Frustrated with college -- how to keep myself motivated?

[Cass]

As some of you know, I'm in my first semester at a community college.

Good news is that my grades are good. Bad news is that I feel like I haven't actually learned anything.

I don't know if it just this particular college or because it is a community college, but it seems like you can get straight A's without actually knowing or comprehending anything. Now I'm not the brightest bulb on the tree by any means, so it's not like things just come to me easily. It's rather that all the exams seem to test students' memory rather than their comprehension of the material. In most cases the professor will tell us the questions and in some cases even the exact answers the day before the test. So basically all I've been doing is to memorize the answers and nothing more. Then other exams are "open book", so you don't even have to bother memorizing anything. My math class is the only exception, where you don't know the answer ahead of time, but even there it just comes down to memorizing a couple of formulas.

More than half way through the semester I feel like I know nothing about anything. I can recite everything I read in the books, but I can't really claim I truly understand all the material. Ask me to put stuff in my own words or explain a concept, and I struggle with it.

I found high school and even middle school more challenging than college. I felt like I had to put a lot more effort into it to get good grades. Here, everything is handed to you. Maybe they are operating on the premise that we're all adults and should be mature/responsible enough to work beyond what is necessary to pass the tests. Maybe it's a "you get out what you put in" kind of situation. I just feel like if I'm not being "forced" to study in order to get good grades, then I won't study more than I have to.

So my questions are
a) is this typical for most colleges?
and
b) how do I motivate myself to put more effort into actuallylearning
something? Any tips on getting more out of college?

Thanks!

[Sgt. Slaughter]

Whaaaaaaat? How DARE you go to your freshman year of college and expect to learn anything!

This English class I just finished only taught me how to write in MLA format. That's about the extent of what I learned. I didn't learn how to structure, spell, research, etc. Everything except MLA I already knew from high school which was MANY moons ago.

I think you just have to muddle through the first year or two with all the basics and then get into the advanced classes where you should be more challenged. Take a throw-away class every now and then. Something like art, music or something else that's low-level but will have you doing something besides the basic core classes.

[Jennifer]

Hey, Cass. Sorry to hear about your experiences. Well, from someone who has been school for 12 years (and that's not counting high school!) I can understand your frustrations.

Since you asked specific questions I will address them:
a) is this typical for most colleges?

I can't speak for community colleges but what I can say is that when it comes to college, community, public, or private, its you the student who must make the most of it. Having said that, that doesn't' mean you are wont have crappy classes or bad professors. I'm not sure what classes you are taking but let me tell you, your first year of classes is like an extension of high school. You have to take all the required classes: English Comp, Science, math, even PE. I remember my first year as not being the most educationally stimulating as well.

However, it will get better when you get to choose the classes that interest you. This usually happens the start of the second semester first year. As with anything, once you specialize you will become more interested.

As for route memorization, sounds like you are getting all multiple choice exams. I would guess that the type of exams are determined by your professors and if you are taking your basic courses its probably easier for them to just give the same ol multiple choice test than to come up with an all essay exam. I'm sure you will get those in the future.

b) how do I motivate myself to put more effort into actuallylearning
something? Any tips on getting more out of college?

Again, it's what you make of it. Usually when faced with things that people don't like they push it aside and so I would suggest doing what you don't like first to get it out of the way.

However, YOU are paying for your education and because of that, you have every right to ask questions. If you don't understand something or want it clarified: ask. Whether you do it in class or after with just the professor, it's up to you do whatever it takes to get yourself motivated. If no one in class asks questions then perhaps your questions will help stimulate conversation.

Also, get involved with student activities. If you notice that you have a lot of time on your hands because you don't need to study hard, then join a club or some student organization that would interest you. That may help you get out of this brain fog you're in.

Good luck and you are almost done with the semester, hang in there, it will get better!

[Safety Steve]

Answer to question "A" is no, most colleges are not that way. As a college graduate, I did not feel any smarter after graduating than before. But boy did I have some great life experiences in college!!!!

Answer to question "B". Do you want to work as a waitress all your life? During summer breaks from college I would work labor jobs. Why, payed more, stay use to the heat for football, and mainly because I did not want to do that type of work when I was 50 or 60 years of age. I enjoy manual labor work, but not 40 plus hours per week.

Next semester you will have different professors and they should be different. Hang in there kid. Be Safe.

[greg72982]

Wait you're supposed to learn something in college??

[Creeker]

Hey Cassie.

I don't have much recent experience to offer, but I think that, based on the amount of time you spent in the Library when you were younger along with your life esperiences, you are probably much more intelligent than most and have a lot more common sense.

When I was half way thru my degree, I was so bored and wanted to go into LE so badly that I came a hairs breadth away from going into the Marine Corp. My next door neighbor, a 45 year retired (in at 15) Sgt. Major talked me out of it and told me that if I quit the program now, I'd (1) be a quitter and (2) never finish.

It could well be that he didn't think I could have hacked the USMC, as I had a serious vision problem (this was prior to toric contact lenses), but I buckled down and completed the degree.

If I'd gone into the military, I'd never have met my wife.

Perseverance is the key. Some stubbornness helps out, too.

Keep your chin up. We miss you around here, but understand that you are busy with college & working, etc. Stop back by when you need a pep talk and tell us how things are going.

[Joeyd6]

I can tell you this. I felt teh same way when I was in college. Heck, I am now paying off my Sallie-Mae loan from that, and still feel the same way. I was conservative and ended up at a liveral, liber arts college. I speak to maybe 2 people from 4 years of college. One was my roommate who is a fed LEO in another agency and one is just a teacher somewhere.

I felt the school spent 4 years trying to "force me" into thei rway of thinking. I learned quickly that no matter how hard I worked, and despite my 90's and 100's and A's and B's on papers, you could still end up with a "C" for a final grade. Welcome to college Joe, we take your money and then if you disagree with our underlying theories and try to use facts to debate them, we will give you "C."

Play the game. I did. I started sitting in the back, kept my mouth shut and did what was needed. If you are interetsed in a subject or area and ther eis no class, speak to your advisor. I was able to do 6 "independant study" classes and pursue things I was interested in. I was able to get my EMT, NY State Peace Officer class, researched/started the first federal LE internship at my college, got photography class listed as my physical science class I needed and did a few research papers on stuff that interested me.

In my opinion, my undergrad college was not about learning anything adademically. It was more about learning that politics exist, you better learn to naviagte such, and that you need to learn how to develop your social skills and play nice with others.

[4goods]

So my questions are
a) is this typical for most colleges?

can't say 100%, but from my experience with where i went to college i would say yes. like someone mentioned, first year is always basics. stuff you've pretty much learned for the most part in high school. subsequent years will produce more challenging studies.

and
b) how do I motivate myself to put more effort into actuallylearning
something? Any tips on getting more out of college?

Thanks!

why are you confining yourself to the box you've put in? if you feel you're not getting enough push back. get your professors to challenge you. ask for more, look for more.

if you're interested in a specific field and know that your curriculum is going to entail certain courses down the road start pushing the envelope. go to the library, go to the bookstore, borrow...buy books that are going to further your knowledge and assist you in learning more and further your knowledge. i'm assuming no one is telling you that you can't do this.....right???

in the end, as someone else also pointed out, don't forget to enjoy the social "life experiences" as well. this is equally important!

[retdetsgt]

Actually, you're probably learning more than you think you are.

The first two years of college is generally just to teach you to go to college. How to develop some decent study habits and manage your time. When you hit upper division classes, you'll be doing more research and you will learn more. I should say, be exposed to more. What you retain varies.

Think back to high school, did you really think you were learning anything there? You did though.

At the end of it all, the college degree will be like your high school diploma. It will only be important for about 10 minutes, but during that 10 minutes, it will be tremendously valuable.

Hang in there.

[patchcop]

Cass,

like the other old very wise men told you, don't look for anything other. Stay in the class and you'll be surprised the coming month how everything will change. Be sure that you'll learn a lot in the future.

Maybe it is for the motivation of some of your classmates that something is (in your mind) so very simple. A grade "A" in the beginning will be a good motivation for the future for some others, be sure with that.
And, as the old man above wrote, do you want to be a waitress your whole life? Nothing against waitresses, it is a good job, but even nothing more than a job.

If you have your degrees in some time (years) you'll have better chances to become the job you want.

Heads up and take care

[greg72982]

Some good advice here . I know my first and second years weren't too bad, but I think alot of colleges don't want to "throw you to the wolves" right away. I had some tough classes in my junior and senior years though.

Like others say, I do believe the biggest part of a college education isn't the academics. It's the self-discipline and thinking at a higher level. One thing I took from college is that I analyze (probably over-analyze) EVERYTHING! When people on the street tell me something I try to analyze every angle of what they said, what they really mean, and what they are not saying. I don't consider it a bad thing by any means but I definitely wasn't that way before college.

[retdetsgt]

Community colleges are a good transition too. Even though it may seem a little rinkydink, they aren't trying to flunk you out either. Some major universities HAVE to flunk out a percentage of freshmen because they don't have the capacity to take them all the way through.

When I went to U of Arizona many, many years ago, they used freshman chemistry to take people out. The lecture had several hundred students in an auditorium and asking questions wasn't allowed.

Relax and take in the experience. As Greg said, if nothing else, it teaches you to think more. Even English Literature made me enjoying reading now more because I can look past the obvious.

But it's like anything else in life, if you aren't dedicated to doing the hard work to achieve something, you'll find plenty of reasons to drop out.

[Jennifer]

I can tell you this. I felt teh same way when I was in college. Heck, I am now paying off my Sallie-Mae loan from that, and still feel the same way. I was conservative and ended up at a liveral, liber arts college. I speak to maybe 2 people from 4 years of college. One was my roommate who is a fed LEO in another agency and one is just a teacher somewhere.

I think that this is the norm in public universities. I experienced the same thing, I had professors demonize Bush in class. And then the majority of students agree. I hated it, it made me uncomfortable to talk in class.

[S-99]

The short answer is: no, college should be challenging; you need to transfer to a more challenging, four-year school, and you need to do it now. The better schools typically have a deadline of around January 1. So start calling admissions and financial aid offices immediately; and ask them to mail you their catalogs and applications. You also probably need to apply for financial aid; so you need to get a copy of the Financial Aid Form used by colleges and start filling it out.

[ChevySSP]

FWIW I learn more on RP than I did in College.

For me, my basic courses didn't do anything but reinforce what I did in HS, and after that I was pretty much set straight for the rest.

It is kinda easy, and is a borish time, but believe me if your having an easy time with your first semester be glad and get all those basics down so that when you start the fun stuff (trig, Chemisty, Geology, Psychology, etc.) you'll need only worry about what your doing rather than what you did.