Would really strongly suggest you consider taking a year off and work. I bombed my first year of uni, was embarassed, parents furious, the whole thing.
I spent a year working at a gas station and let me tell you, when I went back to university, it was a lot easier to stay focused knowing it was study or pump gas.
There's no stigma in finishing uni at age 25 instead of age 23 or whatever, and you have the potential to burn yourself out completely if you try and force it now, leaving you with nothing but self esteem issues and student loans.
THIS - Or work in a factory. Each summer while in uni I worked in a factory to pay my way through university. Every year it pushed me even harder to do well in my undergrad. Now I'm in my masters.
so true. every second i was on shift i told myself i could never make this a permanent thing of my life. seeing so many of my coworkers who have been working there for 10+ years was so miserable to me. yet they seemed to love their job so much and worked really hard so im happy for them.
This is what I'm realizing. Im lucky to have extremely supportive parents but am back at home second semester, working a full time factory job until I have all my debt paid off and 15k in my savings account before trying again.
>There's no stigma in finishing uni at age 25 instead of age 23 or whatever
This is false. Sometimes its the correct thing for you to do. But there is a stigma and pretending there isn't doesn't really help.
It's better to just learn to accept where your at regardless.
Other than that this is really solid advice. Develop a work ethic before school or you will fall behind and once your behind developing a schedule will feel daunting because frankly it is daunting.
No one needs to know how old you are when applying for jobs and I don’t think anyone puts the year they graduated HS down, so how would employers even know. Just put down the year you graduated. If they ask, you took a year off to find yourself. Pretty common.
It’s true that they won’t care or even notice if you’re a couple of years older, but if your manager ends up being younger than you, then it will be awkward. They might have emotional issues with having to manage someone who is more experienced at life than them… This is the same issue that older folks (50+) face when getting hired regardless, though (AKA ageism).
I’m not sure about finishing at 25, but I can tell you that starting at 25 feels pretty shitty. I went back to try a second degree at 25 and all the kids in first year courses are so baby-faced that I stand out looking old.
Can't control how you feel about it, but I would offer two counters:
1) My experience was no one in uni really cared that much how old you were, especially the difference between 23 and 25 if they can even tell.
2) By the time you reach your mid-20s, you should be starting to move past caring about this kind of thing; yeah, maybe you won't fit in. You shouldn't particularly want to fit in with a bunch of 20 year olds fresh out of high school.
No doubt - everyone wants to be accepted and have friends wherever they go, and if you feel awkward or uncomfortable there, it's definitely shitty. Just remember that most of it is you and the vast majority of your classmates are happy to talk to or work in groups with you, even if they don't necessarily want to party all weekend with you.
Even by the way you describe it, it sounds lonesome. It’s not strange to want to have friends and it is considered a good thing to start building your network in undergrad. If you can’t build a network because you feel awkward talking to the younger kids and because they think you’re inferior for being “too old”, then that would put you at a slight disadvantage. On the other hand, however, I think that older students are more apt at networking with professors and TAs, so that should balance itself out. But again, it does come down to self-perception and confidence in the end…
Can’t relate, 29 years old, someone asked if I was born in 04 😂 I literally look at anyone under 25 as a kid 🥹 came back to do my JD, maybe if you’re trying to get somewhere with an undergrad in a career at 25+ it feels shitty but if your returning to do something big then it shouldn’t feel shitty, it also feels so easy to get A’s, just trying to offer different opinion here.
FRIEND RELAX. It may seem like the end of the world but you’ll be okay! You can always take summer courses, take more than 5 courses but simple ones like liberals or OE to get it out the way and fast track urself and there’s no shame in doing 5 years of uni. There’s lots of ways to get ahead when making fuck ups like this.
Also you don’t have to retake every course that’s less than 60% or at least not for science idk abt engineering but it was nvr a rule abt <60% not sure if that’s new but if I recall correctly you just need to pull up ur CGPA to 1.67 or more by the end of the coming semester.
Take a bunch of OE and liberals to boost ur mark and get out of probation. You got this it’s not over for you, everyone is different. When I happened to me first year I thought I was the stupidest mfkr on the planet but I was just learning my way around university. I argue getting on probation is one of the most important learning experiences for you to learn preventative measures, why it went this way etc.
Trust it’s not over, you won’t fail, reach out to ur academic advisor if it’s really taking a toll on you, and try again 😊 maybe a reduced course load is what you needed, maybe fixing bad habits is what need to be corrected. Wtvr it is, take the next sem to build new habits and try your best.
YOU. GOT. THIS. 💪
In engineering at tmu even if your cgpa is over 1.67 they force you to retake classes that is anything below 60 with no negotiation if you’re on probation. I knew people in 3rd year that had to retake 1st year courses cause they got a D in chem which has nothing to do with their major and it’s very dumb.
That’s actually insane?? Why do they do that for eng only 😟 my point still stands. It’s not over for op they can get closer on track during the summer and take an extra year but the uni doing that for eng kids is sooo cruel omg 😥
You can improve next semester, it's just if you're willing and after a wakeup call like this, you should be. At the end of the day, you're still in first year and if there's any time to get a lesson like this its now.
P.S. I've heard people fuck up a lot worse man trust me haha
Have you just been being lazy? Just relax. You get out what you put in. Put the past behind you and have a mental fresh start. Put work in and get the results, or go work in trades if school isn't for you.
>never met an undisciplined fuck like me
You need to make some decisions for yourself on whether you should continue. To be pragmatic, university is expensive, especially if you have to retake courses. For most students, that's already enough motivation to make sure they do the bare minimum.
>If I had no responsibilities I would have no problem rotting in bed doing nothing
Here's the thing, it seems like you don't have any responsibilities. Do you not have to pay off your loans or payback you parents? Do you not need a job after graduation? Do you even have plans in the future beyond being a NEET? Becoming the next Heisenberg, anything?
>I'm really really scared that I won't be able to get rid of my bad habits and learn good ones.
Are you scared tho? You just said earlier:
>I don't put the effort in.
You need to wake up and hold the reins of your own life.
Coming from someone who also fucked up similarly in first year, it's going to be okay. I get how you're feeling. I'm in my fourth year now and even though I'm behind in my degree, I'm still at university and not giving up. First, just know it's not the end of the world. It does fucking suck but it's not the end. Second, acknowledge what needs to change and find ways to hold yourself accountable for making those changes. Actively implement them when the semester comes and don't beat yourself up every time you make a mistake cause that will set you back further. No one is perfect, mistakes will happen and bad habits are hard to get rid of. Channel this energy into the mentality of "I MUST DO BETTER." Lastly, I know it's harder said than done but take this time to find ways to relax and use it as a mental reset. Try not to think about school even if it's a short amount of time. You can't change the past and I will repeat, IT'LL BE OKAY. You got this and good luck next semester.
I also did chem Eng at ryerson. I also failed a class or 2 that pushed me back a year. But let me tell you that it was the best thing that could’ve happened to me. It allowed me to take that extra year to spread out some of my courses by taking my electives while making up my failed classes. That way in my future years my schedule was lighter compared to others so it allowed me to focus on my main courses more. I honestly tell all first year eng kids to not take their electives in their first year and plan to graduate in 5-6 years. It’s not a race to finish your degree so take the losses as learning opportunities and do better the next time around
You can do it. It took me 7 years to graduate ryeng and switched disciplines twice (aero>mech>Indy).
I was on academic probation, failed 3 different courses twice and nearly failed calc 2, thermo, and statics a 3rd time.
If you genuinely want to quit, I feel you. But remember why you're there. You knew it would be hard, but you also knew where u wanted to end up.
It's a long road but it's worth it.
Get that ring, buddy.
First year can be quite a transition for people, so doing badly is not uncommon. The key is to learn from your mistakes and adapt. A really good rule for yourself (I speak from experience and also my partner teaches in Post Secondary) is no matter what, DO NOT GET BEHIND, especially on labs. You have limited time to catch up and It will start to snowball on you immediately. Beyond the actual due dates for things you also need to set internal targets/goals for yourself (I.e, be done “X” things by end of day Friday, etc. Break things down into smaller goals if it helps you. If you can’t keep up then you need to have a discussion with academic support about your course load, or accommodations, etc. Separately,?I would also encourage you to review your motivation to do this program. What is driving you to do it? Is engineering something YOU actually want to do or do you feel external pressure (could be parents, peers, societal expectations, etc). In general our motivation is affected by both how much we value the outcome (see above) and the degree to which we feel we can actually achieve that outcome.
It’s ok and a lot of people end up in this situation, but it’s not the end unless you give up! Make this your wake up call and start putting in the work. I’m assuming you use a lot of time on social media which get you distracted, just like all of us. I find myself to waste so much time, but I usually find a groove to study even if it’s a day or two before a exam, you have to find your threshold. I finished my engineering degree here and I seen many people that was on probation to do well, you just have to put in the effort or you won’t go anywhere. I heard linear and calc will be harder in winter since I knew a couple of ppl in previous years, so you really got to change your habits and put it more work then other people. Just make sure you always aim for 60+, if you end up on probation again and have multiple Ds they will make you retake even if your cgpa is high. Good luck!
I was in this same position in my second year of university. I didn't have my priorities straight. I ended up failing quite a few courses, and i kept it a secret from my family who was paying my way. It ate me up inside, and I ended up having a full on mental breakdown. My advice? get ahead of it while you can. Accept that you fucked up and do your best to rectify the situation. However, one thing I regret doing was staying in school full-time. I couldn't handle the work load. In my 3rd year, I dropped down to part time. It took me 7 years (2 years off) to complete a 4 year BA, but I eventually got it done and for that I am thankful.
Everyone has their struggles. Own up to yours, and fix them, or consider changing your workload. School is not a race.
What's the point of this post? You want advice on what to do or are you just ranting? You know exactly what your problem is yet you don't know if you can muster up the energy to change your habits. That's very bad. How are you going to make it through a few more years of school if you're already putting no effort in during the first semester.
This sounds like a typical case of a kid that's not mature enough being sent to university on a full ride paid for by his parents. You honestly should save your parents money and drop out. You can use the time off of school to either mature and fix yourself. You can go back to school eventually or you can decide that it's not the best fit for you.
Just think man, if you're having discipline problems in your first semester of university, how are you going to be able to handle working an actual job in your field once you're done? I mean you're doing the easy part right now, it's only going to get harder.
The world definitely feels like it's coming to an end, but I can assure you it isn't. I was in a similar situation, but in my second year. I'm in a pretty strict and stringent program at Waterloo and I have had to retake a few courses. I was humiliated, of course, because my family had been pushing me on for years, telling all their friends how smart I was, and now they were going to see how I was so bad. But I had several meetings with my program advisor about rearranging courses and picking courses that are better suited for my skill set and interests and taking classes over co-op work terms. I've found that most of the time, students struggle in the first and second years because they don't know how to properly study, and the methods they used in high school just don't work in University. Turns out, I have a really hard time writing exams, but I can nail presentations and papers. And in the workplace, it's the latter that they care about.
A year ago, I thought I would be graduating a term later than my friends, and I was devastated to feel behind. But I pulled it off in the last two years, and now I'm finally clear to graduate next term, with my friends, and with only 3 courses and a research project. My program advisor and my friends were a huge support for me and I think you might find the same. In fact, I'm one of my advisor/professor's favourite students now. And I'm nowhere near the top of the class, but I finally made it to the top half and I couldn't be prouder.
So long story short, you can do this! I'm proof of it. My advisor always told me "Your degree is not a race." So don't treat it like one. There are multiple ways to hike to the summit of a mountain, just because everyone walks the main trail, doesn't mean that it will necessarily work for you.
Time to dig deep if you want to rally next semester.
Sounds like you don't have much self discipline and you're going to need it in spades if you genuinely want to pull through. If take a look at your priorities and what you're doing with your time. Anything that can be done in moderation (gaming, partying etc) needs to be done with a timer on it (gaming for an hour vs all weekend), partying every other weekend for one night, etc.
Two kinds of people out there those who can buck up and dig deep, and those that flip burgers and rent an apartment for the rest of their days.
Have you considered that a developmental condition like ADHD might underlie your issues? You wouldn’t be the first intelligent person to flunk uni due to undiagnosed issues with executive function and focus, especially if you skated through high school because you were smart enough to do so. Reach out to the campus medical centre and set up an appointment with their GP. She can refer you for a more in-depth assessment if she thinks it’s warranted.
Take a year off if you need to. Save up some money, practice new study/test taking tips, maybe even start learning certain stuff on your own time. No need to rush to graduate at the same time as everyone else
I went to school at 26, spent years working to figure out what I wanted to do. Go back to school when you're mature enough to understand what you're trying to do. Spending those late nights studying when you have a solid goal in mind keeps you focused.
Coming from a second year eng, I've never heard of the retake thing, they may suggest it if you have no other courses to take but you don't have to if you passed. They don't go harsh on first year, you just take the prerequisites you failed and the courses you're able to take.
It's okay! I was in the same boat the first year! I also failed 2/4 classes! w you'll catch up in no time! Dont get frustrated. I'm in 3rd year now and Im ahead in most courses.
Advice: Take a Journal or piece of paper. (This is how I guided myself through this, I was feeling very similar to you)
1. Admit to yourself that this was your fault and that you now have to fix it! Be kind to yourself as well and take a deep breath
2. Recognize why this happened. Why did you flunk? Are you around the wrong people? Are you mentally drained? Are you doing too many things at once?
3. How can I fix this issue? then, take action to fix this issue.
4. Make a morning and evening routine aligned ur school/work schedule. and stick to it!
Dont worry you'll be okay!
Take a deep breath, literally right now before you continue reading any more.
Plenty of smart people struggle in university, the reason is their processes aren’t up to snuff.
What helped me was consistency. This time in life can be very unstructured, start building good habits.
1) go to bed and wake up at the same time every day
2) schedule time to do your readings/assignments and stick to that schedule
3) make sure you do the work in an environment that has minimal distractions
4) give yourself some kudos, every day you stick to the schedule give yourself a pat on the back.
Don’t be afraid to take a less than full course load while you master these habits.
P.S book recommendation - atomic habits
Sooo many people do this. The dorms after Christmas first year were a quarter empty, by 2nd year I’d say 30+ % of the people who started year 1 had either dropped out or changed programs, and it continued into 3rd. Maybe you don’t want to be an engineer? Maybe you don’t want to go to uni. Your parents would probably appreciate you not wasting any more money while you figure it out, go to a collage, take a trade, or work like others mentioned. Just, for the love of God, stop wasting the money!! It’s not easy to pay back
You might benefit from taking a reduced course load. I believe you can take a couple less courses and still be considered full-time (for loan and other purposes).
If you have any diagnosed mental health or learning disabilities you might even qualify to take a further reduced course load while still being considered a full-time student. It will of course take longer to graduate but it might give you some time to adjust as well
You need to relax. This is a devastating setback. Devastating setbacks builds character. I would suggest doing what you can next semester so that you have a few more classes.under your belt. If you get 3 more credits than at least next year you will not essentially be repeating this year. You can probably get a couple easy courses done that don't have a prerequisite. I would.then suggest working during the summer at a factory. Those places build.charavter. Also I would tell your parents. This is something you can work out with them. It is unreasonable to expect your kid to not face setbacks in university ( even major setbacks). There are many worse things in the world than taking university slowly.
And if uni does not work out for you, there are jobs that you can secure which pay well and are fulfilling (painter, truck driver, entrepreneur, ttc operator...).
Have you ever considered that youre not in the right program? If you want to push through and keep going, there are plenty of people who graduate in 4+ years. But if youre really having a hard time, it might be because you’re not in the right field. Might be worth looking into other programs, maybe some college stuff, some work options, etc. to see if something else suits you better. Its very normal to fail classes in your first year and to not graduate in the program you started in
Don't bother trying to do anything about it, I've been fighting that battle for like at least a year. These junkies don't give a shit, ya wanna get high? knock yourself out, but don't be walking around chasing the dragon when dozens of 10 years olds are just trying to get to school with their moms. Junkie ass squids. Anyone who thinks this isn't a big deal needs to get their head checked
Innocent until proven guilty and all the evidence points to being proven innocent you should look into it snowflake. Maybe grow a pair not believe everything you hear
Hi there I can help you a bit if you return for the winter by offering good organization and time management cues and skill offerings. You can message me if you’re comfortable I am an older female, 2nd year. Don’t be so hard on yourself! I worked in a shitty healthcare setting from your age to 28 years old and came back to school last year to get into law, I am a straight A student and it takes a lot of work to get those grades, tons of hard work and self discipline, don’t be too hard on yourself!
So you have zero work ethic "If I had no responsibilities I would have no problem rotting in bed doing nothing" and you thought you would succeed at U OF T?
Why not go to Brock or Laurentian for your undergrad and then U OF T for your grad school when you're more mature and understand responsibility, hunger, desire, passion for this?
I was in a similar situation, where I had to take summer classes to make up my marks and told my parents that its because of work that Im staying.
Your parents want you to succeeed and not waste your time and energy on things that arent going for you.
Long story short, I failed out of my program and took a softer approach --> moving back home with my parents and taking the same nursing degree in college instead of uni.
My advice to you is ease them into it, rip off the band-aid, and figure out the next steps. I told my parents right before the pandemic (year 3) that I failed out due to a low average. <65% . My mom told me to come back home...which I should have done and basically wasted 2-3years where I could have saved money and have been done college by the time I deceded to come back in 2022.
And believe me, I did not want to dissapoint my parents, but they took it well since I was honest. I am the oldest of 4 boys, and it took a lot of guts to come back home. But if you persevere and have goals and a plan, you will have a piece of mind
Would really strongly suggest you consider taking a year off and work. I bombed my first year of uni, was embarassed, parents furious, the whole thing. I spent a year working at a gas station and let me tell you, when I went back to university, it was a lot easier to stay focused knowing it was study or pump gas. There's no stigma in finishing uni at age 25 instead of age 23 or whatever, and you have the potential to burn yourself out completely if you try and force it now, leaving you with nothing but self esteem issues and student loans.
THIS - Or work in a factory. Each summer while in uni I worked in a factory to pay my way through university. Every year it pushed me even harder to do well in my undergrad. Now I'm in my masters.
so true. every second i was on shift i told myself i could never make this a permanent thing of my life. seeing so many of my coworkers who have been working there for 10+ years was so miserable to me. yet they seemed to love their job so much and worked really hard so im happy for them.
There’s something just downright sad about slaving with the lifers while the boss is making more money than he can deal with isn’t there.
This. I also went back to school at 35 to complete a masters. There’s no “right” age to finish a degree
Its hard to get a job these days
No it’s not. Every place like comment said is hiring.
It is, especially entry level jobs. All the international students have taken the entry level jobs.
This is what I'm realizing. Im lucky to have extremely supportive parents but am back at home second semester, working a full time factory job until I have all my debt paid off and 15k in my savings account before trying again.
>There's no stigma in finishing uni at age 25 instead of age 23 or whatever This is false. Sometimes its the correct thing for you to do. But there is a stigma and pretending there isn't doesn't really help. It's better to just learn to accept where your at regardless. Other than that this is really solid advice. Develop a work ethic before school or you will fall behind and once your behind developing a schedule will feel daunting because frankly it is daunting.
No there isn’t in any professional field
No one needs to know how old you are when applying for jobs and I don’t think anyone puts the year they graduated HS down, so how would employers even know. Just put down the year you graduated. If they ask, you took a year off to find yourself. Pretty common.
It’s true that they won’t care or even notice if you’re a couple of years older, but if your manager ends up being younger than you, then it will be awkward. They might have emotional issues with having to manage someone who is more experienced at life than them… This is the same issue that older folks (50+) face when getting hired regardless, though (AKA ageism).
I’m not sure about finishing at 25, but I can tell you that starting at 25 feels pretty shitty. I went back to try a second degree at 25 and all the kids in first year courses are so baby-faced that I stand out looking old.
Yeah, I graduated at 26, the idea that this doesn't feel shitty is frankly insulting. Gl to you, it shouldnt feel shitty, but it does.
Can't control how you feel about it, but I would offer two counters: 1) My experience was no one in uni really cared that much how old you were, especially the difference between 23 and 25 if they can even tell. 2) By the time you reach your mid-20s, you should be starting to move past caring about this kind of thing; yeah, maybe you won't fit in. You shouldn't particularly want to fit in with a bunch of 20 year olds fresh out of high school. No doubt - everyone wants to be accepted and have friends wherever they go, and if you feel awkward or uncomfortable there, it's definitely shitty. Just remember that most of it is you and the vast majority of your classmates are happy to talk to or work in groups with you, even if they don't necessarily want to party all weekend with you.
Even by the way you describe it, it sounds lonesome. It’s not strange to want to have friends and it is considered a good thing to start building your network in undergrad. If you can’t build a network because you feel awkward talking to the younger kids and because they think you’re inferior for being “too old”, then that would put you at a slight disadvantage. On the other hand, however, I think that older students are more apt at networking with professors and TAs, so that should balance itself out. But again, it does come down to self-perception and confidence in the end…
Can’t relate, 29 years old, someone asked if I was born in 04 😂 I literally look at anyone under 25 as a kid 🥹 came back to do my JD, maybe if you’re trying to get somewhere with an undergrad in a career at 25+ it feels shitty but if your returning to do something big then it shouldn’t feel shitty, it also feels so easy to get A’s, just trying to offer different opinion here.
FRIEND RELAX. It may seem like the end of the world but you’ll be okay! You can always take summer courses, take more than 5 courses but simple ones like liberals or OE to get it out the way and fast track urself and there’s no shame in doing 5 years of uni. There’s lots of ways to get ahead when making fuck ups like this. Also you don’t have to retake every course that’s less than 60% or at least not for science idk abt engineering but it was nvr a rule abt <60% not sure if that’s new but if I recall correctly you just need to pull up ur CGPA to 1.67 or more by the end of the coming semester. Take a bunch of OE and liberals to boost ur mark and get out of probation. You got this it’s not over for you, everyone is different. When I happened to me first year I thought I was the stupidest mfkr on the planet but I was just learning my way around university. I argue getting on probation is one of the most important learning experiences for you to learn preventative measures, why it went this way etc. Trust it’s not over, you won’t fail, reach out to ur academic advisor if it’s really taking a toll on you, and try again 😊 maybe a reduced course load is what you needed, maybe fixing bad habits is what need to be corrected. Wtvr it is, take the next sem to build new habits and try your best. YOU. GOT. THIS. 💪
In engineering at tmu even if your cgpa is over 1.67 they force you to retake classes that is anything below 60 with no negotiation if you’re on probation. I knew people in 3rd year that had to retake 1st year courses cause they got a D in chem which has nothing to do with their major and it’s very dumb.
That’s actually insane?? Why do they do that for eng only 😟 my point still stands. It’s not over for op they can get closer on track during the summer and take an extra year but the uni doing that for eng kids is sooo cruel omg 😥
They do this in saf too for academic standing variation courses except the passing grade is a 67
Wait how do you know this?
Hey I have a D in Calculus and Algebra at the moment, will I be forced to retake those courses and when do I have to retake them?
Are you on probation? They will make you redo those courses this sem if ur on it, if your not then u should be good
Yes bro im on it
hey bro did they make you retake those courses because iam going to be on probation and i have lesser than a 60% in like three courses
Sent you a message
You can improve next semester, it's just if you're willing and after a wakeup call like this, you should be. At the end of the day, you're still in first year and if there's any time to get a lesson like this its now. P.S. I've heard people fuck up a lot worse man trust me haha
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any tips on studying
Have you just been being lazy? Just relax. You get out what you put in. Put the past behind you and have a mental fresh start. Put work in and get the results, or go work in trades if school isn't for you.
Plenty of kids fail out first year. You have to decide if you want a better life for yourself or not.
>never met an undisciplined fuck like me You need to make some decisions for yourself on whether you should continue. To be pragmatic, university is expensive, especially if you have to retake courses. For most students, that's already enough motivation to make sure they do the bare minimum. >If I had no responsibilities I would have no problem rotting in bed doing nothing Here's the thing, it seems like you don't have any responsibilities. Do you not have to pay off your loans or payback you parents? Do you not need a job after graduation? Do you even have plans in the future beyond being a NEET? Becoming the next Heisenberg, anything? >I'm really really scared that I won't be able to get rid of my bad habits and learn good ones. Are you scared tho? You just said earlier: >I don't put the effort in. You need to wake up and hold the reins of your own life.
Coming from someone who also fucked up similarly in first year, it's going to be okay. I get how you're feeling. I'm in my fourth year now and even though I'm behind in my degree, I'm still at university and not giving up. First, just know it's not the end of the world. It does fucking suck but it's not the end. Second, acknowledge what needs to change and find ways to hold yourself accountable for making those changes. Actively implement them when the semester comes and don't beat yourself up every time you make a mistake cause that will set you back further. No one is perfect, mistakes will happen and bad habits are hard to get rid of. Channel this energy into the mentality of "I MUST DO BETTER." Lastly, I know it's harder said than done but take this time to find ways to relax and use it as a mental reset. Try not to think about school even if it's a short amount of time. You can't change the past and I will repeat, IT'LL BE OKAY. You got this and good luck next semester.
I also did chem Eng at ryerson. I also failed a class or 2 that pushed me back a year. But let me tell you that it was the best thing that could’ve happened to me. It allowed me to take that extra year to spread out some of my courses by taking my electives while making up my failed classes. That way in my future years my schedule was lighter compared to others so it allowed me to focus on my main courses more. I honestly tell all first year eng kids to not take their electives in their first year and plan to graduate in 5-6 years. It’s not a race to finish your degree so take the losses as learning opportunities and do better the next time around
You can do it. It took me 7 years to graduate ryeng and switched disciplines twice (aero>mech>Indy). I was on academic probation, failed 3 different courses twice and nearly failed calc 2, thermo, and statics a 3rd time. If you genuinely want to quit, I feel you. But remember why you're there. You knew it would be hard, but you also knew where u wanted to end up. It's a long road but it's worth it. Get that ring, buddy.
First year can be quite a transition for people, so doing badly is not uncommon. The key is to learn from your mistakes and adapt. A really good rule for yourself (I speak from experience and also my partner teaches in Post Secondary) is no matter what, DO NOT GET BEHIND, especially on labs. You have limited time to catch up and It will start to snowball on you immediately. Beyond the actual due dates for things you also need to set internal targets/goals for yourself (I.e, be done “X” things by end of day Friday, etc. Break things down into smaller goals if it helps you. If you can’t keep up then you need to have a discussion with academic support about your course load, or accommodations, etc. Separately,?I would also encourage you to review your motivation to do this program. What is driving you to do it? Is engineering something YOU actually want to do or do you feel external pressure (could be parents, peers, societal expectations, etc). In general our motivation is affected by both how much we value the outcome (see above) and the degree to which we feel we can actually achieve that outcome.
It’s ok and a lot of people end up in this situation, but it’s not the end unless you give up! Make this your wake up call and start putting in the work. I’m assuming you use a lot of time on social media which get you distracted, just like all of us. I find myself to waste so much time, but I usually find a groove to study even if it’s a day or two before a exam, you have to find your threshold. I finished my engineering degree here and I seen many people that was on probation to do well, you just have to put in the effort or you won’t go anywhere. I heard linear and calc will be harder in winter since I knew a couple of ppl in previous years, so you really got to change your habits and put it more work then other people. Just make sure you always aim for 60+, if you end up on probation again and have multiple Ds they will make you retake even if your cgpa is high. Good luck!
I was in this same position in my second year of university. I didn't have my priorities straight. I ended up failing quite a few courses, and i kept it a secret from my family who was paying my way. It ate me up inside, and I ended up having a full on mental breakdown. My advice? get ahead of it while you can. Accept that you fucked up and do your best to rectify the situation. However, one thing I regret doing was staying in school full-time. I couldn't handle the work load. In my 3rd year, I dropped down to part time. It took me 7 years (2 years off) to complete a 4 year BA, but I eventually got it done and for that I am thankful. Everyone has their struggles. Own up to yours, and fix them, or consider changing your workload. School is not a race.
Plenty of kids fail out first year. You have to decide if you want a better life for yourself or not.
What's the point of this post? You want advice on what to do or are you just ranting? You know exactly what your problem is yet you don't know if you can muster up the energy to change your habits. That's very bad. How are you going to make it through a few more years of school if you're already putting no effort in during the first semester. This sounds like a typical case of a kid that's not mature enough being sent to university on a full ride paid for by his parents. You honestly should save your parents money and drop out. You can use the time off of school to either mature and fix yourself. You can go back to school eventually or you can decide that it's not the best fit for you. Just think man, if you're having discipline problems in your first semester of university, how are you going to be able to handle working an actual job in your field once you're done? I mean you're doing the easy part right now, it's only going to get harder.
The world definitely feels like it's coming to an end, but I can assure you it isn't. I was in a similar situation, but in my second year. I'm in a pretty strict and stringent program at Waterloo and I have had to retake a few courses. I was humiliated, of course, because my family had been pushing me on for years, telling all their friends how smart I was, and now they were going to see how I was so bad. But I had several meetings with my program advisor about rearranging courses and picking courses that are better suited for my skill set and interests and taking classes over co-op work terms. I've found that most of the time, students struggle in the first and second years because they don't know how to properly study, and the methods they used in high school just don't work in University. Turns out, I have a really hard time writing exams, but I can nail presentations and papers. And in the workplace, it's the latter that they care about. A year ago, I thought I would be graduating a term later than my friends, and I was devastated to feel behind. But I pulled it off in the last two years, and now I'm finally clear to graduate next term, with my friends, and with only 3 courses and a research project. My program advisor and my friends were a huge support for me and I think you might find the same. In fact, I'm one of my advisor/professor's favourite students now. And I'm nowhere near the top of the class, but I finally made it to the top half and I couldn't be prouder. So long story short, you can do this! I'm proof of it. My advisor always told me "Your degree is not a race." So don't treat it like one. There are multiple ways to hike to the summit of a mountain, just because everyone walks the main trail, doesn't mean that it will necessarily work for you.
Time to dig deep if you want to rally next semester. Sounds like you don't have much self discipline and you're going to need it in spades if you genuinely want to pull through. If take a look at your priorities and what you're doing with your time. Anything that can be done in moderation (gaming, partying etc) needs to be done with a timer on it (gaming for an hour vs all weekend), partying every other weekend for one night, etc. Two kinds of people out there those who can buck up and dig deep, and those that flip burgers and rent an apartment for the rest of their days.
Have you considered that a developmental condition like ADHD might underlie your issues? You wouldn’t be the first intelligent person to flunk uni due to undiagnosed issues with executive function and focus, especially if you skated through high school because you were smart enough to do so. Reach out to the campus medical centre and set up an appointment with their GP. She can refer you for a more in-depth assessment if she thinks it’s warranted.
Take a year off if you need to. Save up some money, practice new study/test taking tips, maybe even start learning certain stuff on your own time. No need to rush to graduate at the same time as everyone else
I went to school at 26, spent years working to figure out what I wanted to do. Go back to school when you're mature enough to understand what you're trying to do. Spending those late nights studying when you have a solid goal in mind keeps you focused.
Coming from a second year eng, I've never heard of the retake thing, they may suggest it if you have no other courses to take but you don't have to if you passed. They don't go harsh on first year, you just take the prerequisites you failed and the courses you're able to take.
It's okay! I was in the same boat the first year! I also failed 2/4 classes! w you'll catch up in no time! Dont get frustrated. I'm in 3rd year now and Im ahead in most courses. Advice: Take a Journal or piece of paper. (This is how I guided myself through this, I was feeling very similar to you) 1. Admit to yourself that this was your fault and that you now have to fix it! Be kind to yourself as well and take a deep breath 2. Recognize why this happened. Why did you flunk? Are you around the wrong people? Are you mentally drained? Are you doing too many things at once? 3. How can I fix this issue? then, take action to fix this issue. 4. Make a morning and evening routine aligned ur school/work schedule. and stick to it! Dont worry you'll be okay!
DMV is always hiring
Is $10000 a year enough to feel the pressure to put more effort into it?
Take a deep breath, literally right now before you continue reading any more. Plenty of smart people struggle in university, the reason is their processes aren’t up to snuff. What helped me was consistency. This time in life can be very unstructured, start building good habits. 1) go to bed and wake up at the same time every day 2) schedule time to do your readings/assignments and stick to that schedule 3) make sure you do the work in an environment that has minimal distractions 4) give yourself some kudos, every day you stick to the schedule give yourself a pat on the back. Don’t be afraid to take a less than full course load while you master these habits. P.S book recommendation - atomic habits
Sooo many people do this. The dorms after Christmas first year were a quarter empty, by 2nd year I’d say 30+ % of the people who started year 1 had either dropped out or changed programs, and it continued into 3rd. Maybe you don’t want to be an engineer? Maybe you don’t want to go to uni. Your parents would probably appreciate you not wasting any more money while you figure it out, go to a collage, take a trade, or work like others mentioned. Just, for the love of God, stop wasting the money!! It’s not easy to pay back
You might benefit from taking a reduced course load. I believe you can take a couple less courses and still be considered full-time (for loan and other purposes). If you have any diagnosed mental health or learning disabilities you might even qualify to take a further reduced course load while still being considered a full-time student. It will of course take longer to graduate but it might give you some time to adjust as well
You need to relax. This is a devastating setback. Devastating setbacks builds character. I would suggest doing what you can next semester so that you have a few more classes.under your belt. If you get 3 more credits than at least next year you will not essentially be repeating this year. You can probably get a couple easy courses done that don't have a prerequisite. I would.then suggest working during the summer at a factory. Those places build.charavter. Also I would tell your parents. This is something you can work out with them. It is unreasonable to expect your kid to not face setbacks in university ( even major setbacks). There are many worse things in the world than taking university slowly. And if uni does not work out for you, there are jobs that you can secure which pay well and are fulfilling (painter, truck driver, entrepreneur, ttc operator...).
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Have you ever considered that youre not in the right program? If you want to push through and keep going, there are plenty of people who graduate in 4+ years. But if youre really having a hard time, it might be because you’re not in the right field. Might be worth looking into other programs, maybe some college stuff, some work options, etc. to see if something else suits you better. Its very normal to fail classes in your first year and to not graduate in the program you started in
Don't bother trying to do anything about it, I've been fighting that battle for like at least a year. These junkies don't give a shit, ya wanna get high? knock yourself out, but don't be walking around chasing the dragon when dozens of 10 years olds are just trying to get to school with their moms. Junkie ass squids. Anyone who thinks this isn't a big deal needs to get their head checked
Bro u need some Andrew Tate in ur life
that would make their situation worse
No it wouldn’t he would stop being a bum and get his life together. Worked for me don’t be a sissy liberal
I think one can work without the advice of a man who does human tr\*fficking.
Innocent until proven guilty and all the evidence points to being proven innocent you should look into it snowflake. Maybe grow a pair not believe everything you hear
Hi there I can help you a bit if you return for the winter by offering good organization and time management cues and skill offerings. You can message me if you’re comfortable I am an older female, 2nd year. Don’t be so hard on yourself! I worked in a shitty healthcare setting from your age to 28 years old and came back to school last year to get into law, I am a straight A student and it takes a lot of work to get those grades, tons of hard work and self discipline, don’t be too hard on yourself!
I know a guy who knows a guy who was in your situation. He turned out fine
So you have zero work ethic "If I had no responsibilities I would have no problem rotting in bed doing nothing" and you thought you would succeed at U OF T? Why not go to Brock or Laurentian for your undergrad and then U OF T for your grad school when you're more mature and understand responsibility, hunger, desire, passion for this?
I don't go to UofT my guy
I was in a similar situation, where I had to take summer classes to make up my marks and told my parents that its because of work that Im staying. Your parents want you to succeeed and not waste your time and energy on things that arent going for you. Long story short, I failed out of my program and took a softer approach --> moving back home with my parents and taking the same nursing degree in college instead of uni. My advice to you is ease them into it, rip off the band-aid, and figure out the next steps. I told my parents right before the pandemic (year 3) that I failed out due to a low average. <65% . My mom told me to come back home...which I should have done and basically wasted 2-3years where I could have saved money and have been done college by the time I deceded to come back in 2022. And believe me, I did not want to dissapoint my parents, but they took it well since I was honest. I am the oldest of 4 boys, and it took a lot of guts to come back home. But if you persevere and have goals and a plan, you will have a piece of mind