# anyone drop a class because of anxiety?



## nothing to fear (Mar 23, 2005)

i am about to do that. it's only been two classes but i can't bear it anymore. this is philosophy - the coursework isn't the problem, it's that every class is a discussion.. and there are less than 10 students so i HAVE to talk, every class, at least a few times. it is terrifying. everytime a question was asked to me, i froze up, looked at my papers in front of me, and muttered an almost inaudible answer (then turn bright red of course). 


anyone else have similar experiences?


the first time he asked me a question i was spaced out so i just said "i don't know.", "you don't know? just make a guess" "i... i don't know". i was so out of it i hadn't heard the question or whatever the hell he was talking about before.

anyway, today i was thinking how i will skip tomorrow's class, but i just thought instead i should talk to someone at the school to change the course, and i'm going to be completely honest about the anxiety. i know it won't get any better... in fact, i would just start skipping the classes, and the times i attend will be even more difficult.


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## Dovetailing (Jul 25, 2006)

I was considering switching from History to Philosophy, but if this may be the case, I think I'll just wait it out and see. I haven't started my tutorial yet, but because there are only 15 students, I assume there will be lots of discussion and maybe even presentations...which doesn't fly too well with me.


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## mserychic (Oct 2, 2004)

I drop like a class a semester because of it. Any class with presentations or lots of group work in the syllabus I drop right off the bat. Most the time I'm too chicken to talk to the teachers but the times I have they've been really understanding.


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## Whimsy (Mar 16, 2006)

I only dropped speech in my first semester of freshman year but the class didn't even begin. I did end up taking the class in the end of my sophmore year. 

During junior year I dropped a fencing class because it reminded me of high school PE and I did not want the humiliation.


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## Slothrop (Aug 11, 2007)

mserychic said:


> I drop like a class a semester because of it. Any class with presentations or lots of group work in the syllabus I drop right off the bat. Most the time I'm too chicken to talk to the teachers but the times I have they've been really understanding.


Exactly, like me. Literally.


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## blueandyellowguitar (Sep 21, 2007)

i can definetely relate to this, once in English class , there was a student teacher who was randomly selecting people to read paragraphs out of a book... i was WAY to scared and knew I wouldnt be able to so when she called my name i said (with a panic attack type voice) " do i have to?"
..everyone was sort of giggling and the teacher paused for a moment, obviously caught off gaurd, and said "well if you dont you can say pass"....
it was embarrasing but luckily i got out of reading it.

And Ive skipped classes that i know i have presentations in. I always feel so guilty and my friends dont understand it


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## numbsmiles (Jan 2, 2005)

mserychic said:


> I drop like a class a semester because of it. Any class with presentations or lots of group work in the syllabus I drop right off the bat. Most the time I'm too chicken to talk to the teachers but the times I have they've been really understanding.


It's sad but I do the same thing. I'm getting my associates after this semester then off to a 4 year school where I am almost certain I would have to speak. Sigh


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## Johnny1234 (Nov 16, 2006)

Last year I had 2 classes that I just had to sit through. This year I got fed up with one of my classes because it required a lot of group work and presentations and I didnt know anyone, so I just dropped it. Felt good afterwards :lol


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## missdenise (Sep 22, 2007)

No but I probably should have. I didnt know I had social anxiety until this week. I remember having my grade dropped to a C because I didnt participate in class enough. I've graduated since then but I feel like I should go back and tell the teacher to eff off lol.


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## laura024 (Aug 11, 2006)

I had my English class changed because my anxiety was worst in that class. Noises were too loud in that room and made me jump all the time. I know it sounds ridiculous but social anxiety is often irrational.
Unfortunately my old class was with the better teacher and some of my other classes had to be changed or dropped to fit the new schedule.


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## missdenise (Sep 22, 2007)

That's one my symptoms too. I'm sensitive to loud noises and jumpy.


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## xi (May 9, 2006)

If I find out a course has participation points or presentation, I'll drop it if I can. 

I'm a science major so I need to take many lab classes that require a lot of group works. Everytime I so wanted to drop because I couldn't communicate with people and follow instructions well. Yet I didn't drop any. Most of the time people didn't mind I was the most useless person in the group. 

For once, I was in a group of two in an organic chemistry lab. My lab partner couldn't stand me at all and switched to another session without telling me. I knew only because the instructor told me my lab partner had switched to another session. I think the instructor knew I was useless so the lab partner just left without telling me. Yet I think this is so rude. She should have left me a note or something telling me that she didn't want to be in the same group with me. I didn't drop the course because I had to have this class. The instructor sometimes gave me a weird look though. 

Another time, also in that lab session, it happened after my lab partner dumped me. The instructor told people to split into groups of four. because my English speaking ability wasn't good and became crappier when I had to be with strangers, I couldn't find a group to join. Then I left the lab like a thief, making sure that no one knew I left. I always felt "leave out" from other people in that lab. I don't know. Maybe because I was the only Asian in there and I couldn't speak English well.


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## xi (May 9, 2006)

I felt proud for once because I spoke out. I was in a freshmen writing class, but participation wasn't necessary. Mostly the instructor talked to us. Sometimes the instructor got irritated because no one answered her questions. (That class was in a community college) When I saw her fed up, I raised my hand and answered her questions. Most of the time I borrowed cliff notes and raised my hand and read the note from it out loud. My English writing is just so so but that instructor gave me an A. All of my friend who didn't answer her questions got B's. They said she gave me A's because I was willing to raise my hand. I know speaking up is good but most of the time I can't do it.


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## Partofme (May 23, 2004)

I avoid taking teachers/classes that seem too social. That's why it's so hard coming up with a schedule. It really limits your choices which just sucks.


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## justJake (Jan 25, 2007)

I dropped more than a class, I dropped an whole minor!
First day of class we had to get into groups of 6-8 people that we were going to work with for the entire semester.
I was the only guy in a group of 7.
They kept making comments like, "we need another guy in our group" and "we need to find you another guy". I was a nervous wreck. The worst case situation for me on any first day is breaking into groups or doing some kind of "lets get to know each other" kind of thing. We had to do a presentation on the front board, on the FIRST day of class.

i sat through the whole class and planned how i was going to drop it. I talked them out of making a list of e-mails so they wouldn't contact me and I never went back. I went online after class and switched to a class that was in my major. One of the best decisions I've ever made!


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## VetChick (Oct 2, 2007)

I've dropped a few classes that I wanted to take...I'm so scared because to graduate with a degree from Mt. Sac you have to take Speech...I don't like speeches....


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## hellotiger (Sep 10, 2007)

I dropped out of all my a-levels and took up full time art just because I didn't want to go to French classes anymore :lol 
I hated it. I hated speaking French in front of everyone who was better at it than me. I tried just dropping French but the teacher was really persistent so one day I had a panic attack, ran out of his class and never came back.

Also I've had to repeat my first year of university because I was too scared to go to classes.


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## crash911 (Oct 4, 2007)

I dropped a 2D Art class my sophomore year of high school, because there was only one other sophomore in there, who I wasn't even friends with. The rest of the class were all freshmen, and I was just intimidated, and couldn't handle it. That was the only class I've dropped because of anxiety.


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## Majestic123 (Jan 30, 2013)

I have dropped about 5 classes because they required presentations and i just couldnt handle it


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## 0589471 (Apr 21, 2012)

Oh jeez, it really screwed me over, that and pressure from my mom. I've only just recently gotten back into the school thing, sadly.


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## hxresolute (Dec 23, 2012)

LOL way to resurrect a 2007 thread

anyways, yeah I have contemplated this... I got really good marks so I decided to go to law school to build my confidence but it's terrible for someone with social anxiety. Everyone there is outspoken, confident and arrogant. We have class discussions every single lesson and marks are distributed for students who talk the most. I never speak up at all and it is adversely affecting my marks at law school. I hate it when people talk to me, when we are arguing in group work, when we have discussions in group work and MOST OF ALL BEING CALLED OUT IN CLASS!!! I would suddenly freeze and its so hard. What's worse is when I have to sometimes pick up my guts and volunteer to answer questions because I want to improve my marks. It's so frustrating and hard.

I tried working in a law job and my social anxiety ended up in my losing my job. It's so difficult studying in a field requiring you to be social and outspoken. Everyone here in law school drinks, parties and knows lots of people. To make matters worse, law has a high unemployment rate and nobody wants to hire someone unsociable. Looks like I'm gonna be part of the unemployed bunch...


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## W A N D E R L U S T (Oct 2, 2012)

Wow! This is all the way back from 2007!

But anyway, I wish I could drop English because of the speeches but I know I need it and that it's compulsory anyway...


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## CefaliK (Oct 28, 2011)

I did this in my humanities class a year ago. The first day the teacher said we had to give a 10 minute presentation. I dropped it after the second day for the sole reason of that presentation. I have since taken a speech class and improved my SA. I don't mind giving presentations that much anymore, but when they are 10 minutes long, that's a bit much for me.


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## TheTraveler (Jan 31, 2013)

Yeah but that is only if I am not prepared. If I am not prepared like know what going on I will skip which forces the teacher to drop me from his or her class. I also will skip class if I can't shower before class. At this school three skips makes the teacher drop you from the class.


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## AlphaHydrae (Jun 15, 2011)

I dropped a jiu jit tsu club


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## eveningbat (Jan 21, 2013)

In my country it is impossible to drop a class. Once you take some class you have to finish it.


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## Aenela (Oct 7, 2009)

I have definitely experienced this too, in fact I failed almost an entire semester last year because of it. I have managed to mostly avoid classes that require participation/presentations except for one class, which I have continuously promised myself to go to but never have aside from the first week. I am hoping I can come through and find the guts to do a group presentation but I honestly don't know.

Anyways I definitely understand where you all are coming from. Class presentations are probably my number 1 fear above all personally


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## Aerblade (Dec 8, 2012)

In my first year of my A-levels because I was in a small sixth form group I had to go to another sixth form center to study biology. Was just me and 1 other student, he quit after the first lesson and due to sudden changes in my life at time and my SA I decided to drop the subject after the second.

A year later I quit English lit because the teacher was a bully and had to go to that same college. Still managed to get onto a Foundation Degree afterwards with an unconditional offer thankfully.


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## KaraKelly23 (Mar 22, 2017)

*Thinking about it*

I'm planning to. My Intro to Art teacher keeps talking down to me, giving me F's, and she refuses to help me. I've asked for help 5 times in 1 semester and my teacher refuses to. I have a 504 in place so if they don't fix this, I legally can take them to court.


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## HaydenMJ12 (Mar 21, 2017)

I dropped out of physical education, because it had a negative impact on my recovery from an eating disorder. Stressed me out so badly.


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## BAH (Feb 12, 2012)

Numerous times


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## Taaylah (Apr 5, 2012)

I've dropped four classes because of it. A history class because we had to give a PowerPoint presentation, a philosophy class because he would call on us randomly and we'd have to answer out loud. And if you didn't know the answer he'd make you work through it out loud with him until you got it right, or you'd have to defend your point of view/opinion against him. 

Also a speech class. I was actually less nervous to speak in that class than the other two. It was a small class, and the professor made it a fun, supportive environment and reminded us that no one is judging you and everyone is nervous to speak. People would write anonymous comments on your speech and we were given them when we were done and they were all super sweet and supportive even if you did a bad job. I managed to do two speeches, but from then on we had to start setting up boards and power points in front of the class before our speeches and that was the most nerve wracking aspect of it for me weirdly enough. 

The last class was a math class. I was just not in a good frame of mind in general at the time. We didn't have to speak in that class, but I ended up doing bad from having anxiety in general, and was having OCD like symptoms of having to constantly walk back to the parking lot to make sure that my car wasn't rolling backwards, weird stuff like that. My mind was occupied with intrusive thoughts so I didn't have much space for paying attention or studying.


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## QuartzLotion (Apr 26, 2017)

So I recently heard that it's a completely normal thing to drop classes, when you know you're not going to pass, so it won't affect your GPA (usually around the end of the term). I wish I knew this when I first got here (for a last resort). I didn't do so hot fall and winter quarter (probably bc I'm not working towards something I want, but that's to bring up a different time). My performance has put me on academic probation (I get my FASFA taken away for the rest of the year). Which only adds to my stress and unhappiness. 
But this quarter, I'm probably going to drop my transitional English, (the English class that's below what everyone else takes,English 101, based on SAT scores). The class is really based on group work, which doesn't bother me, but everyone in that class very closed off, and not willing to talk. And that makes conversation feel really forced and uncomfortable. So I stopped showing up bc it was so uncomfortable. 
Sorry for my rambling, I really hope I managed to say this clearly.


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## the patient (Apr 20, 2013)

i actually left the entirety of school and switched to online school because of it.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

Weird how this particular thread gets necrobumped repeatedly over the years.


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## thetown (Aug 16, 2014)

I wish I could, but I would lose a lot of financial aid if I did.


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## OcularZero (May 17, 2017)

mserychic said:


> I drop like a class a semester because of it. Any class with presentations or lots of group work in the syllabus I drop right off the bat. Most the time I'm too chicken to talk to the teachers but the times I have they've been really understanding.


Exactly this. My grades have gone down a lot partly from my anxiety as well. Culminated in having had to withdraw from this past semester and the upcoming one because I wasn't going to class or doing any of my work from intense anxiety/avoidance and episodes of moderate depression. That did lead to me having to talk to faculty about my issues, though, so I now know I can try to get my teachers to make accommodations and avoid having to do presentations and so on.


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## naes (Nov 1, 2013)

AlphaHydrae said:


> I dropped a jiu jit tsu club


I got dropped in a jiu jit tsu club. Jk lol.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

I have a few Ws on my record. I've also dropped many classes very early on before you get a W on your record. Once because the professor was really bad. She was a new professor (from China) and her accent was horrendous. She read off powerpoint slides in a monotone voice the entire class. The subject was boring enough as it is..... Thanks but no thanks. 

I dropped some classes because I needed or just wanted a good grade and knew I wouldn't get one. I'd probably have ended up with a C or a B. In some cases I'm okay with a B but if the class is a prerequisite for a competitive program, I needed an A. One time I busted my balls to get a C- on one exam and it just pissed me off to no end. I couldn't stand looking at the smug face on that professor all semester, so I dropped it. 

A couple times I've dropped English classes when I was very young because writing freaks me out. I have no creativity and my grammar is not the best.


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## truant (Jul 4, 2014)

I dropped out of hs because I was failing all my courses and it was less embarrassing to drop out than to fail.


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## KrazyEvilMonkey (May 4, 2017)

Several times. I worry a lot about assignments, group work, presentations (grr), and whether or I can understand the way the instructor teaches. Stressing over dumb s***.


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## meghankira (Jul 30, 2015)

I dropped one of my required math courses last semester. Professor sucked, too much group work, and to make matters worse, my former roommate was in the class (she was a rude one). That alone was enough to give me anxiety.


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## oursong (Jul 3, 2015)

I've dropped a lot of courses for the same reason. If the syllabus says there are group presentations I usually drop it. If there is too much participation required I drop it.


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## Gorgoroth9 (Jul 4, 2016)

I had this problem. I dropped about 2 semesters worth of classes because of depression and anxiety. It was ridiculous and I felt like crap about it. I remember my human sexuality class required participation for 20% of your grade- good lord, of all topics to have to ramble on about in public lol. 

If any of you are planning on attending grad school, I have some advice. They ask for letters of recommendation from professors. If you can either form a relationship with your teacher one-on-one with a few visits to their office after hours, become a teacher's assistant, or become a research assistant, you can get a stellar letter of recommendation that will help you get into grad school. I failed to do this -_-


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