Members littlemissnonamegirl Posted April 10, 2009 Members Report Share Posted April 10, 2009 I never feel I'm good at anything.I'm a little over halfway done with university and I have gone from science to an English major. I feel miserable because everything I do is wrong or really bad. I love to read and write, I honestly thought I wasn't good at much else, which is right. I'm stuck in a tough spot, do I stay in a field I love and THOUGHT I was good at? It's just frustrating to see your work ripped a part repeatedly...over and over with only baby steps of improvement. It is tough, college isn't supposed to be easy. I understand, it's just taking a gal and beating em down when they can't even stand upright. I feel really defeated, depressed, and worried that I just might not have what it takes to do well in anything. I feel lazy and lethargic because I am so emotionally drained from this semester. It's been a whirlwind indeed. This semester has been why I haven't been on this forum or able to do much else, I'm swamped with work. literally. =/Don't mean to annoy, just needed to get my stresses out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DADT Posted April 10, 2009 Members Report Share Posted April 10, 2009 I never feel I'm good at anything.I'm a little over halfway done with university and I have gone from science to an English major. I feel miserable because everything I do is wrong or really bad. I love to read and write, I honestly thought I wasn't good at much else, which is right. I'm stuck in a tough spot, do I stay in a field I love and THOUGHT I was good at? It's just frustrating to see your work ripped a part repeatedly...over and over with only baby steps of improvement. It is tough, college isn't supposed to be easy. I understand, it's just taking a gal and beating em down when they can't even stand upright. I feel really defeated, depressed, and worried that I just might not have what it takes to do well in anything. I feel lazy and lethargic because I am so emotionally drained from this semester. It's been a whirlwind indeed. This semester has been why I haven't been on this forum or able to do much else, I'm swamped with work. literally. =/Don't mean to annoy, just needed to get my stresses out.Missy: Every writer has felt that way. Its part of the "tortured existence" you signed up for. Read the fine print on the brochure again. It says quite clearly that you sit down at the keyboard and "open a vain." Darling M: please look the other way for a minute. No really, go look somewhere else.Missy: I know it would be wonderful if your "children" were praised and loved as much by others as they are by you. But to actually become a good writer, you have to submit to the process. That means every syllable, comma, and sentence structure is up for critical evaluation. And its not always going to sound nice. I promise you every writer has gone through this. Some for their whole career. But if you know you have to write then just keep writing.And next time the professor is mean just say to your self "I bet he has a tiny dick & couldn't get lucky if he fell into a barrel of tits." The have a glass of Pinot Gregio, say "fuck everyone," and write a masterpiece. Works every time.JUST DON'T GIVE UP. ITS JUST ONE TOUGH SEMESTER. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mystofpric Posted April 10, 2009 Members Report Share Posted April 10, 2009 Hey honey!! Here's the thing, English really is one of the toughest langauges. Writing has so many styles, much like math has calculous, aglebre, trig etc. You may be an amazing technically writer, for example, but peotry may not be your normal style of writing. Remember to take everything that your profs tell you witha grain of salt. It's their job to be tough on you and give you the best education possible! (especially in English!) Here's what I used to do, a trick my english teacher step-mom taught me. Clear your head and write (just write) what ever it is that you need to write. Have a friend proof it. Correct any mistakes they found, and then take your last paper from that prof and use that as a way of "grading" your paper. Correct any mistakes or omissions that your prof might find and then call ths your final draft. This was your paper is see through "three" sets of eyes, yours, a friend's, and your "prof's" BEFORE you submit it. That and looking at an unfinished paper through the eyes of your professor can allow you to easier see your errors with out being upset by them (it's not finished right? so it can't be perfect, yet.)Now I'm with DADT, when it gets too tough just say fuck it and walk away for a bit and do something to boost your self-esteem. GO DANCE DAMMIT! That's an order! Love ya babe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest eminatic Posted April 10, 2009 Report Share Posted April 10, 2009 yay, go English majors! i feel the other way around....i don't like english but happen to be good at it (although in those personality career tests i always, always, ALWAYS get 'lawyer' ) so my major is in a field close to english (Linguistics). i procrastinated for a while after highschool because i was too scared to give out that much money in a major that i couldn't really see a profitable career in....but after trying to find work i've realized that in the end, no one really cares what your degree is in, they just care that you have one.english is a very very time consuming class though...i remember last semester i took honors english 232 and kinda sucked because i took it the same semester as another class that i really tend to struggle in. i know in some of the harder classes it feels like you don't have a life and the closer to the end of the semester i got, the more frustrated i would get....but once it was finally over it felt so much better XD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members raniedaize Posted April 10, 2009 Members Report Share Posted April 10, 2009 I feel your pain. When I was at the midpoint of university schooling, I too switched to an English degree. I absolutely love languages! Reading, writing, teaching, learning. Yes, I love everything about them and everything you can do with them. I adored the concentration I was in, but I was also "cheating." Or, so said my advisor; I was taking my upper division courses before finishing the "prerequisites." She banished me from anything that wasn't the mandatory lower division classes. I can handle being critiqued. I can even handle being forced to write until my fingers and brain go numb. I could not, however, handle writing the same paper over and over and over and over and over and over and over again just to "learn" various ways to approach the same topic. I do NOT deal well with mundane redundancy! To add insult to injury, the abundance of ridiculous "professors"--who were really just grad students themselves--drove me to the point where I wanted to pluck the eyes of someone out of their sockets. Not a pretty sight. The end result? I quit, went to get specialized training as an EMT, and now work in a field that I love just as much. I am in no way saying, "Hey, babe! I understand completely. Why don't you quit?" I quit because I did not want to endure the sacrifice of my sanity for a degree that my heart was in no way attached to. If you truly love reading and writing, babe, stick it out!Works of written art take time, and sometimes lots of it. Papers that you write for class do not necessarily constitute masterpieces, nor should they have to. You have limited days, weeks, or months to work with, boundaries you must stay within, and specific structures you must adhere to. When all is said and done, your degree is complete, and you are free to write however you so desire, you may just realize that what you "thought" was good to you was merely the first steps of an ever developing style that is uniquely yours. Just remember that words are a thing of beauty. Cosmetically, people enjoy different looks. Culinarily, people prefer different flavors. Linguistically, people are biased to particular tongues. Artistically, people want different color palates. Now, why would writing styles be the exception? Don't beat yourself up. Take a breath. Drink the pinot grigio, sway and twist and turn to the sound of the music, and then pause for a moment. Pause in order to soak the moment in. That's all life is anyway, right? Moments? And may that moment be one of happiness, peace, and contentment for you. When you find it, and are consumed by it, hold it, grab it, embrace it, write it. All you need is one sentence. And then? You are a writer. You are a good writer. Why? Because you took something innately only you, only yours, and shared it with the world...even if it's with only us. Chin up. It does get better with time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vanilla_bean Posted April 12, 2009 Members Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 This is such a tough time of year for a student! In the end, whatever you chose to do, you'll be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest eminatic Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 i find the toughest time of year to be the last few days before registration closes and payment is due Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members littlemissnonamegirl Posted April 12, 2009 Author Members Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 Ahhh so much good advice and feedback! you're the best guys.I love love loveeee English. You see Em, it was the switcharoo for me like you were with english. I happened to be good at science but didn't love it. My passion is writing [preferably creatively lol] and I love reading books. it's like a drug. It's just so so frustrating to hear people time over and over again rip you apart and it's like you just keep getting knocked lower and lower till you can't get up. It's definitely a tough semester indeed for all students around this time. it's crunch time and professors are taking no mercy.Dadt, my professors [well the ones I'd like to tell go fuck off] are women so I guess I'd have to reword that expression but regardless those are some very very wise words.I'm not going to give up, I know I can do it, I just know and have always been the one who has had to work twice as hard to just to keep up. So just putting in extra time is what has to happen I s'ppose right? Thanks everyone for such positive reinforcement! it means so much to know you guys care enough to take the time to lend me your words of wisdom. when i get down I'm gonna come back to this post and read them until I am good to go again.<3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members admiraltolokus Posted April 22, 2009 Members Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 Hang in there! In the beginning of my third year I switched from a history major to a poli sci major, not much difference in there, but I have now been at Cameron for five years. Graduating on May 8th, and really am having a tough time making it through these last two weeks, I got several essays due this week (only done the research on them) and need to write them soon because I am really becoming lazy and literally refusing to go to some classes unless its for a essay test or to turn in an essay. So hang in there! You got a couple more years to look forward to of it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members littlemissnonamegirl Posted April 23, 2009 Author Members Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Hang in there! In the beginning of my third year I switched from a history major to a poli sci major, not much difference in there, but I have now been at Cameron for five years. Graduating on May 8th, and really am having a tough time making it through these last two weeks, I got several essays due this week (only done the research on them) and need to write them soon because I am really becoming lazy and literally refusing to go to some classes unless its for a essay test or to turn in an essay. So hang in there! You got a couple more years to look forward to of it! Awh thank you admiral for your response! and I'm glad to know I'm not alone. us kiddies gotta stick together :]Deep breaths and we're both gonna pull through! I'm rooting for you as well, get those essays done baby wooo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ohshelly Posted April 23, 2009 Members Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Wow, DADT is smart about everything!!Good response!! Hang in there, sweetie, we love you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jesso Posted April 24, 2009 Members Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 I had a handful of friends who actually changed majors half way through and a couple that changed towards the end of their schooling. Keep in mind that school is supposed to be a learning process to help you succeed and have the tools to do what you want in life. This is NO easy task. Its not a finish line you have to reach by preset standards. Do not get discouraged that you are lost at the moment. Concentrate on your General Ed (you know you probably have a ton more classes you still need to take!) and fit a class in that interests you into your schedule here and there. It will work itself out. You just need more time to figure out your passions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members panab Posted April 27, 2009 Members Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 It's sound like you need to go on vacation. Just take a couple of days off, get a way and completely ignore all the stresses for a little while. When you get back you'll feel a lot better. I felt the same way a couple of weeks ago. I didn't even feel like I had the time to get away, but finally a friend of mine twisted my arm (thank god) and we went to Barcelona for a weekend. When I came back I had a completely fresh mind; all the problems that were there before were still there, they just seemed to matter less, and I wasn't as certain that they were insurmountable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ladylove Posted April 27, 2009 Members Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 It's sound like you need to go on vacation. Just take a couple of days off, get a way and completely ignore all the stresses for a little while. When you get back you'll feel a lot better. I felt the same way a couple of weeks ago. I didn't even feel like I had the time to get away, but finally a friend of mine twisted my arm (thank god) and we went to Barcelona for a weekend. When I came back I had a completely fresh mind; all the problems that were there before were still there, they just seemed to matter less, and I wasn't as certain that they were insurmountable.Hmmmm, not a good time to take a couple of days off. Most colleges are either wrapping up their semester or are in the through of study week, prior to exams. Just stick to it and in a week or two, you'll be done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members littlemissnonamegirl Posted June 29, 2009 Author Members Report Share Posted June 29, 2009 I'm sorry I didn't reply to these comments sooner! Things have gotten easier, and I've definitely tried to work in some lovely gen eds and of my own choices to ease the load. It's going to be tough, college is definitely not meant to be easy. Especially if I want to head on to graduate school, this is just the beginning. I send my love and support to all others in this boat. We can all do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ohshelly Posted June 30, 2009 Members Report Share Posted June 30, 2009 That's our girl! (hug) Love you, sweetie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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