Overwhelmed and Stressed Out

[mandajane]

Hey everyone

I’m just here posting for some advice, I don’t have any huge crazy problems right now, I’m just feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. My college professors seem to have this attitude of “My class should be the number one priority in your life.” I am doing my best with the homework workload (40+ hours of homework a week for a 12 credit hour course load?) but I feel myself slipping. I’ve been turning in less than perfect work because I chose sleeping over staying up late to get more done.

I know that this is how college is, and I should just “deal with it” but I’ve started missing mass because I’m so tired on the weekends that I sleep right through my sunday morning alarm (my parish only offers Latin masses on Saturday nights). I managed to make it last weekend, but I feel sick just thinking about my spotty attendance recently.

Do you have any advice for dealing with this?

 

[Viki63]

Hi,
I remember those years, yes, you are right, every professor acts as if his class should be your number one priority, and it is overwhelming.
Try to remember, it’s probably not as bad as it seems. After all, every professional we encounter wants us to prioritize their issue highly: we should all be brushing our teeth after every meal, flossing every day, eating 5 servings of fruit & veggies, exercising at least half an hour a day, making time for our parents, friends & fellow students, paying attention to politics and current events, getting 8 hours of sleep, keeping up with laundry & washing the dishes, paying our bills on time, maintaining our car on schedule, spending an hour in Adoration each day . . .the list is endless. I have reconciled myself to usually being behind on most things, and will no doubt die with an unfinished To Do list.
What we must do is prioritize. For me, my relationship with God comes first, remember Psalm 127 says Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. Many saints have said that if they take time for God, He repays that time with interest, and you end up better off. So praying each day and attending mass on Sunday should be most important.
Next, take care of your health. Sure, an occasional overnight study time is maybe part of college, but don’t make a habit of it. Get enough sleep, some exercise, eat right.
Don’t be a perfectionist. If your work is less than perfect, that’s okay. If you’re concerned about how you’re doing in a class, talk to the professor, discuss what he thinks is most important. And if it all seems too much, talk to a counselor at the school. They may be able to help you put it into perspective, or even change a class if necessary.
Those syllabuses they hand out the first day are intimidating, but pay attention in class, do the essential studying and papers, and you will be fine. It’s hardly ever as horrendous as they make it sound.
I’ll pray for you, that you will relax and enjoy your college experience.

 

[1ke]

Yes, I remember those days well.

I would suggest you go to Saturday evening Mass or find a local parish that has a Sunday evening Mass. Or go to bed very early on Saturday evening. You really are going to have to find a way to make sure you are getting enough sleep. I know it is difficult, but you can do it. If you keep having difficulty, consider reducing your course load if possible.

 

[sdeco]

Just wait until you have a job, three kids, and a mortgage.



(sorry)

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

I was a student working full time in a high stress career and doing full time distance classes at the same time. It sucked. Going to Mass was my de-stressor and recharger. If you haven’t been to a Latin Mass, I would suggest going on Saturday night (though, I find it odd to have an anticipated Saturday evening Latin Mass, as those didn’t exist). You might find the quiet peaceful atmosphere something very welcome.

 

[chevalier]

Hey everyone

I’m just here posting for some advice, I don’t have any huge crazy problems right now, I’m just feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. My college professors seem to have this attitude of “My class should be the number one priority in your life.” I am doing my best with the homework workload (40+ hours of homework a week for a 12 credit hour course load?) but I feel myself slipping. I’ve been turning in less than perfect work because I chose sleeping over staying up late to get more done.

Unfortunately, people in high and responsible positions are still capable of immaturity.

I know that this is how college is, and I should just “deal with it” but I’ve started missing mass because I’m so tired on the weekends that I sleep right through my sunday morning alarm (my parish only offers Latin masses on Saturday nights). I managed to make it last weekend, but I feel sick just thinking about my spotty attendance recently.

Do you have any advice for dealing with this?

Well, one piece of advice I can give is that attending mass is of paramount importance. Another is that attending any mass at all is far more important than attending Latin mass.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

Hey everyone

I’m just here posting for some advice, I don’t have any huge crazy problems right now, I’m just feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. My college professors seem to have this attitude of “My class should be the number one priority in your life.” I am doing my best with the homework workload (40+ hours of homework a week for a 12 credit hour course load?) but I feel myself slipping. I’ve been turning in less than perfect work because I chose sleeping over staying up late to get more done.

I know that this is how college is, and I should just “deal with it” but I’ve started missing mass because I’m so tired on the weekends that I sleep right through my sunday morning alarm (my parish only offers Latin masses on Saturday nights). I managed to make it last weekend, but I feel sick just thinking about my spotty attendance recently.

Do you have any advice for dealing with this?

What is your major, and what year of college are you in? I would say “it will get better,” but it depends upon your major, really.

Less than perfect work is perfectly OK! Sometimes, the best we can do is average, unless we are willing to kill ourselves. People who don’t get enough rest tend to get sick more often, and then you will miss class entirely. Take care of yourself spiritually, emotionally and physically, because those professors sure aren’t going to call you up and ask how you are doing when you are sick!

It’s all about balance.

Do you have any study buddies in your classes? I found that having someone to double up with, helped me be more efficient and sometimes even having someone to vent to about a prof. was a big relief. The study group or buddy can help point out things you may miss and you always have someone to share their notes if you happen to get sick or need to miss a class for some reason.

Are you studying effectively? Is there a student help center on campus? If so, take advantage of their help to make sure you are not wasting time studying the wrong things or just not working efficiently. At one point, I found that I could not study as well if I was all by myself in a quiet room. I found that if I went to McDonald’s with my books, just being around people rewarded me enough to get more studying done. My grades went up! I just knew I had to get out of the silence and at least see other people, even if I wasn’t interacting with them. So think about trying new places to study.

If you just have that much work, then prioritize. Maybe the papers are worth only 15% of your final grade but you are putting 85% of your effort into those. Do what gets you most of your grade first - the 80/20 rule. Don’t kill yourself on the little points.

Hugs and prayers for you! Hang in there! Don’t kill yourself! 10 years from now, no one will care what grade you got in your 2nd semester of English 101!



p.s. DO NOT miss Mass!! You need God’s grace through the Eucharist. You need the community! You need the saints! Ask for their help and prayers!