Final year of college

NerfNerder

I feel kind of silly posting this, considering some of the other issues people on here are having. But at the minute I feel as though I am loosing my mind with my college course and I am not sure what to do.

I am in my final year and have about 3 weeks left of this semester, and I just am not sure if I can go on. Everyone keeps telling me that it is just final year stress and to buck up and get on with things, and I try I do try. But to be honest I feel like I am burning out and incompetent at what I do. I have been waking up with panic attacks regularly. I never seem to relax...like ever. I always feel guilty if I am like I should be studying, and when I do study I feel like i go nowhere.

I am also doubting if my course is for me. I have a level 7 degree already. This year is for a level 8. I would like to transfer into a different field, but I am not sure what or if I can without finishing this year.

Don't get me wrong I don't want sympathy or anything here. I am just looking for some advice or if anyone has been in the same boat?

batbaby

Keep it up! It's your last year... you've only a few months left after your xmas exams. You might as well finish and get your degree, right??

Odaise Gaelach

I think you need a break.

Try doing no study this weekend. Have a lie-in. Do something. Alternatively, do nothing. Just have fun.

Same thing for when you get your Christmas holidays; take some time off, even if you've got exams upcoming. Recharge your batteries, and you'll be able to start studying feeling fresh again.

Overheal

Final year is crunch time. Remember 5th/6th year? Yeah. Its kinda like that.

Stick with it. When you come out the other side you will feel better. So much better. You will have a degree. And honestly I dont think many places will hire you and launch you straight into full productivity (which is kinda what Final Year must be like) You will get hired into a company, learn the ropes, practice routine, revise what youve learned, and much more gradually take on more tasks and responsibilities. I think it will be many years before you have as stressful a workload as you do now - which is why you need to stick with it, and get through it.

Dave!

You sound exactly like me OP... Coming up to my finals I constantly felt like I needed to be studying and that everything was building up. I was correct, cos I did need to study ! But like yourself I couldn't relax, was thinking about it as I lay in bed, felt guilty if I watched a film for 2 hours, etc.

It's not a healthy way to be thinking, but I couldn't help it. I passed all the exams in the end, and the relief was fantastic.

Nothing I can say really except give yourself a break, and stick with it. Get through these exams and enjoy Christmas, and then go into the next semester with a fresh head.
Get organised from the start, keep on top of all your subjects, get assignments done as efficiently as possible, discipline yourself.

It'll make things alot easier to handle.

Nolanger

My last year in college involved a girl in the class constantly accusing me of hitting her. Needless to say everyone believed it and I got lots of harrassment from students and lecturers. Not nice getting hassled by people older than me. Used to get followed around college, people making complaints trying to get me kicked out. Still think you have it tough?

yaya*

OP,

Final year is not a fun time for anyone and most people will feel the way you are now at some stage during that year - like other posters have suggested, take a break, go for a walk, go out for dinner/cinema with a friend - getting that time out will help you put things in perspective a bit. When you're stuck in the middle of all that work, you can't see beyond it - it gets hard to think rationally.

Also, you sound a bit like you're lacking in self-belief - remind yourself that you've worked hard to date and it paid off - you got onto your course, you passed first and second year exams - you deserve to be in your final year - you're capable of doing it. It's daunting I know, but do-able!

Good luck!

allandanyways

I'm in the same position OP- Final year, worried about the next few years, what to do next etc. I'm always thinking about studying and doing work and I've gotten really angry and upset at myself the last couple of times I've tried to do work and just got nowhere.

I completley understand the feeling of feeling guilty for doing other stuff not related to college. I don't know what you're living situation is like, I live at home, so I stay in college until I get what I need done and then go home, and home is like a haven for me. I just arse around once I get home and I don't study at home, it's a place without tensions for me.

Surrounding myself with people doing the same course and of the same committment to their studies has helped, we can stress together and I HATE it but it's true that a problem shared is a problem halved, or at least an assignment shared is an assignment less stressful.

Only other thing I can advise you is that if it all gets too much, go to the doc, get some anti-anxiety meds (or whatever works for you) and get a sick note to give yourself some time off. If you burn yourself out, you'll produce substandard work which you know you can do better in. If you go to NUIM, give me a PM and we can go for tea, but that's about all I can think of, being in the exact same situation right now.