Really scared - screwed up at uni!

Post Reply New Topic

Hey.
I'm 10 weeks into my first year of uni, and I have an assignment due this week. Thing is, this essay was due for the others 2 weeks ago but due to absence because of severe anxiety and depression issues I was given until this week to do it. I guess that might be classed as an extention. However, I've been struggling even more of late and I just haven't been able to do this essay, I've been crying in bed all day and when I have tried to do the essay I found my progress has been very slow! I feel so anxious and angry at myself, I've no idea what I'll tell my tutor tomorrow when he asks if I've done the essay.
I'm going to the doctors tomorrow morning to get myself sorted out with my mental health issues, my parents have been begging me to go for weeks but I haven't been able to do it. I just feel like such a screw up.

As of late, Ive been feeling the same way - very depressed and unmotivated to do my class assignments. I even failed an essay, which is the first that has ever happened. I don't know exactly what to say to you as I havent pulled out of this spell quite yet, but try and give yourself an interest in what you are doing. It doesn't help at all if your not interested in what your doing. Try thinking how interesting it is to do what your doing, and put all your possible effort into this essay. Hope this helps.

thanks. just in case, what effect did failing an essay have on you? is it the end of the world? i'm sorry to hear you're struggling too, hope things turn out better soon.

You haven't screwed up. You haven't been well, and that depression and anxiety have an effect on your ability to complete the coursework.

I would recommend that you get your doctor to provide you with a sick line which you can submit to the uni. There will be a set procedure for doing this and that information will probably be available on the uni website or in a course handbook.

Speak to your tutor about the essay. Explain why you haven't been able to complete it, that you have been to the doctor and ask for a further extension for this essay. Based on my own experiences of being a student I can't see any reason why a further extension would be refused given the circumstances.

The additional time should relieve some of the time-pressure anxiety and you should work out a plan for tackling the essay. What worked for me was to break it down into sections - introduction, key sections, conclusion - and allocate a rough word limit/target to each section. Doing that can make it less daunting and gives you a framework to work within.

Good luck, and try to stay positive. Take things step by step and keep your tutors up-to-date with what's going on with you. If they don't know that you are having problems, they won't be able to help.

Good advice from the poster above.

I'd also recommend doing what you CAN do on this assignment. It sounds like maybe you got yourself really stressed out about it, and that never helps. Can you submit what you *have* done? An outline, a plan, a whatever. This will show the instructor that you have made a good-faith effort at least.

Sometimes I find that when I'm really struggling with something I have to submit a result that I feel doesn't represent my best work, but it's the best I can do at that moment. Maybe I'm not proud of it, and maybe I wish I could do better, but it's better than nothing.

thank you for your advice! i'm feeling much more optimistic now and i feel prepared to deal with my issues. thanks again for your help!

i think you'll be ok. i know what you mean... i have gone through it plenty of times before.