Stressed about school again

I've been feeling the squeeze of depression lately. School is so hard and I do nothing else but homework and assignments. I tried to visit a friend and have brunch with her family but the whole time I was just stressing about the millions of papers and presentations I have to do over the next four weeks, not to mention the finals looming on the horizon.

I'm pretty close to a major meltdown, again. If the rest of the 3 years go this way, I'm going to be in a straight jacket before it's over.
The problem is, it's non-stop. Work from sun up to, well it's nearly one in the morning now. Everyday is like this but there is no choice. This is what school is but I'm not sure I can do it and the bad part is, I'm not sure i want to anymore. Damn, I like these courses but it's just too hard to keep up. How long can a person deal with so much stress before it just snaps her in half?

rant rant rant.
sigh
T

{{{{{{T}}}}}}}

School is hard enough without depression and having trouble concentrating and all the stuff that goes along with it. You can do it though. A year ago I was in a similar place. I'm not sure how I made it through the end of Fall Semester, but I did. You can do it too!

We're with you! Don't forget, you're not alone.

Love,
Wendy

Tina,

Is there any way you could lighten your course load, take one less course a semester or something? I know that's not always possible...some curricula set the courses up so you have to take them all at a certain time...but anything you can do to lighten the load, even a little, might help you get through this better.

Depression loves to sneak up on us when we're overworked or overtired, and school's a great place for being both. But you know the danger, so now is the time to try to take steps to keep the depression from taking hold. Do you have a therapist? If not, maybe look into counselling at the school. Also, I know there are positives with your studies...my T is always giving me things to do to help me see the positives better. Maybe if you got a little notebook and just wrote on positive thing in it each day, like getting a good grade on an assignment, or learning something new, or figuring out something you were having trouble with. One sentence a day wouldn't take any time away from your studies, but it would help your mind get unstuck from the negatives.

Finally, I don't know how much it helps, but I have faith in you. It's a tough thing you are untertaking, but you have the brains and talent and drive to get through.

{{{{{{{{{{{{Tina}}}}}}}}}}}}

Jo

Angel,
Everyday I thought that I wanted to leave school even when I started out the day with a clean slate. I really had to dig to find my own reasons to want to stay, so unfortunately I do not know what those reasons would be for you.
Please keep talking to us..maybe at least if nothing else it would help to defray the stress.

Stay strong,
Jessica

Hello Angel --

The academic calendar puts a lot of pressure on people. Believe it or not, faculty are stressed out too this time of year. Sometimes several hundred papers to grade on a weekend. I think most faculty do their best to create evaluation opportunities throughout the semester. The fact is, however, that we have to evaluate how much students have learned, and how well, at the end of the semester, even if we've done a good job of keeping tabs all along. And the end of the semester is the same for everyone in all classes. Bummer.

One thing that was emphasized to me throughout my academic career is that we have to create a schedule that includes exercise, and doing the laundry, and getting together with friends. I'm very bad at that, and allow the work to bleed in all hours of the day and night. And to take over my mind.

You did the right thing to create an opportunity to visit with your friends for brunch. Even if your mind didn't cooperate with the plan, it was the right thing to do, and you should feel proud of yourself. Perhaps you can learn some stress reduction techniques to help with the worry. And I guess we worrywarts just have to train ourselves to "be here now," to gently keep bringing our thoughts back to moment we are in.

I have a lot of trouble with this, too.

I hate college, too. Too much work, not enough friends.