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dice · 10-27-2008, 05:58 AM

I feel your pain as well my friend.

You've described the exact situation I'm struggling with right now.

I recently became so apathetic that I'd stay up extremely late watching movies, talking to old friends, and sleeping the entire day through all my classes - sometimes until 2-3PM. I missed a midterm. That was rock bottom for me, the punishment was 25% of my grade in an incredibly easy class (that I was genuinely interested in as well).

Personally, I put things off (not when they're difficult) but when I feel they are easy, not guaranteed to be rewarding, or unexciting and thats put me in more messes than I'd like to admit to and robbed me of many opportunities

Recently I had a massive epiphany that I had to change what I was studying and just do what I wanted to do already (I want to be in the entertainment biz - movies theatre music art - and I was biding my time taking a cautious 'side road' trying to study it from a philosophical/psychological angle instead of just plunging myself into it and learning by doing).

That and a few phonecalls to declare a double major (something challenging). I slack off when my schedule's laid back - and only really do my best stuff when i'm basically at gunpoint or under the scrutiny of a prof/boss I really admire.

so based on what's helped me surface from this in the past 3 days (literally):
1. only study something you DEEPLY want to do and that you couldn't imagine a future without
2. make sure your taking the most dangerous and direct route (with obvious and massive consequences if you slack)
3. if you can, sign up for classes with good profs (take time to find out whose good). Just their presence will motivate you. Try to seek their praise. (I had an incredible teacher in highschool for history and have never worked harder on assignments in my life because of my respect for him)
4. as a last resort - if you have no real-living inspiration/role model - watch movies and let the characters inspire you. this works really well for me.

I hope this helps, there's nothing quite as horrible as that stuck feeling.

10-27-2008, 05:58 AM	#16 (permalink)
dice Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 367	I feel your pain as well my friend. You've described the exact situation I'm struggling with right now. I recently became so apathetic that I'd stay up extremely late watching movies, talking to old friends, and sleeping the entire day through all my classes - sometimes until 2-3PM. I missed a midterm. That was rock bottom for me, the punishment was 25% of my grade in an incredibly easy class (that I was genuinely interested in as well). Personally, I put things off (not when they're difficult) but when I feel they are easy, not guaranteed to be rewarding, or unexciting and thats put me in more messes than I'd like to admit to and robbed me of many opportunities Recently I had a massive epiphany that I had to change what I was studying and just do what I wanted to do already (I want to be in the entertainment biz - movies theatre music art - and I was biding my time taking a cautious 'side road' trying to study it from a philosophical/psychological angle instead of just plunging myself into it and learning by doing). That and a few phonecalls to declare a double major (something challenging). I slack off when my schedule's laid back - and only really do my best stuff when i'm basically at gunpoint or under the scrutiny of a prof/boss I really admire. so based on what's helped me surface from this in the past 3 days (literally): 1. only study something you DEEPLY want to do and that you couldn't imagine a future without 2. make sure your taking the most dangerous and direct route (with obvious and massive consequences if you slack) 3. if you can, sign up for classes with good profs (take time to find out whose good). Just their presence will motivate you. Try to seek their praise. (I had an incredible teacher in highschool for history and have never worked harder on assignments in my life because of my respect for him) 4. as a last resort - if you have no real-living inspiration/role model - watch movies and let the characters inspire you. this works really well for me. I hope this helps, there's nothing quite as horrible as that stuck feeling.