College
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You are currently reading a thread in /adv/ - Advice
You are currently reading a thread in /adv/ - Advice
So, tomorrow is my last day of my first semester in college. I have been doing my best in school, and honestly, I am not a good student, i'm average at best, at worst, a C or D student. My family wants me to do my best,and I do, but I found out today I may have failed one of my classes. Tomorrow I have my final for my history class, and I am failing that class too. And for my English class, maybe, but let's just say I did fail English as well.
I have failed three out of my four classes. I am on financial aid,and after tomorrows exam, I am afraid to come home to my family. I am not the only one who has been to college. My older brother has and finished school, his graduation in next week. My cousin is also finishing up school and this Saturday is his graduation. I am the youngest children here who is attending college and I pretty much failed my first semester. My older brother and cousin never failed any of their classes.
I'm afraid /adv/. I'm having trouble breathing, knowing I failed. My family isn't well off, we're middle class, but because of my financial aid, I know we're going to have to pay back all the money I wasted for those three classes. Maybe two incase I pass English. My family expects great things from me, and seeing how my brother is, he's way better off then I am. He is better in almost every single way possible. I'm just the fuck up child in the family. At 18, I have managed to already fuck up my start to college and now will face the consequences. I'm not telling my family until tomorrow about any of this. I'm considering not coming home tomorrow either, until maybe 8 or 9 at night. I don't want to disappoint my family any more, and yet I already have.
This isn't a "i'm gonna kill myself" thread, I need help. What do I do ? Are things going to get better for me? Am I just a fuck up? Please, help. Help.
College isn't for everyone. It doesn't sound like it's for you
Many of my friends who flunked out of college became successful businessmen (and one businesswoman). It's a mindset thing.
>>16551138
Am I a failure then?
>>16551159
At college? Yes. At life? No. You're only 18, you have so much ahead of you. Don't let this one thing drag you down.
>>16551158
Should I just go pursue what I want to do instead of college then?
>>16551172
Yeah, work in the real world, college will always be there. The median age of college students these days is 27.
>>16551182
>The median age of college students these days is 27.
I don't know where this new meme has come from
>In 2013, there were about 12.2 million college students under age 25 and 8.2 million students 25 years old and over
From http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372
I'm not a statistician, but I know enough to know that it's statistically impossible for the median age to be 27 with those numbers. There are also projected stats for 2015 and 2016, but they're not different enough to change the median age that significantly
Jesse :( :(
>>16551112
I'm just like you OP. College is shit. I had to drop out during my first semester. I'm not academically skilled.
You're not alone.
But, do you have any idea what you want to do for a career?
>>16551221
I want to be an artist and a writer. I want to create stories and create new worlds of fiction . I want to be someone. Sorry if that's autistic or stupid to say. I just really want to be someone.
>>16551112
What is the reason you haven't been doing well? Why not take this semester as a lesson and learn from it? Its your first semester don't beat yourself up over it, just learn from it. Don't be afraid of failure it happens, accept it and move forward.
>>16551231
Why do you need a degree to write a book? Isn't that all just on if you can write well and get it published?
>>16551239
I try studying and I do but I guess i'm more or less a bad studier since a lot of the information is lost in my head.
It will get better, yes. Academic probation isn't the worst thing in the world. Jumping straight into college after highschool is a mistake unless you're absolutely dedicated though. Take a few years off and work for a bit OP, give yourself time to think and live a bit.
>>16551231
>i just want to be someone
>implying you are not already someone
Relying on others' validation for happiness is going to leave you a disappointed people-pleaser who always feels like he deserves more, and will be constantly resentful your whole life for not getting as much as you think you're worth.
>>16551245
I guess so, but even then, a college degree would help for future jobs I may apply for.
>>16551270
You're right. I should do what makes me happy and no matter what happens do it for me, so I can finally be happy with my life.
>>16551288
Maybe try getting a job with your local newspaper and build experience there? Experience is better then a degree
Hey OP. Graduate student here. I'm seven months away from a masters in chemistry.
I want nothing to do with my field after I'm done.
Did I gain many things? Sure.
Point is, chase your dreams. Truly, madly, deeply, find something to love to do and be the best at that.
Don't waste your energy doing something that you wouldn't normally pay to do. Instead, find something you'd pay to do, but have them pay you instead.
You're not a fuck up. You're capable of great things. You just need to find that thing.
You're not smart enough for college. Do a trade. If you're not smart enough for that, join the military. If you're not smart enough for that, welfare fraud.
And if you're not smart enough for that, I'm not sure what to tell you, son.
>>16551138
That's bullshit. OP just needs to fucking apply himself. Unless he has legit brain damage, he's perfectly capable of passing all of his classes.
Let me ask you something OP, why have you been failing your classes? Are you not doing the coursework? Not doing projects? Not studying for exams? Or are you just not showing up? You're only a fuck up because you are undisciplined and somehow think that you just pass or fail based on your genetic predisposition towards being intelligent.
>>16551231
Making a living as an author or artist is ridiculously hard and the chances of you becoming a Picasso or George R. R. Martin is very slim. I respect your aspirations and totally think you should pursue them, but if you do make sure you have a reliable source of income so you can become independent.
>>16551367
I show up for class everyday, and as well do my work to the best of my ability. I may not study all the time as I am still in the mind set of high school, but I try my best so I can be good enough.
>>16551443
I plan on finding a job soon, and maybe a job I can work at for a long while to save up for the future.
UPDATE:
Just found out I possibly made a D- in my Fed Govt class. While this is better, only a little bit better however. I will see how my final exam today will go, and I hope to maybe pass this class. If I do fail this class, I might consider holding out on college for the sheer fact that maybe I need to find some work for me or just take some time off to really see if college is for me at all. I want to continue college but I don't want to risk failing again next semester. The stress would be too much for me to handle. But, I want to thank all of you on your advice, I have thought and slept on all of this so I'll try and keep you posted while this thread is alive.
>First semester
Most people screw up their first semester, or hell, even first year. I've known people who have failed courses but have still managed to get into med/grad/law school. It's not the end of the world.
My advice to you is next semester take fewer courses (if you took too many), and be more self disciplined. Study. Use your professors office hours if you're confused. Failing your first semester does not make you stupid.
Stay in school.
>>16551112
Why are you failing? Is it a lack of understanding, or is it a lack of effort on your part?
>>16552328
I was in the same boat op, got a 1.7 gpa my first semester. Got put on academic probation and couldnt work my on campus job for a couple weeks until i got an exemtion. The shame and depression was unreal and i didnt even want to tell my parents.
It was the kick in the ass i needed though. I like you was going into it with a half hearted high school mentality. The next semester i worked harder and learned better study habits and ended up graduating with a 2.8
>>16551159
yes, don't you dare to think otherwise.
but you can still be good at something else.
OP, 5th year college student going after a degree in engineering here.
It's okay. At least you have siblings. I'm an only child with no cousins and a large family of aunts and uncles. I'm the first person in my family to go to college other than my mom who dropped out after two semesters. I constantly feel a pressure that I can't live up to what they want while going after a degree that I hate.
I hate math. I hate my degree program. I've failed at least one class every other semester, mostly the math classes. Now I have one online class to take to graduate, and I've been so burnt out that I've not done shit it in the entire semester and it's finished up on Sunday. I know that terror that you're feeling. I was on academic probation once. It'll be okay. If you can't do college, if you really can't, drop out. Drop out now and don't get piled in student debt.
>>16554555
>studies something he hates
>wonders why he doesn't enjoy it
>>16551457
sooo you're not applying yourself
generally, you have to actually fucking study to pass
>>16554582
I know why I don't enjoy it. I've just trudged through it to make my family happy.
I hope to work long enough to pay off my student debt while having a few side jobs here and there. After that,I don't know.
>>16554607
So study something you'd rather study?
>>16554604
You don't have to be studying ever single spare moment you have to pass. Some people really aren't cut out for college, I don't know why you're finding this so hard to understand. It really isn't a matter of 'apply yourself', there are a million things that can make it so that a college environment isn't for everyone, and some people may just be better off doing something else.
Military.
College isn't for everyone.. or maybe right now you are not mature enough / focused enough for it. Military will pay you.. and later on there is the college fund. I would go that route.
I did horribly in college.. ended up successful in a business thats no longer really taught in the USA - textiles. But regardless... if I faced the same thing again.. I would have went military.
>>16554620
I'm three credit hours away from graduating.
>>16554645
And then you'll be stuck in a career that makes you miserable. I really don't envy you, or anyone else who studies particular subjects for the wrong reasons
>>16554654
Haha, yep.
>>16554676
For what it's worth, going back and studying something you want to study is always an option. You fucked up the first time by studying something you hate, but it's not like you can't go back
>>16554684
That's what I hope and what everyone has always told me. Honestly, I think I'd like to go for a business or financial degree. I read and follow that shit one the side for fun and there's good money in it. That or journalism. I'm practically autistic when it comes to world events.
Not OP but my friend is in even deeper shit. She has a culimative 1.8 GPA over three semesters and she is technically below the poverty line. Her mom is a deadbeat and doesn't work..basically living off food stamps and checks from the government.
Her dad obviously doesn't pay bills to support her as well.
Idk what to do. I want to help so much but honestly I'm so limited. School is so expensive and I just feel like a dumb kid whenever I tell her everything will be ok.
She is really smart. Just not good at school. But I feel like now that she has realized what and what not to do she will succeed. I wish I could give her a second chance. I'm seriously considering starting to cam to raise money for her.
>>16554918
>She is really smart. Just not good at school.
So why the fuck is she even in school?
>>16554918
You a dude or a chick? Either way, you must reslly like her
>>16551112
Peace dude, you haven't flunked out yet. You messed up one semester, you will go on probation and get at least more chance. College is a big transition you chocked but you can do better next semester.
Now you need to find out how to not fail, freshmen English/history should be C's with just turning all the work in on time are you doing that? Are you just failing all your tests, what is that problem.
P.S. Why do you think you will have to pay back money because of failed classes?
