No Motivation for School

Hey there, @philosophicalSpring8392, thank you for sharing this here. Truth be told, I saw when you first made this post, but I was hoping someone with more experience than me could support you. But seeing that no one’s stepped forward yet, I’ll do my best to support you! Hmm... it sounds like what you’re going through is perfectly normal for students in your position. Truth is, college (which I assume you’re in right now) is much harder than high school, but few people say it aloud. They expect that you’ll do just as well as you did in high school, “like normal.” But how can that be the case? The workload’s heavier, the material itself is more difficult, and the number of responsibilities you have now is undoubtedly more than you had before. Not to mention a global pandemic! All of these things come together to sap your motivation. But notice that they don’t change your potential. You’re still, at your core, the same person you were in high school. Your character hasn’t changed, even though your emotions may be reflective of the new world around you. So... I think you still have all the potential that you used to have! That’s how I feel - if you were capable of doing great before, then you still have that potential now. Nothing that happens around you can change that; in many ways, your past has built you for success! So, what to do now? Your new situation calls for adjustments, and even though I can’t exactly say what those are, I know you can identify them and make changes. All it takes is a bit of motivation, and that comes with time. So, when you’re feeling up to it, recognize the changes you should make and challenge yourself to make them (even gradually). High-school you would be able to meet that challenge, and I know you can too :) So, sorry for the long post, but in short, things are more difficult nowadays. That said, you still have every bit of the potential you had in high school. I believe that. You can recognize how to succeed and work toward it. And your entire community here will be ready to support you! So, please take care, and lean on us if you ever need support!

How have you been the past couple of weeks?

I know for a fact that many students struggle with the transition of high school to college/university. Some would tough it out, and others might give up altogether. It is a good sign that you're still putting effort to make things work out, even if it means you're completing work at the last minute! I think motivation comes from the interests of your courses, as well as goals you want to achieve in the future. You're still young, you have time to figure out what you would like to achieve and discover what would drive your motivation.

I've never gotten good grades in high school, I graduated with an average of below 70%. I was accepted to a University that, at that time, had the lowest requirements that I barely passed. During my first year, I was planning to take four courses per term, at the end, I withdrew from my courses and was only taking one course. The workload, and the transition was feeding my depression and it made me reach my limit. I ended up dropping out at the beginning of my second year. Went home and started working at my dad's workplace for a few years before he quit. During those few years, I tried taking elective courses at a nearby college, trying to find what I was interested in, trying to find that motivation. I had always been afraid of going back to school, since high school did not give me a good experience. During my high school years, although my parents didn't give me much pressure in doing well, my peers thought that I was part of the group of smart students. Back then, no matter how long I studied for a test, I still just barely pass. I noticed that I only did well in subjects I enjoyed.

Now, nearing mid-30s, I have a decent-paid job, although it's part-time, I've also started going back to school last fall. In hopes to earn a Diploma, and I'm also working on a Certificate program online. This time around, my motivation for going back to school is part of the goal I want to achieve at the end of the tunnel. Earning a Diploma and to finish the Certificate course will help me reach my dream job, even if by then, it is not what I thought it would be, at least, I won't have any regrets of not even trying it at all~

@philosophicalSpring8392