Struggling in College: How Do I Cope and Move Forward?

[qspeechc]

There's a fantastic book I can recommend: Stephen Fry's "Moab Is My Washpot". You have to read it to the end. This book helped me a lot. I was depressed, suicidal even at one point, and bottom of my class in just about everything. It isn't all larks and springtime, and the sunshine isn't bursting through the clouds, but I'm satisfied and much happier with my life. I have friends. I came top of a course last semester. It really is an amazing book. At least it will cheer you up, it's the autobiography of a famous English comedian and actor.

 

[rolerbe]

Noblegas,

I know a bit of where you're coming from, as I went through a similar 'crisis of purpose' during my own undergraduate years. I call it that because you entered college in general, and physics in particular, with certain intents and expectations, and are frustrated by feeling that you are not making the progress you hoped, coupled with questions as to whether or not you even still want the same things.

I won't try a lot of psychology stuff, but just say this having been there and been through it. Your career is not over. You still have any choice of outcomes and careers you may want. Some, that are particularly focused on grades, etc. may be harder than others, but there will be many options that can lead to 'success' by all objective (and most subjective) measures. Computer programming, bioinformatics, and systems engineering come to mind as viable and lucrative professional pathways that match up well with physics undergraduate degrees.

But, the onus will be on you, yourself. You can learn things from others, sometimes, but in the end you have to push through it yourself. You will have do decide to succeed. To get through the courses. To learn how to study, how to learn, and how to test well. There are many learnable techniques, but no magic other than internal willpower. Decide to succeed, decide to graduate, decide to force yourself into more social situations. And trust that your sense of purpose will return and that your motivation will overcome the obstacles that you face.

This is simply part of growing up. The cycle of loss of purpose and search for renewal will be repeated as you go through life. The first time is the hardest and deepest and scariest because you have no prior experience to prove that you will make it through. Later it becomes easier to recognize it for what it is, just a shifting of gears and redirection of where you are headed, not an endless abyss.

Hang in there and PUSH FORWARD. Good luck.

Rolerbe

 

[Loren Booda]

Notice that those offering advice do so in retrospect as survivors.