University/School Burn Out - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: cdyrssen
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 07, 2015, 08:41:49 am
content: Hey everyone, this is only my second post(the first being my introduction post), but I was wanting to get some advice on how to manage "burn out". Currently, I am a junior at Texas Tech University. I was able to get an associates degree at my hometown local college and this past year was my first at a large university. However, over the past year, I have found my motivation drop drastically. It's not that I don't enjoy my classes, but that I constantly feel swamped with homework and projects, and its really taken a toll on me. I'm sure many of you have felt/are feeling the same way, and I thought it would be a good topic to cover. Any advice/comments on managing time and keeping yourself motivated to continue and push through the "hump"?

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2015, 08:49:26 am
content: Break your routine, it doesnt even have to be your study routine, if you can take 2 routes to school, take another, if you have lunch at one spot, try another,the goal is to keep the rest of the day from being a blur that just melds together, as for me that reduces the feeling of always being hit with more homework, because the only new stuff you activly recall is the homework and lessons and nothing elseas for managing homework and projects, chunking is a good habit, obviously straight questions in a row homework is some of the more soul draining stuff, but say you have a large project with many moving parts, break it down into manageable chunks, that way you get some small victories as opposed to always feeling at a loss,e.g. I'll get this function working in the next 30 minutes, complete it, then if time allows move on to the next, rather than attacking 5 or 6 at a time, it sadly tends to burn a little bit more time until it forms a habit (about 4 weeks will make it a habit), but afterwards it helps you keep your stride when faced with something large,

author: smjcuk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2015, 09:10:51 am
content: Been there. Take a weekend off. No connectivity of any kind or work or technology. Get outdoors, even if its miserable weather and do something even if it's just walking for hours or sitting somewhere. Try and avoid thinking about problems etc.You'll either come back refreshed because you managed to clear your brain out or because it was worse than your usual routine and it's nice being back to relative comfort. Either way, you win.That works for me. Next weekend I'm going to sit next to the sea and eat chips and sausages and do nothing as I'm heading towards burnout at work.

author: Galenbo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2015, 10:07:58 am
content: Quote from: cdyrssen on May 07, 2015, 08:41:49 amIf you are targeting a job that pays what the statistics say, you will feel the same way for the rest of your career.If you don't like that, you will have to step down to positions where your diploma isn't needed (or go do something at the government)

author: KJDS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2015, 10:25:26 am
content: Quote from: smjcuk on May 07, 2015, 09:10:51 amNo curry sauce?

author: smjcuk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2015, 10:38:42 am
content: Quote from: KJDS on May 07, 2015, 10:25:26 amOf course - would be sinful without!

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 07, 2015, 04:23:30 pm
content: Really spicy curry sauce? (mopping up drool)

author: hans
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2015, 04:53:25 pm
content: I've had a bit of a though period last year... trying to get too much done in too little time + not really emotionally fit.I had taken 3 weeks off (probably because I overdone it), and slowly got back into work. A few weeks later it was about to return, but in that case I stopped on time.I can only recommended not to push your concentration span. Take frequent breaks, win small challenges. Dividing stuff up into small tasks is a good way to do that.I also liked going out for half an hour during work breaks. Even if it was almost freezing or stormy weather with a little rain outside; I don't care. Physical exercise is something required by the human body to maintain stress levels. I can really tell it made a difference for me.I also try to avoid (home)work or recreational (not relaxing) hobbies a few hours before bed time. Turn on a movie, read a novel, listen to music instead

author: KJDS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2015, 05:11:54 pm
content: Quote from: GreyWoolfe on May 07, 2015, 04:23:30 pmChip shop curry sauce is a special thing indeed, however it bears very little relationship to anything that an Indian would recognize as curry and is only suitable for serving with catering grade sausages and chips.

author: smjcuk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2015, 05:59:25 pm
content: So true. Its more like the Japanese curry sauce than an Indian one.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2015, 06:05:40 pm
content: Quote from: cdyrssen on May 07, 2015, 08:41:49 amYes, this is a difficult thing. I recognize the situation from personal experience. As Galenbo said, this feeling of "work overload" is something you will continue to face in the future in your working life. It is not a single "hump" you can get over and there will be no short term fix. It is something you will have gradually learn to overcome by improving your time and task management skills.The most important thing is try not to let yourself get behind on tasks, because then the mountain of things to do can start to seem more and more demoralizing.To begin, put a calendar or monthly planner chart on your wall and mark the due dates of your assignments. For each assignment, estimate how long you think it should take to complete and then mark the "start date" on the calendar as well. For each assignment, look at your calendar and make yourself start it by the appointed start date.Also, try to reward yourself for finishing tasks on time or early. Promise yourself some form of recreation you can do as soon as you have finished. The more work you finish, the more rewards you can give yourself.If you already have a mountain of work piled up, go see the people you owe it to and explain the situation. Try to negotiate a phased plan to catch up with the backlog and mark that on your calendar too.Good luck, and welcome to life!

author: eas
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2015, 07:21:36 pm
content: Quote from: cdyrssen on May 07, 2015, 08:41:49 amI was an uneven, mediocre, high school student with a decent freshman year, a declining sophomore year, a bad junior year, and a much improved senior year. I didn't get into most of the colleges I applied to, but managed a scholarship at one of our state universities on the basis of some test scores. I had a decent freshman year that involved some studying and a lot of pot smoking and managed to transfer to one of the schools I'd wanted to go to in the first place.The new school was intense, which was part of what attracted me. The library was open until ~2am, and for many people, me included, most of my waking hours was spent either in class, in lab, in the library (mostly studying) or in small study groups or a work-study job. The challenge was good for me, but it was really hard too.I would never had made it if I hadn't established a (rough) routine that left some time for sleep, relaxation, exercise and proper meals (almost) every day, as well as allowing myself an afternoon a week to get off campus and do something not school related, and an evening a week to socialize over something other than studying. It also helped that I managed to find a work-study job (locker room attendant) that let me chill out and read magazines or shoot the shit with someone.I also never would have made it if I didn't find good study partners. Fortunately, that wasn't hard to to, because the school attracted smart people who were self-motivated to learn, and the lab-culture in my science classes made it easy to find people I clicked with. This was really important to me because while studying on my own enough to do well would have been excruciating, studying with others was easy, even exhilarating. Being able to ask someone else questions was great, and helping other people understand things was enjoyable and helped cement my own understanding. I had both regular study partners, and times I recognized someone from my classes on campus and asked them about something I was wrestling with (and people did the same with me).It would have been hard not studying with people at the school I transferred to, but I think I would have had more trouble finding enough good study partners at the big state school I started at. I do think it would have been possible if I made a deliberate effort though. Often there are relevant clubs, or campus chapters of professional societies. These can provide good venues to meet potential collaborators.I took advantage of professor's office hours, when needed. Without it, there would have been times I lost motivation because I couldn't get over a hump on my own or by talking to other students.The other thing that I found helpful was realizing that "Sometimes you have to take the C." Some people can get solid high grades across all their classes. That doesn't work very well for me. In some of my classes, I realized that, while I was getting a lot out of the work, it would be incredibly difficult for me to manage more than a C+, and trying to do so would take time away from classes that I was good at. I'm still happy with my C+ in the two english lit classes I took. I am proud of the B+ in the upper-division history of technology class I took with a bunch of history majors. I feel great about the B+ in one of the most notoriously difficult O-chem classes in the world, not to mention the A- on my senior thesis.So, in summary my advice:Try to establish a routineInclude time to get enough sleep, to eat proper meals, to get some exercise, to relax, to socializeInclude some collaborative study. A little bit is probably good for you, whether you like it or not. If you don't like more than a little, then try to find some different study partners. If more still doesn't work for you, just stick with a little. Some digression during study sessions is Ok, but most of your time should be on-topic.Take the opportunity to talk to your professors/TAs. If you don't have specific questions, ask them about their own work. Seeing what other people are passionate about can help you find your own motivation, and will also help you better understand the breadth of the subject(s)Within the time and energy you allot to studying, prioritize how you spend it. To do this, it helps to think through your interests and goals, and think about how your various studies fit into that. Talking to professors, TAs, and also professionals in your area of interest can help you figure out this framework and give you a stronger sense of purpose.Studying/collaborating with other students and contact with professors/TA (and co-op partners) is also a chance for you and others to understand your personal strengths (and weaknesses), which is an important part of starting the professional network that is going to help you through your career.I'll also add, that, while you will have plenty of humps to get over in your professional life, you'll also have more options. There are classes you have to take and pass to graduate that you can't get around. There are also some things you'll have to do to earn your paycheck and advance in your career that you can't avoid, but you'll also have more opportunities to put yourself in situations where the motivations do a better job of carrying you over humps.

author: KJDS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2015, 08:08:04 pm
content: People do things other than drink to excess at university?What has the world come to?

author: TopLoser
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 07, 2015, 08:57:58 pm
content: Quote from: KJDS on May 07, 2015, 08:08:04 pmSome of us got arrested a number of times at university, 'theft of a lamp post' comes hazily to mind.... It was a chuffing great big lamp post though, well worth the subsequent legal kerfuffle!

author: KJDS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2015, 09:01:10 pm
content: Quote from: TopLoser on May 07, 2015, 08:57:58 pmI came close to being arrested twice, once for vomiting on a policemans shoes as he tried to have a conversation with me and the other for carrying a fridge down the road at 3am.For various reasons I was also known to every policeman within ten miles.

author: TopLoser
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 07, 2015, 09:23:20 pm
content: Quote from: KJDS on May 07, 2015, 09:01:10 pmMy first court appearance was after a 'gentleman' who was accused of 'the theft of a toilet roll from British Rail value £0.10. Made me seem like Ronnie Biggs in comparison!

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2015, 09:44:05 pm
content: Prioritize what work needs to be done the most, and how much effort each homework/project/studying actually needs.If you're doing really good in one class but you just got bombarded with a huge project, you don't *NEED* an A, rush that one off so you can work on the homework for classes you may need to put more work into, and get maybe a B or a C but at least it's not 0 (Ex: not handing it in at all). My last year of college was like that, every prof acted like their class was the only class you had. "Since we're only going to see each other in 4 days from now and you will have all this time off, here's 4 days worth of homework". The last few months got brutal, had zero time to myself and was about ready to break down, but just remember, as long as you pass, you get your diploma. You want to try to do as best as you can, but you also want to stay sane.

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2015, 10:51:23 pm
content: You have much company. Many, or most of us have been there. As said, change of scenery and exercise are both good treatments. The exercise doesn't have to be overwhelming. Ping-Pong, walking, dancing or stretching. The change of scenery can be small. Changing to a different work project, or a bit of internet goofing off can be enough.Visualization techniques work for some. You are a large oak tree, bent by the winds, but remaining in place. A heavy duty motor, temporarily slowed by a heavy load that has been applied, but you are not stalled, and will recover speed over time. Whatever images work for your situation.

author: cdyrssen
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 07, 2015, 11:40:03 pm
content: Thanks all for the great advice and encouragement. I definitely need to get better about getting into a routine. This summer I will be taking a couple light classes. I should be able to break some bad habits (eating, sleeping, exercise, etc.) I've gotten into over the past year and be well/better prepared for the next semester! One of my professors grabbed me after class and was really enthusiastic about helping me get involved in a University research project, so I'll probably be doing that to become a bit more involved on campus and meeting some fellow students. These have all been helpful and, even though I know it happens to everyone at some point, encouraging to hear that others have had the same problems and overcome them!

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2015, 11:46:04 pm
content: Just throwing this out here:After Uni there are no breaks once you are part of the work force.I mean, sure you can take a break but not a paid one unless you are in Europe where they get a ton of breaks, in the US you probably start with 10/15 days/year plus holidays (another 10 days or so).So finding a good balance while at Uni will serve you well after you graduate.Edit: by good balance I mostly mean not to leave things for later, procrastination is probably your worse enemy.Trivializing tasks is probably as bad, even if you think you know what is all about, do the work anyways.

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2015, 01:28:57 am
content: In the workforce there's no home work though, so when you punch out, you don't even have to think about work. Though I guess it depends on the job. Some jobs can be stressful to the point that you bring that stress home, but at that point it's time to look for another job.

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 08, 2015, 01:33:39 am
content: I also came close to be arrested twice. First time was being drunk as a skunk and trying to convince a Massachusetts State Trouper that I would get my fellow Glee Clubbers on an overnite concert with a women's college to calm down so he wouldn't have to haul all of us off to jail for drunk and disorderly. The second time was with some frat brothers painting our letters on a leanto roof that overlooked the Garden State Parkway as a NJ state trooper pulled up behind the vehicles waiting for us on the side of the road filled with beer. Fun times

author: Rick Law
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2015, 05:36:48 am
content: Quote from: cdyrssen on May 07, 2015, 08:41:49 amCdyrssen,It may serve you well to pause and go back to basics for a moment...Motivation comes from within. It could be a desire such as I want that car, or I like to be able to own a house like that, or I simply like to know more about certain things.So, ask youself this: "Why am I here at the university?" "What am I trying to accomplish?"You may say, "To get a degree, of course!" Then comes the question: "Why? What for?"More often than not, many "go to U" just because everyone else does. And failed like many - the many who never figured out what his or her goal is. It is only logical - they don't have a reason to be there; they don't have a reason to work hard so they don't.If I recall correctly, the life time earning difference between with degree and without degree is about $1.5 million (in the USA). That is over the entire life time. While money sure help, but money itself is not important. Being a good person does not require much money. It just requires a good character.So, reassess what you really want. If as I suspect you concluded that education is required for you to achieve your life's goals, then with that reason at hand, you have a reason to overcome your problems. The value is what you place in it. The goal could be "I simply want the degree because I want to be (treated like) an educated person." That is a good enough goal if that is what you want. You want it a lot? Then you have a lot of reason to push yourself to succeed.Seek the reason why you are there. If you don't know that, you will have no reason to try to stay there. From what you have said, you want to be there. You want to stay there. You want to succeed there. So there is a reason behind it. Uncover that reason.Know what you are doing is easier when you know why you are doing it. When the reason is strong enough, you will find the strength within you to overcome. You sure do not sound like some one who is a push over.Lastly, the difference between ambition and fantasy is the will to work for it. If you want X but unwilling to work for it, you are just having a fantasy. Have the ambition to achieve, find the crossing between your ambition and your ability, and push as close to the limit as your ability allow. Don't short change yourself. Go get it, and you will get what you earned.I do wish you success!SincerelyRick

author: timofonic
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2015, 11:59:34 pm
content: I'm 30yo and ADHD diagnosed a year ago. I'm totally burn out of the vocational training school and extremely unmoticated. Teachers sucks, most classmates are retards or assholes. I receive no support at all and I'm unable to pay a private tutor.I'm thinking on isolate from everyone and everything again, life sucks.I have no money, but I would go to whatever just to get proper support. I would like to study EE, CS, Telecommunications or Physics. But my ADHD and anxiety severity makes me a total retard.

author: Rick Law
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2015, 12:50:38 am
content: Quote from: Circuiteromalaguito on May 08, 2015, 11:59:34 pmIs the job market in Spain ok? 1 to 5, 1=get a job any minute you want to. 5=easier to win the lotteryReason I ask is this:When I was a "TA" while I was in graduate school, I found that those who worked for a while, then go to university (as I did) in general are more successful than those going to university directly from high school. In part, it is because they are more mature; and in part, they return because of their wanting to further their education.If the job market is not as bleak as in the USA, it may be beneficial to hit the job market. I am not suggesting that yet. I am asking as a "background info" question.Also:Since you said you are 30, did you already worked for a while? If so, what makes you decide to quit work and go back to school?Rick

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2015, 08:14:55 am
content: @RickIf you think the US market is bad for job placement, well Spain is on a totally different league.I wouldn't say it's a 5 but close to it. Of course not everyone struggles getting a permanent job.It's common to get 6 months temporary employment and then let go because if they hire you for longer then the company must by law give you a permanent position.It's also hard for companies to let employees go, so the system tends to be abusive and companies are shy on hiring permanent workers in case they turn out not to pull their weight like they did on the first 6 months.It's very complicated but here is an article that talk about it, although the article doesn't cover some of the subtleties of what is really going on it does show how bad employment is in general.It's not uncommon for someone that is 30 to never had a permanent job or even a temporary one, unless is working on a bar/restaurant.http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/04/spain-is-beyond-doomed-the-2-scariest-unemployment-charts-ever/275324/Here is one of the charts in the above article that shows how the 27.2% currently unemployed are split by total unemployment time, showing that almost 20% of the total workforce didn't have a job for the last half year.That said, all of my friends found work and are currently working, but I'm on a different age bracket, not sure about their kids which should be of age for work.Of course not having a full education doesn't help matters so at least a trade school title (formación profesional) would be very important to get any meaningful employment.Post WWII a lot of emigrants went to Germany specially for the auto industry but people in Spain prefer to stay in their home town, which makes things worse because really they could find jobs elsewhere in the EU and that would help the situation a lot because then companies will have to compete for employees instead of the other way around like it's now.Pretty bleak stuff, btw I'm going back to visit this summer I'm a bit overdue to visit friends and family (7 years)

author: Electric flower
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2015, 11:28:30 am
content: I have noticed in two things something strange when i study a lot...It only happens with math or electronics, if i do maths for too long and when i stop next 12-24 hours (especially before sleep) i would see equations and graphs everywhere... when that phase kicks in it destroys me more than studying itself...But when i work a lot with PCBs same thing happens but i see PCBs i worked on in almost every detail (markings on components, texture of plastics...) (i'm small, but components are huge like buildings, and in my mind i'm stuck for 30 min - 2 hours wondering on those PCBs and components... sounds fun but it's disgusting)What i would recommend is to take some sport activity, but it's not an option when you don't have any time for it... the other thing that helped me a lot is wanking it off, 7-8 times during a night before exam when i had to study.I had a minor breakdown while working in one repair shop but it was not from studying... but i used same remedy as i said above.Good luck

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2015, 12:20:56 pm
content: also have the quirk of my mind becoming entirely wrapped around a project, and its a good thing if your still working on it, but afterwards, can really stuff your sleep schedule,Oddly enough i only recently discovered, if you dream too actively, you don't actually sleep, your brain needs its time in non-rem sleep, or you feel like shit, and if you don't clear your head before you go to sleep while its still an active thought rather than something you mull over you will be far worse for wear in the morning,For me its just like anything, get too drawn in on a show, or a book, or a design and i'll see it when i close my eyes, and my mind will be shifted for a few days following.

author: HackedFridgeMagnet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2015, 01:49:50 pm
content: Can you take a lighter load?I used to defer at least one subject a year, made life a lot easier. So I sort did about 75-90% of full load.Gives you the time to enjoy your uni life and enjoy the remaining subjects too.

author: Rick Law
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2015, 08:09:16 pm
content: Quote from: miguelvp on May 09, 2015, 08:14:55 amI am sorry to hear that. I knew it was bad in Spain, but I was not aware of the 6 month "situation" there. I am trying to understand the situation so I can be encouraging and help where I can.I sure hope there will be changes and the economy turns soon - well better say "economies turn soon" since we are talking at least two countries. Average college graduates in the USA are having a very hard time finding jobs, particularly jobs that actually requires a college education. It does sound like Spain is worst.Well, let's all wish changes come soon.Mean time, at good growth place or bad, finishing school, getting well prepared for a career is a good thing. Luck tends to favor the well prepared.

author: mswhin63
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2015, 02:45:15 pm
content: I too have approached burnout, tried to start Uni this year only to find I had completely burn't. Although for different reason the same thing applies. Take a year off, look for work part-time in the industry you are interested in, then come back to complete the last years off.You should be able to seek medical reason if you are burn't out, that should help like myself i was given permission for one year break this year and will be using this time to catch-up in some areas in the past years to revise specifically in areas that would need further studies. All this at my own pace.My difference i am 51 years old with loads of family commitments, I also suffer from a few medical conditions which are being looked at this year and happy to say working out well.This year so far has been a massive relief and I am sure I will get back with extra energy.Finally re-evaluate if you should consider 1 less course per year. I currently do 3 courses instead of 4. It will take a bit longer to complete but I can see the end of the tunnel now, next year will be devoted to the last of my 3rd studies.

author: SArepairman
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2015, 03:35:08 am
content: I was burned out until I found eevblog. I convinced them to let me do a independent research project, and I had great fun developing a system. I did it because it was hard. My grades were under par for the requirement, but I struck up a relationship with a professor and worked very hard on my undergraduate design project, they were impressed enough with my thoroughness (metrological equipment) that they let me write up a research proposal and whatnot.I chose something hard and worked long hours, but it gave me alot of motivation. The stuff I was learning in other classes suddenly had a direct use, rather then thinking there is a 10% chance I will use this in the job.I did spend alot of money out of pocket for a lab, but it was worth it. I feel pride, no matter what anyone says. I learned how to make money too, because my hunger for equipment and parts and prototyping was great. I think it looks good on a resume too, if you show that you busted ass to build something that you are passionate about.I'm not designed for school though. My GPA was bad and attending classes was a pain, I feel like I learned everything I should have from my classes during my 2 years of independent work. I just stress my projects on my resume. I really did have to put alot of time into self learning, but I just cannot do classes that well. I always felt like, its gonna be up to luck if I get a good grade. Lotto with your memory. I stopped stressing though, just did enough to pass, stress did begin to have a strong effect on me. I felt like it was shortening my life span. If you manage to cobble something together, test it, and have it work, then its a good confidence boost. You don't need to worry about forgetting something.. you just know you can hack it, once you begin to do research yourself and teach yourself more advanced topics. You get this like, confidence that yea, this problem might take a while to solve, but i can definitely over come it, those guys writing this stuff are no better then me. Just some guys with some textbooks and test equipment.. and you stay coolAnd the excitement of making your imagination come to reality is a great motivator. I think we all over load because well, middle school, high school and most of college are just purely theoretical. You don't make a product or provide someone with a solution or anything like that, you just solve problem after problem after problem for like over ten years. I almost began to feel like dissociated from school... I felt like im just trying to write something on a paper so it gets a check mark.. stopped caring why I am doing it. I felt like I was batman fighting the riddler.I don't know if college can be done better, due to logistics and practicality, but you certainly need to figure out how to keep yourself sane. I mean, look how happy people are when they solve OTHER PEOPLES problems.. neighbors always smile and get all cheerful when they help each other. Do you ever feel like you are improving something or helping someone or solving a REAL problem in college? I only got that feeling from sharing homework with kids who were in deep trouble. It just felt like a fight with some guy who does not wanna teach and wants to work on his own project (research professors)

author: timofonic
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2015, 10:50:59 am
content: Quote from: miguelvp on May 09, 2015, 08:14:55 amIt's nearly 5 here, but even worse with my low curriculum and social skills.I just want study support, everything else is secondary. They ignored me.

author: Rick Law
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2015, 04:00:42 pm
content: Quote from: Circuiteromalaguito on May 11, 2015, 10:50:59 amYou have friends here. Most of us here do care. There is a few jerks here and there, but by-and-large the EEVBLOG folks are a caring bunch.Since you are here, so obviously you like or interested in electronics. Use that as a motivator. Try to impress people here - as a motivator. If that works for you, use it as a stepping stone.You have identified two problems, low curriculum and social skills. To your advantage, both of them you can fix. Most people are in denial about their problem, but you are not. So you are ahead with remedy already. You just need to keep moving with your new heading.With your interest in EE, expand that. Math, Physics, so forth. Those are by no mean "low curriculum." In fact, they are ones that can lift your overall resume.One thing that may surprise you in Wall Street (yeah, that Wall Street in New York City with all the stock exchanges). They hire a lot of Physicist to do analysis - of stocks and financials. So, many from the hiring end understands how certain skills are transferable, and those same skills shapes the person to be a contributor. EE is a Physical Science based discipline so it has some similar advantages. Your interest in EE is a good stepping stone to other science based discipline.Cross-discipline folks are the more valuable. Like Law & Chemistry double major, like Physics and Marketing double major... EE &, even if you don't want to do EE as a living, use EE as the "enhancer".Remember, it is not your first year's performance that matters; it is your LAST YEAR'S performance that really matters. So don't let your earlier "low curriculum" be an issue. As long as you are not "fix feet under", you have time to reshape your future. Do that, and do that now.However bleak things may look, luck favors the well prepared. So, luck will be with you. Go get them.Keep us posted as your progress with your quest. We will cheer you on. We do care.Rick

author: Johndi
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2015, 07:23:15 pm
content: I feel for the OP, and that is one of the major reasons why I washed out of engineering and ended up falling back on my computer experience and working my way up in server administration. I believe that if I had stumbled upon and joined EEVblog during those low periods it would have helped.There was a poster who mentioned getting into study groups. That is extremely valuable advice. I took a different route of working in my school's IT department, so while my other classmates took jobs like working in the library or working as front desk workers, and had hours either late at night or early morning that afforded them the ability to cluster together an knock out a large assignment within an hour, I missed out on that opportunity and my grades suffered because of it.The other advice of coming to the realization that sometimes you have to take that C, that's also true. Among some of my previous classmates we had the saying "C's get degrees" and it was true. And after you get out and get experience no one really cares how high your GPA is or was so long as you're able to competently do the work and meet/exceed the job requirements.The feeling of being overwhelmed and hitting burn out doesn't go away once you reach the working population, instead it only gets worse. One thing that I can say is that its better to figure out a way of getting through it now rather than attempting to go back to school while you're working full time, because that sucks. I'm going back to finish my degree currently and it is difficult while working 40-50 hour weeks.

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2015, 10:01:39 pm
content: Having watched my son and a couple of others complete a degree while working full time and supporting a family, I have nothing but respect for those who can do it. Those of you who are feeling burnt out during your initial pass through university might look to the difficulty of this path for motivation to get done now. I know that it seems impossible for things to get worse. I wasn't able to convince my son that it would be easier to finish on his first pass, but he frequently bemoaned his choices later as he was completing a far greater challenge.The one thing that was better for him with his later completion was that he had a few years of technical work under his belt and both knew that he liked the field and knew that a piece of paper documenting his knowledge was more important than the actual knowledge when working for many organizations. The large companies that can provide well stocked labs and lots of varied and bleeding edge challenges are those that are most prone to having an HR department requiring credentials.

author: Ecklar
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2015, 01:55:23 am
content: Quote from: cdyrssen on May 07, 2015, 08:41:49 amTake fewer classes in a semester. If you are crowding numerous things into your life at the same time you need to evaluate priorities and eliminate things that don't support your major initiatives. Get yourself a day planner and better schedule your time. If all else fails, take a semester off, stand back and write out your vision and the WHY of the thing. Then you'll clearly understand the journey.

author: Ecklar
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2015, 02:00:43 am
content: Quote from: cdyrssen on May 07, 2015, 08:41:49 amTake fewer classes in a semester. If you are crowding numerous things into your life at the same time you need to evaluate priorities and eliminate things that don't support your major initiatives. Get yourself a day planner and better schedule your time. If all else fails, take a semester off, stand back and write out your vision and the WHY of the thing. Then you'll clearly understand the journey.

author: timofonic
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 29, 2015, 10:11:59 am
content: Quote from: Rick Law on May 11, 2015, 04:00:42 pmI feel totally burnt, economy is making things even worse. I detailled itin my last post about ADHD

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 04, 2015, 08:42:15 pm
content: As a Red-Raider alum I had to throw my 2 cents in. It looks like you have gotten lots of good, thoughtful replies to your original post.I graduated in EE from Texas Tech long before there was an Internet (or at least, a public one). I had a tough time staying focused my senior year and went and spoke with my main professor. He told me that it wasn't unusual. He said that just before finishing up his PhD, he couldn't stay awake in class. He'd never had that problem until he was approaching graduation. So I believe the "stress" from the idea of going out in the real world can sometimes be a tough thing to contemplate.I would certainly get enough sleep, exercise, have fun, and be with other people when you can. If none of that helps then maybe talk to someone at the clinic at TTU. Try not to be too hard on yourself.You're not alone. Let us know how you are doingSteve

author: Alexei.Polkhanov
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2015, 09:19:55 pm
content: HahahaLet me paraphrase my favourite demotivator:"If you happy with your [job/school/whatever] then your [job/school/whatever] must be very stupid and easy - the kind of [job/study/whatever] robots will be doing soon."