Cambridge offer but no motivation.

I got an offer to study HSPS in Kings Cambridge, and everybody is acting like I'm already there. But I still need to get my predicted grades. I'm an Irish student and need to get 3 grades of 90%+ and 3 grades of 80%+ in my final exams in June. These are lower than I expected but I just cant focus lately. I'm usually a good student but for the last month I havent been able to do anything. Going to school is taking up all my energy and im spending all my time rotting in bed - my mocks are in under two weeks!!! It's not like i'm partying or anything - I just cant get myself to focus on study even though i'm on adhd meds. I've barely been getting my homework done let alone study. I feel like im throwing away such an amazing chance and feel really hopeless. Every person I see talking about their offers seem to have everything together and I just feel like a failure. Is anyone else in the same boat? Or have any advice?

Reply 1

Anonymous #2

Original post by Anonymous

I got an offer to study HSPS in Kings Cambridge, and everybody is acting like I'm already there. But I still need to get my predicted grades. I'm an Irish student and need to get 3 grades of 90%+ and 3 grades of 80%+ in my final exams in June. These are lower than I expected but I just cant focus lately. I'm usually a good student but for the last month I havent been able to do anything. Going to school is taking up all my energy and im spending all my time rotting in bed - my mocks are in under two weeks!!! It's not like i'm partying or anything - I just cant get myself to focus on study even though i'm on adhd meds. I've barely been getting my homework done let alone study. I feel like im throwing away such an amazing chance and feel really hopeless. Every person I see talking about their offers seem to have everything together and I just feel like a failure. Is anyone else in the same boat? Or have any advice?

Have you spoken to your doctor. It sounds like your meds might be too strong. The downside of adhd treatment is that sometimes it goes into overkill and almost knocks you out rather than just removing the symptoms of « brain scatter »

Reply 2

heidinorah1

8

no i totally get you, im soso anxious about getting the grades but im just so burnt out and stressed and scared that i cant do it but youre definitely not alone!! i hope you feel better soon x

Reply 3

bethr_20

11

I have a Cam offer too and I'm so scared of missing the grades that I think I'm panicking myself out of revising! It sounds stupid but the only way I've managed to regain some of my motivation is to picture myself on results day, opening UCAS and realising that I've missed my offer. It's depressing, but honestly the regret that I'd feel from not putting in the effort now is powerful enough to force me to revise through my exhaustion.

Really hope you feel better soon x

(edited 2 months ago)

Reply 4

Anonymous #1

OP

Original post by Anonymous

Have you spoken to your doctor. It sounds like your meds might be too strong. The downside of adhd treatment is that sometimes it goes into overkill and almost knocks you out rather than just removing the symptoms of « brain scatter »

oooh ill look into it. I think it might be making me too overstimulated cause i'm crazy sensitive to noise rn. Thank yoi

Reply 5

Anonymous #2

Original post by Anonymous

oooh ill look into it. I think it might be making me too overstimulated cause i'm crazy sensitive to noise rn. Thank yoi

It can do that as well or even make you completely insomniac so worth getting checked.

Reply 6

Insouciant.

8

Original post by Anonymous

I got an offer to study HSPS in Kings Cambridge, and everybody is acting like I'm already there. But I still need to get my predicted grades. I'm an Irish student and need to get 3 grades of 90%+ and 3 grades of 80%+ in my final exams in June. These are lower than I expected but I just cant focus lately. I'm usually a good student but for the last month I havent been able to do anything. Going to school is taking up all my energy and im spending all my time rotting in bed - my mocks are in under two weeks!!! It's not like i'm partying or anything - I just cant get myself to focus on study even though i'm on adhd meds. I've barely been getting my homework done let alone study. I feel like im throwing away such an amazing chance and feel really hopeless. Every person I see talking about their offers seem to have everything together and I just feel like a failure. Is anyone else in the same boat? Or have any advice?

It's okay to take a break and breathe. You're clearly smart enough to obtain the grades and you deserve that place, be kind to yourself- its also not the be-all or end-all if you choose not to go there, oxbridge is not what it used to be. Try going gym or for more walks, study with people- FaceTime or friends, make a reward system for yourself. Maybe take a detox from your ADHD medication for a few weeks then restart (discuss with your doctor of course) either way you got this!

Reply 7

Anonymous #1

OP

Thank you, and everyone in the responses for all your suggestions and kind words. Managed to do some chem and english prep today - the motivation helped 🙂. I have decided to treat the mocks as just a checkpoint to see what I need to work on - I think the stress almost stopped me from studying. Taking it a day at a time <3. To the people who said theyre feeling the same sending so much love <3

Reply 8

eveningprimrose

7

hi op, I've got an Oxford offer and I feel in the same boat — got one subject I'm worried I'm going to fail and I have no motivation to study. just wanted to say to hang in there and I know how it feels + you're not the only one. take a proper break and recharge yourself (maybe even stay off school for a week if necessary) and then maybe it will help you to get back to it? it did for me last year <3 I hope things start to get better soon — maybe winter ending soon will help as it could possibly be seasonal affective disorder too? good luck anyway :smile:

Reply 9

itsshreyshrey

6

in the same boat as a hsps emma offer holder ☹️ really struggling to get my motivation up, i thought if i got an offer it would be easier but i guess not

Reply 10

study23!

Study Forum Helper

16

Original post by Anonymous

I got an offer to study HSPS in Kings Cambridge, and everybody is acting like I'm already there. But I still need to get my predicted grades. I'm an Irish student and need to get 3 grades of 90%+ and 3 grades of 80%+ in my final exams in June. These are lower than I expected but I just cant focus lately. I'm usually a good student but for the last month I havent been able to do anything. Going to school is taking up all my energy and im spending all my time rotting in bed - my mocks are in under two weeks!!! It's not like i'm partying or anything - I just cant get myself to focus on study even though i'm on adhd meds. I've barely been getting my homework done let alone study. I feel like im throwing away such an amazing chance and feel really hopeless. Every person I see talking about their offers seem to have everything together and I just feel like a failure. Is anyone else in the same boat? Or have any advice?

I'm feeling the same ☹️ I think I am burnt out and exhausted from the whole application, that even looking at work makes me want to go to bed now, I can barely focus or recall anythign and it feels like I'm losing my academic capabilities by the day. I think you should a) see your doctor in case your meds have an effect on your focus, and b) try and take some days to relax. Tell a parent that you are going to revise in the living room from 3-4:30 and for them to stay in there quietly and just make sure you are doing something, even if it's not loads. I'm also asking my teachers to give me compulsory homework on things to mark so I have to study for them.

Reply 11

Anonymous #1

OP

Hi everyone. Thanks for all your kind words. I hated not being able to study for those few weeks but the rest was very important. I dont think my meds were the issue as i'm now realizing it was the school environment, I was so overstimulated by the end of the school day - I had no energy left! I've bought loop earplugs and they seem to work.

We had a week break for midterms and my mocks start tomorrow (exams in our final year to prepare us for our VVV important final exams in June). Whilst I feel underprepared due to not getting much done in Jan/ Early feb, not being in the school environment and having the pressure of impeding exams meant that I have been able to do 40 hours of study since last Saturday. I feel v prepared for some tests and havent opened a book all year for others.

For everyone saying they were in the same boat, I know i'm not the best for advice but i might still try? My friend told me to remind myself of this in the future and I think it could help to pass to you guys?

Productivity isn't linear and neither is mental health. I always get in the mindset , both when i'm unmotivated and when i'm very motivated, that that moment defines my productivity. But factors change and you can switch up literally overnight (like what happened for me- couldnt do anything for weeks and then did 7 hours in one day). I found that this mentality of "oh damn im burnt out and unmotivated" kinda reinforced myself that it made me even more burnt out :[

I dont know if this is an issue with you guys - but i realized that my obsession with exams had made me almost depersonalize. I hadnt seen a friend outside of class in 3 weeks, i hadnt engaged in my hobbies, I didnt go out and spent all my time in my room. The other day, I took a day for myself and I met some friends and I also went on a walk by myself and went to some places I love. And whilst I was anxious to take a day off- it helped my study so much. People kept telling to rest but I kept bedrotting + procrastinating study. You guys should try taking a day fully off. Maybe first day of the weekend - and tell yourself you arent going to open a book - and just let yourself see friends and spend some time outside. I dont know if it was just me who was a complete study obsessed robot (even when I wasnt studying), but its important to remember there is more than just studying. I know its basic knowledge but I was accidentally crazy neglecting my mental health even when I wasnt working myself to the bone.

I started a Study Blog to keep myself motivated (though it will be very hectic with the mocks) and I post tips that I've used to motivate me. GYG - Irish student w/ HSPS Cambridge offer - The Student Room . If you guys want to follow along i'd love to check in on you guys a bit :console:

Idk If you guys have adhd but ill post my study tips in here for that. Honestly, I know I will burn out again soon, and will lose motivation again but i'm going to try cope with the flow of my productivity more. Sending so much love to you guys- I know the motivation will come to you guys soon <3

Reply 12

Anonymous #1

OP

Hope this can be of some help but ADHD study tips. The biggest thing that works for me is to turn my study into a bunch of small challenges as opposed to one big chore. Ive done this in different ways, for example when I just cant get myself to do anything - I find one of those really short pomodoro timers that are only 25 minutes and challenge myself to get that done. But on other days I will find longer pomodoro timers. I dont know how to explain it but i try break things so i can have that "just one more chapter" feeling, because I know when I play video games that "just one more day" mindset is really addicting- so yesterday I kept studying cause I was so close to filling up the sheet of paper. I find having a way to visualise the study ive gotten done in terms of flashcards made or pages written helps boost your confidence. If you feel you just arent up for it and are bedrotting or doomscrolling (im soooooo guilty of this), sometimes setting a 5 min timer and setting the goal to work only for that 5 min can get you up and motivated to do more - and if not at least you did something!. The hardest part is just getting up. This really depends on the person, but ive found the gyg really helpful because sharing my goals gives me a sense of obligation to complete them. However before gyg I would ask friends or teachers to set me goals and I would let them know when its done. I dont feel much obligation not to let myself down but I hate letting down others. Body doubling is also great - I tend to go to my schools supervised study but the library works too. Youre a lot less likely to scroll on your phone if your classmates are studying. Or studying with very motivated students can be good - as im always scared to talk or look unfocused because theyre so locked in. Back on the gamifying view of study - I like creating challenges with my friends. where whoever studies less owes the other a drink - the edge of competition makes the study seem worth it. I find this very hard and still cant do this, but try not feel guilty on your breaks - your body needs rest <3

Cambridge offer but no motivation.

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