How does one balance school, work, and all that smooth jazz?
blackcat
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Joined: 16 Nov 2006
Age: 35
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,142
Location: 10 miles south of sanity.
So, I'm in college. I finally got a job. I am doing pretty well at the job other than doing something (not so sure what) that prompts other people who work there to tell me to "calm down" and that "it gets easier" as well as kind of getting pissed with the customers for getting cross with me (for things that aren't actually my fault...such as them having the wrong coupon or not being able to read....). Still...I feel like I am "wearing myself thin", so to speak. Which is pretty sad considering that I am only a freaking cashier. A simple part time job with normal shifts (7 or 8 hours, depending) should not make me this tired.
I am so far behind in my classes due to work, the tornadoes (AL), and generally being a procrastinating git. Seriously. It's horrible and I am exhausted and freaking out and...ugh. What am I supposed to do? Other than my WORK I mean. I know that I have to do that. Just...I dunno.
I need some kind of schedule. A routine. To be honest I have NEVER actually had a real routine. I have had...pseudo routines and they helped with the anxiety, but every time I started to get really into them my mom would break them or something would happen. I am just a mess right now. I have done so well all semester and now I am going to fail during the final stretch? It's crazy. All of my hard work...down the toilet.
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jojobean
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ok damage control.
first talk with your teachers about your difficulty with AS and see what they might be able to do to help. I know schools in AL are not very disability friendly but maybe things might be easier there.
second, go to the disability coordator of your college and ask her or him to help you draw up a workable schedule if you for some reason dont have a disability coordator at your college...see the guidance councilor they are full of practical advice like that.
third, talk to your boss about putting you in another possition of the store other than dirrectly working with customers...like stocking or something like that because all of that socail interaction is wearing you out to the point you have no energy left for school. I could never work as a cashier.... first off, my brain would be a puddle of mush at the end of the day with all the overstimulation of having to interact with others and knowing how to say what when and how... My head nearly exploded thinking about it. I dont know how you got as far as you did with that job, AS, tornadoes, and classic aspie procrasination. Give your self a pat on the back
fourth, the best way to deal with procrassination for those with AS is like jumping into a pool all at once instead of inching into it
The reason you procrassinate as an aspie is you dont like changing tracks...but before long your train gets rolling too fast in the wrong dirrection and is hard to stop at that point. SO what you do (easier said than done) is just jump into what you need to do head first, and once the inital shock of the sudden change wears off...you will be comfortable doing what you you need to do...at least untill it is time to change tracks again. But just know that the pain of the sudden change in activities is short lived.
fifth you need to tell some people who are supportive of you what you are going through so they can catch you before you fall apart.
I know how this is. I been in this situation many times in college and the last stretch of a semester, I am hanging on by a real thin string.
I love college but it was hard on me and really pushed me to the limits of my endurance.
pm me if you need to,
jojo
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blackcat
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Joined: 16 Nov 2006
Age: 35
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,142
Location: 10 miles south of sanity.
Thank you for the response, JoJo. The teachers know...it just isn't their problem. I will talk with the counselor before class tomorrow and see what, if anything, comes of it. I don't have a disability coordinator because I am not yet diagnosed with AS. I am only diagnosed with panic disorder. I actually just remembered that testing for AS beings tomorrow...when everything is due. I will be missing that appointment, clearly.
Being in AL and working where I work, I have to be a cashier because they make the women do that. They won't let us stock. And I need the money. But yes, it is pretty overwhelming dealing with people for 7 to 8 hours a day.
I know I know. =[ I hate myself for putting things off. And I know from past experience that on the few occasions that I have just thrown myself into assignments paid off tremendously. But very often I either procrastinate or...people won't leave me the hell alone and let me work so I usually give up out of frustration. Which is a stupid thing to do.
I enjoy college as well...but the last 2 weeks have been hell.
_________________
I think I know. I don't think I know. I don't think I think I know. I don't think I think.
This is normal!
But a routine helps SO MUCH. Seriously. Timetable everything.
I'm revising for exams now, and I know this is a stupid example, but if I timetable stuff in big blocks of time like
9-12 History
3-5 German
It really doesn't motivate me as much as
9-9:30 learn British history quotes
9:30-10 learn Tory acts and policies
10-11 British history
11-12 Russian History
3-3:30 vocab
3:30-4 kerboodle
4-4:45 grammar
4:45-5 vocab
I also factor in stuff like tidying my room, doing jobs, my volunteering stuff....otherwise I forget everything. Terrible working memory. I also am a terrible interrupter. It's weird though, because I've always been able to pick up things like vocab very quickly and retain info, it's just otherwise I'm awful for remembering ideas that have just occured to me. They fizzle out as quickly as they come. Oh well. They're not worth much anyhow!
Lists are your best friend!
Sometimes you have to forgo the least important stuff. I don't do "little homeworks" like filling in worksheets and things, which would probably be helpful, but not as helpful as ten extra minutes reading my own choice of book, unless I do it in the lesson.
I think Aspies are notoriously bad at time management. I know I feel much better if I have everything planned out.
blackcat
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Joined: 16 Nov 2006
Age: 35
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,142
Location: 10 miles south of sanity.
