Welcome to Gaia! ::


I have a chemistry exam Thursday night. I've been studying my a** off since the professor started lecturing on the material, but it seems like too much to absorb. I've also been doing problem after problem, day after day. I get about 60% of them correct by myself, the rest I either get wrong or have to give up and look at the book. Yesterday and today, I've just felt like I've hit a wall.

Things seem to be making less sense the more I work, and I can't remember things that the tutor (at the school's tutoring center, where I pretty much live) just explained to me.

Today the tutor was walking me through a problem, and I literally got stuck on something like 2+3x = 0 or some super easy s**t. I teared up and had to leave before I broke down crying. I'm freaking 21 years old, for God's sake, and I'm crying over a small part of a problem I should have been able to do easily since middle school. This was after 4 hours of studying for this damn test without eating anything, because I'm way too nervous.

I know this is happening because I'm getting so worked up and tiring myself out, but I don't know how to not do that. I've been studying for weeks, and I feel like it's for nothing, which makes me feel like I'm nothing. I just... urgh.

I had cancer like two years ago and this is how I felt when I got chemo brain; can't make heads or tails of anything during the normal course of a day. But that feeling hasn't gone away completely since then, and it only gets worse when I'm stressed. Does anyone else have this problem?
I don't know if I should go see a therapist or something, because the last time I did I just cried the whole time because I was so tired. People think I'm stupid because I can't process things very quickly mentally anymore, and it sucks because I used to be rather sharp. I didn't used to stutter or go blank when I was stressed, and now I stutter and my mind goes blank ALL the TIME.
I'm just so worried that I'll get a C on this next exam. I got a B on the first one, which made me very relieved because right after I took it I thought I'd gotten around a 40%. It was that difficult. I'm still actually wondering if someone screwed up the grading in my favor. But I CANNOT get below a B in this class, because I need above a 3.8 to be competitive for graduate school.
Well right now you should focus on the test and getting it done. Its kinda last minute to do anything but that. But afterards go seek cousneling. You have a lot of internal issues about your self worth.

Divine Genius

I don't have cancer, but I do have a stress-triggered illness that sometimes throws my life completely off balance and it makes me depressed when it happens and such too.

It sounds like the main problem is managing stress and balancing a healthy life while trying to succeed in what you're working on, in your case studying for those exams. Make sure you get proper amount of sleep, try to find some time to exercise (as this can really help you with focusing), and eat healthy during this time. Eating something like an apple prior to working really helps me (and as I'm a programmer, I have to be able to think logically for work so focusing is really important). I also find that productivity when working late nights compared to days after having enough sleep to feel fully charged is definitely a lot lower and I'll make more stupid mistakes during those times in comparison.

Try to calm down and relax prior to your study/tutor sessions. I used to also be a tutor, so I have also seen plenty of times anxious, scared students, many on the brink of failing courses. (In a private college, so they also felt the weight they'd have to pay ridiculous amounts if they failed). I found that trying to get them to relax first prior to the lesson improved their ability to take in information and have seen these people go from Fs/Ds to Bs/As.
Don't rush and try to cram everything. If anything, it's better get as much solidified understanding of the material then to get a rushed overview of everything since you can at least have some confidence over those parts of the test. It's okay to take breaks during your studies. I find stepping away for a bit really helps me to retain knowledge. Take a walk or do some yoga or such if you can for a couple minutes at the end of every 30min - hr of studying.

Keep calm and carry on is the motto of our dept at work cause it easily gets overwhelming. I say it to myself or try to make a joke out of the situation or take a breather outside whenever the stress and pressure starts piling on and so far it's helped me a lot. I used to just cry a lot whenever everything got too stressful, still do, but I just find it's a lot better when I do take those actions I suggested.

Timid Star

11,075 Points
  • Married 100
  • Cool Cat 500
  • Timid 100
There is such a thing as studying too much. It happened to me when I was in school. I would try to overload myself with information and eventually it just felt like my brain gave up on everything and things stopped making sense. Give yourself a break and try again tomorrow. Maybe make yourself some tea or run a hot bath and relax.

Dapper Dabbler

It sounds like you're honestly studying too much. I took a bunch of classes all at once during my university so that I was literally reading and writing huge amounts every day, and I barely had any time to myself. Whenever things would stop making sense and blurring together, I would put that work aside and play Solitaire or write an RP post. Just a quick, ten minute break, and usually when I went back to homework it started to make sense again.

Also, even if you just cried the whole time during therapy, that doesn't mean it wasn't worth it. Therapy is not just a one-step process, it's something that takes time and effort. If you think you need it, go back. Crying in and of itself is a way of healing since you're getting all of that goopy gunk out.

Try to find some way to let your stress out. I think it would really you a lot.

Enduring Bard

Just relaxe. You're just stressing yourself out and working too hard which is very counter-productive when you need to concentrate and study. What you need is a whole day to yourself. To relaxe and sleep in or party hard. Whatever helps you makes you happy and loosen up. You'll see it works out in the long-run. When you tire yourself out and work too hard you're really just over working your brain.
So please take a break and chill-axe!
First, give yourself a break and then come back to it when you feel better. You are overloading yourself. You need to care for yourself mentally, too. Being stressed out makes it that much harder to memorize things when you are studying. Second, copying what the chapter says on notebook paper once or twice is a great way to memorize. It is time consuming, but hell, I have been getting 90%-100% on all my tests by doing that.

Lonely Lover

11,075 Points
  • Perfect Attendance 400
  • Lavish Tipper 200
  • Elocutionist 200
I do think stress can play an effect on your grades, and the fact you broke at an easy problem is probably a stress response rather than a sign you don't understand the material. I feel your pain. I've broken down and cried during tests numerous times, but I also studied very hard and had poor self-worth. Try to make sure you manage your time out so you're still sleeping and taking care of yourself. And remember, at the end of the day, trying your best is the most anyone (including yourself) can expect from you. I know it's easy to get caught up pushing yourself, but keep things in perspective. A bad grade will not effect you for long and you will move on fine. I wish you the best of luck. emotion_bigheart emotion_hug

Sparkly Shapeshifter

Balance in life is key for success.
Have you heard the expression "you're your own worst enemy"? You're placing too much pressure on yourself and the resulting stress becomes an obstacle. Before studying, do something that you find relaxing or acts as a release. Once you achieve a state of calm, begin your studies. If you become frustrated, walk away for a bit and return when calm again.
Another option is to schedule study time and keep yourself to that schedule. Having free time to chill out is essential, as well.

These processes may help you regain your focus and become more productive.

I wish you success. ✌️

Quick Reply

Submit
Manage Your Items
Other Stuff
Get GCash
Offers
Get Items
More Items
Where Everyone Hangs Out
Other Community Areas
Virtual Spaces
Fun Stuff
Gaia's Games
Mini-Games
Play with GCash
Play with Platinum