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 guitardude3
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 Avoiding a college burnout. 
#15900034 - 03/04/12 07:05 PM (1 year, 2 months ago) |
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Hey all! Haven't been here for a while, but I need some outside opinions. I've been going to college for the past three years for a degree in Environmental Geology. Just transferred from the local community college to the University and I fear I'm beginning to burn out. I haven't had a break since I started (meaning summer courses every year), and have been working for a non-profit at the same time. Now that my courses are becoming very science/math intensive, I'm finding that balancing everything is more than challenging. I didn't do so well my first quarter and have only improved slightly this quarter. Long story short, I think I either need to take some time off from school to work or just bite the bullet and take out a student loan, which I am apprehensive to. I think a short break would be good for my mental health though.
Similar experiences, insight?
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 nooneman
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 Re: Avoiding a college burnout. [Re: guitardude3]
#15900087 - 03/04/12 07:17 PM (1 year, 2 months ago) |
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Take out loans, bite the bullet, and work insanely hard. 
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guitardude3
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Re: Avoiding a college burnout. [Re: nooneman]
#15900110 - 03/04/12 07:23 PM (1 year, 2 months ago) |
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I kinda feel like I'd be forcing something that isn't going to work right now though. Personally I've been through a hell of a lot this last few years, and haven't really had the time to recover. I've been going balls to the wall the last couple of years and I'm losing all energy/eagerness to learn. That's the problem, I don't want to push myself so far that I never want to learn another thing about math and science again.
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guitardude3
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Re: Avoiding a college burnout. [Re: guitardude3]
#15900326 - 03/04/12 08:05 PM (1 year, 2 months ago) |
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Plus, the geology industry is safe as far as employment goes, but is this really worth going into debt over right now? I'm trying not to be overly paranoid, but if you are in debt to the gov. for several thousand dollars, and the economy totally shits, what can they do to you?
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Curiousgeorge22
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Re: Avoiding a college burnout. [Re: guitardude3]
#15900540 - 03/04/12 09:17 PM (1 year, 2 months ago) |
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take a semester off if you think that studying and learning is something you will always continue to love. If you dont then taking a semester off could lead to dropping out.
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“The people who were trying to make this world worse are not taking the day off.
Why should I?” - Bob Marley
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guitardude3
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I don't think I could completely walk away from it at this point, so I'm not too worried about dropping out. My mind is just not in it right now, not like it usually is.
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Enlil
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Re: Avoiding a college burnout. [Re: guitardude3]
#15900770 - 03/04/12 10:11 PM (1 year, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
guitardude3 said:
I don't think I could completely walk away from it at this point, so I'm not too worried about dropping out. My mind is just not in it right now, not like it usually is.
That's what we all say...
Going back is a lot harder than sticking it out. Cut everything out except school...take out your loans...you'll be okay. It won't be that much, and fed loans have low interest and tons of options if you're unable to pay for awhile.
Although, it sounds like you've already made your decision.
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Fuck the Amish
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guitardude3
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Re: Avoiding a college burnout. [Re: guitardude3]
#15900863 - 03/04/12 10:28 PM (1 year, 2 months ago) |
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One thing I have decided for sure is transferring to another University. I found one in state that's closer to home, a little cheaper, and I can get my BS in Geology more than a quarter sooner than the one I am currently attending. It's kind of in the middle of nowhere, which I like, and I just want to take out a loan and start over in a new town. Just so I can focus on getting school finished.
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guitardude3
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Re: Avoiding a college burnout. [Re: guitardude3]
#15900878 - 03/04/12 10:31 PM (1 year, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
guitardude3 said:
Plus, the geology industry is safe as far as employment goes, but is this really worth going into debt over right now? I'm trying not to be overly paranoid, but if you are in debt to the gov. for several thousand dollars, and the economy totally shits, what can they do to you?
This is a question I'd like a serious answer to though.
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Enlil
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Re: Avoiding a college burnout. [Re: guitardude3]
#15900908 - 03/04/12 10:36 PM (1 year, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
guitardude3 said:
Quote:
guitardude3 said:
Plus, the geology industry is safe as far as employment goes, but is this really worth going into debt over right now? I'm trying not to be overly paranoid, but if you are in debt to the gov. for several thousand dollars, and the economy totally shits, what can they do to you?
This is a question I'd like a serious answer to though.
There's two questions there...no one can answer whether it's "worth" going into debt except you..
As far as what the government can do...in a federal loan, you can't ever declare bankruptcy for it, but you have lots of options. If you are unemployed, you can go into forebearance (meaning you don't have to pay for a period of time) If you aren't making much, you can go into income based repayment which means you'll pay little or nothing a month. It is among the best loans you can get, truthfully. Plus, up to $2500 a year of interest is deductible...
Fed loans are pretty easy to manage as long as you contact them before you have payment problems.
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Ask a defense attorney
Fuck the Amish
Rail_Gun said, "And those kids in CT deserved to die and I'm glad they're dead. I am glad that the survivors will have to "live with it" too. hahaha"
Listerine said, "i want genocide for most of africa"
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XUL
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Re: Avoiding a college burnout. [Re: Enlil]
#15902446 - 03/05/12 08:14 AM (1 year, 2 months ago) |
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Whats wrong with taking a semester off?
Its refreshing! Just make sure you get back in there and finish what you started.
Some people let a semester turn into a year. A year turn into two. Dont let your small break turn into life.
Good luck.
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Alien_doom99
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Re: Avoiding a college burnout. [Re: XUL]
#15904223 - 03/05/12 05:27 PM (1 year, 2 months ago) |
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If you need to take a semester off go for it. I would just drop as much as possible and try and make it to summer break, and simply don't take any summer classes. If you can get by without working for like a month in the summer that probably would help to.
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guitardude3
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Ahh, that would be so nice. Probably gonna take a light load next quarter and take time off work. I'm planning on transferring to another state university with a higher teacher to student ratio, and I can get my degree sooner. Plus I kinda want to start over in a new town without so many distractions. Then I can choose the influences I want instead of avoiding ghosts in my current town.
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Subconscious
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Re: Avoiding a college burnout. [Re: guitardude3]
#15906658 - 03/06/12 12:47 AM (1 year, 2 months ago) |
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After 3 years of full time school + summer courses I am assuming you are nearly finished. In which case I personally would bust ass and finish the degree requirements.
I hate to sound like a dick but on these forums you'll see a lot of people who are unemployed, working dead end jobs, and/or otherwise content with being lazy. With that in mind, of course you're going to get a lot of advice like "just take a semester off and like fiiiind yourself brah". But I'm afraid the reality is hard work and perseverance is a much better option in this case. You're 3 years in and probably almost done... why dick around now? Just finish what you started and reap the rewards...
This is coming from someone who went through the exact same thing not too long ago.
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fr0st
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@OP I'm right here with ya. I was on a school binge for a while and it crept up right on me and kicked my ass. To me taking a semester off school wasn't an option, but it had to be; the stress levels were through the roof. Took a semester off and man was it nice to a degree, by the end of it I missed school and that was enough to get me back on track. Ended up going back to school the following semester and as a bonus got an AWESOME paying full time job. Couldn't be more happy now! 
Take the time off if you can to collect your thoughts, (or even a mini-vacation works wonders) redirect yourself if needed, and then you'll be back on track no problem
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the_drummer
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Re: Avoiding a college burnout. [Re: fr0st]
#15907803 - 03/06/12 08:59 AM (1 year, 2 months ago) |
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Op, I can share my experience with you and hopefully this will help you as you determine which path is the best for you to take.
I was two years into an expensive private school when I joined a band with some friends. I went straight to college from highschool and for my last year of high school, I took only college level classes, so technically I already had like three years of college experience.
Well, I was also living on my own (with a roommate) at the time and working a decent job. I decided I too was burnt out on learning for a little while. My grades were starting to drop and my depression levels were getting dangerous. So I took a semester off. Smoked a lot of pot. Did 'shrooms several times. Turned 21. Played a bunch with my band.
When the semester was over, I went back to school, like I'd said I would.
It was terrible. The whole time, all I could think about was the freedom of that semester off. My grades slipped even more. At the end of the semester, I decided to drop out of the expensive private school because the cost was too much for how low my GPA was slipping. I just couldn't justify it with myself any more.
That was 2008. I started back at a state UNI last August and I'm doing banging. I just got accepted to two separate honor societies and my GPA is 3.8 which is higher than it has ever been.
So...the moral, if you do take a break, make sure you understand why you're doing it and recognize that being burnt-out can take a while to get over. The thing that knocked me out of the burn-out feeling was working a shitty minimum wage job and realizing how pointless it was.
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Tri High
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 Re: Avoiding a college burnout. [Re: guitardude3]
#15908202 - 03/06/12 11:21 AM (1 year, 2 months ago) |
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If your total GPA is solid and you can write an essay, keep your eyes peeled for scholarships. I get, probably, one email a week about scholarships from the department I'm in at university.
They just take a little time and you'll get, basically, free money. Maybe see if the USGS has scholarships for students.
Or organizations. After a quick search, I found this website that lists a host of geological societies. Many professional societies are excellent.
They offer you post-graduation education on your field in the form of mailed publications and conferences. At conferences you can attend lectures about nuances in your field by professionals. They are also like big networking events, and if you talk to the right people at a conference you could possibly land yourself a great job.
But professional societies also offer scholarships. Join a local chapter there, or maybe create one at your university.
Good luck. Dig in and tough it out. You should be done in a year and a half, probably, but get that scholarship now. Deadlines are coming up, though - probably april or sooner.
The best.
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you just need money to get laid - starfire_xes
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guitardude3
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Re: Avoiding a college burnout. [Re: Tri High]
#15908914 - 03/06/12 02:37 PM (1 year, 2 months ago) |
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Yeah, I got about a year and a half left. I think I'm going to tough it out for spring quarter, take the summer off and work, then nothing else but school next year(maybe this quarter too if I can afford it). I think my total GPA is okay, so scholarships are definitely on my list of things to do. Just found one that is financial need based for Geo majors, I should be able to get that pretty easy. A lot of these scholarships apparently go unclaimed because no one applies, so it might not be very competitive at all.
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guitardude3
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Re: Avoiding a college burnout. [Re: guitardude3]
#15908921 - 03/06/12 02:39 PM (1 year, 2 months ago) |
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BTW shroomerites, thanks for all the replies! None of them were like, "just man up, suck it up, blah, blah." So compliments indeed.
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Curiousgeorge22
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Re: Avoiding a college burnout. [Re: guitardude3]
#15909023 - 03/06/12 03:08 PM (1 year, 2 months ago) |
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just man up, suck it up, blah, blah.
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“The people who were trying to make this world worse are not taking the day off.
Why should I?” - Bob Marley
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