Back from the edge...

This is very much like what I had in my second year of study with my MBA (which I took 3 years to finish).

The second year was difficult to me as I find some subjects more difficult than I believe (e.g. accounting). What I end up was counting how much marks I need in order to get a pass, and then in the exam paper..... do everything questions (or even just wrote something for questions I have no clue) where I believe I can get some marks to reach the pass line. I was almost unable to enter the project stage in year 3 if my second year result was a little bit more worse than what I had. I was lucky enough as almost half of my classmates need the 4th year to finish the whole programme!

I believe taking a semester break, or studying with less course load, would be helpful. It would be wise to check with out the arrangement on various "what if" scenarios with the department.

It may be that I don't add much advice than other members had posted. But one more thing: Good Luck to you. You are not alone in this "Burnt Out" expereince.

 

I want to say thank you to each and everyone of you that replied. While I would like to hang a piece of sheepskin having earning an MSCS degree, recently I was promoted from being a Principal Software Engineer to being the Manager of Development. While I would like to finish the MSCS degree, I know that my time might be better spent pursuing some management oriented degree. That, the degree of difficulty of the program as well as having been at this since 2002 just makes me question my current goals. It looks like I will be able to complete this degree successfully. After all, in a semester where I thought everything was falling apart I still managed to pull a B+.

There are other things bugging me as well. Since I've returned to school, I've become somewhat of a hermit. My friends had given up including me in activities because they know I'll turn them down in favor of studying. My family has had their feelings hurt when I've vetoed their visits when they conflict with exams or projects.

Oh well, I'm not quiting yet. The very fact that I'm nearly half way through will probably keep me trudging ahead. Perhaps I just need to scream. Perhaps I need to take a really long vacation. Perhaps I need to take a vacation and then scream. Regardless, if I can still earn a B+ for what I consider below par work, I'm in it for the duration. I just wish I could relight that fire I had earlier in my studies.

 

JoAnn, I totally understand. I feel like a hermit all the time. If it was not for work, I would be glued to computer 24/7!

I did not see my parents for almost six months. They came up for the 4th of July this year. Their visit put me two weeks behind in school. I struggled the rest of the summer to get caught up. I was caught up, but emotionally I felt like I was still trying to catch up. I felt horrible.

Do what you need to do. You know your limitations. Congrats on your promotion!!!

 

Well, I thought I'd chime in since I know exactly where you are at now and have just come through it.

When I was finishing at Southwestern College I took 6 semester hours every 6 weeks with no break for 14 months or so. Towards the end I started to act differently, I was irritable, short tempered, I began to stress out over the smallest crap and very near came to what I believe would have been a nervous breakdown.

I didn't want to take a break for fear of losing momentum....but I should have anyways. My grades didn't suffer much if at all, but personal relationships vanished, my marriage was rocky, my house was a wreck from which I am still recovering. I devoted myself fully to only work and school.

On hind-sight, I recommend the following. Don't take a semester off....take a week off if possible, work ahead. If you can't do that then do this. Always schedule yourself 1 day off a week. Hire a baby sitter or whatever and just go out to eat, catch a movie, GET A MASSAGE and have some drinks with friends. DON'T talk about work or school. Workout, lift weights, jog, do something physical that gets the tension out.

Here's a no brainer but sometimes we forget because of the stress........have sex.........yeah I said it. Schedule a night where you do not have any homework.......or won't do homework, and think about something other than your future. Dwell on the moment, try for some corney romance, take a hot bath, dress up a little, or dress down a little, but make it an occasion.

Lower your workload for a semester.....don't do it like I did, it's okay to slow down.....you're at your masters level, it's not going anywhere and neither are you, so take your time.....I know you want it done, but make school part of your life, not your WHOLE life.

As for staying motivated.......what helped me are all the little annoying things at work.........I kept thinking, "I can't wait to finish so I can get out of here" or "move on" or "get a promotion" etc. The biggest reason for going to school for me was I wanted a change. Focus on WHY you are going to school.....for me it was change.

Lastly don't dismiss the value of your degree field. I'm majoring in Criminal Justice........I've had a LOT of people try to pressure me into an MBA, MSM, or some other business degree......but here's the real world math.........if you love something, you will be better at it than people who are simply doing it for a job. For example, I love criminal justice, it is not a high paying field, but I love it. I work at it, I study it, I feel it is a calling on my life. Between me and some schmuck who does it for a check with an MBA both going for a police promotion, who do you think will do a better job? Who do you think will have done a better job to that point?

Playing baseball is NOT a career, unless you're better than almost everyone else because you're willing to put the heart and work into it that most people would consider crazy.

So be true to yourself, don't get an MBA because everyone says what a "money" degree that is. Truth be told, if you don't love business, you're likely to suck anyways......or be "good" at best. Instead do what YOU like and do it better than everyone else.

 

Allow me to clarify my point...

Joann said:"however, I find myself thinking more and more about quiting

From that, I offered up the point that if she did quit she'd never forgive herself (especially after all of the work she has already done), and I truly believe that. It's not to say that she will quit, but my feeling is that many thoughts can eventually turn into actions if pondered long enough, so I wanted to lend something that may help her stop thinking about it.

 

UF is notorious in putting on the pressure, making you suffer, and then showing a little bit of mercy in the end. If you were having trouble, the rest of the class was probably having trouble too and instructor might have rethought how certain things were taught/graded.

I just finished a class where I though I'd be lucky to get a B, but in the end, squeezed by with a B+. Sounds like you should stick with it a little while longer!