4 posts shown.
There’s something about watching elite athletes reach the top that makes me wonder if we're losing that drive in everyday life. It feels like we've traded that intense, singular focus for instant gratification. Does anyone else feel like that level of discipline is becoming a lost art?
rustydriver23 said:When is the RC coming? Does anyone have any news?...
Man, you really need to check the last couple of posts... if you had, you'd already know the answer... The RC is out... we're just waiting on RC2 now... if there even is one... Maybe an RTM is next...👍
Thanks for the advice. I suppose I should say my old man is quite the materialist...
He’s a good person, genuinely helpful to everyone, which I appreciate. But when it comes to me, he treats everything like an investment—as if helping me is just something he expects to see a return on later. It’s pretty draining. He constantly tells me I’m going to end up a failure and all that. To be fair, he might have a point, considering that’s exactly how I started out. He always brings up how I haven't achieved anything, while he had a steady, high-paying career by the time he was 22. Man, I'm not him. Times have changed...🤷
So, there is this massive pressure from him. Even though I know he has these expectations and just wants to be a "proud dad," I still find myself paralyzed. I’m certain things would improve if I just showed him some results. I really am. But breaking a two-year habit is easier said than done...
Regarding studying, I think it's a universal truth. If you actually like a subject, you soak it up like a sponge. But if it makes no sense or doesn't interest you, learning it feels like death. I'm the same way...
Concentration is a huge struggle, and pure theory is unbearable. Practical stuff, solving logic problems and equations, is incredibly difficult for me. Math and mechanics—which I actually love, even though I haven't passed them yet—and structural engineering... those are okay. But materials science, polymers, and all that other nonsense... they just won't stick in my brain...
Still, I know once I finally master it—which will take a mountain of effort—it stays with me. I don't forget things once they click...
There’s also the issue of how I learn. Studying silently is a total disaster. Studying out loud is a slightly less intense disaster. It's fascinating how much better I do when someone reads to me, explains things, or lets me ask questions. When someone walks me through the material, I actually learn. It works just like being in a lecture hall. When I'm actually sitting in class, I listen, I retain, and I remember a lot. The problem is, I'm never actually in the lecture hall...😳
Another organization issue... Amidst all the chaos at college, I kept hitting the gym. I didn't realize I was growing a bit of a gut. Since I kept going to the gym, the gut kept growing. Now, it’s time for surgery. I'll get it handled during my time off...
Is it a double-edged sword? Maybe it'll be good because I'll have downtime to study. Or maybe I'll lose my mind having to rest and not being allowed to pick up a dumbbell, let alone a textbook...😱
Ultimately, I just need to snap out of it. What are your alternative ways of studying? How do you stay organized?...
One more thing. I'm hooked on the internet. I wouldn't call myself a tech geek, but I can't live without certain forums. Mostly professional ones. For instance, I'm really into Motorola gear; it's a big hobby of mine. I'd much rather spend my free time at the computer browsing CafeMobi than clearing space on my desk to open a book...
And the worst part about all this is summer... Why do I feel like I'm going to miss out on the summer of 2008?
Thanks for the replies, the ideas are helping... 👍
It’s just how things are... I don't want to quit, though; I just want to end this cycle. It’s actually quite difficult to be this honest, because it feels humiliating.
I’m not posting this here so people can tear me down or call me stupid, immature, or spoiled... I’m writing this in the hope that someone might offer some actual guidance.
Let’s go through it step by step.
High school was great. I graduated and moved on to college. You wouldn't believe it, but university isn't easy either. I'm studying Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech.
The first month went really well. I wasn't even struggling much; I managed to pass my first major exam via a midterm. Then I passed two more. Things were looking up... then a girl entered my life. She completely drained me, mentally and physically, for nearly a year. The issue was that I had time for everything except my studies. Naturally, I failed the year. After that, I tried to pick up the pieces, moved on from her, and tried to act like I was fine... then another girl came along. This academic year is winding down, and I've only passed one single exam. I'm slipping again.
I am incredibly lazy, and I admit that with a heavy heart. I only needed three exams to stay on track, and I didn't even manage that. It's not that I lack intelligence. I can handle the material. I've always been bright in certain areas and have received plenty of praise in the past. It seems intelligence and laziness often go hand in hand...😳
So now... it's September, there are two regular exam periods coming up, and I need to pass three specific classes no matter what. It’s doable. If I study properly, I know I can master the material.
Problem one isn't catastrophic, but it will take effort. I missed lectures and lab sessions. I managed to get my attendance credits through some clever maneuvering, but now I have to deal with the missing coursework, the lack of lecture notes, and the practical lab work. How do I make up for all that? There isn't an easy way. I'll have to find a way somehow.
Problem two: I'm living in a total dump that even cockroaches would flee from, and I'm paying for it myself$567. Rent is about $1,200. Looking at it that way, it's a significant amount. The issue is the utilities, and honestly, the rent itself. It's just not enough. My parents are well-off, so that's not the core issue. And then there's the third problem.
Problem three: My parents—they have big hearts and do everything to help me succeed. The trouble is, I’ve been hiding things from them, though I've tried to fix that. I haven't broken their trust entirely, but it's shaken. Now, we've hit a wall of constant arguments, and they've started threatening to cut me off financially. They're fed up with me, and frankly, so am I. I won't dwell on it further.
I know I'm wasting their time, their hard work, and their effort. I'm losing their trust and damaging our relationship.
Finally, one more thing. I am a deep optimist; I always try to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I see a way out. I KNOW, deeply and truly, that I have to pull myself together and pass these exams in September. I have a life waiting for me in the next two years. I have a girlfriend I care about, a degree path that offers a future, and good friends.
But it's summer. Every time, I tell myself the same thing, but I never turn those words into action. How do I snap out of it? How do I simply sit down with my books and start from scratch? How do I say no to hanging out, grabbing coffee, or spending time with my girlfriend to focus on studying?
I just want to get my studies back on track so I can live a normal life without all this constant tension.
I tried to answer this for myself... and the answer was simple: START STUDYING!
BUT... my question for you is, how do I force myself? How do I get my act together? My parents are constantly on my case about money, and it weighs heavily on me. I know I'm taking so much from them and giving nothing back. I feel terrible about it.
I want to change for the better. I'm not asking for philosophical lectures; just give me an idea, some advice, or perhaps a bit of your own experience. How would you attempt to navigate these problems? And how do you transform innate laziness into something productive? Just keep in mind that this laziness is accompanied by a genuine desire to change.
Forgive the long post, but I couldn't find a shorter way to say it. I just had to get this out.
Thank you all so much in advance. 👍