Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav

I messed up and theres nothing i can do till monday

User Profile: ScottyDo
ScottyDo June 15th, 2019

so, enter me. im taking a summer language class ( 6 week semester) and busting my ass, log on to take a test a the course isnt there. turns out i forgot to pay for the class (even though i reminded all my friends to pay in time). figured "well that sucks, i guess ill re enroll and miss some assignments, my grade can take a small hit. turns out a few hours before i found ourt was the deadline to re-enroll. whole lot of effort wasted because im not good enough ( i know good enough is subjective and people make mistakes) i just need to be better and next semester is probably fucked because of this too. best part is i cant do a damn thing to fix any of it till monday and i feel like i can give myself no quarter till i fix it.

3
User Profile: TheHammaOnU
TheHammaOnU June 15th, 2019

Hey @ScottyDo, firstly, I want you to know that I'm proud of you for studying so hard in a language course during summer. I'm terrible at self-motivation and would never try hard at anything during time off! So, kudos to you!

Secondly, I know you don't know me, but I'd like to ask you a small favor. Would that be alright? If so, please inhale for seven seconds. Fill up all of your lungs as full and wide as you can. Really let that oxygen spread throughout your lungs. Then, hold it in for about five seconds. Then, release for seven seconds. Let it all out slowly and under your lungs are almost entirely empty. Breathe normally a few times and repeat that two more times.

By the end of this exercise, your sympathetic nervous system will have been activated, and your body's natural pathway to deactivating your fight-or-flight response will be engaged. Thus having an immediate impact on your anxiety. Awesome job. Thanks for being such a good sport, either way.

Now let's talk mistakes, my man. You already said it yourself, they happen. Not being good enough? Subjective. You already know how all this works. I like that. Shows potential for great self-awareness. Whether you realize it or not, you've already identified several of your key strengths. Strong work ethic and collective responsibility to your social network. Invaluable skills.

Sure, you may have accidentally created a situation that sets you back some time and money. However, you've also identified a great interest of yours. You've also ensured that your friends paid on time. You've participated in something worthwhile and haven't done any exceptional permanent damage.

In addition to these facts, the institution may be willing to work with you to restore your progress, especially if you vocalize just how much you enjoy the course.

Let me ease your mind a bit. Let's play Devil's Advocate, shall we? Let's say the worst occurs (which experience suggests won't be the case) and you lose all progress, time, money, and you feel as if you've failed those around you. Okay. So you own up to what happened, you made a simple mistake. You forgot. You feel silly. It sucks and you wish it hadn't happened. But truthfully, and I really mean this, my man, no major negative consequences will plague you as a result. You still have your life, your friends, and your family. EVEN IF they are mildly-to moderately disappointed in you for a short period of time. They aren't going to abandon you. Playing Devil's Advocate one more time, if they DO abandon you, they're doing you a great favor by removing their negativity from your life.

Take a couple more of those breaths I mentioned, trust me, just as Professor Lupin said to Harry when he offered him chocolate "it helps."

You're awesome for even taking those courses. You're awesome for helping others remember their deadlines. And you're awesome for caring that you might bring discomfort to those you care about. Rewire your brain. Appreciate and be kind to yourself. Even if you don't believe in yourself right now, I believe in you, brother. Life is a series of unfortunate events and our fulfillment hinges upon how we react to those events. You got this. Do things that make you happy. Joke about your mistake with those close to you. And do everything you can to reverse it on Monday. If it doesn't reverse, get knocked down and get back up. Eye of the tiger. All that lame pep talk stuff. Point is, you're far stronger than you even realize. The power of the human spirit is unparalleled.

Best wishes, fam. You got this!

1 reply
User Profile: ScottyDo
ScottyDo OP June 15th, 2019

@TheHammaOnU thank you, this helped a lot

load more