Hi. It's now more important than ever for me to not become apathetic. I'm submitting college application to go from the community college I went to for a semester so far (I wanted to have an easy gap year) to a grand college. So, I have numerous college applications due on January 1st along with my finals for the current classes I'm taking in two weeks. I'm starting to become severely apathy, as in, even though I allotted the time to finish these things, I end up doing absolutely nothing in the time. How have you in the past dealt with apathy? I've never had it in a crucial time so I've never had to face it. (When I have had it, it was in a whatever period that didn't really matter).
I don't think you are referencing the correct term here. Can you describe a little more how you are feeling? To be apathetic, it would mean you were 'showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern'.
I used to be able to finish every task I was presented in a fourth of the time others would, or faster. As an example, a month ago for our main essay, we were tasked with a 50-page bibliography and every book we've studied in high school. This was supposed to take about 20-30 hours of writing. I finished it in one sitting at night in about 5 hours. This is the speed I've been able to do work my entire life. As of about 3 days ago, this stopped. I've been spending double time or more of what it should take completing stuff I would normally be able to finish incredibly fast. For example, I have a moderately short essay due (about 5 pages) about criminal fiction and I was thinking this would take me about an hour or two, as similar essays in the past took me about this amount of time. But, I've sitting here on hour 8 still trying to write the first page. It's not that I don't know the information, but rather I'm feeling like it's pointless to do it, despite me knowing it will basically rekt my chances to get in the college I want to go to if I do not complete it. I don't know why I'm feeling like everything I do is pointless and thus I have no focus or interest in doing it, but I am. I need this fix this ASAP and I don't know how. This is probably not the right place to talk about this, but it's a start. Thanks for any advice you can provide.
Frankly, it sounds like you are human. I too used to complete book reports and projects with fervor and effciency far surpassing my fellow students. However, if I didn't have the inspiration, there were times when I felt as you do now. What it sounds like to me is that you need to find the inspiration to get over the writer's block you are facing. So criminal fiction...what do you like about it? Read any really good ones lately? Maybe google and find another one to read in order to get your mind on track for it. Or find a tv show or movie of the same genre that might create that spark you need.
That makes sense to hear that you, too, are like that. So criminal fiction...what do you like about it? Read any really good ones lately? Maybe google and find another one to read in order to get your mind on track for it. Or find a tv show or movie of the same genre that might create that spark you need.[/quote] That might be the issue. I don't have any inspiration for this. But, that confused me as well, because I never have inspiration to write essays-- English is actually my least favorite subject. I'm studying to become a biomedical engineer in nanotechnology. Interestingly, I'm having no problem in my favorite subjects with staying on task. I used to have no problem staying focuses and engaged in every subject, but suddenly that's changing. I suppose maybe I'm simply running out of steam and need to take a break, which I'll be able to, but not until January 1st. I need to find a way to block out the negative thoughts and be human after I finish everything. EDIT: I didn't really answer your second question. There's nothing I like about criminal fiction. In fact, I hate reading believe it or not (sorry to all you book lovers out there). I tend to only read books with very quick progression in a changing environment. But that's not new. I've never liked the topics of writing. i.e. I had to write a religious paper about a religion (favoring it) I didn't care for (due to the practices seeming inhumane) [not saying which religion].
Well it's 46 pages double-spaced over information I already knew (bibliography is basically a summary of each book with a bit of analysis). But yea... My goal is Harvard. Trying to stay motivated ;-; EDIT: Helps to have a typing speed of 130-140 EDIT EDIT: Keep in mind that typing speed is only valid when I know *exactly* what I want to type.
Just sounds like reality Bugsy. Sometimes we get blocked.. and sometimes the only solution is to push yourself. The light on the horizon though is things usually get so much better once you enter higher studies, as not only are most of the topica of greater interest to you, but additionally you are generally surrounded by others with similar likes and interests.. which can be helpful to work off of each other as well.
UPDATE: I did end up finishing it in time last night. Thankfully. I honestly think just hearing the few comments and PMs were enough to get me through it. Still waiting on the grade, but I did receive a message from the professor asking if I would be interested minoring in creative writing, so I guess that's a good sign
