# So...failed school this semester, lovely



## Broshious (Dec 23, 2006)

Little background first. Been in college for 6 years now trying to get my BS. I have trouble attending class as well as doing homework so that's why it's taking so long. This semester I just had two classes left, and then I'd graduate. Well, After the first week things went to **** pretty fast. Both of my classes were early in the morning, and I've never done well with that so I was skipping frequently, particularly my first class. I realize that I have a test coming up next class. I'm freaking out, and I look at my syllabus and see that I had a paper due a week ago so I just decide to give up and forget that class. Now today I had a test in my other class, and I thought I was reasonably prepared minus the fact that I hadn't attended class much. Got the test and was only able to answer 2 out of 4 questions so at best I got a 50. That plus my not doing HW means it's pretty much mathematically impossible for me to pass that class now not to mention I'd need a C- in it anyways. 

So I've totally ****ed up this semester beyond recovery in just 6-7 weeks. I think that's pretty impressive. Not really sure what to do now. Very much dreading having to tell my parents that "Oops, I did it again."


----------



## FairleighCalm (May 20, 2007)

Can you take these classes over?


----------



## Broshious (Dec 23, 2006)

FairleighCalm said:


> Can you take these classes over?


Yes. Next semester.


----------



## Karla (Dec 26, 2005)

this is going to sound kinda harsh but...

you're only taking 2 classes, so there's absolutely no reason why you should fail BOTH of them. even if you're working full time, you should at least be able to get a c- in one of the classes. 

yeah, morning classes suck, no one likes them, but just suck it up and go. it won't kill you. it can't be much fun paying money for credits you're not getting and wasting your time. 

you seem to know that to pass the class you need to attend it, study and do the hw. so, can't you make an effort to do some work?


----------



## Broshious (Dec 23, 2006)

Karla said:


> this is going to sound kinda harsh but...
> 
> you're only taking 2 classes, so there's absolutely no reason why you should fail BOTH of them. even if you're working full time, you should at least be able to get a c- in one of the classes.
> 
> ...


My original response was needlessly *****y. Sorry, I'm in a bit of a bad mood.


----------



## Slothrop (Aug 11, 2007)

I know the pain. I just dropped a load of courses and am now down to only one full year course. I'm taking an academic break for myself, until September rolls around. It's the only way I can see myself getting over this. Depression, especially, makes it impossible for me to concentrate, read, or keep motivated. Last year, my anxiety did this to me as I was stuck in bed for months.

Good luck, I know I'll need some too.


----------



## Broshious (Dec 23, 2006)

Slothrop said:


> I know the pain. I just dropped a load of courses and am now down to only one full year course. I'm taking an academic break for myself, until September rolls around. It's the only way I can see myself getting over this. Depression, especially, makes it impossible for me to concentrate, read, or keep motivated. Last year, my anxiety did this to me as I was stuck in bed for months.
> 
> Good luck, I know I'll need some too.


Yeah, I know the feeling of needing a break. The problem is I was on break all summer and that didn't seem to help either. I just wish I knew what I really needed to make this crap stop.


----------



## Slothrop (Aug 11, 2007)

Broshious said:


> Yeah, I know the feeling of needing a break. The problem is I was on break all summer and that didn't seem to help either. I just wish I knew what I really needed to make this crap stop.


I've got a boring job I work on weekends, so I'm going to take on more hours there and pursue some things that truly interest me. One of my problems is that I view myself as a constant observer that never contributes anything of substance. So, I want to actually do some things that are of concrete worth, on my own time, without pressure (ex. learning German and to play guitar/bass).


----------



## sh0x (Oct 9, 2006)

if you failed because of problems with depression and/or anxiety, then i totally understand. i'm going through some of that myself.

but if you didn't attend class or do any work simply because you were too lazy, then i have to agree with karla 100%. you're an adult now, if you want something, suck it up and work for it. handouts are only given to kids.


----------



## Broshious (Dec 23, 2006)

sh0x said:


> if you failed because of problems with depression and/or anxiety, then i totally understand. i'm going through some of that myself.
> 
> but if you didn't attend class or do any work simply because you were too lazy, then i have to agree with karla 100%. you're an adult now, if you want something, suck it up and work for it. handouts are only given to kids.


My question is where is the line between the two?


----------



## Andre (Feb 27, 2004)

Broshious said:


> Karla said:
> 
> 
> > this is going to sound kinda harsh but...
> ...


Agree. He doesn't need to be scolded by you, *****y one, I mean Karla. He feels bad enough about it as it is. I've been in the same situation; that is, failing whole semesters and being depressed and hating myself for it. Thye best thing you can do, Broshious, is exercise everyday, eat healthy foods (and limit caffeine intake) and take anti-depressants if need be. These things have helped me. Good luck with next semester.


----------



## Futures (Aug 27, 2005)

Dude, you gotta get your **** together, no offense. All your problems can be attributed to your own laziness. And they are all easily fixable. If you can't fix these problems now, then you're going to be in trouble when you get a real job and find out that they have no tolerance for this kind of stuff. You're so close to being done. You can't piss it away now.

Re-enroll in the class for next semester.

This time:

-You have an alarm clock, Use it and get out of bed on time
-Go to class _EVERYDAY_ and take notes
-Read the assigned reading
-Do your homework
-Turn in your work on time
-Study your *** off for the tests
-Don't be so quick to give up if hit a roadblock
-Effort effort effort


----------



## jaayhou (Jun 20, 2007)

I'm finding it hard to push myself to go to class every day as I'm withdrawing more and more from people after making a pretty good impression early on. Nevertheless, I've never missed a class simply because I can't. You should go to every class if it's the least you can do. If you do no reading, studying, or homework, *go to class*. If you have to sit in the back corner of the room in a hooded jacket everyday, go to class.



Futures said:


> -You have an alarm clock, Use it and get out of bed on time
> -Go to class _EVERYDAY_ and take notes
> -Read the assigned reading
> -Do your homework
> ...


I agree, except for the doing reading part. I've yet to spend time doing a reading that was more valuable than time I could have spent doing extra studying or going over notes. Lets face it, nobody does readings, and no one ever will.


----------



## lyssado707 (Oct 29, 2004)

I don't know what much I can add. You've made it further than me in school, and you can make it the rest of the way too  Believe in yourself. It's only two more classes. Take them next semester. If two is too much, take one and the other in the fall. I think getting your degree will give you a burst in confidense that you can take on other hard things too. I think you know what it takes to get through classes since you've passed so many before. But don't beat yourself up about it cuz we all falter sometimes for many reasons. It's just part of life.


----------



## jane (Jan 30, 2006)

Broshious said:


> where is the line between the two?


The line between laziness/stupidity and anxiety/depression is so subtle! I failed a lot of classes too, even though I attended most and studied a lot. I kept thinking that if I tried harder, it would solve everything. It didn't, I blamed myself and felt guilty and stupid. 
One year later, I feel more motivated, study more, concentrate better, actually talk to teachers and classmates about the work, and am acing all my classes so far. Being isolated and depressed made a huge difference. 
So only you can tell what your real problem is, and unless you discuss it for an hour with a psychiatrist, it might take you a few months to figure it out.


----------



## Johnny1234 (Nov 16, 2006)

"Obstacles are only visible if you take your eyes off the goal"


----------



## alex989 (Nov 20, 2005)

What really irritates me sometimes is I study really hard for a quiz/test and I end up doing alot worse than i expected. I just have a really, really hard time remembering a bunch of facts and stuff and get distracted and procrastinate easily when trying to study or pay attention in class. I think I may have a mild case of ADD, but i'm sure depression factors in there somewhere. 

I've never had stunning grades. I think there was only one time in my life I had all a's and b's. In HS I always had at least a few C's at the end of the term.

I think if we really try and set long term goals we can buckle down and study hard and be successful. I think i'm motivated by a fear of failure. Dropping out of college and being stuck working behind a convenience store counter pumping minimum wage for the rest of my life is something i really don't want to do...I think my worst fear is to be a financial mess and having to work too hard for low wages at a crap meaningless job just to live on my own. So that motivates me to study hard and stay focused in college and get a good job someday.


----------



## ignisfatuus (May 24, 2004)

Futures said:


> Dude, you gotta get your @#%$ together, no offense. All your problems can be attributed to your own laziness. And they are all easily fixable. If you can't fix these problems now, then you're going to be in trouble when you get a real job and find out that they have no tolerance for this kind of stuff. You're so close to being done. You can't @#%$ it away now.
> 
> Re-enroll in the class for next semester.
> 
> ...


This would seem like common sense, however the very nonsensical disorder that is social anxiety makes the easiest thing impossible. I have to question if you have ever had severe social anxiety disorder because "laziness" does not enter the equation in any way, shape, or form. Learned helplessness maybe, but that is a different matter altogether.


----------



## jasonl34 (Feb 7, 2006)

Im going to have to agree with ignisfatuus. I was doing very good in college for a year and a half. Then the social anxiety just came out of no where and panic attacks began to happen more and more. Tried going back to school a year later and it happened again.


----------



## SAgirl (Nov 15, 2003)

You have to do the reading or it's difficult to understand the topic. For all my classes on the tests 1/2 comes from lectures and half from the text. Though you feel so overwhelmed with other assignments that it's difficult to do the reading unless you are staying up til 3am every night.


----------



## jaayhou (Jun 20, 2007)

I guess it really depends on what subject you're studying. Reading any sort of text would be poison to my grades, as it would take valuable time away from studying the mass of information that was put in front of me in lectures. My professors assign readings, but no one ever does them because they don't have time, and the readings don't help one bit (IMO).


----------



## Zephyr (Nov 8, 2003)

I have to echo what others are saying here. There's no substitute for going to class. It really does make a difference. 

I know early classes are hard. My last term in university I had an 8:30 class every day! I couldn't believe it. It nearly killed me. They were the only sections of those classes too, so I had no other option to attend at a different time.

If you're not going to do the assigned textbook readings, then at least read the lecture notes over a few times and do the assigned questions as well.


----------



## AdamCanada (Dec 6, 2003)

Karla said:


> this is going to sound kinda harsh but...
> 
> you're only taking 2 classes, so there's absolutely no reason why you should fail BOTH of them. even if you're working full time, you should at least be able to get a c- in one of the classes.
> 
> ...


its just not that easy for some people, One thing for sure with me is its 10 times more easy for me to get up at 5:30am to go to work then it is getting up at even 9:00am for school. I don't know why but it is. Ive had one or two messed up semesters, i do my work and study but i half *** assignments and for tests think i know my stuff, but i don't.

im one of those college guys the hardcore students hate lol, i don't want to sit in an office the rest of my life anyways.


----------



## jaayhou (Jun 20, 2007)

Zephyr said:


> My last term in university I had an 8:30 class every day!


I once had a chemistry lab that started at 7:00 AM. It was weird going to class when it was still dark outside.


----------



## ghostgurl (Sep 20, 2004)

Perhaps you can see a college counselor. They should be able to help you with getting it together.


----------



## Karla (Dec 26, 2005)

Broshious said:


> Karla said:
> 
> 
> > this is going to sound kinda harsh but...
> ...


This is a late response but&#8230;

I don't understand why a lot of people here seem to disagree with me. If you're not doing well because of depression or anxiety reasons then why don't you take a semester or two off and see someone who can help you until you're ready to go back to school? There really isn't any point in attending and paying money for classes where you're just not going to do any work. I'm sure you've been in school long enough to know if you don't do the assignments or attend class, you're not going to get a good grade.


----------



## styler5 (Oct 7, 2006)

Cheer up. You still have a chance. Plus, only one more semester to go!


----------



## Partyofone (Jun 2, 2004)

I'm in the same boat as you, also six years in undergrad and with many prior abysmal grades. You definitely have to develop a work ethic that will get the job done and hopefully raise your interest in the class(es). Try your best to keep up with the assigned readings and homework even if it takes a few tries to sink in. Use the nights before the tests as review sessions and not as 'hardcore cram' sessions. I also find sitting up front greatly helps in paying attention to the professor and (better) tunes out the other people in the room.


----------

