How do I tolerate college?

[Arkansota]

I am a special ed student at a liberal arts university in Arkansas. I am in a "supplemental" academic building (essentially an expanded resource room) for like 3-4 hours a day and I am so bored with my life.

[VileKyle]

College, huh? Take a deep breath, sit down, and do the work. That's the one part you can control and easily the most important bit. The rest you just get to ride out as you go.

[Arkansota]

I have no work ethic, though. I grew up in a Suburban environment where everything was handed to me.

[VileKyle]

I have no work ethic, though.

Work on that and find it. Without it, you're wasting your time at a college. Try finding study groups if you can. You can learn from example that way, and they might help you stay on task.

[MisterTinkles]

One day at a time.

[starbelly]

I have no work ethic, though. I grew up in a Suburban environment where everything was handed to me.

Then build one. What kind of response are you expecting out of anyone?

"Oh, just don't do the work and fail because you have no work ethic"?

College is not THAT hard. It's a lot of work, but it's not impossible by any means. College is like anything else in life— you get back what you put into it. If you don't want to do the work or have the effort, then leave. It's a waste of your time. It really is that simple.

[Waylon777]

Go at your own pace, and build up your work ethic. Work ethic is really important, or else, getting behind the class is just horrible.

[Lilitu]

Maybe you should consider whether you made the right choices, maybe you should look at doing different things, either within college or outside it.

And you cannot blame your background, you need to take control of your life! You get to make decisions, and you can make decisions within you too! Choose to be motivated, make an effort to do things, there is literally no other way you can get yourself out of this situation. It's either this way or you get stuck for the rest of your life

[Bowyn Aerrow]

I am a special ed student at a liberal arts university in Arkansas. I am in a "supplemental" academic building (essentially an expanded resource room) for like 3-4 hours a day and I am so bored with my life.

I drank a bit while attending halls of higher learning - sorta like Miles drinks - but a bit more than that... Ok a bit more than just a bit - a good deal more - well actually a whole hella of a lot more.

Hell who I am I kidding, I drank my first ocean of alcohol before I got my demon - erm D. Min.

Part of my problem - a small part, was the boredom - I wasn't challenged enough had way too much free time - 15 minutes here, 5 minutes there - way too much time for a serious drinker...:tongue:

Getting a job may be something you should consider. I worked part-time through my educational years. In fact while I was studying to become a minister which I never seriously did in life, the part-time work that I thought I hated ended up being the thing I did most of my life - construction/labor work.

I don't know why you are taking special ed classes - you appear to have the brain to actually do regular classes. And I have no idea why you decided on liberal arts. Clearly you are not challenging your brain enough and require more.

Honestly, if I had it all to do over again I would do one of the sciences - either virology or nuclear physics. Either and or both would help me in my present plans on taking over the world and becoming supreme master of the human species.... I fear a D.Min while appearing to have some potential for leadership of the human species just lacks the proper amount of tactical fear generation that the ability to build a nuclear device or unleash the Armageddon Flu carries with them.

So perhaps you need to reconsider your options here and decide exactly how it is you desire to attain your life goals. If you are like me and desire to become the first Emperor of Earth - then liberal arts mayn't pan out as a good way to achieve that goal.

Honestly who fears a Liberal Arts degree?


On a more serious note:

When you first arrived here you were going on and on about how Great Arkansas and College were going to be. Apparently you had this huge puffed up fantasy about what life in those places would be like and now you are being faced with the realities of Arkansas and College life and are dissatisfied because you had this impossible fantasy about both.

Neither has actually failed - not in reality, both have failed to meet this impossible dream you made for them. Because you see, that dream was impossible to begin with.

I will let you slide on that simply because you are 19 and wet behind the ears - we all have impossible plans at your age. However don't allow this to taint your joie de vivre. Do, however, allow these experiences to temper your expectations about situations and potentials.

Its good to have a rich fantasy life - but temper it with reality when applying it to real life things.

Also start counting your blessings - go volunteer at a homeless shelter or something and get a good long hard look at where you could actually be. There are plenty of young men and women your age who cannot go to college, cannot go to the state they dream of - many of whom are stuck in situations that are killing them slowly or going to ruin their lives.

While you sit there complaining that you are considered a Yankee, or that you are bored - there are many who would swap their situation for yours in a heart beat.

Try the terminal Ward at hospital and see those who are dying for a life... literally dying.

Visit people who are in prison and see how one mistake can destroy a person for their whole life....

You got it good kid - real good - stop whining about your situation - appreciate what you got.

[trialbyerror]

Yea well
I was booted out of home at 15. Like "get the f**ck gone, we don’t want you around, ever"

Got myself indentured as an apprentice aviation technician Turner machinist with South African Airways (lucky break, acted on some good advice from a varsity room-mate)

Got cocky & refused to re-do standard 7, because I had done radio electronics at technical school which was not the trade I was indentured for, this got up the nose of the chief apprentice manager, who laid down the law
1) I would re-do std 7 at technical college and pass
2) I would then do std 8 and pass
3) I would also pass every milestone practical test
Or I was out

For the first three months I used to run to and from work / hostel because free train rides was only after you had been there for 3 months (in the transport services which encompassed SAA / SA Railways and SA Harbors & ships)

Then I went on the first three months block release to technical college

I had no money, as hostel fees gobbled 99% of my earnings, I could not afford to buy text books ETC

I used to haunt the bookshops, in Johannesburg, some 35Km away (used the trains) until late at night handwriting the text, and hand drawing the simpler sketches. The complicated ones I cajoled the assistants to photocopy for me.

Once I was lucky, some guy absconded, leaving all his books behind in his room at the same hostel, I went peek-a-boo and took them out of his room.

Yip I stole to survive

Long story short: - That first year I passed both of the 3 months block releases of 3 months each, (That's 6 months out of the 11 working months in the year.

In between college release, (the other 5 month's in the year) I clocked in 1 – 1,5H early every day to get the pre-requisite number of hours in the workshop, This included working during December at no extra pay under the skeleton-staff journeymen

I barely scraped through all of my practical milestones bar 1

Just to equip myself to provide for myself in the future…..

Here I fully agree with Bow..

Arkanses. You are very lucky you've got it so easy....

Do something with your opportunity before you become a bum on the street

I care