think my issue with chemistry is that it's the subject that I hate the most and the one that I am the worst at, so I am always extremely insecure and uncomfortable in chemistry classes. I will try to maintain my motivation and determination for the remaining 2 weeks!

[CANDC]

All the best meganms