Quote:
Originally Posted by evman150
Ok, most of you people know who I am and what my deal is, so I'll save the intros.
I think I'm getting sick of school for the first time in my life. I went to university right out of high school and went straight for two years (including the summer). I took this past summer off and have been back for a month and I hate it. I started out with six classes and am down to four. I am the laziest, least motivated student possible, it seems. It seems like I need to be reenergized, reinvigorated, recharged, whatever.
I'm sitting here procrastinating, thinking about how in the hell I'm going to pass my classical mechanics midterm tomorrow. I just don't even want to deal with it. In years past I'd be at least doing something constructive right now, instead I'm on CP and 2+2 and RFD etc etc wasting time. Being at school, the only thing I can think of is going home for the day and watching some tv or playing some poker or going to subway or watching some hockey or having some beers or screwing around on the internet. I don't want to be at school, I don't want to do a stupid assignment. I don't want to write up a lab for ten hours. I just want to have fun, do fun stuff, be lazy.
What's wrong with me? Where's the motivated student who wanted to get his BSc in 8 semesters and move on right away to his MSc/PhD? Where's the student who dreamed of being an astronomer, finding answers to the universe's greatest questions? Is astrophysics even for me? I'm having all sorts of self doubt. I know if I apply myself I can do it. But I don't know that I can apply myself. I have gotten through two years of a degree in physics and astronomy without really applying myself, and my grades have been ok. Now all it takes is a little effort for the last two years to get myself into graduate school and I can't come up with it. Am I afraid that I'm not smart enough? Am I in denial?
I just want to sit at home and watch Jerry and cooking shows in the day, play some poker and have fun. I don't want or need a job (for now, anyway), I just want to do "nothing" (of importance).
I was sitting in the library today working on some physics assignment thinking how much I'd rather be somewhere else when a buddy walked by. He asked how I was and I told him I felt like **** cause I didn't want to do the assignment and I just wanted to quit school. He recommended something I had never considered before. He said I should take a semester off and travel. This suggestion struck a chord with me.
So here's (are) my question(s) for the oh so helpful and educated and worldy CP OT crowd. Is travelling a good idea for me, even if I'm not exactly into travelling? Where does one go? For how long? For how much money? With other people or by myself?
Money is not really an issue, although of course I'd rather spend less than more.
Thanks for reading this and thanks for any comments/suggestions/whatever.
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I know how you feel bud.
This is an extremely important decision and it really depends on how you think things will be once you're back from your holiday.
From your post, you said you had taken the last summer off, and upon returning, you absolutely HATE school.
What makes you think that if you take some time off the next time, you'll come back with a renewed motivation? You might, but you might hate school even more (if that's possible).
I've witnessed this scenario before with two different people before... with two very different outcomes.
In one case, the guy left school for a year and travelled the world. Came back, finished his degree and has a good job now.
In the other case, the guy left school and went on a vacation. Afterwards, he went back into school and shortly after (about half a semester), dropped out, wasting the money he spent on school for the first 2 years, and now works at a job he hates.
Don't get too down on yourself for losing motivation. Everyone goes through it as mentioned already.
I'm in my very last 4 months (3 now) of university. After highschool, I took two years off to party and then went to college for two years and then university for four years... straight.
Believe me, during this 6-year stretch I've been unmotivated plenty... but it's a phase, and it will pass. You just need to get through the phase and survive...
So, my opinion, is that you should stay. Stick to it... like I said, your motivation will come back in time. I'd be very worried if I were you that if you were to go on some vacation, you might come back with an even lower commitment to finish your education.