I'm terrified.

[Haphazard]

I seem to be extremely low-energy. It seems that being a full-time student with a part time clerical job is too much with me. Now that I have a break my brain seems to have completely shut down.

How the fuck am I supposed to live in the real world?

 

[Udog]

Let your brain shut down for a bit. Not only is it okay, it's necessary. That's what these breaks are for. I never liked how college put the only Fall semester break near the very end.

What you are experiencing here is pretty normal for someone that has worked as hard as you have and is under as much stress as you are. In my opinion, working through college is harder than the "real world".

 

[Haphazard]

But, see, I don't have a job that requires me to stand.

 

[Haphazard]

And all this tsa stuff is making me physically ill...

 

[Phantonym]

But, see, I don't have a job that requires me to stand.

Mental exhaustion can be worse than physical.

And all this tsa stuff is making me physically ill...

Do you have to travel much? Either way, you can make sure that whatever possessions you have with you both in the checked in baggage or carry-ons are not suspicious enough to attract the TSA's attention and in the majority of cases they're not. Follow the rules and you're fine. If you think that being visibly nervous is enough to attract their attention in a negative way, then don't worry about it, they're supposed to be trained to make the distinction of "normal" nervousness and the extremely suspicious behaviour. Besides, getting patted down or having your bags searched is not as awful as it may seem when it gets to that. It most likely will not. Getting beyond that is unlikely unless you have completely disregarded the baggage rules or you get completely out of control regarding your behaviour towards them. So, don't let your worrying get to you.

 

[Haphazard]

No, physical exhaustion is much, much worse.



It's really not the pat downs that bother me, even though, well, they kind of do because I'm extremely ticklish around me legs and groin so I'm afraid of accidentally kicking someone if they touch down there, and then getting arrested for assault.

It's the pictures.

I would rather run around naked at the airport than have people irradiate me and take pictures of me to be stored in a database.

I want to show up to the airport in only a sports bra and leggings. I hate these people. They claim to only be "doing their jobs" but, at risk of invoking Godwin's law, that's what nazis convicted of warcrimes said.

 

[mochajava]

What are you doing besides studying/working? Things for fun or to distract you from your obligations? Friends?

 

[IZthe411]

Working and college are more demanding than the real world. That's the worst of both worlds. In college- you have summers off and can blow off class sometimes. In the real world you don't have extended breaks and an artifiical code of conduct that can be stifling.

Is this your first year of college? Or first year of working/college? It's quite an adjustment.

 

[Haphazard]

This is my first year working and in college.

I work at the college so the hours I'm avaliable to work are the same hours that it's possible to have class.

 

[Such Irony]

Being a full-time student is like having a full-time job, if you combine the hours studying with the hours spent in the classroom. Then you're adding a part-time job on top of that. I think that would stress out and exhaust most people.

I'm not sure what your courseload is like, but is it feasible for you to lighten your courseload? It may take longer to graduate that way but it may be well worth it if you can save yourself a good deal of stress by doing so. Are you taking more demanding courses or more easier ones? Maybe you can just rearrange the courses you take each term so that the harder ones aren't taken all together?

If you don't want to reduce your courseload, could you reduce the hours on your job or quit your job or look for a new job? That may or may not be feasible for you depending on your financial situation and whether or not you've got parents helping you pay your way throughout school. If not, you might need those work hours to pay for school.

Good luck in whatever you choose to do and hopefully your situation will improve.

 

[IZthe411]

It's a growing pain. You'll get the hang of it. Just check in on the board now and then for moral support;

 

[Haphazard]

I mean, I have 16 credit hours (18 hours) and I'm working 12 hours a week... 30 hours...

 

[Thalassa]

18 hours is actually a lot in college, dependent upon how difficult the classes are and how obsessive you are about your grades. I usually did 12 to 15 hours in school each semester because I worked part-time and wanted to maintain an extremely high GPA. However, on the other hand, 12 hours a week isn't that much to work.

Collectively with all of your posts I've read on this forum, you're a person who is easily overwhelmed. Keeping that in mind, perhaps next semester you should take on less credit hours. It will take you longer to graduate, but it could also possibly save your sanity and your GPA.

 

[Haphazard]

I'm not obsessive about grades.

Actually the reason why I have so many hours of classes is because my math class is 4 credits but has 5 hours and orchestra is 2 credits but has 3 hours. I'm dropping orchestra so I think I will only have 17 hours (16 credits) next semester. I need to take a lot of credits per semester because of scholarships. The work is work/study so I can't really change it.

 

[Haphazard]

Maybe it's my schedule. Sure, some days I have to go at 10 but I don't get home until nearly 8. Next semester's schedule will be from 9-12, so I'll be able to fit in over 15 hours of work and it probably still won't feel like I'm killing myself.

 

[Lily flower]

There are some possibilities to consider. You are probably overstimulated. You might want to read the book, "The Highly Sensitive Person." by Elaine Aron. You might also want to consider medication like Zolaft (anti-anxiety, anti-depressant), but it also acts on something called GABA, which basically helps your body and mind to handle the constant overstimulation.

Some other changes might be helpful. You could go to school part-time. Or you could do your college all online. That way you would only have to be out "in the real world," for the part of the day that your job requires. The rest of the day you could handle from your home.

Remember also that you are starting an entirely new phase of your life. That takes more energy in the beginnning. As you get used to it, it will take less energy. The first couple months of any new job, college or situation are usually the worst.

It could also be that you are in a job that is unsuited to your personality. Maybe you would prefer a job with more/less people contact or more/less detail, etc.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Haphazard.

I know it's tough, but that's life sometimes.

The only thing you can do is the best you can.

 

[Haphazard]

Or there's the possibility that I'm just a failure as a college student and would much prefer all of my work/school over by 5 PM, because if there's anything after that your life is full of despair because by that time all you have time for after your work/school is homework and then bed.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

^ you're defeating yourself and nothing we can say can change that.

Believe in yourself man. Once you've done that, everything else will fall into place.

 

[Haphazard]

So I'm not allowed to stop taking night classes because of the doozy it does on my perception of time and space?