Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav

(Rant and asking for advice) (College) I'm not sure how to get back into the swing of things.

modestCar842 October 27th, 2022

I'm not that afraid to admit that the main reason I want to go is monetary. I don't want to bust my *** forever because I didn't bust my *** for four years, and I firmly believe that I could learn all the "well-rounded individual" side classes from the library.


One of the other reasons why I want to go back is not only to help my job prospects but to increase my social standing, too. When people find out you don't want to go or - even worse - dropped out, they just treat you different. It definitely doesn't help that I sound "rural" at times because of the people I talk to online, not to mention my brain fog making it difficult to read people and speak clearly.


The trouble lies in the fact that I've been couped up in my house for years, and before that, couped up in my head when I had a tough time with depression and the other kids in school while getting no outside help whatsoever.


So I'm wondering: what can I do to prepare? My depression makes even the most simple of tasks draining and I was not really taught discipline, coasting through most things. The rigorous work, I feel, is going to kill me in the state I'm in. But I know I can do something about it.


Any advice and thoughts welcome.

4
anxietywarrior23 October 27th, 2022

@modestCar842

sorry you have depression and are struggling in school. pace yourself and take breaks in between homework.

Jaeteuk October 28th, 2022

I somewhat know how you're feeling. I dropped out of University in my second year, and began working instead. In between years of working, I took courses here and there, but never completed a program. For someone with depression for 20+ years, school had always been a stressful place for me.

Like you, I sometimes do think that if I had went through with University, maybe my career would be something better, at least, more permanent/stable than it is now. In the present though, I don't think I'll ever be able to take the time to go through University/College again for a Degree. I strongly believe that I won't be able to study full-time and work on the side. So, what made me go back to school to earn a Certificate in 2018? I was tired of working in retail and I knew that it wasn't a career, it was just a job. At first, I was a bit scared that I won't be able to do it, already in my 30s back then, I was really nervous about exams. Luckily, the Certificate program I chose was full-time, only 4 months long. One month of in-class theory and 3 months of Practicum. When I first started in the current career after finishing the Certificate program, I thought I had found my dream career. Heading into my 4th year now, I find that I'm not as excited and passionate about going to work, than compared when I first started. So, since Covid started, I began to think about doing career change.

To do so though, I decided to return to college to earn at least a Diploma. Luckily with Covid, courses went online. Which actually worked better for me, I was able to keep working, then study at my own pace. I studied part-time though, so I only took 2 courses per semester. I knew that if I took more, I'll be really stressed to juggle school and work. I'm currently putting my studies on hold, as I'm struggling financially.

Enough of my experiences, back to you. You seem to be clear now, in what you want your life to be like. Wanting a better career, not feel like you're missing something because you never went through the four years of college/university, and you know that your depression is an obstacle. So, I suggest that you should first tend to your mental health. We need to have a strong mental health first, in order to deal with the stresses that our studies will bring us. You may work on this little by little. The tasks that drain you because of having depression, break down those tasks even smaller. You need to build some confidence that despite the depression, you are able to complete those tasks.

Heading back into school, be clear on your goals. What do you want to achieve upon finishing your program? Make that goal into your drive/motivation of your studies. I had a clear career I wanted to do when I finished my Diploma, thinking about how it could become my dream career, it motivated me during my studies. I had a purpose, and the fact that I'm paying each course myself, I know that I can't fail, as then, I would've thrown money away. Putting my studies on hold now because of financial problems, I'm getting a different thought in that career I was working towards. I came across something better, a program that my brother paid for, where I can learn and start my own business. So, everything is in the works to get the business up and running.

You're going in the right direction. Knowing that in your current state, you want your life to be better. In ways of a better career, wanting others to see you differently after upon finishing college, knowing that you can do something about your depression, so that you can live a better life. You need to build up a stronger mindset, positive thinking, and be strict with yourself to not give up.

Believe in yourself, you can do this and we are all here to support you!~

@modestCar842

littleGrapes4242 October 29th, 2022

@modestCar842 Make a schedule and try to stick to it, you've been given some good advice below. Remember your why and keep on going

pioneeringStrawberries5097 November 19th, 2022

What type of career were you hoping to get?