Figuring out the reason I did not study

[qpsns]

So I always studied hard even though studying was boring to me, because I wanted to become a scientist.
But since I got depression and lost $5000, I was unable to study. I kept thinking about depressive thoughts and the lost $5000, and I cried instead of studying.
I thought the depression and the loss of $5000 was the reason I was unable to study. But people in the SS chat were telling me that the reason I did not study was because the subject does not interest me, and that its because I'm better off with a trade job.
I cannot understand this, because when its something that I hate, I motivate myself to do it by thinking of positive outcomes. But I feel like my motivations are shadowed by the depression and the lost $5000. I don't understand the other peoples' opinions.
I need to figure out why I did not study in order to plan my future.

 

[SuicidallyCurious]

You can be a scientist in five minutes


8 billion people
50 years of oil left
Collapsing regimes and currencies everywhere

You don't need a degree and all the associated debt (if you are US) to figure out where this is all going . What is important now is how you personally choose to enjoy these final nights. There is no Star Trek utopia coming.

Some will choose to relocate to rural area and try to prepare for the aftermath of all of this
Others will choose to medicate with cheap entertainment and booze
Your professors , politicians , business leaders , and co workers will lie about this to their last breath.

Signed a friendly retired DHS contractor. Please take this information that is unarguably true and do with it what you will

 

[timf]

Sometimes people establish a goal and can summon the energy to make difficult steps to achieve that goal.

Sometimes people select a goal that may not be accurately defined or even because of a mistaken view of that goal. As reality becomes more clear, the desire to achieve the goal may weaken and difficult steps may not seem worthwhile.

It may be that selecting a particular field of science could help recapture your zeal. It may be a good thing that this pause happened to give you the opportunity to clarify your objectives which might keep you from going to far down a path that you might ultimately regret.

 

[Cathy Ames]

But people in the SS chat were telling me that the reason I did not study was because the subject does not interest me, and that its because I'm better off with a trade job.

That's very en vogue to say (in the US) right now (that you're better off with a trade job) and I'm not sure it's really true.

Here are some other possible reasons that are commonly offered. See if any of these resonate....

* Fear of failure. You want something really badly and know you will be disappointed if you fail. If you never get started, then you'll have an excuse.
* Discomfort avoidance. It is unpleasant to do it. In the moment at least you avoid this discomfort.
* Being overwhelmed and not having the skillset to break the HUGE task down into smaller, manageable chunks and then focus on the manageable stuff.
* Anxiety. Being in a state where you can't even think straight, like panicking. The fear responses are flight, fight, and freeze (do nothing). "Freeze" looks a lot like avoidance, but it's more like you're shut down. Some other behaviors can serve as self-medication for this anxiety.

I bet there are even more options than besides these.

One piece of advice that I semi-recently heard is that it is easier to motivate and accomplish goals or form new habits, if you have a positive GOAL, like if your goal is in alignment with your values and principles. And you are less likely to be motivated and disciplined if the reason for doing it is to avoid a bad outcome. If you genuinely want to become a scientist, then think about the reasons for this. Is the work itself interesting? Do you aspire to make the world a better place? Mastering those AP concepts in the math and science fields actually IS necessary if you wish to become a scientist.

P.S. You can probably tell that we share some of the same issues.

 

[SuicidallyCurious]

That's very en vogue to say (in the US) right now (that you're better off with a trade job) and I'm not sure it's really true.

Here are some other possible reasons that are commonly offered. See if any of these resonate....

* Fear of failure. You want something really badly and know you will be disappointed if you fail. If you never get started, then you'll have an excuse.
* Discomfort avoidance. It is unpleasant to do it. In the moment at least you avoid this discomfort.
* Being overwhelmed and not having the skillset to break the HUGE task down into smaller, manageable chunks and then focus on the manageable stuff.
* Anxiety. Being in a state where you can't even think straight, like panicking. The fear responses are flight, fight, and freeze (do nothing). "Freeze" looks a lot like avoidance, but it's more like you're shut down. Some other behaviors can serve as self-medication for this anxiety.

I bet there are even more options than besides these.

One piece of advice that I semi-recently heard is that it is easier to motivate and accomplish goals or form new habits, if you have a positive GOAL, like if your goal is in alignment with your values and principles. And you are less likely to be motivated and disciplined if the reason for doing it is to avoid a bad outcome. If you genuinely want to become a scientist, then think about the reasons for this. Is the work itself interesting? Do you aspire to make the world a better place? Mastering those AP concepts in the math and science fields actually IS necessary if you wish to become a scientist.

P.S. You can probably tell that we share some of the same issues.

You don't need a 5 on the calc B/C to be one of the worlds best scientists

8 billion people
Uncontrollable climate feedback loops
50 years of oil left
enough ICBMs to blow the world up a thousand times over

Do the math. A Middle schooler can figure out everything you needed to know about humans and their place in the universe from this info. Maybe some autistics will investigate techno narcissistic concepts like AI in vain

 

[Cathy Ames]

You don't need a 5 on the calc B/C to be one of the worlds best scientists

I didn't say a 5 on a calc AP was necessary. I said mastery of the concepts. Those aren't the same.

However, most people wishing to work in science as a career have to go through some steps to get a foot in the door, and a 5 on the APs might be helpful for that.