University is too overwhelming

I moved into university three weeks ago. I'm studying law. I had a terrible time at school but thought that the freedom that university gives you would make education much easier. 

I am registered with the disability services at my university and they have been great, but for the last week, things have been getting more and more overwhelming. My timetable changes every week and lecture locations change almost every day. I also have online classes that take longer than the time slot on the timetable and having to check our online website for all the work I have to do is very stressful.

It has become too much for me at the moment and I have had a really bad day with meltdowns. I can feel myself going to shutdown and I know that by tomorrow morning I won't be able to leave my flat or maybe my room. I have lectures all day and a tutorial tomorrow, where they take a register.

I'm starting to think that I can't handle university and will eventually drop out, but I have no idea what I would do instead of uni. It has been the only plan I've ever had for myself and I don't want to feel like even more of a failure by dropping out. I have no other skills apart from music, and that's an impossible field to get into so I'm not going to bother.

I don't really know what this post is for, maybe it's just a way to vent, but if anyone has a comment to make it will be appreciated.

Parents
  • I think three weeks is far too soon to be thinking about dropping out! Focus on getting through one day at a time.

    I would keep talking to the disability service and speak to your tutor. I know that's hard, but it's better to tell them before it gets too much than afterwards (believe me, I learnt that the hard way). If you can't leave your flat, send an email and flag it urgent.

    I obviously can't guarantee anything, but from my experience of struggling through two degrees (with depression, my ASD wasn't diagnosed then), universities are reasonably accommodating. They don't want you to fail, not least because it would reflect badly on them. Try to work out what specific adjustments you would like in advance of speaking to your tutor e.g. advance warning of timetable changes or someone to tell the lecturers not to run over time. The disability service might be able to help you with this, as they've probably had autistic students before.

    I hope some of this helps. Just keep going, one day at a time.

Reply
  • I think three weeks is far too soon to be thinking about dropping out! Focus on getting through one day at a time.

    I would keep talking to the disability service and speak to your tutor. I know that's hard, but it's better to tell them before it gets too much than afterwards (believe me, I learnt that the hard way). If you can't leave your flat, send an email and flag it urgent.

    I obviously can't guarantee anything, but from my experience of struggling through two degrees (with depression, my ASD wasn't diagnosed then), universities are reasonably accommodating. They don't want you to fail, not least because it would reflect badly on them. Try to work out what specific adjustments you would like in advance of speaking to your tutor e.g. advance warning of timetable changes or someone to tell the lecturers not to run over time. The disability service might be able to help you with this, as they've probably had autistic students before.

    I hope some of this helps. Just keep going, one day at a time.

Children
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