So it's official. I can't do school.

[Lily04]

I've been trying to write this essay for the past god only knows how many hours.....I can't. I don't have an interest in this topic, but it seems to take me centuries to write essays in general. I'm trying not to be perfectionistic but I still feel like I have nothing. And I am also waay stressed because I am in this group for one of my classes (I have 2 partners) and they've established meetings for tomorrow with other groups that I cannot attend... my participation mark will certainly suffer and they will mention the fact that I didn't respond to their previous e-mails yesterday & this morning, and i'm slacking, etc... but honestly, I don't care. I don't have time for this course that saps way too much time & energy out of me. I don't want to do it. I want to just accept an F and move on with it.....is that so bad? I just feel like I can't deal with so many meetings/commitments right now... and they scheduled them all for tomorrow, which I find really inconsiderate as well (they requested meetings with all groups tomorrow...they could have at least waited a day to hear my availability but obviously they're not caring that much either.) I just want to deal with this essay, one thing at a time, and then move on...but even the "now" is difficult.

[renaissancewoman101]

Can you just drop the class? Dropping the class might be better than getting an "F" in it.

[quietgrl]

Lily04,

 

I see we're in the same boat,I have an essay due this wednesday and i'm having a seriuos writer block . How about letting your teachers and partner know you're stress out with school work and just shut the world out for a few minutes or hours to regroup your mind.I'm going to regroup my mind Monday morning and try to write my essay.

[spirits]

Probably too late to drop it.

 

You're withdrawing. F is bad. Essays usually takes longer than 3 days to do them. (takes around a week) I don't know whether the essay has to do with your partner's project as well or not, but I'll help you write the email to them.

 

"Sorry i wasn't able to reply yesterday and today morning, i am completely overwhelmed by this essay that i've been doing over the past few days. It's just one of those days. I may not be able to come tomorrow, hope you guys can understand."

 

just copy and paste, and don't check your email anymore until Tuesday.

 

whenever you are stressed out, it usually means you are currently not taking time to do it.

 

Lets talk about Monday:

 

If the project doesn't require you to access the internet, i suggest you go to a library/ 24hr restaurants with only a backpack, pencil, and the materials needed to do the essay... sit there until you

1. wrote 3/5 of the paper (i'm sure you started on it, so completing 3/5 is not that difficult)

2. draw an outline of what you'll write for the remaining 2/5 (this may be the difficult part)

come back home, take a nap, then go out again to a 24hr-restaurant at 8pm and do the remaining 2/5. (make sure you finished it)

come back home

get a good night sleep then use 2 hours of the morning to revise it.

 

 

One last thing: if you couldn't think of anything to write, and it's a research project, it usually means you still need to do some research to get the bigger picture of your essay.

 

Lets hope it's only 10% off.

 

what is the subject anyways?

[lifestream]

Wouldn't you be put on academic probation with an F? :S

[Lily04]

Hey,

 

Thanks for the advice guys... well I took about 10 mins. to outline my situation to the group and form a tenative plan about how to go about this, so as to minimize my role in the group but still make it seem like I'm interested in the project. It's not worth withdrawing/failing the class in my opinion, I think this is still able to recover...it's a group mark so as long as they pull their weight and get a B/A, I'll likely get the same. I may get a bit lower if participation brings me down, but not much... I'm just a bit out of the loop re. group meetings, but I won't fail because of it, I think.

 

Regarding this essay.. it's on political science, specifically reform of New Zealand's electoral system to MMP, the consequences, and applicability to Canada. I don't know. I just feel like this is basically an explanatory essay without much analysis, i'm not sure if it's suupposed to be like that....but i feel like i'm just sorta copying/pasting info... I could compare the more countries more and draw some conclusions about that I suppose. It just doesn't seem that analytical a task, maybe it's slightly due to the fact that I'm not that interested in the topic though.

 

The group project thing is for an entirely different class, however...

 

As much as I feel like I want to write (and I will try to get at least another 1/2-1 page down), I feel drained. I have to be up early tomorrow as well for my dr's appointment so I'm not sure staying up all night is the best plan for now... although I don't want to stay up all night tomororw either doing this. I think I'll plan to skip my class from 6:00-8:00 unfortunately and get this done, hopefully between the hrs. of 2-12 pm if I really work steady at it...

 

On Tuesday I am co-ordinating a workshop for my work, and things will be a bit chaotic I think. I'm not really sure what the late penalty will be for this -- it's not noted on the syllabus and it is already late anyway. It was due last week but things were crazy with work so I just made the decision that I'd hand it in this week and try to get the late penalty negotiated with the prof. Sorta a tough position to be in... and I can't drop any classes at this point, either. But I think I'll be OK... hoping for around a B+ on this, we'll see what happens...

[CynicalGuitarist]

At this point, I'd much rather have an essay than all these POS tests. I'm absolutely awful at taking tests.

[Lily04]

At this point, I'd much rather have an essay than all these POS tests. I'm absolutely awful at taking tests.

 

I actually prefer essays to tests as well... I tend to do well on essays except for the fact that it takes me ages to do, and I typically get late penalties which brings me down.

[Aleadragonhawk]

When having to write a particularly nasty essay like the one you're doing, what I tend to do is a certain amount of time on, then a certain amount of time off. So, for every paragraph, I'll take a ten minute break to relax, surf the net, stretch, or just do something fun. Taking regular small breaks (or even breaks that are longer than the time that you are working) can help out, because then you don't get as stressed. Trying to go straight through for long periods of time might be part of what is getting you so stressed out about this essay, and when you get stressed, you get no work done. At least with taking breaks, you make some progress.

[sophie274]

Hey Lily

 

Of course you can do school - you got into the school you go to now, and you have said in other posts that you have gotten plenty of As.

 

You know your current method isn't working out. I don't have all the info to tell you how to change it , but I think you need to make a change now. Here's the thing: when you get overwhelmed with work, it gets you down, makes you feel de-motivated, incapable, depressed, and then you find yourself unable to just do it. Since you know this is what happens, you have to make sure you never get to that point: make your studies a priority. Make sure NOTHING comes before. Make realistic timelines for yourself. Find places that are conducive to studying. Make little deals with yourself (if I finish this I can go see a movie tonight).

 

I think your main problem is that you've really allowed studies to take a back seat. I can tell you - I've done badly on tests, not studied for them, handed in a lousy essay - but I would never ever hand in something late. I am too scared of the consequences, and have made that a NO in my book - a line I just won't cross. I think it's a huge issue that you've convinced yourself that it's ok to hand essays in late - because now you don't have a deadline to make you do something. Same about getting an F: you know it's not ok! I'll tell you - F is bad. Just sounds to me like you're setting the bar so low there is nothing, no expectations or pride to make you do your work. Human beings need incentives!

 

And good luck with your essay - I hope you finish it today! I think the more you compare the two countries the stronger an essay it would be ...

[Altruist]

Just write whatever comes to mind as soon as you get the topic. Later on when you are editing it you van remove/add some new ideas to it. The important thing is to get a start.

 

Btw if I had seen this post earlier I would have gladly asked you for the topic so that I could write the essay for you.

[Transcendental]

In such times I think speaking with an instructor would be very helpful... they've probably dealt with tens or hundreds of students who were once in the same boat...