I'm not liking this college deal

[ksherlin]

I am a first semester freshman and I am kinda in shock now about all this college stuff! I feel so overwhelmed and I don't get to check OW unless I am at work! Luckily, everyone is at lunch right now, so all I am having to do is sit at the front desk and greet and answer phones.

I have been trying to get good rest and have been getting 8 hours, but by the end of the day I am still exhauted. On top of that, I ahve the hardest time dragging myself out of bed in the mornings.

I have been to all of my classes fo the week and I have tommorrow off, but yet I feel like I ahve so much work to do. I am an Early childhood major and this first semester alone I have to complete 75 practicum hours!!! I had to drop two classes just to make time for that!

On top of that, some guy is stalking me! He followed me about a half mile to my car the other day. I was really nice in telling him that I was engaged after he asked me out, but he is persistantly lurking everywhere I am. Yesterday I saw him before one of my classes and when I got out, he was standing right outside and started talking to me. I dunno if I should report it or not!

Everyday, i have sat in class and wondered if I should do this or not. I keep thinking that I could go to work and be an assistant and not have to worry about all this school stuff.

FH says that everything will get easier once I settle down and get on a regular schedule. I sure hope so. Once I leave here, I go to my second job at the dance studio for theater class... Sigh... Any advice????

BTW... I was gonna start his as a new post and accidentally did it with this one.... I can't figure out how to copy and paste it into a new one. It is not giving me that option. Help???
:rain:

[gwenshack]

Be careful with the stalker person! I would try to not walk alone if you can help it - better safe than a story on the evening news...:winktongue:

I'm sorry it's not as easy as you thought - but it always takes a little time to adjust to changes and new responsibilities. It'll get easier - just stick with it and try to roll with the punches!

ETA - I moved this to a new thread like you wanted. ;)

[italianbride1218]

Hey,
I'm a sophomore in college and I also have two jobs. I'm a psych and secondary ed major and its a lot of work putting in the hours at a local school along with doing homework and working a normal job. It's even harder when you try to fit in time for your friends and FH as well.

The best thing I can think of to say, is when you do get a day off from school and work, try to work ahead a little in your classes, that way you won't be as rushed. Also, get a planner to write down your work hours, homework, and any plans you might have. I've done both of these things, and somehow I'm not as tired as I was last year when I was just learning about time management.

I hope this helps at all.

If nothing else, caffeine. It helps with the late nights and early mornings.

Olivia

[kgvettegirl]

Please Report that guy. Get his name take a picture with your cell phone. Document everything. He sounds like a creep.

[tiger_fan3034]

Because I'm in Canada, I don't start school until next tuesday...but I'm also doing an Early Childhood Education program at te local college. I 've been where you are though, I have already done a psychology and a history major (2 degrees now) at the local University while working my 15+ hour a week job...with no car might i add lol. It was a lot of stress, tears and headaches but I got through it. Just keep telling yourself you can do it and remind yourself of the payoff at the end. You'll do fine...just find a productive way to manage your stress, you'll need it

Oh and I learnd to be extremely orgaized, I had a couple different planners and colour coded stuff too (I was a little OCD lol...but it hepled)

Good Luck and hugs :happy:

[MrsDM]

You'll find a lot of people on here are balancing work and school, in addition to life! I've taken some time off for the wedding, but was in the same boat as you. I was taking 15 credits, working full-time and planning a wedding. Looking back, I realized I was in a complete daze and don't remember one thing I learned, did, or said!

My best advice is to get an assignement notebook and keep up with it. Take each classes outline and agenda and write down due dates and check them off when you have them done.

Also, try to leave one day of the week, or night, for just you. Do what YOU want to do whether it be taking a bath, going out with friends, FH or a little bit of both. Me and my friend (MOH) got our spouses together one Saturday a month and we would drink ourselves silly while the guys were our DD. I can't even begin to tell you how good it felt to let loose. Just make sure you dont' have homework the next day ;)

Good luck and remember to BREATHE!

[MrsDM]

I also wanted to add that schools are not going anywhere. Don't take too many classes in hopes of finishing faster and running yourself into the ground! Its better to have better grades and taking longer than bad grades but getting done faster!

[tiger_fan3034]

I also wanted to add that schools are not going anywhere. Don't take too many classes in hopes of finishing faster and running yourself into the ground! Its better to have better grades and taking longer than bad grades but getting done faster!

I complete;y agree...I actually wish i had thought of that much earlier lol

[Kirby]

I completely know how you feel. This is my 5th (and hopefully last) year of college and I am a ball of stress. I'm attempting 20 credits and working 3 nights a week.

I agree with the others about staying organized with a planner. I couldn't live without mine. I am also a fan of "to do" lists in addition to the planner.

Also, like someone else said, be sure to make at least a little time for yourself. I take Saturdays off so that I have one whole day with no school or work. It is the only thing that keeps me sane.

[ksherlin]

Ok so I am done till Tuesday! Well I have a meeting at the dance studio tonight, but after that.... finito till Tuesday! We are going to Pigeon Forge this weekend to stay in our cabin!!! I can't wait! FH is going with us and it will be a nice break. Thanks everyone for your kind words. I may have to start keeping a journal to get all the stuff off my mind! You guys are great!

:pompom:

[ChristineLS]

I am a first semester freshman and I am kinda in shock now about all this college stuff! I feel so overwhelmed and I don't get to check OW unless I am at work! Luckily, everyone is at lunch right now, so all I am having to do is sit at the front desk and greet and answer phones.

I have been trying to get good rest and have been getting 8 hours, but by the end of the day I am still exhauted. On top of that, I ahve the hardest time dragging myself out of bed in the mornings.

I have been to all of my classes fo the week and I have tommorrow off, but yet I feel like I ahve so much work to do. I am an Early childhood major and this first semester alone I have to complete 75 practicum hours!!! I had to drop two classes just to make time for that!

First, don't panic! :) :) :) The first week is always disorienting, to about everyone. It was for me and my friends, and it is for my students too. It's such a different change of pace from high school, and especially from the summer. You can do it though, you would not have been accepted if you couldn't. :) I'm with your fiance, once you get into a groove, it won't be so exhausting. For me, whenever I start something new, I have to be on guard ALL THE TIME. I'm constantly alert. It wears me out at the end of the day. Then once it's something I'm used to, and I stop having to be super aware, it calms down and I can actually get some rest when I sleep!

How many classes were you taking? Needing to drop two to get it to fit may be a blessing in disguise! 75 hours aren't too bad, you can do about five hours (half a shift) a week. Do they assign you ones, or do you have to hunt them down? If you have to hunt them down, talk to some of the older students about the good places, they'll know ;) Don't look at it like an obligation, but the way to ensure you actually want to do this before you get too deep into classes.

Also, what type of college are you at? Large University, Small University, Liberal Arts College, Community College? I'm not asking to be nosy, but more to get a feeling where you are at.


On top of that, some guy is stalking me! He followed me about a half mile to my car the other day. I was really nice in telling him that I was engaged after he asked me out, but he is persistantly lurking everywhere I am. Yesterday I saw him before one of my classes and when I got out, he was standing right outside and started talking to me. I dunno if I should report it or not!

If he continues, report him to campus police. Here's why:
1. He should really, really know better than that
2. Your safety is *important*
3. It is the police's job to make sure students are safe, you are not infringing on anyone's time
4. Campus police is so insulated from the rest of the real world, he'll get the point and likely not have a record. Seriously. I don't like this, but like he'll have to get the point.

Worse case scenario if you report him? He has an uncomfortable conversation with the police. Worse case scenario if you don't? He hurts you. You don't have anything to loose.

I used to be a resident advisor as an undergraduate, and I can tell you the police are doing all sorts of stuff all the time so this is not going to be as big a deal to them as it is to you - to them it's another day on the job to you it is protecting your safety. So if the source of your hesitation is not wanting to make waves, don't worry about it. For all you know, this student could be a problem to others too.

Everyday, i have sat in class and wondered if I should do this or not. I keep thinking that I could go to work and be an assistant and not have to worry about all this school stuff.

But do you want to do that forever? Would you go back to school later, or are you thinking that you want to call it quits?

FH says that everything will get easier once I settle down and get on a regular schedule. I sure hope so. Once I leave here, I go to my second job at the dance studio for theater class... Sigh... Any advice????

BTW... I was gonna start his as a new post and accidentally did it with this one.... I can't figure out how to copy and paste it into a new one. It is not giving me that option. Help???
:rain:

You can do it! I have faith in you :)

[ksherlin]

How many classes were you taking? Needing to drop two to get it to fit may be a blessing in disguise! 75 hours aren't too bad, you can do about five hours (half a shift) a week.

I have 15 hours now. I did have 17. The fifteen hours are 5 classes. All three hour classes and they are only once a week so I am in the classroom for 3 hours straight.:sweatdrop:

Do they assign you ones, or do you have to hunt them down?

We are responsible for finding placements and the profs just approve them. Luckily, my mom works in a elem school so I have connections.


Also, what type of college are you at? Large University, Small University, Liberal Arts College, Community College? I'm not asking to be nosy, but more to get a feeling where you are at.

It is a community college (which I thought would be easier than a 4 year, but I was wrong) I had already gotten 12 hours of core classes out of the way dual-enrolling in high school and my only basics left are Biology and History, which I plan to take this summer at the community college. So I thought "What the hey? I will just get all my basics for my major out of the way."


If he continues, report him to campus police. Here's why:
1. He should really, really know better than that
2. Your safety is *important*
3. It is the police's job to make sure students are safe, you are not infringing on anyone's time
4. Campus police is so insulated from the rest of the real world, he'll get the point and likely not have a record. Seriously. I don't like this, but like he'll have to get the point.

I said something to my advisor (who is also my instructor) yesterday. She mentioned reporting it to campus safety. I have class with him on Tuesday and she is going to keep and eye out and I will probably head to campus safety right after for them to keep an eye out. My dad was concerned and bought me mace.


But do you want to do that forever? Would you go back to school later, or are you thinking that you want to call it quits?

Yea I would probably want to go back to school and teach. It just all is so overwhelming.

Thank you so much!:bbmrgreen:

[byrd813]

Stalkers are bad news. I had a situation where this guy actually wanted to beat me up b/c I kept telling him no. He would consistently ask me out, even though he knew he was going to get the same answer every time. And I guess out of frustration, everytime I told him no, or ignored him he would get violent, i.e push me, tried to smack me touch my face, etc. it got pretty serious, so i suggest you do something about that really quick. People are crazy, you never know what they can do these days.

As for your being tired all the time, this may sound cliche, but take things a day at time time, if you don't finish today, so what? You'll finish it tomorrow. It also helps to not think about all the things you have to do, and just do them whenever you have time, if that makes sense.

You'll do fine though. As I always say, I can catch up on my sleep when i'm dead :)

[The Proper Wedding]

tho i have never held a job during school, i do know where you are coming from. this is my 3rd semester as a senior (i graduate in december). i really does get easier. it's your first year that feels like it's going to kill you. but just keep pushing forward. once you get those 2 semesters out of the way, the rest should feel like a breeze! seriously, i didn't believe it when other's told me freshman year is the hardest, until i went through it myself. every year seems to get easier and easier! so just stick with it, because in the end it will be worth it! :) good luck!