# INTP's and College stress



## Sophie (Jul 29, 2012)

I'm wondering how to deal with college. There are times when I am extremely stressed out over the small little things and I know that should not discourage me but how do you concentrate on getting things done, especially with an online college? I know I should read the materials given to me but I find it easier to just look certain things up online or just go by what other students are posting about and sort of reiterate it in my own words without actually doing the work myself. 

These past two weeks have been extremely stressful. I was in a car accident and now I am stressed over finding another car, money is a bit tight because my job is an hour away, part time and I am unable to actually save money so I ended up spending from my student loans and so what little I have is what I was given for my totaled car. I have found a job closer to home but they are taking their sweet time getting me into their system and I need to get into a new job soon otherwise I'll be even more financially stressed. I find it extremely hard to concentrate and get things done that I know I should do ahead of time but I end up procrastinating because I am so discouraged over small things that I don't think I am cut out for this. 

How do other INTP's deal with this type of stress?


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## Kitagawa Megumi (Jan 13, 2010)

Amazon.com: How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less (9780767922715): Cal Newport: Books

No kidding, it talks about time-management, how to deal with procrastination by actually letting it be (we can't avoid procrastination altogether) and pretty much talks TO you, not at you. 

When there's a lot on your mind, that isn't university work-related; relationships, self doubt and yes, mostly, self-doubt - your mind won't want to study. It would keep nitpicking on your flaws, the potentialities to a situation and all these damn expectations! Expectations for yourself, for others and whether you're doing it "up to standard". 

How to deal with it? Patience, for yourself. For others for thinking that you should be this or that or live up to their silly expectations (Yknow, stupid unhelpful comments like "Oh hoho, how could you have wrecked your car!")that they've set up for you, unconsciously or consciously - the displeasure evident on their faces. But who cares what those old fogeys think?! Take it a day at a time, especially when you have so much on your plate at the moment. Cut it down bit by bit each time, those "problems" - focus on the solution. If there's a problem and you can fix it, don't worry. If you can't fix it, don't worry. It's easier said than done, I know,

"I have found a job closer to home but they are taking their sweet time getting me into their system and I need to get into a new job soon otherwise I'll be even more financially stressed.""
^ This isn't in your control, what's in your control is to keep going. When you feel like you're not going anywhere with that, though, let your displeasure out. To someone? To your blog? To this forum? Don't let it sit in you, it's toxic.

Most of all, let your thoughts out, always, don't let it clutter your mind because personally for me, self-doubt and overanalysis had gotten me nowhere. Keep sage, fellow INTP.

Also, P.S: I read "How to be a Straight A+ Student" whilst not intending to be an A+ student. But, it's nice to know that your efforts are paying off, and not too overwhelming an effort at that.


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## Persephone (Nov 14, 2009)

Sophie said:


> I'm wondering how to deal with college. There are times when I am extremely stressed out over the small little things and I know that should not discourage me but how do you concentrate on getting things done, especially with an online college? I know I should read the materials given to me but I find it easier to just look certain things up online or just go by what other students are posting about and sort of reiterate it in my own words without actually doing the work myself.
> 
> These past two weeks have been extremely stressful. I was in a car accident and now I am stressed over finding another car, money is a bit tight because my job is an hour away, part time and I am unable to actually save money so I ended up spending from my student loans and so what little I have is what I was given for my totaled car. I have found a job closer to home but they are taking their sweet time getting me into their system and I need to get into a new job soon otherwise I'll be even more financially stressed. I find it extremely hard to concentrate and get things done that I know I should do ahead of time but I end up procrastinating because I am so discouraged over small things that I don't think I am cut out for this.
> 
> How do other INTP's deal with this type of stress?


Normally I would say "go to a brick and mortar college". Screens are inherently distracting because they beam more light into our eyes than they can really handle. Our eyes are meant to look at reflected light. Online colleges are detrimental this way. I took four online courses in high school and you wouldn't believe it (or perhaps you would). Forums are all students parroting each other. I try to be original. Sometimes I succeed, other times I just can't bother. Sometimes I even skip reading all together and just gather information from my classmates' posts (which have about the level of insight as I do just for knowing the topic of the reading). I truly believe in the value of the brick and mortar college. I do understand it's not a feasible advice for many.

As for your financial situation, I guess you can't wake up earlier and commute? If you're lucky to be in a city with flat rate public transportation it can be very cheap. Do you know anyone from your area who can give you a ride? Can you get any help from family? I know us NTs like to be self-sufficient, but seriously, you sound you're at the end of your ropes. Get help. There's no shame in that. If anything, like rent, is too expensive, find a sublet to decrease expenses to yourself.



apathy said:


> Amazon.com: How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less (9780767922715): Cal Newport: Books


I was about to recommend this book myself. I read it more than twice (well, the last couple of times were skimmed because I forget the strategies a lot). If you take nothing else from it, just remember a few principles: 1. Time can absolutely be squeezed out of seemingly nothing! 2. To prepare for tests and essays, _continuously do preparation_. After each lecture or reading, mark down concepts you're not entirely sure of. I don't care what you do. Read it five times, go to Khan Academy, or ask the teacher, but be absolutely confident with every facet of the concept. And over the next couple of days, when you have free time, talk yourself through the concept. 

When the test rolls around you'll find you don't have to study that much at all. I often felt _guilty_ because I didn't study as much as I should. Kids in my class would be holed up in the math center doing math problems with a study group for hours and hours. I would usually be the one either stuck helping them on all their problems or going to the math center for like two hours just to appease my conscience. I would pick up a pencil to do a practice problem and I would look at it and not want to do it. I have a nagging feeling I'm wasting my time and either way I have no motivation so I spend the next two hours trying to do it in vain, and being hot and bothered that I'm _not_ hot and bothered about my exam. My boyfriend says: "That probably means you're prepared." He's right.

That's seriously the only two things I really remember from the book and even just with those it helps my ADHD brain a lot.

@_apathy_: I never thought I could get Straight A. I think Cal was exaggerating a bit because there are just so many variables that go into whether you get straight A. A teacher might just be an extremely fickle grader (I'm convinced that's why I got a B in an extremely easy course). I do get nearly straight As though, even in very hard courses and I can thank Cal for that. And I agree with you. Letting the stress out is good. The best thing for getting motivated for school work is probably taking care of other things that are stressful, which is where "get help" comes in.

@_Sophie_ Please come back to this thread as often as you need. If no one else, we PerC'ers will be here.


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## slashandz (Aug 24, 2012)

As a fellow INTP, I have a bit of unconventional advice:

Aim for second place.
You have a lot on your plate right now - aim for B's. Don't kill yourself by demanding perfection.
I went for Staight A's sophomore year and got totally overwhelmed. That was my worst semester.

You'll find that once you're comfortable making B's, you'll naturally begin moving up to A's.


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