Not coping

[iffets12345]

Guys, I have to confess, I can't survive Uni.
At the moment I have been studying but whenever I read something in just washes over my head and I don't absorb anything. I've been reading and writing notes but sometimes, because I am sleepy in the lectures, they arent coherent and I don't really understand what I'm writing. The textbooks are sometimes so dense that I can't actually derive any simple explanation from them. I feel behind and unable to consolidate what I learn. What's worse, what I can learn, I forget after a week or two and then when I try to combine this with new information I feel like my brain can't hold all of it and I have to sacrifice something in my memory. I have assignments and I have trouble finding resources like journals and books for them. It's really trying because I'm in a strong cohort where the people are skilled and adaptive even if they act chill and calm because I think, they're just intellectually superior and stronger than me. I think it's also because they are all from strong competitive high schools (macrob, melb high, james ruse etc) and I am one of the few who come from a simple high school background. Right now I think my worst fears are coming true- I was one of those people who just knew how to play the system and actually aren't any good at proper learning and university education, those random stories you hear of people getting 99+ and then dropping out. First year in my course is really easy compared to the future years so I'm scared that if I barely survive this year it'll just get harder.

Sometimes I think it's psychological and if you gave me the syllabus in VCE and I was at home I could do it but then again I think about the time compression and how 10X the amount of stuff is taught in a limited time and wonder if I can really retain this info. I seem to just memorise things and haven't difficult piecing concepts together, something that I used to do with more ease than most.

I just want to know if you have any stories or experiences similar to university transition and difficulty adapting to new learning like this, and whether there's a way to overcome this besides basically holing myself up studying all day.
I do have a social life and go out but at the moment I'm just stretching my time, especially commuting all the way back from Bendigo every weekend, having to see friends/family/boyfriend and fit in study.

[taiga]

awww that is sad to hear, but I don't think you're alone at all.

Why not create your own little study group, or go out and bug your tutors/helpdesk to try and help you with fundamental concepts? Sometimes you'll find that once you clear a small hurdle the rest will come easily.

On the other hand sometimes things like this just come down to sleep, I've had times where I absolutely can't get anything done, and eventually it just comes back after  being well rested.

In my opinion after doing so well in VCE, you can't put your success down to simply "playing the system". Yes, there are cases where that occurs, but I think you know yourself what your success was a result of. I think it may also be the whole issue of readjusting to uni after the whole 5 month gap of nothingness.

As a last resort, if you absolutely don't think you can handle it, you might want to consider whether your course is for you. You still have a world of courses available closer to home in Melbourne.

[iffets12345]

I think I just get extra pressure from the thought that I can't do my course and should transfer because I sacrificed some things to do it and I don't want to have wasted everything. It's to early to say if I love/hate/deserve/don't deserve/should be in the course and I think I would just like it better if the circumstances weren't so hard...

[Fyrefly]

It's to early to say if I love/hate/deserve/don't deserve/should be in the course and I think I would just like it better if the circumstances weren't so hard...

You deserve to be where you are; don't doubt that for a second.

There's so many supportive things I'd like to say right now... but I'm going to go dig up the thread I made four years ago when I felt lost, alone and overwhelmed by university. It's... it shows a lot of my old vulnerabilities, so please don't think less of me when you read it. I just want to show you you're not alone.

[ninwa]

What course are you studying and at what uni? People might be able to give more specific advice that way.

A lot of first years experience this. You're definitely not alone even if it seems like it. I was overwhelmed as fuck and really struggled in my first semester but my pride forced me to keep a "chill" face on. I bet at least half your cohort is freaking out secretly like I did. I'm gonna go through what you've said and try to address everything, please feel free to ask if anything I've said doesn't make sense.

Sleepy in lectures:
- are you getting enough sleep? I know it seems obvious, but perhaps you need to re-evaluate your sleeping pattern. I used to think I could get by fine on 6 or 7 hours sleep and didn't realise why I was feeling so groggy all the time. Now I realise I'm one of those unlucky people who needs 8+ hours regularly and I feel much better.
- caffeine? Not a permanent solution but if you can't avoid late nights, it's good for keeping you alert for a short while.

Are you just bored by the subject matter? In which case it may be time to consider a different course. Just think about it - it's better to realise early on, and changing courses is never a waste of the time you've already spent - that is valuable time getting to know yourself and to know what interests you and what you want to do in your life. Hell, I'm in my fourth year and considering a change of course. It's scary but it's not wrong.

Dense textbooks:
- I understand that feeling - as a law student it's so damnably difficult trying to trudge through (sometimes really badly written) judgments. Study guides. Do they exist for your subject? If so, a good one is seriously a lifesaver. Look into it. Otherwise, try to make some friends in higher years and scab notes off them. Sometimes it just takes someone else's interpretation to make dense material less challenging.

Not being able to remember info:
- what kind of learner are you? Tailor your study methods to that. Don't rest on the assumption that what you're doing now is the best method, even if it worked for you during VCE - people change. Take some time to try other kinds - make a poster and stick it next to the bathroom mirror or on the toilet door; record yourself reading key points and listen to it while going for a run; hell, create an interpretative dance if that works. I don't know what you're actually studying but if there's an opportunity to apply what you have learned, I've found that works really well too.

Trouble finding resources:
- again I don't actually know what uni you go to but most places should have mini introductory courses/tours in their libraries, where they teach new students how to find resources. Have you asked about that? What exactly are you having trouble with?

Intellectually superior:
- bullshit. Don't let that kind of thinking permeate your mind. You're defeating yourself before you even give yourself a chance to succeed. You damn well earned your place like everyone else; you are their intellectual equal. Everyone struggles in their first semester, even their first year. I sure as hell did. Uni is a steep learning curve; you wouldn't make a person who's never exercised in their lives sprint up Mt Dandenong would you? You'd tell them to start with a slow walk, then a fast walk, then a gentle jog, and finally when they are fit enough, then try running, otherwise they'll just hurt themselves. Okay sorry for the terrible analogy but I hope you understand what I'm trying to get at here. Give yourself a break; take things slowly. It's not a competition. You're allowed to work at your own pace.

sorry for the essay -_-

[Fyrefly]

http://vce.atarnotes.com/forum/index.php/topic,3795.0.html

I can't believe that took 27 minutes to find... =.=
Also, I'm locking it so no-one necros.


Look... re-reading that old thread, I can see similarities and differences in what I went through and what you're going through.

iffets12345, I want to say that I know that feeling of being completely and utterly overwhelmed. That feeling... it's suffocating. It feels like it's coiled around your insides and it just makes you feel sick. You just want to drop everything and run.

It's better if you don't though - you'll see.
Don't give up.

Coming from a "normal" school actually puts you at an advantage. Kids from private schools tend to get spoon-fed, and they tend to have a teacher always on their back demanding work from them*. When you go to a shit school, you don't get that. You have to motivate yourself; you have to push yourself. That's a skill that most people your age don't have. You were able to succeed in an environment where most probably people didn't. Use that.

As for your other worries... let me say that first semester is hardest. It's true that material in later years is more challenging, but by the time you get to that point you'll be armed with the skills to bring it. My worst unit result to date is still the first exam I ever sat at university - first year, first semester business law. Only C on my transcript... and it wasn't because the material was difficult... it was because I was walking in blind.

Most of the other things I want to address, other people have already phrased more eloquently...


* Fyrefly runs from all the angry private school kiddies =P

[Glockmeister]

I swear lecture theatres are built to make you sleep - there must be an Honours thesis in there somewhere.

More seriously though, your best asset I reckon is your own cohort, particularly if your course tends to do the same units. If your struggling, lean on them. Ask them questions. Seriously, working together in groups was the way I survived first-year.

University education is completely different from how it is done at school (private or public), that there's always going to be that shock factor, particularly around now, when the assignments and due dates start rolling in. Utilise resources that are available at your university. I'm not sure which uni you go to, but at Monash for example, the Monash Library runs a lot of courses on study advise and how to find that elusive article in a journal that you need to find. There's also the HUB as well if you need that psychological support (they aren't just for folks with mental illness). Make an appointment to see your lecturer/tutor (just email them [or their PA, if they're high enough in rank to have one], they aren't as scary as you think) . Finally, if you are at risk of failing, there's the MSA as well. Most unis should have some sort of equivalent service. Seek them out.

To lectures. I've been at university for three years now, and personally, only now I felt that I've gotten the hang of studying in the lecture-style at university. I haven't failed a unit yet though.

 

[TrueTears]

Guys, I have to confess, I can't survive Uni.
At the moment I have been studying but whenever I read something in just washes over my head and I don't absorb anything. I've been reading and writing notes but sometimes, because I am sleepy in the lectures, they arent coherent and I don't really understand what I'm writing. The textbooks are sometimes so dense that I can't actually derive any simple explanation from them. I feel behind and unable to consolidate what I learn. What's worse, what I can learn, I forget after a week or two and then when I try to combine this with new information I feel like my brain can't hold all of it and I have to sacrifice something in my memory. I have assignments and I have trouble finding resources like journals and books for them. It's really trying because I'm in a strong cohort where the people are skilled and adaptive even if they act chill and calm because I think, they're just intellectually superior and stronger than me. I think it's also because they are all from strong competitive high schools (macrob, melb high, james ruse etc) and I am one of the few who come from a simple high school background. Right now I think my worst fears are coming true- I was one of those people who just knew how to play the system and actually aren't any good at proper learning and university education, those random stories you hear of people getting 99+ and then dropping out. First year in my course is really easy compared to the future years so I'm scared that if I barely survive this year it'll just get harder.

Sometimes I think it's psychological and if you gave me the syllabus in VCE and I was at home I could do it but then again I think about the time compression and how 10X the amount of stuff is taught in a limited time and wonder if I can really retain this info. I seem to just memorise things and haven't difficult piecing concepts together, something that I used to do with more ease than most.

I just want to know if you have any stories or experiences similar to university transition and difficulty adapting to new learning like this, and whether there's a way to overcome this besides basically holing myself up studying all day.
I do have a social life and go out but at the moment I'm just stretching my time, especially commuting all the way back from Bendigo every weekend, having to see friends/family/boyfriend and fit in study.

Yeah, I have the same question as nina, what course are you doing? Maybe I could offer some more specific advice. But from reading what you said, you're not the only one that finds lectures boring. I think almost everyone does, it's natural. It is a hard transition from high school to university and the best advice I can give is that you can go ask your tutor or lecturers for good study techniques for specific units. Also about feeling behind, I think that's natural as well since the pacing of uni is much faster than high school. Also talk to your friends who are doing the same course, see how they are coping and maybe you guys could form a study group.

[Gloamglozer]

Yeah, I have the same question as nina, what course are you doing? Maybe I could offer some more specific advice. But from reading what you said, you're not the only one that finds lectures boring. I think almost everyone does, it's natural. It is a hard transition from high school to university and the best advice I can give is that you can go ask your tutor or lecturers for good study techniques for specific units. Also about feeling behind, I think that's natural as well since the pacing of uni is much faster than high school. Also talk to your friends who are doing the same course, see how they are coping and maybe you guys could form a study group.

Yes.  Falling behind is normal.  Heck, if you're keeping up to date with study, understand everything that has been taught so far and can apply it to a whole range of problems, then you're set to get a HD at Monash.  You'll find that falling behind happens to a lot of people, not just you.

I don't have stats on this but I'd guess that a lot of people don't keep up to date for ALL 4 subjects (if they are full time) this far into the semester.

[iffets12345]

Hey, I'm doing Dentistry at La Trobe. I only have like 15 hours so I feel like there's really no excuse to struggle,and in second year I think I have like 25 hours so if I can't handle first year, then what the hell is second year going to be like?
Thanks for all your advice. My group is really supportive since we mostly live on campus but I also feel I should learn to rely on myself too because I don't want to annoy them too much. If they can self teach, then so can I. Study guides don't really exist because the course is fairly new. I suppose that is the major problem, that it is a new and evolving course so everything is quite unstructured where as the Human Biosciences component, having been well established is way more easier to follow in a way. Also, I find that I haven't been studying like I have in VCE, not that I'm applying old tricks to new methods. When I am at home I seem to be on the verge of getting back into my old learning system and understanding things. Oh yea, and I did attend the courses for researching etc but its mostly either forgotten or hasn't helped. Anyways, I will be asking the librarians to help me find my stuff. Right now I'm just going to focus on how to learn the uni system better.

[rustic_metal]

If you're really struggling, you could try scrapping the textbook and just using your course notes. Learning from textbooks is a time consuming process and the stuff you really need to know is often surrounded by walls of texts. I find that writing condensed notes based on lecture slides (as in lots of lectures in one go, not after every lecture) is a really good way to get everything you actually need down and ignoring all the other shit. Also never underestimate the power of SWOTVAC. The pressure will kick your arse into gear and a week is plenty of time to smash a few semester-long courses if you take notes and do the (usually one or two) practise exams. I don't know if it will be the same for your course, but in a lot of courses, subjects will have very similar exams from year to year. My summer subjects reused like half of last year's exam when I took it.

Oh and drop your standards from VCE. Don't kick yourself because you're not understanding it 100% like year 12 required; so long as you can answer (or at least attempt) most of the questions after looking at the book, you'll cruise into SWOTVAC without much left to do.

[shinny]

Oh and drop your standards from VCE. Don't kick yourself because you're not understanding it 100% like year 12 required

This is probably the best piece of advice yet (although tl;dr, skimmed most posts). Coming from a cohort of OCD Med students, I can safely say this is the number one cause of people not coping. The saying 'P's get degrees' is strangely actually very true and useful. Coming from my course, which I assume is fairly similar to dent, I think it's just important to understand that the stuff you learn in first year isn't all that important. A rough understanding of it will form the foundations for what's to come in future years, but in terms of your career, it's probably not extremely important. Now that I've started placements, I've started to see how little actual doctors care about physiology and biology and such. Only whatever's clinically relevant is needed to be a good doctor, and in your case, dentist. So for now, just learn enough to pass your exams and whatever's important will be naturally drilled into you (EDIT: Oh god, just noticed, pun unintended D: I'm not THAT lame) by repetition later on in your placements. And if you're not intent on just getting a pass, I guess just be aware that it's still not a case of needing to know everything regardless.

As for learning stuff, you say that you're struggling with piecing together concepts and such. Simple reason for this is because uni is made up mostly of an insane amount of rote learning, rather than VCE where subjects tend to only have a few key concepts. It can quickly become overwhelming, but I guess it's just up to you to find what works best for you in terms of being able to retain it all. If you find your textbooks a bit complicated, get other ones. I passed the entire of second year reading summary books. Try looking over here for some.

[Eriny]

You are definitely not alone!

Being at ANU, I know quite a lot of people from Sydney and because Sydney is only a 3.5 hour bus ride away, heaps of people go back to Sydney for the weekend (just like you go back to Melbourne from Bendigo) and a lot of the time, it does adversely affect performance. To some extent, you won't be able to adjust to life in Bedigo unless you are fully in Bendigo. University will continue to seem alien to you unless you work to make it a place that you're really familiar with and you know how it works and everything. Perhaps for a little while, you should limit your trips to Melbourne to once every two weeks. If you do, it will be very daunting and hard at first, but you might be more likely to better make the headspace adjustment it takes to study at university, and especially to study away from home.

As for course content, there is nothing wrong with asking for help and it reflects really well on you that you've already identified that you realistically need it. Now you can do something about it. I've heard that LaTrobe Bendigo is a really supportive environment and I bet that if you ask, you'll get something. If you don't get the right thing, or if you don't get enough, keep asking.

First year is a huge adjustment in managing a range of things, including figuring out what the lecturers want from you on tests and exams and assignments, figuring out how to get something out of a lecture, etc. You will figure it out though. Part of the adjustment is learning how to think in a different way, thinking as a dentist or a dentistry academic would think. It takes time and you can't be expected to be completely used to it by the end of the first term. You can do it though, they wouldn't have let you in if you couldn't.

[iffets12345]

Thanks guys! Eriny, lots of third and second years continue to go back to Melbourne every weekend. In response to ignoring the textbook and looking at the lecture notes, dent isn't like monash or melbourne where the lecture notes are enough. They're actually really confusing. I will however take everything you guys say into account and figure out what to do. I think at the moment, I'll go revise the stuff I've learnt before and try to finish my assignments early so I can do other things.

Thanks a lot

[Kopite]

hey iffets, good to see you're feeling a bit better after all the encouraging posts above!!

i've got two friends who are fourth year dent @ latrobe in bendigo. they felt exactly the same way as you, i haven't experienced it myself, but the first few months maybe a bit harder for you guys (compared to others) just because you're away from home/having to fend for yourself etc- it takes its toll and adds to the stress. don't doubt why you're in the course - you have the capacity to do it!! it's normal to feel overwhelmed and behind during the semester (i think you'll find 99% of the uni population are like this), so don't stress. as others have said, try to nail the basic concepts first, and then branch out from there and refine the detail of your knowledge. hopefully that bit of advice is applicable to dent.

and i would probably recommend you come back to melb every 2nd week at least?? keep those contacts going =]