What happenned to me?

Society Business and Career
1

I was always the last minute crammer…but I used to be so so so hardworking, so good. I’d put my heart and soul and body into something and just plunge myself into it, oblivious of the the whole world.

:frowning:

In O levels, when I was 14, for a whole month, right before the exams, I made a schedule. I was taking 8 exams and hadn’t studied for them at all. But I spent that month studying…and studying…and studying…Only studying…like CRAZY. day and night. It was just me and my books. Allah swt gave me the reward for that.

During A levels when in the first yr I was having my Math exam, I had no preparation at all, but a week before the exam and I thought I wouldn’t do well. But a week before the exam I faced my fears and just thought Irem do or die. So I started staying up each night, sit alone, and solve past papers. I learnt what I did not know from books. All night. Night after night. For a week. I was sick too but I was determined. Allah swt gave me the reward.

Throug college, I was able to pull that off for some programming assignments and some exams, otherwise generally I had a laid back, not too aggressive attitude towards grades, was involved in to much else. I gave my best academically to only few things.

But whenever I have tried Allah swt has rewarded with so much in return.

I wasn’t doing it because I wanted to have a great career or anything. I just did it coz I wanted to do what I did well.

Now, I don’t know what’s wrong with me :frowning: I start studying and I feel sleepy. A million distractions, a million thoughts enter my mind. I am not even confident about my skills anymore.

I actually decided today that I’ll join coaching classes (even though skill wise I don’t think I need them), just so I can get motivated to study.

Where did my spirit of, “Irem don’t worry about anything, you can do it and you will do it” go?

:frowning:

2

This sounds so familiar. In school I was like always among the top students and even in the first years of university. But towards the last semesters, I really found it hard to motivate myself to study. I don´t know why and how that happened, but I just fought myself through it and completed my studies with quite good marks to finish my Masters. But compared to my early days, those marks can only be considered as “mediocre”.

Khair, now it´s over, but I don´t think I can put myself in a position to go for a Ph.D. Not because I wouldn´t have the skills. That´s not a problem at all. But it is the motivation to put all your energy into studying. That is just not there anymore.

Maybe it comes back in a few years and I´d go for a Ph.D. then, Inshallah. Patta nahi. :bummer:

3

^

Umer bhai, inshallah... :) Mujhay bas koi kaam shuru kartay hoay ghabraat hoti hae kay haye haye ye to muj se ho ga hi naheen...lekin bas ab inshallah shuru karna hae mein ne...
I know others who have gone through this and bounced back to hum kyun naheen...Hum bhee kar ke dikhayein ge inshallah zaroor :)

4

irem, i think what many people do is find a motivator based on need. For example, people have a huge phone bill to pay at the end of the month, so they go to their dead-end job everyday. This helps many people get through their day, and for some people, their lives. It's not a motivator they are thrilled about, but its what will let them get by.

You have to think about what it is you want to accomplish and what makes it worth the effort.

Studying a week or month before the exam is by no means a good study habit, nor does it speak of any motivation. It speaks of lack of motivation. So the ideal is not to be what you were like before, it is to be better than that. Do what you can to improve upon that, not go back to the same place. smile

p.s. You can see it as somewhat positive that you didnt require much motivation and yet you still managed to come out pretty good. You can also use this fact as a motivation. grin

5

Re: What happenned to me?

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by irem: *
I was always the last minute crammer...but I used to be so so so hardworking, so good. I'd put my heart and soul and body into something and just plunge myself into it, oblivious of the the whole world.

:(

In O levels, when I was 14, for a whole month, right before the exams, I made a schedule. I was taking 8 exams and hadn't studied for them at all. But I spent that month studying...and studying...and studying...Only studying...like CRAZY. day and night. It was just me and my books. Allah swt gave me the reward for that.

During A levels when in the first yr I was having my Math exam, I had no preparation at all, but a week before the exam and I thought I wouldn't do well. But a week before the exam I faced my fears and just thought Irem do or die. So I started staying up each night, sit alone, and solve past papers. I learnt what I did not know from books. All night. Night after night. For a week. I was sick too but I was determined. Allah swt gave me the reward.

Throug college, I was able to pull that off for some programming assignments and some exams, otherwise generally I had a laid back, not too aggressive attitude towards grades, was involved in to much else. I gave my best academically to only few things.

But whenever I have tried Allah swt has rewarded with so much in return.

I wasn't doing it because I wanted to have a great career or anything. I just did it coz I wanted to do what I did well.

Now, I don't know what's wrong with me :( I start studying and I feel sleepy. A million distractions, a million thoughts enter my mind. I am not even confident about my skills anymore.

I actually decided today that I'll join coaching classes (even though skill wise I don't think I need them), just so I can get motivated to study.

Where did my spirit of, "Irem don't worry about anything, you can do it and you will do it" go?

:(
[/QUOTE]

What are you studying? GRE?

Irem, I can related to what you are saying, having attended the same school as you, during olevels and alevels! There used to be a special jazba, solving all those past papers, studying late nights! Even though I did well in college, I never put in as much effort as I did in school. Puraney waqtoon ki baat hi kuch aur thi.

6

Spock hae na wo O level A level k zamanay kitnay achay thay :frowning:
haan…GRE’s aur bas…wana do some certification courses too inshallah…par laziness :smack: i seem to be stuck at the planning phase n never get to doing anything :frowning:

MUNNI hmmm somce nice words :slight_smile: thank U

7

Focus on doing what you like doing well and you will be happy and motivated. however if you are only doing a work for money, or something else then you will never be really good at it. In O levels we were doing something we really liked and thats why the focus and motivation was there. By the end of college we had realized that life isnt only about succeeding in the class.

8

hmcq...hmmm...well, frankly i never LIKED studying :p I just did it because I wanted to do well. The only academic I ever enjoyed were O level biology and some humanities classes in college :)

Thanks for your advice.

9

Hey Irem,
When it comes to formal academic studying, its very hard to get yourself motivated after you join the workforce - I've had that happen to me after my one year internship during my undergrad years, and then recently with my consulting engagements between undergrad and masters years! Even today, working and studying simultaneously isn't the easiest thing!

w.r.t. certifications, all I gotta say is that you need to go for one and that builds up confidence... you'll realize how simple it is to structure your plan to achieve those designations once you get the scheme that works for them. I started by saying I'll do two certs for Solaris and that's it... but now alhamdullilah I got over 12 certs in different areas. Most of the certs ended up bringing in better work opportunities with them. Its a rewarding experience to learn something and getting recognized for it right away - in academia its more "long term" and hence harder to motivate yourself.

Good luck with everything though!

10

Dont remind me :bummer:

11

what the hell is this O level and A level crap? Life gets easier after 32 yrs of age. ... education in the 20's, career int eh 30's...making serious money in teh 40's.....winding down int he 50's and retire in the 60's...aaaaahhhhhh...

But you ahve to work hard through out.

12

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Matsui: *
what the hell is this O level and A level crap? Life gets easier after 32 yrs of age. ... education in the 20's, career int eh 30's...making serious money in teh 40's.....winding down int he 50's and retire in the 60's...aaaaahhhhhh...

But you ahve to work hard through out.
[/QUOTE]

Yar ab har koi aap ki tarha full of jazba tu nahee hota nah

13

thanks guys :)

14

How about having a cup of double mocha latte before studying? It worked for me last year :D

15

SK - hmmm nah i'm not a coffee person...

16

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by irem: *
SK - hmmm nah i'm not a coffee person...
[/QUOTE]

You must be a 'chai' person then :)

17

sounds similar to what I have been going through.

Start praying regularily. Namaz will help u get to new thoughts and also u will get into a routine.
It will give u self-dicipline that u need badly. I have been facing the same problem for a couple of years now. Continious distraction made me feel like a looser and yet I cam out with good results, thanks to Allah!!!

Now when going into a career I find it hard to concentrate and feel like I have so much on mind but actually its just lack of self-dicipline.

Start praying namaz and buy a few good books on personality development from an Islamic point of view or just read the seera of the prophet (pbuh)

hope it wud help u get out of the problem:)

18

told you you were no good at (studying) programming ... see :p