Hey guys, just looking for some advice.
I'm 18 years old, with a two-year Associate of Arts degree from Spokane Falls Community College, including a number of Computer Science electives and Calculus 1-3. I'm currently attending Eastern Washington University for my four year degree...it's my third week there.
I also have Asperger's Syndrome and have been diagnosed with ADHD as well, though I suspect the earlier ADHD diagnosis might have been a misinterpreting of Asperger's symptoms.
Anyway, I spend >3 hours of travel time every day between university and home (on the bus). I'm taking four classes (Calculus-based Physics, Data Structures, Digital Circuits, and a 1-credit physics lab that goes with the Physics class)- basicly a full load plus a lab. I also have a part time job, but I only work once a week for a couple hours so it's not that big a deal and I can quit at any time (in fact, I will if I decide to stay with EWU).
However, the stress is really starting to get to me. The bus is not an environment I can do homework in (I've tried, can't concentrate at all, too many papers to shuffle on my lap). I get home at 5 PM exhausted from the travel time, then have to do homework immediately. If I get lucky I can get all my homework done in time to go to bed so I can get up in the morning and do it all over again, otherwise I usually end up staying up till around 11-12 working and have to put off the weekly assignments until the last minute. I get the weekends off but I get assigned enough homework that I'm stuck home all weekend- I haven't spent time with any friends since classes started, nothing but work.
And it doesn't help that I have attention problems, and can't keep focused in class (either end up fiddling with the computer in front of me or getting distracted by something on the wall, etc). I didn't have too much trouble in the past; I miss twenty seconds of what the instructor was saying, and I can still figure out his point by working backwards on what I see him doing (I am very good at problem-solving, it's an Asperger's thing), or worst case (usually in the case of Calculus), following in the book (most of my classes I NEVER read the book, and pass with 3-4.0's- I made President's Honor Roll when I graduated with my AA, GPA of 3.5). But at Uni, the teachers go INCREDIBLY fast (it doesn't help that two of my teachers are considered to be some of the worst by the students who are in their senior year I talked to), to the point that even the people that don't have attention problems can't keep up and I sometimes end up having to help them through it. Getting distrated for a minute can put me so far behind that I completely lose track of the whole lecture, and when I get home I don't have time to study the book. Calculus-based Physics is a cakewalk but my Data Structures teacher tries to explain things in the most difficult way possible.
The stress is really starting to get to me. I'm staying up late, losing sleep, having anxiety attacks, etc. And to tell the truth, I'm really burned out of school- I've overworked myself (one quarter I took 20 credits at the community college).
[/rant]
So, my options.
I'm starting to seriously consider dropping all my classes. It's only the third week and I'm already this stressed? I can not handle 2.5 (minimum) to three years of this. I don't want to take four or five years to finish my degree (that's what it'll take if I reduce my classload to maybe 10 credits, and I still won't be able to do any work more than a couple hours a week).
I can't move on campus- people will try to convince me, but I'm really not ready. I may be 18 but I still have Asperger's Syndrome and I know I'm not ready to move out yet. My parents are a huge source of support for me.
I've been looking at University of Phoenix's online courses. Is anyone familiar with them? It will take me two years to finish my degree there (as opposed to about three at Eastern), it eliminates my three hour bus travel time and gives me a flexible schedule, and it's done all online (I'm very used to reading articles and tutorials online, writing and submitting papers and articles for NintendoPlayers.com, and researching with the computer). And it's all accredited and recognized.
I guess it just seems too good to be true. Will an Information Technology or Business/Information Systems degree from UoP online be regarded just as good as a four year degree from a traditional land based university, or will it be a significant disadvantage? If the difference isn't huge and it will save me a year or more and TONS of stress, I'll do it.
Alternatively, I might just drop the classes, and move out to Cheney (where EWU is located) in a year or two, and take a year off and work, or maybe earn some certifications (I breezed through the A+ certification practice tests I found online). But I hate the idea of not having my degree for five years or more- I really want to be done with school.
And to be honest, I'm sick to my stomach thinking about dropping my classes. I hate not finishing what I start, but I'm under so much stress that I feel physically ill almost every day.
Or does anyone else have any suggestions? Please, any help is greatly appreciated. I need to make this decision very soon so reply as soon as you can, thanks guys
I'm 18 years old, with a two-year Associate of Arts degree from Spokane Falls Community College, including a number of Computer Science electives and Calculus 1-3. I'm currently attending Eastern Washington University for my four year degree...it's my third week there.
I also have Asperger's Syndrome and have been diagnosed with ADHD as well, though I suspect the earlier ADHD diagnosis might have been a misinterpreting of Asperger's symptoms.
Anyway, I spend >3 hours of travel time every day between university and home (on the bus). I'm taking four classes (Calculus-based Physics, Data Structures, Digital Circuits, and a 1-credit physics lab that goes with the Physics class)- basicly a full load plus a lab. I also have a part time job, but I only work once a week for a couple hours so it's not that big a deal and I can quit at any time (in fact, I will if I decide to stay with EWU).
However, the stress is really starting to get to me. The bus is not an environment I can do homework in (I've tried, can't concentrate at all, too many papers to shuffle on my lap). I get home at 5 PM exhausted from the travel time, then have to do homework immediately. If I get lucky I can get all my homework done in time to go to bed so I can get up in the morning and do it all over again, otherwise I usually end up staying up till around 11-12 working and have to put off the weekly assignments until the last minute. I get the weekends off but I get assigned enough homework that I'm stuck home all weekend- I haven't spent time with any friends since classes started, nothing but work.
And it doesn't help that I have attention problems, and can't keep focused in class (either end up fiddling with the computer in front of me or getting distracted by something on the wall, etc). I didn't have too much trouble in the past; I miss twenty seconds of what the instructor was saying, and I can still figure out his point by working backwards on what I see him doing (I am very good at problem-solving, it's an Asperger's thing), or worst case (usually in the case of Calculus), following in the book (most of my classes I NEVER read the book, and pass with 3-4.0's- I made President's Honor Roll when I graduated with my AA, GPA of 3.5). But at Uni, the teachers go INCREDIBLY fast (it doesn't help that two of my teachers are considered to be some of the worst by the students who are in their senior year I talked to), to the point that even the people that don't have attention problems can't keep up and I sometimes end up having to help them through it. Getting distrated for a minute can put me so far behind that I completely lose track of the whole lecture, and when I get home I don't have time to study the book. Calculus-based Physics is a cakewalk but my Data Structures teacher tries to explain things in the most difficult way possible.
The stress is really starting to get to me. I'm staying up late, losing sleep, having anxiety attacks, etc. And to tell the truth, I'm really burned out of school- I've overworked myself (one quarter I took 20 credits at the community college).
[/rant]
So, my options.
I'm starting to seriously consider dropping all my classes. It's only the third week and I'm already this stressed? I can not handle 2.5 (minimum) to three years of this. I don't want to take four or five years to finish my degree (that's what it'll take if I reduce my classload to maybe 10 credits, and I still won't be able to do any work more than a couple hours a week).
I can't move on campus- people will try to convince me, but I'm really not ready. I may be 18 but I still have Asperger's Syndrome and I know I'm not ready to move out yet. My parents are a huge source of support for me.
I've been looking at University of Phoenix's online courses. Is anyone familiar with them? It will take me two years to finish my degree there (as opposed to about three at Eastern), it eliminates my three hour bus travel time and gives me a flexible schedule, and it's done all online (I'm very used to reading articles and tutorials online, writing and submitting papers and articles for NintendoPlayers.com, and researching with the computer). And it's all accredited and recognized.
I guess it just seems too good to be true. Will an Information Technology or Business/Information Systems degree from UoP online be regarded just as good as a four year degree from a traditional land based university, or will it be a significant disadvantage? If the difference isn't huge and it will save me a year or more and TONS of stress, I'll do it.
Alternatively, I might just drop the classes, and move out to Cheney (where EWU is located) in a year or two, and take a year off and work, or maybe earn some certifications (I breezed through the A+ certification practice tests I found online). But I hate the idea of not having my degree for five years or more- I really want to be done with school.
And to be honest, I'm sick to my stomach thinking about dropping my classes. I hate not finishing what I start, but I'm under so much stress that I feel physically ill almost every day.
Or does anyone else have any suggestions? Please, any help is greatly appreciated. I need to make this decision very soon so reply as soon as you can, thanks guys
