Once again my Mum is hammering me about school. She wants me to make a decision about my package, whether its Tertiary or Accredited. I have already told her that I am aiming for an A package, but she just wont listen. I'm sure its less her concern that I 'havent decided', and more the fact that she wants me to have a T package. I have told her that I cant keep up with the work load, but she just said that I should stop being so lazy. I dont now, or have I ever had any desire to go to Uni, I'm not sure if I even want to go to CIT. I dont know what I'm going to do after school, but I really dont need her input on the matter. For a T package I need at least 3 T majors, 1 T minor, 2 A minors and 20 units total. I just cant keep up with that load. Its too much. I have problems committing myself to homework and studies. Now I wont blame my parents, but a slap on the wirst now and then to get me to do my homework, waaaaaay back in primary school, and I wouldnt have this problem. But thats not my point right now. She nags and nags and nags at me about my school work. I agree, I could be a bit better at school, but I'm not V grading or anything. If I were simply to tell her to but out of my school life, she would get pissed off and would be crabby all day, and the next day she would start hammering me about it again. I dont know what to do. This, combined with multiple other things has me so stressed out, I dont know whats what anymore. She nags at me about getting a job too. I want a job, but I dont know where I want to work. The last place I would ever want to work is as McDonalds, or at Woolworths, or any checkout for that matter. I have been thinkin lately that I would do well working in a library, I'm quite obsessive about things being in the right place and tidy. But I'm not sure what sort of pay I would get, or if any libraries nearby are open to employ anyone. Another big problem is that I take a very long time to settle into and get comfortable in a new environment. I remember when I did work experience I didnt get used to it even after a whole week solid. I'm at a brick wall here, and I dont know how to get around it. :bang: Another thing I feel I need to get out is that I made an appointment with the school counsellor, but I chickened out at the last minute. See, I'm not sure if I did it right, the lady at the DEN (the student services and support office) told me to put my name on an empty line on his timetable up on the wall. But I dont know whether I just put my name up in an empty space and he will come out and call me in. Or if I need to check with him about whether he is free on that line first. I sat down outside his office, waited about 5-10 minutes, decided he probably wasnt going to turn up, or that I hadnt booked the appointment properly, and got up to go to history. I have been thinking about it all day now. It is really stressing me out. :icon_sad:
Hi there! Take a deep breath, and try to stop thinking about what happened during the day. (*hug*) Okay, lets start with studying and school work. You have identified a problem already, with which you should start in turning things around: "I have problems committing myself to homework and studies." Maybe there is a time of the day or evening where you study better or feel you can concentrate better on your homework. If that's the case, pick that time to do your homework and your studying. Also, when studying and/or doing homework it is important that you keep the workload manageable. If you have lots of homework, divide the homework in manageable chunks. For example, instead of trying to do all ten math questions at once, try to complete two math questions, take a break, go and get something to drink, and then attempt the next two. Keeping your workload manageable, will not only allow you to get some motivation going (as you complete the different parts of your homework) but you will also retain a lot more information that way. As you start completing assignments your commitment and motivation might and most likely will increase. If you have to, remind yourself that completing your homework and studying is important. You know that you don't like working at McDonalds or at a checkout. If you don't want this to become your future career option, start studying and try to give it your best. You know you could be a "bit better at school." Use that to start building up some motivation to be better at school and trying to give it your best. You know that you can do it. Maybe your mum 'nags' because she is worried about you and your future. From the sounds of it, there is a high possibility that this is the case. If you feel that having a job at the moment would be too much, talk to your mom about it, but also let her know that you are taking your school work seriously and that you want to try and give it your best. Also, ask try to look at your expectations of yourself and also what you want to do. Set yourself some study goals and talk to your teachers about them. As for the appointment with the counselor, don't worry about it if it didn't happen today. Go back tomorrow, and ask about the procedures in making the appointment. Tell them that this is your first visit and that you would like to see someone. I'm pretty sure they will tell you as to how to make an appointment or what you need to do in order to see a counselor and how it works in their office. There is nothing to stress out about or worry about. (*hug*)
:sigh: I have tried to space my workload out evenly before, it didnt go well. I spaced it out to the point where I was doing at most, 10-20 min of homework a week. I am really bad at it. I sit and put it off, I come up with excuses, I sit on the computer staring blankly at my work, I go off task, and then when it comes to the due date, I rush the whole thing in 2 days and get a C. Last semester the highest grade I got was a B. All my other overall grades were C's, and the only reason I got a B in one class was because we didnt have and take home assignments all semester. Im not going to point fingers, but my younger brother has enormous trouble with homework too, and my older brother did until a few years ago, so I know its not my fault I have problems with it. At one point, years and years ago, I was aiming to be a biologist. Then I went into high school, and my aim dropped to vet. And then next year it dropped to animal welfare worker. Next I was going to be a chef. Then simply work in a Cafe. Then I was going to be a farmer, or agriculturist. Until last week I had decided on being a horticulturist, maybe work in a nursery at best. Now I am starting to think about library work. My grades drop, I lose confidence from this, I lose motivation, my grades drop lower and the cycle repeats. I am happy to take whatever life gives me. I know I'm not going to end up in a gutter, but I just wish Mum would stop hounding me about being an effing honour student. She has always treated me like this. She wants me to do well at school, so she hammers at me, and I get stressed and do bacly at school. She wants me to improve, hounds me, I get stressed and do even worse. I dont know how she could possibly think that she is helping at all, she just stands there and nags. I wish she would just let me live my life. Its my life, I want ot live it. I want to make bad choices, I want to make mistakes. I dont want to be forced to live my life constantly affraid of doing badly at things. I need to learn from my mistakes and grow from them. But how can I do that when I'm not allowed to make mistakes. I havent even shown her my semester 1 report yet. If I did, the most likely course of action for her would be to chain us together, so that she could follow me around at school all day and make sure I dont fuck up. Now as for a job, I will get one when I am comfortable, no matter what she has to say about it. But I just wish she would stop saying things about it. She is normally a really nice person. At the best of times, I would rate her in the top 100 best parents. But sometimes she has us under a complete dictatorship. She nags, and when we dont listen, she gets pissed off and treats everyone like shit all day.
Hi there! Okay. Lets try this. Either later today or tomorrow, try putting together a study schedule. Get yourself a weekly planner. For each day write down all the classes that you have. Then write down the due dates for assignments (all that you know at this point), and the dates for tests. Once you have done that, start allotting 2 to 3 hours each day for studying. Think about a time during the day where you will be least disturbed. Then write down the fun things that you usually do, whether it be browsing the web, being on EC, listening to music, hanging out with friends, etc.... Try to stick to that schedule as best as you can. Yeah, it is not going to be easy at first but give it a try. Maybe talk to your teachers as well, and let them know that you want to try this. Maybe a bit of encouragement and support from your teachers could also help you in that. Also, talk to your mom. Your mom wants you to do well, for good reasons. Your mom believes in you. And I'm sure that somewhere within you, you want to do well and achieve something too, right? Let your mom know that some of the things she is saying about school, makes you feel stressed out. Let her know that her expectations are putting extra pressure on you. Show her the schedule and let her know this is what you are trying to improve your grades and trying your best. Maybe this will also ease some of your mom's worries. You got a B in one course last semester. What did you do to get that B? Think about it. Take that as a starting point when you study and allot the times for studying. Given that you are not sure about things that interest you at this point (which it totally okay given that you are only 16), just concentrate on doing well in school. As you study and read your school materials some of your interests will come to the fore, and you will (over time) get a better sense of what interests you. By just concentrating on school for the moment, and trying to do well in your subjects, it could help in stopping the cycle of repeating itself. In trying to do well, you will start increasing your motivation. You are already learning from your 'mistakes' and are growing from them. Think about it. You are only 16 years of age. Maybe flip your 'argument' around. If you would have not been allowed to make mistakes, would your mom 'nag' about your grades, or school work? If you would not have been allowed to make mistakes, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be having a C as part of your grades. If you look at it, maybe your mom is trying to tell you in her own way 'start learning from your mistakes.' That's what parents do, if you don't listen. Start listening and keep learning from your 'mistakes.' Think about the times when your mom falls under the top 100 best parents, and the times when she gets angry or is disappointed in you. (*hug*)
I wont make any promises, but I will try to take your advice to heart. I'm not worried about school at all. I know that a C isnt the worst grade to get. As or Bs are much better, but Im content with anything above a C. But my Mum has lately got me really worried about it. I know I dont fuss about grades as much as other people do, and I understand that if I dont fuss about grades much I may not achieve as mucha s others. I dont know why I am so worried about it, it just seems out of character for me to worry about school. Normally I live my life according to chaos theory. What happens happens, it wants to happen, it will happen and theres nothing anyone can do about it.
