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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Home Schooling During Covid-19

replies: 1

Hi, For those of you who have had to homeschool, are you able to share with us your experience please? What do you like about it? What do you dislike about it? What do you feel works well for you? What do you feel doesn't work so well? Please share your thoughts if possible to help other students improve their homeschooling and their parents/teachers too. Thanks and take care

kinda hating myself to be honest

replies: 2

hi, I've been struggling a bit with confidence and self esteem and was wondering if anyone had any advice? I have always been kind of shy, but it's never really been about how I feel about myself. It's always because I'm worried about what people would think of me. but the way I've looked hasnt really mattered to me until now. I kind of hate myself at the moment. I'm chubby, quite tall, my personality kinda sucks and I'm quite ugly. it makes me feel like I'm not worth anything at times and it really makes me upset often. I'm also really bad at socialising which makes the situation even worse woo hoo. I've been diagnosed with social anxiety, adding on to the fact that I'm a shy introvert. So making friends isn't really my strong point. Everytime i walk around school I feel like everyone is staring and judging and that I'm doing the wrong thing? i kind of don't know how to end this, sorry for my really bad grammar but what I'm trying to say is, does anyone have any advice on how to become more sociable and confident in myself?

so lonely and unhappy

replies: 10

hey so I'm new here, but for the last 6 or so months I just feel so alone and lost. I have never really had many friends as growing up I was never allowed socialise outside of school and I guess I just get so anxious when I am asked to hang out that I always just bail. I'm at uni and my friend and I live together but ever since he got a girlfriend he completely shuts me out and ignores me unless she's not around. I dont know what to do, as I constantly feel so unhappy with life and have no one to talk to. My parents were very strict on me growing up and it was always a 'tough love' situation and i dont know if i can talk to them about anything. I just dont know what to do, and it so depressing as I just want one person that I can talk to, but I don't even have that.

I'm scared to be happy

replies: 4

Hi there! Like most people on here, I'm new to this too - so hopefully I make sense. I'm scared to be happy because every time I'm convinced that things are going to be alright, something is just waiting around the corner to ruin everything. I can't remember the last time I felt happy for more than a day, or for even a few hours. Subconsciously, I find myself intentionally being melancholic and unhappy so that I don't get overly disappointed when things turn bad again. The same goes for relationships with people. Sure, I have my good moments, but the bad moments always seem to last longer. (Another thing,) People constantly deem me as the "sweet and nice girl", but every time they define me in that image, I feel like I don't deserve that title. In the past, some of my friends called me out for being a liar - and it really stuck with me. I told the biggest lies to my religious friends, which were always about me attending church every Sunday, which wasn't always true. I've also been an awful friend, where I took my friends for granted a lot. I'm definitely not proud of this, there are so many other lies and distrusting things I've done, and each time someone calls me the 'nice girl', I think of all these things. Sometimes I try so hard to be myself around others, that I think I'm actually losing myself instead. Personally, I've hesitated to reach out because everything's probably just a matter of hormones. Anyway, I'm not sure if any of this made sense, and I'm sorry this is so long. Thank you for reading, reader

Gaps in uni study; worried about how much remembered from previous courses...

replies: 4

Hi there, Has anyone been in the situation where they have had a gaps in their uni study due to bad mental health and are worried about how much they remember from previous study in the degree? But Uni only seems to be concerned re getting help about current courses people are studying in or about future course selection for major or degree you are in? Doesn't seem to be any self-assessment re prerequisites (apart from a get set quiz for incoming first year students - I guess because there are statistics collected on first year drop out rate) I'm so worried because I have only a few courses left for one degree and finishing off another degree re splitting a dual degree program but I'm not sure how much I remember? but the degree I'm doing has multiple areas of skills and when I looked online for tutors; it's more for people learning something from scratch or doing a current course for one particular skill/area rather than find gaps and weaknesses from prior study? And I can't make a plan of doing a edX or coursera courses in a particular order for revision or for upcoming courses preparation because I'm too distressed to decide on one...

I want to move schools but I can't, how do I cope with this?

replies: 7

Hello, I am a year 8 student and I wish to move schools, but due to my situation I am unable to.... I go to a strict Catholic unisex school and I hate it here.... I dread going to school and I get anxiety every time someone mentions school. I am fine with my friends and I don't get bullied, but the school has a lot of problems. The school is extremely homophobic, the teachers are not nice or helpful, the marking system is bad, the people aren't the nicest, and the rules and punishments are unreasonable. I feel very unhappy and unsafe here.. I feel like ever since I joined this school my mental health and overall wellbeing has declined and I want to transfer but I can't. I don't have the heart to tell my parents that I hate it here, and even if i tell them it will be difficult to move. First of all, my parents spent a lot of money to get me into this school (fees and uniform) and to move we would have to buy a new uniform ect. Secondly, I have a lot of good friends from that school and I really really don't to leave them behind, and they will probably get mad at me too. Also, my sister moved from the school and she goes to a new one, but it was really hard and I feel like if I try it will be hard for them. Even if I move I want to go to a STEM program in another school for year 11&12, and I feel like if i've already settled in the new school and my parents have already bought the uniform, it will be a waste because I'm moving in year 11&12. My only hope is to leave in year 11, either going to that STEM school I mentioned earlier (It's very selective so I might not get in.) Or the school my sister goes to now, because when I'm in year 11 she will be in Uni and I can just take her uniform so my parents don't have to buy a whole new uniform.... But its still 3 more years of this hell hole, and there is nothing I can do... how should I cope? Sorry for being negative in this post and thank you very much.. : )

I have so many things wrong with me

replies: 7

18 Male. I've gone through a lot of things in my teenage life and though I always knew that there were a lot of things wrong with me, I never realised the sheer amount until I decided to list it all down. You may not read all of it but I want to know if any of you go through any of this and I'd like to hear about your experiences. Self loathing Depression Anxiety No self confidence No people skills Awkward Lazy Game addiction Phone addiction Easily distracted Overthink things No real close friend Think too much about what others think of me No sense of independence Social anxiety No communication skills No street smarts Unmotivated Too easily driven by emotions Naive childish way of thinking things Think TOO positively and naively. I try to avoid facing reality which leads me to face the consequences Boring Uninteresting Can’t make small talk Keep things to myself Always try to look for an easy way out Take too long to process what people are saying Not book smart Too quiet Think too much about the future No real passion Nothing drives me to pursue my goal Useless at most tasks See no purpose in life Can’t keep up with conversations always follow the crowd. Never try to lead it Try hard to blend in with crowd Not many people have similar interests with me Never have anything interesting to say in a conversation Unfit (I sometimes go out to ride my bike, walk the treadmill and some other exercises but never on a regular basis. I do these things because it makes me feel like I'm not a useless human being who lazes around all day but it's only a temporary solution.) Almost never go out Always live the same day everyday

I used to laugh, now my personality has changed

replies: 2

Hi I'm Chantelle, I'm writing this in hopes that I'll get an answer from somebody as I've been looking for help lately and have been wondering. I feel as though I have lost my personality and motivation for life and work. Back in 2017, when I was 13, I used to have an online group of friends who I used to play video games with. I used to be very talkative, bubbly and always laughed. However fast forward to now, (16 years old) my personality has completely changed. I find it extremely difficult to make conversations and open up with co workers at work. I feel as though people don't like talking to me and find me as a nuisance. I'm also very introverted so try my best to avoid conversations in the first place. In addition to this,I used to be excited for work, now I'm unhappy and dread walking through the doors. When I reunited with my friends online after two years of almost no contact they told me they miss hearing me laugh. I have also noticed that I have become way less talkative and my tone of voice is very monotone and low. I find it very difficult opening/talking to people of authority (people who are older than me). I have no idea why but I think its because of my past experiences with a paedophile which has resulted me in subconsciously becoming afraid of conversing with adults. I need help, I feel as though I'm lonely and I'm only 16. I value friendships very deeply and I envy those who can make friends easily.

Failure

replies: 4

Hello everyone,i am a nursing student,i just got my result where i failed a unit.I just needed 6 marks to pass.I m feeling so miserable.I can’t stop crying.I dont have anyone to talk to.

Am I normal?

replies: 8

I'm twelve and I feel alone. I have recently noticed that I may have anxiety. This is because I looked at a lot of websites and videos I have all the symptoms of anxiety. I think this started in yr 5 when I started to sit with the "cooler" kids. At first, I thought it was fine, but soon, I got uncomfortable. It's not that don't like them, I like them very much, I just feel like I don't fit right in. I used to have a friend who was my best friend and I felt so comfortable with her, but we got distant and recently, she left to another city. Now I feel like I don't fit in at school anymore. I still hang out with my friends but I don't like the things they like and I think they just put up with me because we used to have fun together. As well as this, I have chest pain, dizziness, trembling, and sudden panic attacks. I want to tell someone but I'm scared to. My parents don't understand me. I come from a Chinese background, but I was born and raised here in Australia and I have always spoken English and hung out with western girls. So whenever I talk about something that they are not familiar to, they freak out and misunderstand me. We always get into fights and it's really scary. My sister has also never been close to me. I really want to be her friend and play with her like everyone else, but she is so rude to me. I feel like I don't belong at home or at school and always have to pretend to be okay. As well as this, I have a really tight schedule. I do coaching because my parents want me to go to a good uni. I also want to go too but it's so much work. I do coaching all weekend. Although I think coaching is stressful, I don't think I could not do it because I'm so used to the stress now. Everything I do is competitive. I do competitive swimming and compete in regionals, competitive, AFL, running, fencing, hockey and other things like robotics. I don't want to let go of these things but I'm really overwhelmed. I feel like I can't concentrate. Now in online school, I can't focus and I always tell lies to avoid uncomfortable situations. I have only told one person about this, she is my friend, and she went through a similar thing last year. No-one else knows and I don't want to tell my parents, I just want some support. I'm really terrified to be on this website because I'm afraid people will find out who I am or something. I have never done anything like this before. I hope you can help me because I don't know how to help myself.

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

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

Home Schooling During Covid-19 replies: 1

kinda hating myself to be honest replies: 2

so lonely and unhappy replies: 10

I'm scared to be happy replies: 4

Gaps in uni study; worried about how much remembered from previous courses... replies: 4

I want to move schools but I can't, how do I cope with this? replies: 7

I have so many things wrong with me replies: 7

I used to laugh, now my personality has changed replies: 2

Failure replies: 4

Am I normal? replies: 8