Stress

[ScienceGeek]

I've been feeling exhausted all of the time since I had the inner ear infection, the ear infection has gone but the tiredness hasn't. I feel like I've ran out of steam and have no reserves left for the last couple of weeks of term. Tomorrow I have to write 1200 words of my essay to have the draft ready to take to the dyslexia tuition appointment on Tuesday.

 

My anxiety levels have gone through the roof in the last few weeks. All I just want to do is crawl under the duvet and not come out for a few weeks. Depression is definitely back, sleeping patterns have gone erratic. In other words things are not good with me right now. I constantly feel like I'm overloaded and it just accumulates every day.

 

This term has been far too much for me. I'm hoping that I won't be as bad the other terms as they are shorter than this one. I can't wait to move to Bristol next year, at least that will be 3hrs taken off my day. Just feel like I've hit the wall and can't go any further. I knew that I would struggle with university, but didn't realise I would react this badly.

[Clare63]

This is a very long term and many people feel exhausted by it , probably does not help that its dark in the afternoons and the grotty weather we having been having brings us down. Hope your move to Bristol is early in the year, 3 hrs should make such a difference its no wonder you feel exhausted.

Have you been checked out for glandular fever that can make you feel so very tired, I had it when I was much younger and the effects of exhaustion and feeling depressed seem to return year after year for a long time.

<'> <'> <'>

Clare x x x

[Tally]

Being ill is a really common trigger for depression, as can any major change, even a positive one like starting university.

 

I think it would be acceptable to take a not-quite-finished draft on Tuesday, considering you have been ill. Do as much as you can, and explain if you need to.

 

Have you tried taking a sleep aid? It seems a weird thing to do when you're tired, I know, but it can help you re-establish a good sleeping routine.

 

Moving closer will help a great deal. 3 hours is a LONG time to spend travelling!

[ScienceGeek]

I wish it were as simple as a not quite finished draft. I've barely even started the thing, my attention span and energy levels have been so poor that I've only got 300 of the required 1500 words done. I'm going to try my best tomorrow to get as much done as possible and then take it to the dyslexia tuition. The essay is due in a week tomorrow so will have a few days to make any adjustments. I seriously can't wait until the holidays, we have a month off and only have to do 2 assignments and revise for a small maths test for when we get back from the hols.

 

I sent my first email to the e-counselling service during the week so will be expecting the first reply tomorrow morning. I don't think I could face doing it in person right now. Everywhere you turn in the university there is people, obviously to be expected. I dunno it seems like they are all coping a lot better than me, all interatcing with each other and stuff. I just want people to leave me alone, so I can sit and each my lunch in peace. It's not that I don't like people, just that they are far too tiring and take far too much effort, which I don't have the patience or energy for right now.

 

Pah.

 

Edit: Why do I feel the need to be perfect? That everything I do has to be perfect?

Edited December 9, 2007 by ScienceGeek

[Tally]

Please speak to your lecturer about the essay. You have been ill and you are still not recovered. You may be able to get an extension.

 

All you can do for Tuesday is as much as you can do. If you do that, you have nothing to worry about.

[pearl]

Why do I feel the need to be perfect? That everything I do has to be perfect?

 

Because you are AS. Its a given. Dont beat yourself up about it <'>

[ScienceGeek]

Why do I feel the need to be perfect? That everything I do has to be perfect?

 

Because you are AS. Its a given. Dont beat yourself up about it <'>

 

Thanks. Just been getting stressed as you can see. The whole need for things to be perfect has led to me typing and retyping the same 300 or so words rather than getting any further. Damn perfectionism

[yoyo]

ScienceGeek,

 

Don't worry. An inner ear infection is very debilitating. I had one about six years ago and I didn't feel right for about six weeks. It is also your first term at uni and you might be surprised to find that you're not the only one feeling inadequate and thinking you're not getting it right. I have vivid memories of worrying and not sleeping at the end of my first term (twenty years ago!!); my children also have spoken of their uncertainty in their first term.

 

It is also the end of a very long term and having one more essay doesn't help. Rest assured, you will find next term easier. The term is short and you will realise that you have established a way of coping with the essays, tutorials etc; the days will also get brighter, which helps.

 

I know how you feel facing 1500 words but you do have a week, which is a long time. You also have 300 words written already, which is possibly more than some of your colleagues have! Try to stop worrying. Your best bet is to face into it, forget about the number of words required and just get some ideas down on paper / screen. Once you have something written, then you can begin to refine it and other ideas come. Then you can begin to count words. There is also the possibility that this essay is just one of those awful titles that does not suit you; it may not suit your colleagues either and you are probably not the only one struggling.

 

Your commute is probably making it harder. My son is in his final year and is commuting for for a similar length of time for the first time in his life. It certainly affects the quality of his private study.

 

I do hope that you successfully complete the essay and that you get a good mark. If it doesn't count towards your year result, try not to worry but I know exactly how you feel.

 

Yoyo

[ScienceGeek]

Thanks Yoyo,

 

I know that the others are facing uncertainty, but in comparison I am miles behind them. Then again they don't have the learning difficulties that I have. Most of my friends are almost finished and keep asking me what to do. I'm like, I dunno! This is the first essay and I don't really have anything else to go by, I'm worrying about plaigarism, but obviously I'm not copying anything and just want to make sure that I cite everything correctly. I'm finding it difficult accessing the materials as it requires long periods of reading and I just don't seem to be taking the information in. I'm currently waiting for a whole load of stuff from my DSA but it probably won't be here until next term.

 

Unfortunately this essay does count towards my mark for this year. I think it is either 20 or 80% for this component (would check but can't find the module spec). I know that we have to get at least 40% overall to pass this course, but there is no difference between getting 40% or 99% it is a pass or fail course.

[Mumble]

Most of my friends are almost finished and keep asking me what to do.

I learnt this the hard way, and you probably won't believe me, so I hope others can back me up. It is very very unlikely that they have all finished, even if they say they have. It's one of those very wierd NT things that I have never understood and never ever want to understand. When I began my PhD, other students were telling me about the huge amount of writing they were doing everyday. They weren't, but I took them literally, and at the beginning of my PhD worked from 6am to midnight, being cross with myself for taking toilet or eating breaks just to try and do what they said they were doing - and I still couldn't achieve it. I ended up breaking down in my tutor's office saying how stupid I was because even though I was working more hours than everyone, I was doing less work. It was only then that I learnt that what NT students say about what they have done often isn't the truth. So just ignore them (at least ignore what they say about work) and focus on what you can do.

 

I'm worrying about plaigarism, but obviously I'm not copying anything and just want to make sure that I cite everything correctly.

I reckon this must be an AS thing - I think my supervisor is sick of my telling him how worried I am about this. For my it's to do with taking the rules very very literally and being worried by the long list of sanctions that others seem happy to ignore. As long as you're putting what you take directly in quotation marks and citing it fully, and making it clear where you have paraphrased, there isn't a problem.

 

I'm finding it difficult accessing the materials as it requires long periods of reading and I just don't seem to be taking the information in. I'm currently waiting for a whole load of stuff from my DSA but it probably won't be here until next term.

It took ages for mine to come. But my disability person seems to take ages about everything. I hope you're getting Abby FineReader - it's made a big difference to me.

[ScienceGeek]

Hi Mumble,

 

You are probably right about that. Although I have actually seen some of this work, and seen that it is a lot more detailed and longer than mine currently is. I know there are others in the course that have done actually less than I have, but that was more down to laziness than anything.

 

So far I haven't actually directly quoted anything. I have several sources of information, but to my knowledge I haven't copied directly or paraphrased. Obviously the information has to come from somewhere otherwise it would be a complete work of fiction, I have a guide to citing and referencing and I still don't understand it. When I did open university we used the number system, whereas this university uses harvard referencing which is confusing the heck out of me.

 

I'm not getting Abby FineReader, but I am getting ClaroRead Plus. I got to try it out when I had my needs assessment, just waiting on the LEA now. They have been pretty quick with things in the past so hopefully I will have the things in time for the beginning of next term, just need to struggle through 3 essays before then.

[Mumble]

I have a guide to citing and referencing and I still don't understand it. When I did open university we used the number system, whereas this university uses harvard referencing which is confusing the heck out of me.

Ah, Harvard - an assessment exercise in itself!!!! I'm using APA and have been for 3 1/2 years - and I still have to look some things up, so I wouldn't worry about it confusing you now!! I do some work with the MA students, and they find it really difficult too.

 

If you're finding it really hard, I wonder if your DSA would fund some bilbliographic software (or if your uni has a free to access version). I've used this for just over a year now and it literally saves me hours - worth every single penny.

[yoyo]

I would also advise you not to heed what the others have or have not done. What the lecturers etc are looking for is what is important and it will be a minefield for everyone if this is the first essay. Most people will feel just as stressed as you; they are just better at hiding it and dealing with it. When I wrote my first essay I was absolutely convinced that it was the worst in the tutorial group as everyone seemed to communicate in such a convincingly skilled way. To my astonishment my essay was deemed the best!

 

Plagiarism was less of an issue for us as it was all pre-internet. However, you do have to get the information from somewhere. I used to either directly quote it or take what seemed relevant and express it in my own words. I know it seems insurmountable at present. Do try to read and make notes of the relevant parts of your sources. You should find that your thinking around the given title becomes clearer and you are able to draw conclusions. Our maths professer used to say ' don't sit there looking at it; focus your brains at the point of a pencil'. Nowadays exchange pencil for keyboard.

 

Yoyo

[ScienceGeek]

Slowly getting there. Have gone from a word count of 300 to 600 and if I have to can settle on a 1200 as we can have 20% either side of 1500. Taking frequent breaks due to the miniscule attention span. Hoping to get to the 1200 by the end of today, take it to the dyslexia tuition get some feedback from them and then edit it with the last few days before handing in next monday. Then

[yoyo]

Well done you. Stick with it and you will be fine. If you keep going at this rate you will have it done by tomorrow and then you can relax for 6 days!

 

Yoyo

[ScienceGeek]

Have made an appointment to see the dr on Friday as I'm still having problems with my ears, and my energy levels are through the floor. Can't wait for the winter break!

[Karen A]

Have made an appointment to see the dr on Friday as I'm still having problems with my ears, and my energy levels are through the floor. Can't wait for the winter break!

 

<'> <'> You are not alone.Four people inour house counting days.I hope you continue to get on ok tonight.Karen.

[ScienceGeek]

Have made an appointment to see the dr on Friday as I'm still having problems with my ears, and my energy levels are through the floor. Can't wait for the winter break!

 

 

Had the drs appointment and they said that the inner ear infection has got worse, my temp is quite high and I should get plenty of rest. I've been given anti nausea pills and stronger anti biotics. Feeling so crud right now

[loobylou2]

<'> <'> How you feeling today SG? hope the medicine is working and you're feeling better soon.

[ScienceGeek]

Not really, but meh! I finally finished my essay though. Thank goodness for the 24hr window, will hand in tomorrow then collapse for the rest of the week. Feeling so ill right now.

[yoyo]

Well done for finishing your essay. That is a brilliant achievement especially when you are so unwell. Do take it easy and catch up on your lost sleep. Ear infections are not good at all and it could take a while but you will feel better soon. I do remember having something similar and it did take a while to recover but it hasn't happened again and hopefully it won't reoccur with you either.

 

yoyo

[Karen A]

Great that you finished the essay.Ihope you feel better soon. <'> Karen.

[ScienceGeek]

I've handed the essay in now. Ears don't really feel any better, after two courses of antibiotics you would expect some kind of improvement surely. The antinausea pills are good though, at least I can feel semi human, and for some reason since I've been taking them my anxiety has lowered a lot.

[Karen A]

Hi ScienceGeek.If you have finished the second course of antibiotics and your ears are not better then do go back to your GP.Ear ache can be awful.Ihad a bad infection when on hols in Greeece one year and just wanted to come home. <'> <'>

[loobylou2]

Hi Sciencegeek, well done for finishing your essay, must have been really hard with not feeling well. <'> Hope your GP can help you get better in time for Christmas. Take care.

[Kinda]

I've been feeling exhausted all of the time since I had the inner ear infection, the ear infection has gone but the tiredness hasn't. I feel like I've ran out of steam and have no reserves left for the last couple of weeks of term. Tomorrow I have to write 1200 words of my essay to have the draft ready to take to the dyslexia tuition appointment on Tuesday.

 

My anxiety levels have gone through the roof in the last few weeks. All I just want to do is crawl under the duvet and not come out for a few weeks. Depression is definitely back, sleeping patterns have gone erratic. In other words things are not good with me right now. I constantly feel like I'm overloaded and it just accumulates every day.

 

This term has been far too much for me. I'm hoping that I won't be as bad the other terms as they are shorter than this one. I can't wait to move to Bristol next year, at least that will be 3hrs taken off my day. Just feel like I've hit the wall and can't go any further. I knew that I would struggle with university, but didn't realise I would react this badly.

 

Just read that you got your assignment in but hope this post helps anyway especially about any overload you may have because of your illness.

 

If it helps you could try and deal with each of the problems one at a time and break them down into issues you can deal with one at a time which may help with the overload problem.

 

Discuss how you feel with your tutor/course tutor as they maybe able to grant extensions, will help prioritise for you and maybe even advise what you can skip etc. I think you will find they have students with similar problems before. My son had the same problem and a meeting was called and a recovery plan was put together which included dropping some assignments he could without affecting his ability to pass. This prevented him from just putting assignments back which didn't help with the overload problem. The course tutor also helped him overcome some initial understanding problems he had.

 

A lot of students feel overwhelmed at times but you should not let it affect your long term health. The university can help if you contact them before the assignment due dates which seems to be important to them as then they can help you out.

 

My son at one stage considered commuting which would have meant adding 4 hours to his day but we managed to persuade him not to but this meant a lonely existence for him. The courses generally try and put students under pressure as they believe that this represents the "real world" were as my view is that life is stressful enough without the university deliberately adding to it under the pretense that its what the employers want.

Edited December 27, 2007 by Kinda