I don't know what to do...?

Question

I'm at a complete loss here. Please bear with me. I graduated in '06 and went str8 to college the following Fall. I chose that school in particular because it was in my price range, I was familiar with the area and my friends were there. Big mistake! I hated it. Then I decided to transfer to another school in a different state. I'm here now and I just can't do it anymore. I can barely get up to go to class and now all of a sudden I feel like what I've been working towards is not really what I want to do. Im scared that I'm going to end up without a degree and unhappy. I was an honor student in high school, graduated with a 3.0(because I slacked and moved my sophomore year and got a 2.1) I feel like I can do so much better, but I can't even figure out what I want to do with my life. I'm tired of crying about this and feeling like a failure. I finally decided that I wanted to do something in the medical field, but that means that everything I've done thus far was in vain.

Out of all my credits, only one course and lab would transfer, meaning I've wasted almost 1 1/2 yrs on nothing. I just need some advice here, because I'm truly stressed and lost. I don't want to take a break, but I can't wondering aimlessly through my life. Please help.

Answer 1

A break may be exactly what you do need. If only for a weekend of relaxation from pressure. If will do you no good to continue to struggle ahead if its the wrong direction for you. You're young and its only natural to be confused about lifetime goals but you have to be OK with who you are right now in order to know what you truly expect to accomplish. Take whatever time that you need and do something that you know that you'll enjoy. Time out can be a good way to start over.

Answer 2

Time spent on education is never a waste, even if your credits don't transfer. I would take a semester off to regroup - it sounds like you've been under a lot of stress. You said you don't want to take a break, but I think you will enjoy life a lot more if you are able to separate yourself a little first. It looks like you've jumped around a bit (don't feel bad, I did it too!), so some time away will help you feel more settled and more appreciative when you get back to it. Then I would just start over, go to school for what you want to study. I can almost guarantee that if you commit yourself to finishing a degree you don't want, you will be even more miserable, and that would be a real waste. Just relax and enjoy your life. Things will fall into place. A final word of advice, make a list of where you see yourself in one year, five years and ten years. Then take baby steps to get there. It's way easier to check off smaller items as you go, and you'll be able to see how much you've actually accomplished!

Answer 3

First don't consider the time as wasted. It was time well spent to help you understand what you want to do with your life. Life is about change, you are still a young person but you also have to be responsible in your decisions, so with this decision you may have to find some way to help with the cost more for the extended college time. But that is much better than planning to spend the next 30 or 40 years of your life doing something you hate. Your young now is the time to make the change and if you don't like it, as long as you are making a responsible decision and not just being wastefull then switch again until you figure it out. Now is the time to do it.

Answer 4

Mz, sounds like you could benefit from some aimless wondering. Take some time off from school and get out there and get some experience. Your parents probably won't like the idea but sometimes when you're not sure what to do next you just have to be still and think about it.

Have some fun with it. Get an entry level job in whatever business or career you are interested in - I promise, you'll get a much better idea of what a particular career life is like when you're on the job. When you're ready - go back to school.

Laying off one semester to get your head together hardly makes you a slacker in comparison to your friends...but it just might be the thing that will allow you some time to develop an inner perspective that will prevent you from wasting years of college on a career that you'll be miserable with once in it.

Really use this time to get your head in the game. And always keep in mind, "You can be anything you want to be, but you can't be everything you want to be!"

Good Luck!

Answer 5

First of all, every mistake is a blessing. In order to succeed in life one have to fail..once, twice or multiple times. Do not be hard on yourself. I changed major 3 times, transferred to 2 schools but I was able to graduate at the age of 26. Age is nothing but a number. Follow your heart. Is all about you. Go ahead and transfer just that one credit, the better you start the sooner, and you will be done by the time you know it. I must say that school isn't for everyone and that is what makes the world go round. We have all kinds of people and professions; electrician, plumbers, doctors, teachers, stay home moms, accountants, gardeners, etc. .the lists goes on.

You might be too hard on yourself. You have conquer the peer pressure after you transfered from the first school. That is to tell you that you are able to do whatever you put your mind into to. No one is perfect. Just fix your eyes on the ball and where you long to be or see yourself many years from now.

Good luck,
Ib

Answer 6

Don't be hard on yourself. I have had times where I felt the same way. And don't feel like you've wasted time either. No matter what happens, even if you hated the classes that you took that seem meaningless to you now, you probably learned at least something, and that is what college is about.

There are tons of people that don't know what they want to do with their lives. What I usually tell people to do is take a ton of random classes, even stupid ones (my university offers "Exercise Walking" as a class) and you never know, maybe you'll take that exercise walking class and it may inspire you to be a physical therapist. So don't stress, you'll get there.

As for being at a college that you don't want to be at, leave asap. Being unhappy where you are is not going to keep you motivated academically especially if you can barely make it up for class.

Hope I helped =)

Answer 7

once you graduate and have a job, the loans will pay themselves off. what seems to be more of an issue is the time it takes to graduate. and to that i ask, what's your rush? do you like the school? yes? then find some good activities and make some firends. college is about having fun and getting an education while you're doing it. major in something you like, not what you "think you should be". you're tastes will change in time and your major may not apply to your work after college anyway.

get whatever major makes you happy, and don't worry about the time it takes to do so. you can consolidate your loans so that you don't pay anything until you are out of school.
the key is to graduate with a degree.

also, consider therapy/treatment for the anxiety.
you can talk to a guidance counselor about your situation to see what makes the most sense in your school too.

Answer 8

College students change their major all the time because as an undergraduate you are trying to find out what you like to do.
It is important to keep in mind that you want a college degree and you should make a decision and study in one area and get your degree. Since you are interested in the medical field, you should take more classes in Sciences. Later you can go to graduate or medical school if you find you need to focus in one area. But get your undergraduate degree as soon as possible. Your goal should be a degree. It will be best for you in your future!

Answer 9

Stop - take a breath. My university offers counseling for students. It is part of the tuition. I would guess that your college offers the same. Go talk to one of them. Talk to your advisor and see what options you have. I have over 160 semester hours - and still have 9 to go for my BBA. I could have had my Masters by now. But I can't look back with what could have been - and neither should you. Just sit back, get your facts and move on. Your career should be something that really makes you happy. If it isn't working, maybe it is time to just cut the losses and move in another direction. Best of luck with whatever you decide to pursue!

Answer 10

i graduated in 05 and got married to a military man. never got into school but I really tried. Now that I think about it, I'm not ready for school. You should go to school when you really are ready. You will do alot better. If school isnt what your looking for right now, take some time off and just work and save money. You will get an idea of what you want to do you can always go back. I plan on going to school and graduating and going to medical school that is my DREAM always has been it's just not the right time for me. Take your time, you dont have to rush into school if you just really need some time off to yourself without the books.