College is making me miserable

I feel so miserable while in college that depression is kicking in all the time. I simply don’t want to go to college. It’s not that I’m lazy, it’s just that I can’t feel inspired by college. I feel loneliness and can’t connect to people. I do talk to college students, but it’s kind like I can’t relate with them. They have different aspirations.

I understand I’m being whiny and I should be grateful for studying at one of best universities of my country, but I simply can’t stand college anymore. And if I give up, many people will think I’m a failure or that I reject college.

I understand college may be important to other people (even those who study Fine Arts, Philosophy, Sociology, etc), but I can’t feel greatness coming for me.

If I wanted to work as a Graphic Designer, I would find a job without even a degree. But I don’t love Graphic Design and going to college is making me miserable.

The problem is that I gave up college once and then I gave up a good job because I also felt miserable. People will say: “you’re depressed, take more pills.”, but even when I was taking antidepressants, I felt miserable in college.

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Don’t be so rough on yourself…if college is too much for you …leave? You can always come back when you feel right about it…that’s easy to say I know…harder to do…I hope you find peace.

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Don’t underestimate yourself.
You have greatness inside.
You just have to find the program that will allow you to unleash that greatness.
Don’t give up on yourself, keep searching.

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I left once and asked to come back. If I leave, I can’t come back to the public university again. Public universities are for free here in Brazil.

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What if the program is not college?

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Do what you want to do…not what you think OTHERS want you to do. But also learn to accept responsibility for the results of your choices.

I have started feeling depression more lately and the way I deal with it is just to sit and experience that feeling without trying to escape from it. The method felt like crap at first but now that I have experienced it more, I am able to get thru it without being upset by it. Misery passes with time as everything changes. Change is the only constant.

I also from time to time engage in art hobbies which I enjoy.

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Then you just go with what inspires you.
College isn’t for everyone.
You sound too smart for it anyway.

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I like the approach you have with depression. I just took a look at the suicidal rates of college students and it’s really high.

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Thank you, @nfy!

What inspires me is inspiring people.

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It’s really high because the pressure placed on these kids, yourself included is out of control.
Success does not equal a degree and a good job with a house and nice cars.
We are not clones.

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That makes sense.

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If you do college right unfortunately it’s just a miserable thing. For everyone. No one likes having to be under constant stress of endless studying and assignments and tests. I was absolutely miserable for most of my first degree and even now I wish I could just be done with school.

My second degree is online (with in person clinicals) and I like it sooo much better than regular school though. I can work at my own pace, it is much easier to take notes from lectures that I can pause and rewind, and I dont have to worry about getting dressed and wasting time commuting and sitting in a lecture where I won’t pay attention anyways.

If you feel college isn’t for you then you’re right you’ll need to look for a career path that doesnt require it. It seems you need to rethink your career choice as well if it doesnt make you happy.

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Having to go to the lectures drains my energies too. There are professors who are amazing as person, but their classes are boring. I kind pay attention, but just to please the professors. It’s kind like doing a favor for them, and not for me.

I am sure college is not the right path for me. I literally have no doubt (even because I don’t want to become a Physician, Engineer, Lawyer or any other profession that requires a degree). I really want to become an entrepreneur.

But what if I can’t succeed as an entrepreneur? What if I can’t find a job that’ll provide me money to survive? What if I fail? What if people mock me for not having a degree? What if people mock me for being a dumb dropout who lives in misery?

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I went through a similar period that lasted a whole term. I didn’t attend a single lecture, and my grades suffered.

However, I was able to pick myself back up again, and fight back to graduate.

I would have regretted dropping out. I am glad now I finished it, as I wouldn’t be where I am now without my qualification.

Try and sort your head, and get back to it if you can - it is possible.

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Your going to fail.
It’s an unfortunate part of life.
But failure teaches you what not to do the next time.
Failure is how you learn to succeed.

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I admire your persistence.

Did you really want that degree? I mean, did you have a passion for the matter you were studying?

There’s loads of other things you can do other than college
Things that cause less stress
If college is making you miserable don’t put yourself through it

Harsh truth.

You’re very inspirational and wise.

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Thank you.

Have you ever read about Abraham Lincoln’s life?
It might inspire you.

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I did, but I completely lost my way through anxiety and psychosis in my second year. I limped through and finished with a half decent grade in the end. I was a joint major, and had to sit and write two 20,000 word dissertations, one of which was not on a subject I wanted to write at all.

I ended up in hospital a few weeks after graduating and then got my sz diagnosis finally.

It was messy, but once you have achieved a qualification, the real world accepts that, and you have earned your right to do a lot more different jobs.

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