Another college thread

LegacyUser

I used to be quite academic but I became cocky and less interested in my education at the start of 6th year. My school attendance was terrible, and I literally started studying (well cramming) 2 weeks before the leaving cert. Somehow I got a respectable leaving cert that got me a place in college.

Now, I am in second year of college doing the only course that I could see being of any use to me in the future. After the leaving cert, I started first year off with a new attitude that I would study and attend all lectures. It lasted about 2 weeks. By January I had already had numerous serious warnings from my lecturers about my incredible lack of attendance and work. I was given a final warning from the college head around February. I would have been kicked out if I wasn't one of the better players on the college team, I was told in private by my coach. I slightly improved my attendance for the remaining months of the year and passed nearly all my exams.

For the whole summer I told myself that I would turn my life around and stop dicking about when I started 2nd year. But if anything my attendance is worse this year than it was last year, and I am not too far from being kicked out for real this time. If I wasn't doing this course I honestly do not know what I would be doing with my life and I am actually kind of frightened of the prospect of being kicked out. I know that I am really underperforming and one of my lectureres gave me a lashing because I was in a handful of his classes in the past 4 months. I feel I've sort of become a joke to the rest of my class who actually work and go in. The thing is I am an intelligent bloke and I actually like the course but can't seem to motivate myself to go in or study.

Also, because I am never in I haven't really become part of the class clique. It doesn't bother me as such because I have plenty of friends outside of college but it makes it harder to motivate myself to go in when there are long breaks between lectures because I have nothing to do and the library is pretty small and always full.

Has anyone been in a similiar position or advice?

Hopeless

I know what you mean though to a lesser extent I think.
I've always done well in school/college without lifting a finger but this year I think I sank to a new low, barely went to lectures and am failing a module for the first time in my life.
I know what you mean by not being able to apply yourself.
I think the only way you can really try in tell yourself that if you get kicked out/have to repeat you'll have to work twise as hard to make up money for it all, and tell yourself that every morning.
Also, reward yourself. Have a few evenings a week dedicated to doing whatever it is you find most enjoyable wether it's hanging about with mates or watching films. That'll give you something to look forward to and make you feel guilty doing it if you haven't been doing andy waork.
Also, if you apply yourself a little bit, even just answering questions in lectures, your class mates wil probably start paying more attention to you in a good way and you can surprise them with what you know which would probably be nice and satisfying.

Demetrius

Lack of motivation is my middle name. Im in fourth year and in a fairly bad position. I attend most of my lectures, which I fall asleep in and "study" consists of cramming 45 minutes before an exam. I guess I really miss being shouted at and put under pressure by secondary school teachers.

JustCoz

I know what you mean. I worked really hard for my LC to get the course that I'm in now but I can't motivate myself to do any work for it. Just don't find the work that interesting. However if you feel that your course is the right one for you, you'll just have to bite the bullet and start going in. Last year I went through a stage of not going in but once you start making yourself go in everyday you get into a routine and then it's not that hard to keep on going.

Gaps between lectures are a bitch alright but if your in college in town there's always something to do or you could use it as an opportunity to do some work. Once you start going in you'll get talking to people and make new friends. The only reason you mightn't know many people is coz your not around to get to know, so just make the effort.

sobriquet

I can also appreciate your position, and I'd imagine most people go through something like this to one degree or another at different stages. Advice: you can't stay in the same state and expect some sort of change to simply happen. Unless you're incredibly disciplined and strong willed (doesn't sound like it), you can't expect to simply will yourself to succeed.

[...]doing the only course that I could see being of any use to me in the future[...]

That sounds about as enthusiastic as I am for using sandpaper as toilet roll. If you're doing it to pass time and will take up a career in it grudgingly because you can't think of anything better to do, *maybe* you need to reconsider your situation.

Maybe go travelling. If you don't want leave friends behind, work for a while, try to figure a niche for yourself. Not going to college after the LC isn't a sin. Try some night courses in stuff you might think aren't for you at all: you might be surprised what you take a liking to.

lolo2

You need to think about whether you want to be in college or not. they dont hand out degrees to people who try to coast through, and why should they? no offense meant, but decide whether you want to get the qualification or not. if you do, then you just have to do the work. its as simple as that. yea, its hard for everyone to keep up the work but thats why third level qualifications are valued.

maybe if you work in a crappy job for a while it will make ya realise that the slog would be worth it. i dont mean to be harsh, but look at all the people who DONT get any opportunity to study because of poverty or other reasons, i.e. how much does it cost to go to a good college in the U.S. or the competition for places in countries like china.

Aspiration

I was in the exact same position as you last year. After Christmas, I just stopped attending classes because before Christmas, I didn't bother apply myself to the course. By the time I felt guilty it was too late for me to catch up and I just didn't care. In the end I deferred the course (dropped out) before our Easter exams.

Once the summer came, I kept asking myself why the hell didn't I just put my head down and get on with the work. Went back to 1st year in September and I swear I'm like a new person. I don't know if it might be the same as yourself but last year was like my "year out" after the Leaving. The fact that I was just 17 goin into college didnt help, but I think I just needed time to take a breather before jumping head first into the course.

I got my results there last week and I got 81% in Programming (I'm doin Computing), last year I got 15%. I'm not joking when I say this but the buzz alone in getting such a high mark gives ya enough motivation to do well.

I can't give you any advice, but you're not the only one out there finding it hard to apply themselves. If you fail this year, so what? It's not the end of the world, but you do have to think about what you really want. If you like the course and want to do well, you're gonna have to compromise (in my case, I've become very anti-social). If not, maybe a trip to the careers counsellor in college can help you out?

Good luck!

DS

That situation is so similar to mine I had to double check to make sure I hadn't posted it myself and forgotten about it. My attendance was non-existant in first year, didn't go to a single lecture after christmas, but managed to pass on my LC knowledge. My college is obviously much less strict, as I've only gotten a couple of minor warnings which I easily lied my way out of. Like yourself, it was my first choice course, and probably still is. I know I could easily do very well with a moderate amount of effort but it doesn't seem to motivate me.

Also, because I am never in I haven't really become part of the class clique. It doesn't bother me as such because I have plenty of friends outside of college but it makes it harder to motivate myself to go in when there are long breaks between lectures because I have nothing to do and the library is pretty small and always full.

Exactly my situation too, I barely saw any of the people in my course through first year, and not having any friends in the course only serves to make getting up for college even less attractive than it already is. I can't see where the motivation is going to come from.