Help a paranoid College Kid

[Butterbean569]

Hey all

Ok here's the problem. I feel like I'm not working hard enough at college.

The problem is...I end up studying at least 3 hours a day (7 hours on Sunday) and getting really good grades. Still, I feel like I'm not working hard enough and that sometime "in the future" I'm going to be surprised when I'm way behind a bunch of people in a class. I still have a good social life...surprisingly...but I don't know it just feels like I'm not living up to my potential. When I think about this I think it's rediculous...I study a lot and get good grades so why should I be worried about something like this? Well...I am. Any advice?

[SyntaxVorlon]

It can feel that way, just keep going and hope that doesn't happen. If you are really afraid about what's going on ask your teachers about things. I can't really give any more advice than that because I'm not quite finished my first semester.

[Durandal]

Hey all

Ok here's the problem. I feel like I'm not working hard enough at college.

The problem is...I end up studying at least 3 hours a day (7 hours on Sunday) and getting really good grades. Still, I feel like I'm not working hard enough and that sometime "in the future" I'm going to be surprised when I'm way behind a bunch of people in a class. I still have a good social life...surprisingly...but I don't know it just feels like I'm not living up to my potential. When I think about this I think it's rediculous...I study a lot and get good grades so why should I be worried about something like this? Well...I am. Any advice?

Perhaps you should work more on your spelling. It's "ridiculous," not "rediculous."

[Stormbringer]

Well...I am. Any advice?

If you really feel you need to do more look into stuff like student government, proffessional and/or social fraternities, volunteer programs. Any campus is going to have plenty of stuff like that and all of it looks good on the resume.

[Butterbean569]

Eh...just a spelling mistake. It's not as if I'm writing for my school newspaper and need to make sure all my spelling is perfect (I have to do that enough). If that's all the advice you can give can't ya just keep quiet?

To the rest of you, thanks a lot for the tips so far. I think I'm going to look into working as a lab tech or something like that. Keep the tips comin! Unless they're stupid nitpicks to try and make yourself look better

[Chardok]

Perhaps sign up as a student teacher in a class you're really good in? National honor society comes to mind, the frat idea was good. Are you good at music? Stage band, or even marching band (I LOVED marching band, and it was one of the few things I excelled at can you say Drum Major?!) But I will say that you should probably take a hard look at yourself, first, decide how much of load you can bear. Sad indeed would it be, if you got into many prestigious organizations only to see your grades slip, then you'd really feel like you weren't living up to your potential! Baby steps, my young friend, baby steps.

[Bertie Wooster]

You have an excellent opportunity right now to pursue new interests. I was in the exact same boat my freshmen year and I joined the fencing team and a college political org. and became an officer by the second semester. I was also active in working for political campaigns.

So you don't have a problem pre se, you just haven't filled up your schedule properly yet

Another thing is almost everybody I knew at college had at least a part-time job too, so maybe you need one of those to have a booty call budget to work with .

-Edited spelling mistakes

[aerius]

Any advice?

You need to get laid more.

But seriously, enjoy yourself while it lasts. For my entire 1st year of university I pretty much coasted and got almost all A's and B's, and I was thinking "this ain't so bad, WTF were my highschool teachers, counsellors, and my parents talking about?" Hell, I think I spent more time chasing chicks and getting laid than I did studying. You could study more but if your grades are good and they're not dropping you've hit the point of diminishing returns. Find a sport to do or a club or student organization to join. In my case I spent my fall biking and played hockey the entire winter as well as working out in the school gym and using the rock climbing walls. I also spent time practicing martial arts with the university club in their nice dojo. And I also got out a fair bit to mingle with people and pick up chicks. And I got laid a lot, and it was good.

[Butterbean569]

Awesome thanks a lot guys

As for getting laid more...that would be great. Although I've hooked up 2 times this year, I was entering college thinkin I'd get 2 girls a weekend. Oh well...2 times in 3 months is better than 2 times in 4 years (high school) lol

[Trytostaydead]

As people said, enjoy it while you can! And what classes are you taking?

[Butterbean569]

Well right now I'm at Purdue University in the Pre-Pharmacy program. I'm taking Bio, Chem, Calculus, "Advanced" English (even though my high school English class was much harder...must be cuz Purdue is a science school lol), and Pharmacy Orientation. Supposidly the Chemistry course is the "weed out" course...I have an 89% in it (85% is an A). This class is pretty hard but it's not THAT bad. I've heard horror stories about how hard the classes get in the future so that's why I think I might be a bit paranoid.

[Trytostaydead]

Purdue.. my brother was going to go to that school. At any rate, don't sweat it. If three hours are all you need, then good for you. Just don't let your discipline slack otherwise you'll pay for it later on.. easier said than done.. I think everyone needs to fail somewhere to light a fire under their ass

I always thought that it was Bio that was the weed out course, 40% D/F rate. But then again, we were doing a BS/MD program and slit each others throats at night to try to get an upper hand.

[Butterbean569]

Well the people that I know seem to be having the most trouble with Chem...although it's possible that Bio could have more people with D's and F's. I can't wait till Organic Chemistry...yayyy