AE makes me so sad
Aeronautical engineering is something I want to do so I can specialize in aerodynamics one day. However, I am in my last weed out semester and it is just giving me ***. I have never left this many lectures so confused. i have cried in two classes in the span of two weeks due to significant stress and i feel so embarrassed; like i dont wanna go back to those classes embarrassed. I feel so overwhelmed right now with school and with my first tests and quizzes coming up im so worried. when i dont understand something i blame myself as a person and it just tears me down.
I am at a loss right now because it is early in the semester and i am already this stressed. HOWEVER, i also know this is what I want to do.
What are some good things to do when you are stressed about not knowing how to do something? Obviously study, but what else can I do to manage stress while in the heat of the moment?
Also does anyone have any encouraging words about hard semesters? What are some good strategies to get through such semesters?
@slixy
Hey there recently graduated student here, just wanted to tell you and encourage that there are no such college experiences in which there is all "easy" semesters. Especially someone in AE, these courses are going to be tough because they're designed to get you ready and going as soon as you graduate into a job. As a biological sciences major I remember my first Calc 2 class thinking it would be easy as I took Calc in high school and did fairly well. I got a 42% on my first midterm and was absolutely in shambles for the rest of the semester. I had a ton of doubts during that time if this major was right and if I should continue and in hindsight I'm glad I got through it. Like you said, study is the best way, you're mind is a lot more efficient and a good learner than you often think! there's a lot of learning that is done even if you feel like you're not getting anything. Additionally make sure to take breaks! Hang out with your friends, go get a nice meal, exercise/play sports, do something fun! These breaks can take your mind off your anxiety and can give you a fresh and more encouraged mindset when you return to working. Best of luck, AE can be one heck of a journey, but I know you can do it~
Aerodynamics sound like a very challenging field of study, but if this is something you feel you'll have passion for, go for it. If you do not have any prior knowledge on the field, it is perfectly normal for you to feel overwhelmed with all this new information. As much as you're confused with what you're being taught, give yourself some time to digest it. Stress is sometimes a bad thing, when we can't divert it to good energy.
Try and keep your focus on your passion for this field, use that as your drive to help ease the stress off. Don't give yourself too much pressure, that you need to understand everything right off the bat. Take your breaks, do something completely different. Go out for a walk, get some fresh air. Do you have any activities that help release stress?.. Some people like to sit down and work on jigsaw puzzles, others might like to do some baking/cooking, knitting, read a good book, listen to music..etc.
You can do this, we believe in you. So, believe in yourself!~
@slixy
@slixy Thanks for sharing. I really needed to read this to not feel so alone because I feel the exact same way right now. I'm taking a weed-out chemistry class as well as biology and public health research methods class for my major and I am completely swamped with the workload, I just can't handle it. The chemistry is going so fast I can't understand it and I contemplated back and forth whether I was going to drop the class. But I cannot drop it because this is a requirement for the master's program I know I want to do. I'll have to wait another year if I drop it. This quarter started 4 weeks ago and I've already missed 3 weeks of chemistry class because I'm so overwhelmed by it. I keep telling myself I'll watch the recordings and do the work later but it's not happening. Every time I think about all the homework I have to do, I get extremely fatigued and want to fall asleep or escape into some other behavior. I just got my first exam results back and I got 47%. I just want to give up and cry.
But I know there is still plenty of time for me to turn this around and do well. I just don't know what it's going to take for me to get there if at all. I don't have to get a 4.0 like I've set my standards to because in reality, Cs equal degrees! The only way to ensure failure is by making it my goal to be 100% perfect. I have reached out to many people at my school such as different advisors to see how they might be able to help me or lead me somewhere that can. I've found several tutoring centers and even hired a private tutor for extra support and accountability. I even got help from the disability center to get extra time on my tests since I struggle so much with anxiety. But the tutoring center for minority affairs has really helped because they know how hard this class is and they have weekly workshops and exam review sessions.
My guess is that you are not the only one having a hard time with this class and there are probably people who can help you. I would really encourage you to reach out and talk to someone at the school about what's going on whether it be your teacher, advisor, or classmate. There are probably resources out there that you may not know of yet which is how other people are able to actually keep up with the class. Best of luck. I'm rooting for you!