Posts by Timothy Ruiz3

stormyheron4 said:Give us some more of your brilliant wisdom.

Fine, here’s a tip from me on how to avoid a bear attack. Just stay away from bears—keep your distance. If you don't go looking for trouble, the chances of a bear deciding you look like a snack are pretty slim. Or, as my neighbors back home would say, "don't poke the bear."

Here’s another one regarding snakes. Don't go shoving your hands into holes in the ground or under rocks out in the wild; if you do, your odds of getting bitten drop significantly.

And if a snake actually does get you, try to cut off the circulation. If you get bit on the palm, for instance, tie a cloth or a shirt tightly around your wrist to limit blood flow from the hand—otherwise, the venom spreads through your system and things can get fatal fast. You can keep the arm bound until you reach a doctor and get the antivenom, but obviously, don't leave it tied too long... People with actual experience also know how to attempt to draw out most of the venom...

Benjamin Johnson23 said:you'd be diving just to drown for no reason😬 or get eaten by some shark🤣

Yeah—and then you wake up... 🤣

Elizabeth Lee63 said:I’m thinking about signing up for a scuba diving course somewhere coastal. Has anyone actually done this recently?🙂

I knocked out Level 3 last year—now that I’m turning 18, I’m moving up to Level 4. Hit me up in my DMs if you want the specifics.

dustyraven7 said:It’s basically this... the situation is what it is, but I’m not looking to quit—I just want to bring the whole thing to a close. It’s actually pretty rough being honest about it, because it feels humiliating.

Just so we're clear, I didn't start this thread so everyone could jump down my throat calling me stupid, immature, spoiled, or whatever other labels you want to throw at me—I'm posting in the hope that maybe someone can offer some actual insight or advice.

Let’s break it down.

High school... everything was great. Graduated, enrolled in college. And wouldn't you know it, college isn't exactly a walk in the park either. I'm talking Mechanical Engineering at a state university somewhere. (Location doesn't matter.)

Anyway, things started off strong during the first month. I wasn't even struggling that much; I actually managed to pass my first big exam through a midterm. Then I passed two more. Things were moving... then a girl entered the picture. She absolutely wrecked me—mentally and physically—for nearly a year. The issue was that I had time for everything except my coursework. Naturally, I failed the year. So, I tried to pivot, the relationship ended, and I just kept messing up. Eventually, I moved on, spent some time acting like a single guy, and then another girl came along. We're approaching the end of the year, and I've only passed one single exam the entire time. I'm failing again.

I am incredibly lazy, and I'll be the first to admit it. I needed to pass three exams just to stay on track, and I haven't even done that. It's not that I'm dumb or anything—I can handle the material. I'm sharp when I actually try, and I've picked up plenty of praise in the past. It seems like intelligence and laziness are practically best friends.😳

So now... it's September. There are two regular exam periods for everything, and I have three exams I need to pass immediately. No big deal. If I actually study properly, nobody can fail me because I'll know the material inside and out.

Problem 1: It's not catastrophic, but it requires effort. I missed lectures, and I missed the lab sessions too. I managed to scrape by on signatures through some clever maneuvering. But now? Between needing to find textbooks, catching up on missed lectures, practical work, and labs—how am I supposed to make that up? Honestly, there's no way. Though, I guess I'll figure something out.

Problem 2: A total dump of an apartment that cockroaches would run away from, and I'm paying for it myself $567. My parents send me $2,500. Looking at it that way, it sounds like a lot of money. The issue is the utilities, and the rent itself. Basically, it's not enough. Not that my parents aren't well-off or anything. And then there's the third problem.

Problem 3: My parents. They have huge hearts and would do anything to help me succeed. The mess is that I've been hiding things from them, though I've dealt with that now. Well, I've dealt with it enough to shake their trust. Now, it's turned into constant nagging and threats that they won't fund me anymore—my parents are really breathing down my neck. I don't think I need to go into more detail.

The point is, I know I'm wasting their time, their hard work, and their effort, and I'm destroying my relationship with them.

On top of all that, I'm a massive optimist; I always see a light at the end of the tunnel. I see a way out. I KNOW—and I mean I damn well know—that I need to pull myself together and crush these exams in September. Over the last two years, I've built a life here. I have a girlfriend I care about, I'm enrolled in a degree that offers a future, and I have friends.

But it's summer. Every single time I tell myself I'll change, but I never actually do it. How do I snap out of it? How do I just grab a book and start from scratch? How do I say no to hanging out, grabbing coffee, or cuddling with my girlfriend just to sit with a textbook?

I just want to get my studies back on track and live a normal life without all this constant complaining and drama.

I tried to answer this for myself... and the answer was: START STUDYING!

BUT... the question for you guys is, how do I force myself? How do I get my act together? My parents are constantly riding me about the money, and it eats at 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 looking for anyone to lecture me from a mountaintop here, just give me an idea, some advice, or even just a bit of your own experience. How would you go about digging yourself out of all these problems? And more importantly, how do you turn a born slacker into someone actually productive? Just keep in mind—this "slacker" actually has a massive desire to change.

Sorry for the long post, but I couldn't really find a shorter way to say it. I just had to get this off my chest.

Thanks in advance. 👍

Yeah... yeah... look, man, here's what you do: take everything related to college, shove it all into one big plastic bin, and haul it up to the attic. Then, go out and enjoy yourself. Seriously. Go have a blast, live it up, hang out with your girlfriend—do whatever you want. Basically, just mess around and forget about school, your problems, and all that nonsense until August 1st. Just blow off steam completely. Once August 2nd hits, you bring that bin back down from the attic, swap out all the fun stuff for your textbooks, and shove the fun stuff back up in the attic. From August 2nd through mid-September, it’s strictly study mode—the return to reality. Get at least eight hours of sleep every night, eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and don't study right before bed; go for a walk instead. It's better for you. Use Saturdays to reset—have one day where you aren't studying, but you aren't partying either. From what I can tell, you already know *how* to study, so there’s no point in me explaining different techniques... If you actually have the drive, it shouldn't be a problem. As for the apartment situation, either move or call a professional exterminator—it's worth the money. Regarding that old drama you mentioned, you didn't actually say what happened, so I can't really help there. That's all I've got, but just so you know, this plan worked for me.

So you're telling me these routers aren't actually harmful? I know there's no definitive proof yet—but honestly, I still feel like they're something you should just avoid altogether... [?]