# College causes massive depression.



## Faded Lines (Sep 22, 2006)

I can't escape it. I can barely enjoy my studies anymore because all I think about is getting an A. I don't like this. I don't like hearing other kids talk about school, I don't like hearing their career plans, and I don't like feeling defeated every time I make dumb mistakes on exams. College surrounds one with questions of intelligence on a minute by minute basis. When people say, "Ah, you tried your best!" "The grade means nothing!"

Well, it really does mean something. What else do you have to do in college? Yeah yeah, go out join clubs and what not, but that's totally different. In college, you work for that grade to gain knowledge. But in the end, the grades really are extremely important. Overall, I just don't like it. I don't know how much longer I can take where I really give it my all, then make idiotic mistakes. I have nothing else to really judge my intelligence on. I hate when the letter on my paper and the knowledge in my brain just don't agree.

To show how sick I am, this thread is in response to the fact that I still am not over an 83 (grade got changed from an 80) I got on a bio exam on October 5th. Help me, help. Please.


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## lonelyjew (Jan 20, 2010)

Grades only matter if you're looking into a competitive grad program. Even if you want to be a doctor, you can go DO and having a good, rather than a great, GPA is good enough. Do your best and don't ask any more of yourself. I've gotten tests where I didn't get an A, but I knew I really tried, and that was good enough for me. I've also gotten A-'s and known I could have gotten A's, that wasn't ok. Either way, you need to figure out what you want to do in life, and work from there.


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## seafolly (Jun 17, 2010)

I'll admit it took many years of therapy to get me out of this mindset that I must get A's! Unfortunately they created a student much too laid back.  It's healthier though. Employees really don't care what you scored in any course. At most they'll want to know you covered general subjects if your degree is even related to your career at all. As said above, you only need to stress if you're aiming for post-grad education. 80+ are fantastic grades and you should be proud but it's not something to dwell on. When you're on your deathbed you'll hopefully be reflecting on amazing things you did during your life and none of that will be any grade you received back in college.  I'm with lonelyjew in that I only get upset if I know I didn't put the work in. If I tried my best, then hey, that's my best and that's alright.


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## Faded Lines (Sep 22, 2006)

Thanks for the words guys, really helped!


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## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

college depressed the hell out of me. im thinking of using some of the universitys counseling services.


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## matt20 (Apr 22, 2010)

I feel the same way about college. Currently a 3rd? year student after floundering around for a year at a state university and realizing my major was not for me. Now at a community college trying to get some sort of degree. But college and the whole atmosphere with it just makes me miserable. I felt fine all summer, but as soon as I went back this semester, my energy level took a nosedive. It's more depressive because "college" has been transformed from something that had value and merit, to a business dealing to pushing kids on, and through, signing up for as many classes as possible, textbooks, etc. And what do you get in the end? A single piece of paper that virtually means nothing other than you can cram material and pass tests. Unfortunately, that's all employers (the few that are hiring) seem to focus on. I wish I could apprentece or take a trade, but very few want that kind of worker, and most of the "trade schools" around here are scams themselves (eg. the ones they advertise on TV in between Maury and Jerry Springer).


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## Faded Lines (Sep 22, 2006)

Yeah I wish I was born as a person interested in a trade. So much better in my opinion to go to a trade school and learn to work hands on and that's that.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

^You don't mean that.
Perfectionist thinking is part of anxiety - the fear of appearing flawed.
Guess what? You're human - just like everybody here. Be more compassionate to yourself.


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## seafolly (Jun 17, 2010)

millenniumman75 said:


> ^You don't mean that.
> Perfectionist thinking is part of anxiety - the fear of appearing flawed.
> Guess what? You're human - just like everybody here. Be more compassionate to yourself.


Wise words! And so very applicable to me as well.


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