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Re: Stress. Graduate school. Overcommitment. Fml. -
October 8th 2013, 02:41 AM
Traci,
How important is getting the research to your acceptance to graduate school? I know that you really want this Ivy League school and with those grades and all the activities you are doing I think you stand a good chance but if getting the research is a necessity maybe you should consider cutting back somewhere else? I know that doesn't seem like the ideal option but maybe you could evaluate some of the things you are doing and see where you could cut back? But, a lot of the things you are describing, it honestly sounds like you are second guessing yourself because you don't feel good enough for the Ivy League school so I think when you have those thoughts you should push them aside and say "That is bullshit!" (Excuse my language) You are an excellent student and you are doing a lot of great things in your spare time and all you can do is your best when you apply to graduate school. If you do your best it shouldn't matter as much about the acceptance because you've done everything you could have done to get accepted. I know that is easier to say then to actually process and accept but it is true. To your best without over committing and over stressing yourself out because you don't deserve to be under too much pressure.
The GRE, you are self doubting there and you need to try and stop doing that. Don't say things like you aren't going to do well. I know that can be hard but you are obviously pretty damn intelligent to have a 3.8 GPA and I am sure that will be reflected on the GRE. Do you think you could look into getting some of the study books they sell or maybe taking a GRE class? I know they have classes that help people work on passing the GRE (at least they have them where I live). I know they are kind of expensive but if you are concerned about passing the GRE maybe that is something you could research and start setting money aside for?
I think you should try and go back to therapy as well. I know you said you didn't have time but I think that therapy could help you deal with some of the stressors in your life and a counselor might be able to help you work on managing the breakdowns that you talk about having. You deserve to have the support of a counselor and while sometimes it seems like counseling doesn't help it really is a beneficial tool to have access too.
Lastly, you deserve a social life. I know college has a tendency to get in the way of this but it shouldn't make someones social life completely non-existent. You deserve to be able to hang out with friends, your boyfriend (I can't remember if you guys are in a long distance relationship or not although I swear we talked about this once? Sorry if I am completely off) , you deserve to be able to go to movies and do other things like that. With this schedule that doesn't seem possible.
You will get into graduate school. I can't tell you what graduate school you will get into but I can tell you that no matter what you will be happy with where ever you get in because you will be pursuing your dream.
I hope this helped in some way and if you ever want to chat please feel free to message me.
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