[S.Plath]

Hello

I'm in community college and what should have been 2-3 years in community college is now gonna be 4. The 3 years I was there, I never took it very serious nor did I have a set goal. Now I do have a goal and I know what I want to do, but I find myself struggling with staying motivated (even though I know if I finish, I can finally leave the town I have dreaded since day 1).

There are some days where I am into what I'm doing and I stay motivated, but as quickly as that feeling came, it goes away. And I find myself in a dark hole again, not motivated, not able to concentrate and even struggling to leave my bed. I always feel like giving up everything. And with that feeling comes guilt and a feeling of failure.

I am tired of jumping back and forth with these moods. It is affecting my education. I have missed class so many times (I am so lucky to have a professor who tries to understand at the moment) and have failed classes because of it.

I don't know what to do. Any advice would be great.

[H3rmit]

I often feel like giving up at school, too. But I tell myself the time to make that decision is before registration, not after buying textbooks and committing to a term. Taking a course of action is, to me, like a promise to myself. I feel obligated to follow through.

There are worse things than being a grind. I'd rather be overworked with studying than ashamed that I paid for the term and gave up in the middle. How do you feel if you think about it that way?

[S.Plath]

Originally Posted by H3rmit

I often feel like giving up at school, too. But I tell myself the time to make that decision is before registration, not after buying textbooks and committing to a term. Taking a course of action is, to me, like a promise to myself. I feel obligated to follow through.

There are worse things than being a grind. I'd rather be overworked with studying than ashamed that I paid for the term and gave up in the middle. How do you feel if you think about it that way?

I don't feel ashamed because of the money but I do feel like a failure because I gave up in the middle of the semester (sometimes even in the beginning).

But I've never really looked at it that way. I don't feel obligated and it's hard for me to look at it that way. Usually school for me is just a pain.

[H3rmit]

Originally Posted by S.Plath

But I've never really looked at it that way. I don't feel obligated and it's hard for me to look at it that way. Usually school for me is just a pain.

Well, you are stuck with a way of looking at it that isn't working, so you could try out some new perspectives. (I have only mine to offer of course.)

What is your goal? Does school have a meaning or purpose to you?

What kind of pain is it? Is it all pain? Right now I have to study first for a mickey mouse course that was crap because of the instructor's poor English and I kind of resent the whole process of having to memorize little bits of nothing and not really have any basic mastery of a subject despite having attended all these lectures and done the stupid labs as well. So I don't feel good about this one. Then I have two serious and heavy courses to slot in to my workload of study, so I had better get the stupid one done so I can do a great job on the two meaningful and valuable courses.

So, what is your pain, fellow student?

Edit: okay, I reread your first post, and there are emotional and mood issues. I am so used to those I just keep marching. Doesn't help you, that approach, but you could promise yourself to take care of those after exams. And also be nice and giv e yourself something good each day, if you can think of a way to do that. (I find that hard also. Though I am surprisingly enjoying feeling good after my new compulsory ankle rehab swim program. So maybe try something good for you? Shifting the funk a bit might get you moving.)

[avlady]

The semester should be over about one month? You've come this far, could you make up the work to get C's at the least, i mean A's and B's are great, but C's aren't ll that bad, if you can make up the work in a little time.

[S.Plath]

Originally Posted by H3rmit

Well, you are stuck with a way of looking at it that isn't working, so you could try out some new perspectives. (I have only mine to offer of course.)

What is your goal? Does school have a meaning or purpose to you?

What kind of pain is it? Is it all pain? Right now I have to study first for a mickey mouse course that was crap because of the instructor's poor English and I kind of resent the whole process of having to memorize little bits of nothing and not really have any basic mastery of a subject despite having attended all these lectures and done the stupid labs as well. So I don't feel good about this one. Then I have two serious and heavy courses to slot in to my workload of study, so I had better get the stupid one done so I can do a great job on the two meaningful and valuable courses.

So, what is your pain, fellow student?

Edit: okay, I reread your first post, and there are emotional and mood issues. I am so used to those I just keep marching. Doesn't help you, that approach, but you could promise yourself to take care of those after exams. And also be nice and giv e yourself something good each day, if you can think of a way to do that. (I find that hard also. Though I am surprisingly enjoying feeling good after my new compulsory ankle rehab swim program. So maybe try something good for you? Shifting the funk a bit might get you moving.)

I do have a purpose for going to school. I want to write for a living, even though that's probably gonna be tough. It's what I love and I want to have the opportunity to do what I love as a career. And college for me gives me that opportunity. I also want to leave this town. I go to community college & I want to transfer next year to a university, far from where I live. But even with these goals in mind, I lose track of them at times & I still get this feeling of wanting to give up everything and just drop college.

I do like your idea of giving myself something as a reward for the day. I think I might give that a shot. Thanks.

[S.Plath]

Originally Posted by avlady

The semester should be over about one month? You've come this far, could you make up the work to get C's at the least, i mean A's and B's are great, but C's aren't ll that bad, if you can make up the work in a little time.

Yeah I have about a month to go. Which is scary because that means finals and I cannot afford to get a D or F in another class. I do have a great professor at the moment, for two classes that is really helping me catch up though. So I might actually get an A if I stay motivated enough.