Young people

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Eeep! When study is overwhelming! - Tips, ideas and coping strategies

replies: 51

Hi! Just thought I’d make a post with some tips for study. I know this is something we can all struggle with. These are all suggestions so feel free to take them or leave them! Hope they help! If you only remember one thing, let it be this: You are important. Your grades don’t define you. (support) Studying can feel isolating but know you’re not alone! Reach out – and find or make friends that can support you along the way. If you’re having trouble finding some friends, join some local communities or clubs! They have lots at Uni’s and even stuff like open days are great ways to meet new people and find out what’s happening. Study groups can also be a great way to meet people and stay motivated. Also remind yourself why you’re doing this; inspirational wallpapers or quotes can be super inspiring. Remember the saying about the oxygen mask? If you can’t take care of yourself first studying will be harder. You are important. You know the drill - water, food, exercise, sleep. Try to stay calm. Stuff that might be able to help include mindfulness, breathing exercises, colouring in, going for walks, journaling, listening to music… If you’re struggling – reach out. See a therapist. Talk to your student counsellor. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask for it. Also lots of Universities and TAFE offer disability services – which includes conditions like Depression and Anxiety. (study) Find the right study space for you. Maybe that’s in your room, or a coffee shop, or the library. Some people find that noise helps; other people not so much. If you like particular kinds of noise, you can find ‘coffee shop’ noise or ‘rain sounds’ to help concentrate. Make a plan. It helps to do it often so it becomes a habit. Anytime you get a due date, write it down. Maybe you could use a diary, planner, bullet journal or an app. I find the 30/30 App helpful - study for a bit and then break for a bit. You can also get add-on’s for your computer to block sites like Facebook if you find them too distracting. Find out what study technique works for you. Do you like cue cards? Mind maps? Colour coding? Does highlighting stuff help you remember? Charts, maps, diagrams? Recorded lectures? Goals! These are so important – not just writing down deadlines but rewarding yourself for meeting them. Even making smaller goals like ‘read two pages from a textbook’ can help. Break it down into bite size pieces, and don’t forget to reward yourself after!

NEW TO THIS FORUM? Please read this first

replies: 0

The Young People space is a sub-forum within the wider Beyond Blue forum community. 1. Its purpose is to provide members aged 25 and under a space to discuss anxiety, depression and other related life issues. If you are aged over 25, please be mindful that this forum is a space for younger people to connect and provide peer support for each other. 2. Content from this sub-forum is displayed on both the beyondblue and youthbeyondblue websites. 3. Please bear in mind that some members find content relating to suicide and/or self-harm distressing or triggering. If you would like to post on these topics, please do so in our Suicidal Thoughts and Self Harm section. Please see also our guidelines for making posts on this topic. Posts made here in the Young People sub-forum containing content relating to suicide and/or self-harm will be moved. 4. These forums are moderated, so your posts may not appear straightaway. Information on how our system works can be found here. Being familiar with our community rules can help ensure that your posts appear online as quickly as possible. 5. This is a peer support community, and to get the best out of being here we recommend that you 'give support to receive support'. More on how that works here.

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Exhaustion is exhausting

replies: 2

I have tried so hard, I have spent every second moment thinking about chores and school. it just doesn't stop it won't end I'm so tired all the time and every one wants me to improve all of the time I am never enough for anyone, I can't have more effective sleep medication because of my other meds, why does it seem like my life just keeps getting worse? All my friends have energy some of the time it's not fair I'm sick of being different I can't even find common place with my other ND friends none of them have both autism and adhd anyways. I don't understand how some people can be happy it no longer makes sense everytime I leave the house it's like living isn't worth it no one really needs me anyways I've seen it, I am so pathetic I'm stubborn and spoilt I am like a leech I force everyone to care about me or pretend to. I am a burden my sibling shouldn't have to deal with me, my favourite person finished school not long ago I constantly miss them I can't get help because all the ways avalible are burdensome to others, I am overreacting I always am my attempts will always fail as I'm too cowardly to die and I can't my sibling wouldn't be safe if I died I'm trying but nothing seems to work the years just keep going.

Thoughts

replies: 1

I've been feeling lost I think lately. I'm a mum and a wife but I feel like that's everything I am and never anything else. I'm tired all the time but I feel like I don't do enough to be like that. I look at my siblings and they all have jobs and even starting to travel I'm just wondering what my life would have been like if I didn't have kids. Maybe I would be travelling to Italy with my sister maybe I would be in better shape, prettier even.. this is it for me. I'm the eldest of four in my family and I've grown up taking care of everyone else but I know I need to take care of me but who am I if I'm not taking care of someone else's hurt? This is what I've been thinking lately I feel like I'm in a fog of all these kinds of thoughts.

Final Exams :c

replies: 2

As I previously talked about my HSC anxiety, I've come to the realisation that I'm not okay with exams. No matter how much I try, I quite legitimately cannot prepare successfully for them. I guess the entire point of an exam is to test your knowledge but whenever I partake in the exam, I lose everything I've learnt in the past year or so. Especially maths. My final math HSC is tomorrow and my anxiety is skyrocketing through the roof and is absolutely destroying my mental. My other final exam is the day after tomorrow and I'm honestly struggling with everything + including time management. I know worrying isn't going to help me but I don't think that last-minute studying is either; I'm not comfortable with some of the topics and if I'm being honest, I might screw up my final which is worth 50% of my atar. I've secured two spots in two different universities already, however, my dream uni doesn't really offer early entry so I have to wait until I get my atar results, to come to a conclusion about which one I want to attend. Anyways, my dream uni and course have a minimum atar of like 70.45, which is something I can get (hopefully lol), but personally, I wanted an atar of like high 80's/low 90's because I was content with that, but with how I'm performing in the HSC exams, I'm not sure if that possible. Anyways, moving on, I don't know why I'm so burnt out, like I just sleep my days away because I'm afraid of the stuff I won't be able to accomplish and even though I have things planned out for the day, I end up procrastinating and wasting hours and hours away just doing useless things. This all comes back to bite me in the bum and to be honest, it's not a good long-term habit, procrastination that is. I just want HS to end already, I want to build my own routine and I want to accomplish things that are things other than exams. I just want this to pass by already.

Year 12

replies: 1

Hi there, I am hesitant to share this because I feel embarrassed on how I feel. The end of year 12 is just around the corner but why do I feel like the year is just starting for me. My past self would be so disappointed if she saw me right now, I feel exhausted and barely passing school. I think I’ll pass but not with flying colours. I feel like I’ve been holding myself to a high standard like overestimating myself and I don’t know how to let go. I am behind on a subject that I’ve procrastinated for the whole year. I’ve been struggling with sleep from getting 4 hours of sleep or none at all because of how unsure what my life will be like after this year. I don’t know what to do after high school, I’m unsure about uni considering the outcome of my grades and I don’t even have enough money to move out. I know there’s other ways to enter uni and enter the pathway I want but I don’t know what I want and if I’ll make the right decisions. The people I had with me through Year 9 - Year 11 have moved away and we’ve grown apart. I was doing well academically last year but this year has been the worst when I feel like it should’ve been the other way around. I’ve always attached myself to this one person and now that they’ve moved away, I’ve been struggling with attending school and my subject choices even though I don’t have time to regret those choices when I should be focusing on finishing. I miss the people that I once had in my life and that’s when I felt the happiest. I don’t think I’m sad that they moved because I understand growth but more angry and frustrated with myself because I think I relied on their words too much. I think I just need time to figure out things for myself. Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope all is well for you <33

feeling down

replies: 4

I have been feeling quite down for the past 7 months. First I haven't been able to see my family for more than a year because of COVID. And last year's covid situation has made me distanced from my high school friends. And since most of them study in a different state, it is hard for us to catch up. This year is slightly better as I get to meet up with them again and made more friends in uni, but once I got home, especially at night time I would feel sad and self-doubt about myself. I would be emotional for no reason and get want to let it out. I also get a bit jealous seeing my friends hanging out with other people. I did some tests online and the result shows that I have mild depression, I don't know any ways to reach for help. (FYI, I did not have any self-harm issue or thoughts)

I'm just a kid

replies: 2

Hi, I'm a 16 year old high schooler right now going through a lot. My mum has depression and she's been in a severe depressive period for about a year now. The worst time of my life was about a few months ago, she was forced out of a public mental health hospital and she felt so hopeless that she threatened to kill herself in front of me and my dad, so we had to lock all the doors in the house, hide objects, and give her strong medication to calm down. We had tried calling the ambulance before, and she's been to a lot of mental health hospitals, public and private, but the public hospitals were all so bad and right now she's in a private mental health hospital. She's better than before, but still not great, she's still on addictive PRN medication. I'm just worried about her, I just want her to get better already. It's been a year, I feel like I've suffered enough from worry. My dad is also working nonstop everyday, and its driving me insane since he won't rest, he's always working or taking care of some stuff that has to do with mum. I'm so worried about him as well. He also always shouts at me and I feel terrible when he does, but I can't even blame him, he's going through so much right now. I'm only 16 years old, why do I have to go through this now? I'm in grade 11, and very soon to be in grade 12, and I'm so nervous about it. What do I do? I can't do anything about it. It feels so helpless. I'm so worried about my future, my parents. I'm so nervous, angry and worried all the time. On top of all of this, I genuinely don't have any real friends. The one friend I did talk to didn't even care. I knew that friend for almost 6 years, and when I needed help coping with my mum being suicidal, his only responses were "oh snap", "I'm so sorry", and after 1 week he never mentioned it again. Like, are you serious? I'm just so disappointed and mad at him. This is getting really long but I still have so much on my mind. What I've written is the main things. I just don't know what to do. I want to stop coping and just be able to feel happy again. I feel so terrible everyday, I'm skipping school today just to write this because I feel so stuck. I hate my life. Writing all this out didn't even make me feel better.

Centrelink youth allowance - mental health

replies: 6

I am currently moving out of home for the first time and am trying to fill out a Centrelink claim as I am a full time student and unable to have full-time or reliable part time work. I am a casual in two jobs due to the unreliability but do not make enough money to cover all rent, medical, and living expenses. I am going to be financially independent. My problem is that I am under 22 and unsure if Centrelink will consider me an independent or suitable candidate for youth allowance. I am moving for my mental health, but I don't meet the criteria for unsafe home necessitating a move. Applying online, I am being asked for the reason for my move and the option "home conditions make it difficult to study" is listed as including chronic illness made worse by living at home. This genuinely is the reason I am moving, but I'm unsure if Centrelink will take chronic mental illness as a chronic illness, or if unideal living conditions with family contact but without physical abuse or addiction etc. would suffice in the claim that the household exacerbates my symptoms. Basically I am wondering how being classified dependent or independent will affect my claim, I assume being classified dependent will dismiss it. Why are you considered dependent until 22 without extreme circumstances? Is my claim to chronic (mental) illness (which prevented me from working entirely until 2021) valid or enough to have me classified as independent?

I feel second best around those who call me their best friend

replies: 6

I’ve been friends with these guys for ages now I’m in 11th grade and known most since grade 3-4 some longer but I can’t help but feel second best it’s like I’m tolerable but not wanted I go to school and it’s just “hey” or “sup” but quite often when someone else comes to school they all get excited it’s like I can’t get it right like am I the issue I try my best I’m the only one who organises days out I’m the one who calms down arguments he’ll I’m the one who try’s the hardest so why the hell can some of these guys tell me that I’m their best friend when they treat me like a substitute like I’m only good when someone else isn’t there but idk I guess I’ve just felt this way for ages now and it’s really starting to effect me the closer and closer we get to the end of school bc who will I have after that

Would just love some advice on feeling goalless, comparing myself and w friends

replies: 13

I am 23, just graduated uni and have struggled with mostly depression and more recently anxiety since I was in high school. I've have never been sure what I will do for a job and am generally pretty unsure of my goals and have very low self esteem. I have a few chronic health conditions which have been a huge contributing factor to my mental health and was the reason I started seeing a psychologist during high school. Speaking to someone was fairly helpful at first but in the past few years whenever I have had psychologist appointments I've just felt like I'm complaining and repeating myself each time and not really getting much from it. I now don't know if I should try and find another psych (haven't had an appointment for 6 months or so) or how to even do that. I have also in the past been on anti-depressants but had major issues with side effects so am not currently taking them. I've spent the last 3-4 months after graduating travelling alone which I have enjoyed as I'm definitely an introvert and recognise I'm quite a difficult person to be around for too long so like knowing I'm not being a burden on anyone around me. But I was starting to get lonely and missing my family about a month ago but also didn't want to go back home because I don't feel like I have much to go back to (other than family) as I have no job and I've had a lot of issues with keeping friends, mostly due to my low confidence and anxiety. My sister has recently met up with me which has been really nice as she is pretty much my best friend but I also recognise I compare myself to her SO much as she really has everything sorted out and is always calling friends and has a lot of ambitions and a great job - and was at the top of her classes in school where I was very average. I can't believe how much of a shift in mood I've noticed since being with her - at first I was loving it but now I am starting to compare myself and feel low and she doesn't really understand/appreciate my mental health as she doesn't have depression or anxiety so is quite quick to jump to me being moody if I am having a low day (like today). I don't really know what I'm hoping from this post but I would just love any advice or to hear if others have similar issues or know how to deal with any of my issues, whether it be comparing to others, having not many friends, low self esteem and/or feeling completely aimless/lacking ambition for my future. Sorry this is such as long post!!!

HSC is near and I'm so lost.

replies: 7

HSC is exactly 12 days away. I'm not really coping well; procrastination, breakdowns and stress are all I have been doing ever since the end of trials. I used to be good at academics, especially in junior years, I used to love learning. And then COVID hit, that's when I started to become lazy and nonchalant. Although I participated in classes, I didn't do the homework or make any good habits. Now HSC is so close and I'm on the verge of giving up. During Trials, I was doing everything last minute, especially memorising. I still have time to study and plan for the HSC but I'm not really that confident in myself anymore. I do 5 subjects and from my trials results, I've failed like three, my rank isn't that good either. My school isn't the best so I'm not sure how my cohort will preform and I probably won't get that good of an overall mark unless I preform really really well. I've read the other forums and discussions on here about HSC, and that's exactly how I feel. Lost, trapped, depressed and even hopeless. I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel but right now, it feels as though everything is doomed and that I'm probably going to get an ATAR that won't get me to any university. I know the hype about ATAR lasts about a couple of days and after that no one cares, but to my family, it means the world. I have a brother who's ATAR is 99+. I know that I won't ever live up to that expectation but I don't know, I just wish that was me but I know I didn't put in the effort. Honestly, I don't know what to do or where to start, I just sometimes want to curl into a ball and cry because I'm not motivated to do anything. When I tell my parents that I might be burnt out or just depressed, they just shrug me off and tell me that's not how it works. I know some of my friends who are taking a gap year but I know that's not an option for me. I just, I don't know, already feel like a failure to everyone.

Eeep! When study is overwhelming! - Tips, ideas and coping strategies replies: 51

NEW TO THIS FORUM? Please read this first replies: 0

Exhaustion is exhausting replies: 2

Thoughts replies: 1

Final Exams :c replies: 2

Year 12 replies: 1

feeling down replies: 4

I'm just a kid replies: 2

Centrelink youth allowance - mental health replies: 6

I feel second best around those who call me their best friend replies: 6

Would just love some advice on feeling goalless, comparing myself and w friends replies: 13

HSC is near and I'm so lost. replies: 7