Trying Not To Be Stressed, And It's Not Working

I'm a sophomore in college, trying to get my bachelor's degree at a four-year public university. This might be a long post, so bear with me.

During my first year of school, I tried very hard to do my best, but I ended up goofing off. I'm not sure what happened. I guess being away from home, from mom and dad, meant that I could do whatever I want, so I think I spent too much time surfing the net than actually getting any work done. Because I got really good grades in high school without having to put much work into it, I assumed college would be the same. But I found out the hard way that wouldn't work when I lost my scholarships after the year ended to an insufficient GPA.

My mom was a little upset, but she wasn't angry or anything and she told me sometimes you need a wake-up call to get back on track. I took two classes over the summer to boost my GPA back up and get my scholarships back. But now I'm falling back into the same predicament that plagued me during my first semester. I'm trying harder than I did previously, but I'm still goofing off. I rush to do my schoolwork so I can get back to my laptop and my grades in my classes are suffering. I skip class sometimes when I don't feel like going. I mean, I'm not doing terrible, but I have this growing concern that if I don't pull it together, I'm going to lose my scholarship again.

I'm trying not to put pressure on myself, because, as my family knows, I get stressed easily and it's not good for my health. Sometimes I cry when I'm stressed. I was feeling really good this past, since I started taking up yoga and studying my bible more to relieve my stress. But I got back some grades from some classes that were less than pleasant, and now the stress is coming back. And I don't want to lose my scholarship again and make my mom worry. She has health problems and she doesn't need any more worries in her life.

I'm trying not to be stressed, but I just can't help it. I really want to do well this year and get on the Dean's List this semester. It felt to easy to say it before school started, but now that I've been thrown into the water, I feel like I'm drowning with no hope of reaching the surface. I have so many people around me, my family, my church, who want me to do my best, and I feel like I'm letting them down somehow.

I feel really upset right because I think I failed a Stats test today, I have a Biology test tomorrow which I have to do well on because I'm fairly certain I'm pushing a D right now in the class, along with other work I have to do, for classes that I need to do well in. It's just...I really need someone to help me. Because I feel like I may have a breakdown coming up.

I definitely know what it feels like to get behind like that but it is possible to recover. Try to relax if you can. Take comfort in yoga and the bible if that helps you when you feel overwhelmed.

As for the study load, can you sit down and try to prioritise what you need to do? Work out what you would need to do to get back on track with your study and assignments and then try to set up a calendar with it. For example, if you need to catch up with 10 readings for a test in 2 weeks try to break it up to do 1-2 a day over the next few weeks. It allows you to do the work without becoming as overwhelmed.

Also, are you able to talk to your teachers about extra credit for courses you are struggling with? If you can get back on track with your current work that can then help you to get the grades back later in the term.

It does involve work but it is possible to get back on track Try to not be too hard on yourself. And maybe if you can try to limit the time on your laptop? Set goals about how much work you are going to do so that you still get things done but aren't overwhelmed (Eg. I will finish 2 readings and take summary notes and then take a 10 minute break on my computer). It takes a while but eventually it becomes habit and you may find that you can do more work before needing to take breaks.

Good luck

[QUOTE=mazing;3382713] I definitely know what it feels like to get behind like that but it is possible to recover. Try to relax if you can. Take comfort in yoga and the bible if that helps you when you feel overwhelmed.

As for the study load, can you sit down and try to prioritise what you need to do? Work out what you would need to do to get back on track with your study and assignments and then try to set up a calendar with it. For example, if you need to catch up with 10 readings for a test in 2 weeks try to break it up to do 1-2 a day over the next few weeks. It allows you to do the work without becoming as overwhelmed.

Also, are you able to talk to your teachers about extra credit for courses you are struggling with? If you can get back on track with your current work that can then help you to get the grades back later in the term.

It does involve work but it is possible to get back on track Try to not be too hard on yourself. And maybe if you can try to limit the time on your laptop? Set goals about how much work you are going to do so that you still get things done but aren't overwhelmed (Eg. I will finish 2 readings and take summary notes and then take a 10 minute break on my computer). It takes a while but eventually it becomes habit and you may find that you can do more work before needing to take breaks.

Good luck [/QUOTE


Thanks for the tips, especially the one about reading and taking breaks on my computer. I will definitely try that one out

What I do - maybe this will be a helpful suggestion - every Sunday night I grab a piece of paper off the printer, and draw four horizontal lines on it (I have five classes). I n each blank space I write the class title on top, and then list everything I need to do for that class that week, including which days of the week I will do what (or have stuff due). I know exactly what I have to do on Monday, Tuesday, etc, and I take it one days at a time. When the day is done I scribble over it with a red crayon, and seeing the list of tasks get shorter every day makes each day easier.

Small steps.

I had a problem being very messy and not cleaning up my apartment when I was a bit older than you; I used Nehemiah rebuilding the City as my example (since he had to tear down all the broken, wrecked, old stuff and cart it away first :-) I figured if Nehemiah could rebuild a whole City I could manage to clean up my efficiency apartment in the same timeframe? I read the book every evening before bed, etc. Maybe if you can find a story that matches your task and concentrate on that instead of how you have to get better grades to keep your scholarship and don't want to disappoint and worry your mother, etc., that could help you? Focusing on scary stuff just makes me more scared. If I can support myself with a comforting or helpful story that can often get me moving forward better, give me some traction. If you like to write, I have written a story where my character writes a story and everything she writes comes true; she does what is in the story, meets the people she makes up, has the adventures her character has that day.