r/CollegeRant

I know it’s the second month into college but i feel like so many people already have solid groups and i don’t and it’s freaking me out. i want to be invited to places i want to be involved but im not. will this ever change???

Based partially on my own experience as a student who studied history as an undergrad years ago (years even before AI), I feel that university humanities programs - e.g. English, literature, philosophy, history, foreign languages, etc. - need to do a much better job in selling their majors to upcoming students. In addition, they also crucially need to proactively help students with things like networking, internships, and just straight up professional career advice, such as advising, for example, students to expand their skillset. Otherwise, l'm afraid that many departments in this field will straight up go extinct due to perceived obsolescence overtime, such as what's been happening with humanities programs at even reputable places like Syracuse University. Unfortunately, many humanities programs are still stuck, mindset-wise, in like 1978, where they pretend having a bachelor's in something like English literature will allow someone to get a pretty decent job in a field like business without additional independent effort, certifications, and/or connections.

I've heard from supposed professionals in the humanities that the advent of Al and the ironic and supposed decline in economic prospects for people who majored in things like computer science and coding will bring about a renaissance in the humanities field, especially with majors like philosophy and maybe history.

However, I'm personally a little skeptical about this as enrolment in the humanities, at least in the United States, are declining to some of their lowest levels in modern history due to high college costs across the board and the perceived non-usefulness of their field, especially with regards to the uncertain economy. Curious to see what you guys think though.

This has been the weirdest day of perhaps my entire college experience. To start out, I have a professor for a writing class who's kind of way out there--late every day, cancels class as often as she has it, seems hostile over email if you ask a question, messes up the syllabus, and spends 20 minutes of class time going on about her personal issues.

I learned early on that this would be a class I'd just have to survive. But i'm a pretty committed student who gets almost straight As, doesn't cut class and doesn't spend class surfing on a device, and I always have assignments done on time, so I figured, there won't be any issues.​ I complained about her to a graduated friend, though, who said that she was overly critical of the type of stories he produced for the class. I guess this should have warned me to be cautious around her, but I get on so well with all my other professors that I let my guard down.

So we're about to discuss an assigned book and i noticed she didn't even know the main character's name and stuff like that, so i said cheekily, "you should probablt review the books you're teaching." I was kind of joking actually, but she didn't see it like that.​ She became furious and said, "Do not chastise me or be nasty with me. I am 51 years old. I am too old for this shit." I immediately said "sorry" and we proceeded with class as usual but my mind was reeling so much that i was silent during discussion and couldn't focus. I actually started crying a little because i have rejection issues and am extremely oversensitive, but I hid it behind my hoodie and by pretending to read. I hated myself for saying a dumb thing and then getting upset.

When class let out, a classmate caught me in the hallway and said that she was on my side, that i didn't do anything wrong. I immediately started crying hard and then the professor came over and said "we need to have a talk" and explained to me right there in the hallway, while i was hyperventaling, ​that being criticized by students really hurts her feelings because she's been through a lot, like cancer and lawsuits, and she was bullied as a child. I apologized again and explained that I was just joking. I also revealed that I am likely neurodivergent, even though I don't like revealing that because it feels like a victim card. While all this was happening, my sympathetic classmate spilled the beans to my professor from last year. This guy took me to his office, handed me a Kleenex, and made me repeat the drama in class word for word while he wrote it all down. He was really nice and again explained that it wasn't my fault, and that he had to record this in case something worse happened. Then he asked me about how everything is for me outside of class and recommended counseling and stuff like that, because I am dealing with absolutely horrible shit in my life right now. I don't want to get into it.

I am so embarrased.​ SO SO EMBARRASED. Ugh. I am an adult in college, why did I have to get into this mess????? I felt like a kid being scolded. How do I ever face these people again?​

My professor asked a question so I answered. He didn't like a specific wording I used, repeated it back to me and said "Really!?". Everyone laughed. Later on, he was giving bad examples of an answer, he used my answer as an example and everyone laughed again. After class I went to him, asked for feedback on my participation performance, he brought up my example again twice. People also started making fun of me as well. It's been a few weeks but people still bring it up to me. I feel really humiliated.

I know the whole situation is really trivial but this is impacting me more than I expected. I have already been feeling really down lately and dealing with a lot of social anxiety and depression, which is why I don't participate in discussions because of my fear of situations like this. I also realised that life will never get better.

I dont even Know how to react. I've definitely failed some exams but this is the first time that ive tried and gotten a flat 0. I was alr not doing too well in the class but I honestly expected like a 20% or 30%, not this.

I only ease right now because the class is an elective and not really counting towards my major, so if I fail it in the end its not the biggest issue I'll need to deal with but this is heartbreaking for me.

There is still 3 more Midterms and the Final so If I do well on those, I can turn this around hopefully but Jesus I'm dissapointed with myself.

Someone give me some cope that everything's gonna be alright🥲

I'm just so frustrated right now. I started getting sick Monday night. Luckily, the class I had that evening was pretty chill and I was allowed to go home early. I powered through yesterday, but today I made a sick appointment because I'm clearly sick.

All they did was take my vitals, do a covid/flu test, and tell me that "sometimes you just have to go to class when you're sick." A note for permission to stay home will be included with my test results if needed, which I won't receive for 24hrs to 14 days! I'm now convinced that they only bother testing in order to keep track of statistics.

I can't stay home because my other classes have strict attendance policies and will drop your final grade by a half letter every day that you don't have an approved official excuse to stay home. Now I feel like a huge hypocrite for judging all the people who are sick in class. I still don't think it's ok to go to class sick, but it's hard to blame people when most of the teachers have really strict attendance policies. I'm so thankful for my one class that lets you attend via Zoom if needed.

So basically in my chem class majority of the class probably failed the first exam. We have not got grades back but everyone in the GroupMe is not feeling good, I think I probably like barley scrapped by with a 70 and from what I have seen I may have gotten the highest grade in the class.

The prof basically politely chewed us out last lecture and just straight up told the class some of us probably just have to drop the course. When I was in Business school for my undergrad degree all my prof's (minus one story for another day) actually wanted us to succeed. My chem prof does not respond to email's, her office hours are literally 1 hour before class no zoom nothing.

I know it is not every one but I see r/EngineeringStudents and see atleast one "my prof" sucks post. Also alot of my peers from undergrad who were STEM who graduated in engineering and comp sci said they were on their own for their entire degree with the occasional godsend professor.

I am just trying to get into med school and know it is hard but not once did I never hear a prof in undergrad tell the entire class to just drop it. I actually heard of an assistant art prof get fired halfway through the semester for saying that along with other things. I am doing good overall so I am not too worried and also the prof is non tenure so if she wants to keep her job there is no way she can just let the entire class fail without higher staff giving her the boot.

Background: I’m diagnosed with chronic illness that causes severe sinusitis bc acid is eating my esophagus when it comes back up.

I think something truly needs to change in our school’s conduct across the US bc students (and prof’s) only get 2 days they can take off without any reason, and doctors notes don’t really mean shit. You have to come to class or you can be risked being dropped any time.

I’ve gone to DSS (Disability Students Services) before and they can and will do nothing. It doesn’t matter, you can’t get extra days, and it doesn’t matter if anything’s documented.

It’s doing a huge disservice to students with chronic illness - not all of my classes can be taken online, though I prefer to take what I can online partially for this reason.

Honestly, what can we do as a society?

All I’m asking is that you just set a timer that’s set to end a few minutes before your laundry is supposed to be done, and that you’re removing your clothes at least within a few minutes after it’s finished.

I just can’t believe that this is such an insurmountable task for seemingly everyone in my college. I need to be up at 5:00am for a few days in the week, so the longer you decide you want to keep your clothes in the wash or dryer after they’re finished, the less sleep I’m going to be able to get.

Genuinely what the actual fuck is so hard to understand about this?

I fully understand that there needs to be some way of ensuring research ethics. I'm not arguing against that. At the same time though, IRBs are where research goes to die and in their current form they do more harm than good, especially for grad students who are required to submit to the IRB as part of their thesis.

4 to 6 weeks minimum (more if they're busy) for an initial review of a minimal risk study (no greater than everyday life) is completely unacceptable. Even more unacceptable is that their studies require the consent forms for those minimal risk studies to be 3 pages long single spaced and they automatically reject all first submissions (but make you wait 4 to 6 weeks for that rejection).

Rest in peace guys, I’m the most fucked I’ve ever been. I failed one of my classes (an 8-week).

I failed all but 1 class last semester during the summer. So, I’m just probably fucked. I’m probably going to get all C’s for the rest of these classes.

I’m feeling really bummed out. Everything happens later in the day at my school. There’s a cool event happening tonight at 7PM but I have to work from 2PM to 10PM. I can’t just call out because I want to go to a school event. :/ It’s not like it’d help my grade or it’s for class, it’s just something for potential research opportunities.

I need to work because I pay bills and I need to maintain an hourly average for health insurance. I can’t do work study mainly because I’m not eligible but also because I need to work more than 12 hours a week and I also need health insurance. Some of those listings are for 8 hours a week 😳

I’m not asking for advice or any ideas, just expressing my frustration.

I got on full ride to uc santa cruz last year, but my gpa was terrible. I managed to bring it back up to a 3.29. But don’t know if its a good gpa? People say gpa matters if your transferring but if ur alr at a 4 year does it still matter? I am planning on getting all a’s this quarter. But Did i royally screw myself with this terrible gpa? I feel like I wasted my opportunity? In school currently for accounting.

I’m currently in my second year of community college and planning to transfer to a university for next year. My close friend goes to this university and she’s been helping me out. She wants us to room together, which I think would be nice. However I feel like I’m keeping her waiting.

I sent my application to the school a few weeks ago (late August) and it still hasn’t gotten back to me. My friend notified me that many leases have to be signed around November, which is why I sent my application in so long ago. She’s been looking at apartments, and many of them are very very expensive. She’s was able to find a house with a few of her friends that’s close to school, spacious and pretty cheap per person. Everyone is in board, and I was just told that the lease must be signed by next week.

I still haven’t received my letter, so I called admissions office, and they said I won’t receive my answer until this current fall semester is over and my fall grades get sent in. So before I finish this sem, send the grades, and before they process them and get back to me… it’ll be December/January.

I’ve applied to this school before and got in (unfortunately I wasn’t able to afford 3 full years of attending this university though), so I’m hoping I get in again. But there’s still a chance that I won’t. I’m keeping up my grades and all, but nothing is ever 100%. I’m scared that if I sign the lease now, and don’t get in… my only option is to find a replacement which might be hard by January since so many people will have signed leases already… or I have to pay a few hundred dollars for a year straight for a school im not even attending.

Idk what to tell these potential roommates, do I tell them now to find another roommate by next week?? They have not kept me updated until now and I didn’t find out about the lease needing to be signed next week, until today.

I’m stuck. I’m also scared that if I don’t sign the lease, and actually end up getting in - I’ll have a harder time finding such a cheap place to live.

Do I just gamble and hope I get in a second time? The first time I applied, my highschool grades (which were terrible) along with my college grades were considered, this time it’s only college grades (a lot better). If I don’t get in do I try to find someone else online to live with these people? Idk.

I started college 4 weeks ago and i feel like im stuck in a nightmare. Like middle- and highschool was hell and i hoped college wouldve been better and it is only slightly. It honestly is not even so bad, but my mental health is declining since (self-harm, sickness, depressed etc). I think it might be because i havent found any group or person where i feel comfortable in, i try to be social though.

Anyone else experience(d) this? does it go away or will i feel like this until i graduate? Because i cannot do the rest of college feeling like this idk

When I was younger I made some really boneheaded financial decisions landing myself in nearly 18k of credit Card Debt at the age of 20. It wasn’t from careless spending or buying crypto it was from trying to support my girlfriend at the times family as her parents went through a divorce after her dad went to prison for what he did to them. I am past that now. As of 3 months ago I have paid it off in full and my financial situation has returned to where it was when I was 18 just with a little less in my savings but with no debt.

During this time I still remained in school at least part time and have gotten 60 credits to my name and have begun to take classes that are important to my major and I am struggling. I feel so beyond burnt out after attempting to take 16 credits( what I did for my first 3 semester of college) and still work 40 hours.

Here’s where my problem starts. I make decent money for a 23 year old, a little shy of 60k a year depending on how my bonus shakes out and how much OT I actually clock. I know this is a decent amount for someone my age and is actually about where I would be starting if it was a job in my field and career.

Out of the people I’ve talked too it’s been mixed. Some people mostly friends I’ve made in college have just been telling me to quit and lock in for one final push to graduate. They say id have to eventually quit anyway for my internships so what’s the difference if I have to do it now. My parents and friends I’ve had since childhood however say to stay employed and that they know I can do it but I feel like I’m falling apart.

I constantly feel on edge and anxious and stuff like that. I’ve had full nights of sleep and still wake up tired. I’ll have a nightmare that I did bad on an exam one night then have a nightmare that I missed a deadline for work the next night. It’s gotten to the point where I am begging to skip at least one lecture a week for the past two weeks and have not fallen behind yet, thank you Covid for making everything digital, but know I will soon if I keep this behavior up. I’d say my rough average across all courses I’m taking this semester right now is a high B with my lowest being in calc 2 with a low C.

I have a feeling I know what Reddit will say and I don’t even know why I’m complaining on Reddit in the first place but I just feel so lost and no matter what I will do I will be making the wrong decision. So I guess I’m hoping some strangers input who has no clue who I actually am will give me the guidance I want.

Not gonna lie this is my first time taking Fundamental Chemistry class after 17 years and I am really struggling with my professors teaching style. He moves pretty fast and I feel like a lot of concepts aren’t explained enough before we’re expected to use them. I’m usually fine with the math, but the conceptual questions are killing me.
I also looked at his RMP reviews today and saw a lot of people had similar complaints and the average rating is 2.4/5.

I have been doing lots of practices and YouTube videos but the latest exams were suck so far. My dream is to be a Dental Hygienist, I know there are more harder courses are coming but this really let me down. Any advice would help. Thank you.

for some context i'm a sophomore and i do online classes. i ended up on academic warning last semester due to my GPA.

my first semester was fine since i was living on campus, but i hated it so i moved back home and switched to online classes. my grades dropped a lot, plus i was working part time. i quit that job a few weeks ago to focus on school, but it hasn't helped me much. i put the time and effort in, and idk why my grades are so bad. i've always sucked at academics so that's probably why.

if i fail this semester, i'm gon drop out and go to community college instead, but i don't wanna lose all the credits i alr have since they don't transfer. i have no clue what i want in life and i feel hopeless. any advice would be appreciated