overwhelmed with school!

[Krystal_Ivy]

ugh, I'm starting my third week in school and it is soooooooo overwheling! It's one of those 6 month courses, so they cram everything in. I am forced to memorize soooooooo much in a little amount of time, then be tested on it. I feel like I'm losing my sanity, I've cried twice and I've only just began. Even my period is reeeealy late this month because of my stress! what advice do you have who have gotten through this or are going through it???

[Catatonic]

Hi K_I,

 

Hey hang in there! I'm on the same boat except I'm almost done (I really should be studying for my finals tomorrow). The key is to keep up with the material - don't let it pile up! Try to spend some time every day to study. I know it's tough but it's really the way to go.

 

Good luck with your courses!!

[stranded247]

I really understand this, it sucks so much it is what is happening to me. But how I am coping is that I do all the work I can on the night an assignment is set, I also take time to enjoy myself and you have to realize that cramming is not that effective. If you have tests all the time try to doing say twenty short yet effective bursts of studying for 7 days before the test or spend more time each revision session depending how much you need to know for the test. I also find that if you are stressing you really need to take some time to just zone out and completely forget out your worries or work. I find exercising makes me release so much stress and I always feel happier or doing something like finding a quiet room and meditation or just staring into space for twenty minutes can be very comforting and refreshing. If you stay organized and try to enjoy the work you are given things will be a lot easier. I know this is easier said than done but once you begin to put this sort of thing into practice it becomes easier, following a sort of routine is good. Oh and I dont mean to patronize but getting enough sleep is really important.

[capbit]

A 6 month course sounds actually really long. I've never had a class that was longer than 5-6 months, even in high school or college. I think there's a lot of time for you to memorize and study for your exam. Read the material, make sure you understand everything, and dont fall behind is what I would suggest. I would break up your course materials into sections so it doesnt seem to overwhelming, and tackle it piece by piece. Stay strong.

[Beec]

First, you have to, must realize, that you are capable fo doing what you are doing, and doing it well. Perhaps your abilities are being stretched far beyond anything you have ever done, you still can do it. The human mind is the most amazing thign there is, and what we are cpaable of is still unknown.

 

During the Vietnam War, POWs imprisoned by the North Vietnamese were only able to communicate through a code that they tapped to fellow POWs. For the code, you set up a 5x5 grid with the alphabet, and tap a letter using a column and row. So, tapping first once for the column and twice for a row woudl give you and F. It must have taken hours for a conversation. Col. Ed Hubbard was taught Spanish by a fellow POW without ever hearing the words, using only the tapping code. Amazing, huh? Well that's just the start. I've heard reports that another POW learned 4 languages. Take a look at: link removed

 

You are capable of this, you can do it. You need to think so, you need to know in your mind that you can do this, and nothing will stop you.

 

From then on, hang in there and endure. Your fellow students are all in the same boat. Others have gone before you, and they did it. Maybe not all, but many have. You can do it.

[Ghost Theory]

Everyone else in the class is in the same boat, I'm guessing? So you're not the only one struggling with the challenge.

 

I've heard good advice for this type of working stress is to take the work seriously, but don't take yourself too seriously. Meaning take all the steps to study and any tricks you can for memorization, but take moments to step back and realize a class is not the end of the world. Joke about the workload with fellow students, make up amusing mnemonic words or sentences for memorizing points, and don't sacrifice sleep for last minute cramming the night before.

[GettingBetter]

Personally, I would always study well ahead of time, and then do something to relax just shortly before exams, or whenever I got stressed out.

 

Namely, say a week before a test I'd start studying. Then, the day before (or even the day before that) I'd go out for a nice, long bike ride. It was kind of a defrag, and in ways it made me forget a lot of stuff. Then, what material I'd forgotten I would restudy later that night or the next day.

 

Come the day of the test, right before I'd always cram the little things I had trouble remembering.

 

Not sure if you want some test taking strategies either, but here's a few which help me:

 

1) Most important, especially in math, science, etc., I try not to memorize things as much as understand them. Learn to derive the equations, understand how they fit together, and then go from there. Often tutors can help here, however mostly I find the teachers are best at this method.

 

2) When applicable, and if in doubt, always go for the most politically correct answer. (Remember, even the writers of the test have to be concerned about political correctness as to not be sued.)

 

3) During a test, I always use a "marking" system, where I mark certain questions, then come back later. If I'm not sure how to do a problem, I put a question mark next to it, and come back later. If I think I can answer a question, but I think it will take a long time, or I'm not exactly sure how to solve it, then I put a plus sign, or if I think there's a problem I really can't solve, then I put a minus sign next to it. After I've completed all the other problems, I go back and first do the + problems, then the ? problems, and finally the - problems if there's enough time. (On Scantrons, questions I'd like to review I bubble in only half-way. Then, I check over those questions first, and then time permitting, check over the whole exam. I always use the full amount of time given to take the test.)

 

4) On non-multiple choice problems, just show the teacher you know something about the material. Even if you can't solve the problem or get past a particular hurdle, tell the teacher how you would solve the problem. (On math tests, I've even written, "Well, had I solved this equation correctly, then I would have plugged the result into this equation...", and typically gotten a decent amount of partial credit.)

 

5) Likewise, on non-multiple choice problems, if you can make the teacher laugh, or teach the teacher something new, odds are you'll get some partial credit. Often enough, I don't do the assigned reading, but then just read one short snippet about a much less-known branch of the material we're studying, then bring that up in short answer or essay questions.

 

Good luck!

[DaDancingPsych]

Keep on top of your work. Break the term into manageable parts. If you are not understanding something, ask questions NOW. If you let it slip, you will continue to do so. Finally take care of yourself (eat right, get rest, exercise, de-stress.)