Studying When You are So Tired
It’s theme day at the b5media Science and Health Channel! Today’s theme is…..back to school. To read a “run down” of the channel’s theme posts, stop over at Kristina’s Autism Vox blog.
I have to admit, that I have been struggling with this topic. When I first became sick, I had just returned to school. I couldn’t handle being “fatigued” and studying. So the decision to quit studying was made, so I could concentrate on getting healthy. Perhaps it would be different for me now, if I returned; but I am too busy with other things, to fit school into my schedule.
I needed a bit of help in order to write this article. I found a previously published article over at the CFIDS Association of America. An article called, Ten Tips for Surviving College with CFIDS, by Rebecca Bailey. She has some really great ideas, so I am going to comment on them.
- Communicate With Your Professors- Most professors are happy to accommodate people with special needs, if they fully understand the situation. Explain why you may need extensions on papers, or why you might be missing more classes than others. Take advantage of their office hours. If you need extra help - ask for it. They are there to make things easier -even when you are having trouble understanding.
- Try Books on Tape - OK here is where things have changed a bit. Did you know that you can actually get college lectures via podcasts on itunes. Check to see if this available at your university - this might make things way easier for you. We all know that listening is easier than reading (especially when you are not feeling your best) - so you might want to check to see if reading materials are available in audio format. If not, perhaps you can make friends with an “energetic classmate” - who is able to make “audionotes” - a cram session, if you will, for you.
- Discover Independent Study - Oh how I wish this was available to me, when I was at university. One on one time with a professor, as opposed to drawn out lectures. Off list reading - no syllabus, no schedules, working at your own pace. If this is available to you, do not pass it up. This is a PWC’s dream at university. OK it was my dream (but it wasn’t to be).
- Embrace Pass/Fail - I do not really understand how this totally works. I suppose its put into effect, so you don’t have to worry about achieving high grades (less stress is a good thing). Have no idea how it affects one’s GPA, though.
- Don’t Compare Yourself to Your Energetic Peers - Always good! Comparing yourself to others (whether they be healthy or not) is just dangerous thinking. You are not the same is anyone else, and why would you want to. Who cares what everyone else is doing. While college life is a lot more than just studying and going to classes - there is no reason to follow the crowd. Do activities that you love. No one is ever going to force you to go to the bar every night- or rush a sorority - or plan an event. Find things that give you energy, not take it away.
- Check out Campus Shuttle Services - If you go to school on a big campus, and your classes aren’t all in one building, this may be worth checking out. It can save you time, and a lot of energy - if the only other means was walking.
- Make Friends With the College Health Services - Especially if your home town is far away from the campus you are attending. Its going to much easier to deal with someone on campus (hopefully they would be allowed to dole out more than aspirin) than having to find a new doctor….and you are probably going to get better treatment from someone you get to see regularly, than by going to a drop in clinic, every time you need a little help.
- Milk Your Student Discount - perhaps your discount is only good on certain days. But you aren’t feeling good on that day. It may be worth your while to “charm” someone at the store, so you can use your discount, “everyday”. I long for the days where you could get 10 or 15% off on everything. Sigh.
- Take Advantage of Career Planning Services - Working at home, is all the rage these days. Surely, these career officers would have some interesting ideas, on helping you to find suitable work in your chosen field - on a part time basis… or at least help fill the needs that you do have.
- Know When it is Time for a Break - When you are overwhelmed (and lets face it, university is a stressful time for most people), know when to step back and say “ok I need to get away”, and then go home for a few days. Let your family take care of all of that other stuff…stuff like laundry, and feeding you properly. Go hang out with the dog, and get caught up on your homework.
Thanks to Rebecca, for a great list. I almost want to be back in school, to see if I would be able to cope better - with these tricks. For those of you, who are taking classes this year (and I know at least one of you is doing that) - let me know of any other tricks you use to succeed in university.
Tags: b5media-science-and-health, CFIDS, CFS, Chronic-Fatigue-Syndrome, concentration, fibromyalgia, FM, staying-awake, studying, studying-at-universityRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Management of CFS, Support, Teen with CFS
9 opinions for Studying When You are So Tired
Back to School with b5media (September Theme Day)
Sep 13, 2007 at 4:48 am
[…] the day, my college students can be guaranteed to tell me “I’m tired”: Laura at CFS Squared writes about studying when you are so […]
Sylvia
Sep 13, 2007 at 8:40 am
I’ve thought about taking classes online a few (million) times, but it’s just not realistic. I suppose I won’t know unless I try, but tuition is so high these days, even with a disability discount, that I’m reluctant to experiment. It would be pretty cool though…
And again, great graphic!
Jenna
Sep 13, 2007 at 11:55 am
A couple of things that come to mind from a year and a half ago -
Cut down as many energy saps as you can - things like background noise, or the wrong kind of lighting can drain what little batteries you have. Dorm living is NOT recommended. Me, I found that the mix of fluorescent lights and CRT computer screens gave me headaches.
Try doing at least 5 minutes of school work, even if you are feeling really, really out of it. I still find that I can do a lot more than I think I can - I just can’t feel myself doing it. I never trust my answers, but most of the time they turn out ok.
Try not to stress much about it - that’s just going to make you worse and hurt the outcome. Trust me, failing out isn’t the end of the world, and everything else is just gravy!
And I’d like to emphasize the talking with professors, advisors, anyone who’s got an influence on your case. Just about everyone I’ve talked with has been very open to altering things so that I could succeed, I just had to tell them what I needed. And the earlier the better - then you look like you are a responsible person, not just someone needing an excuse like 50% of their students ;).
Ellie
Sep 13, 2007 at 4:27 pm
Well, I think I’m qualified to contribute to this one, since I returned to study at the start of this year, 2 and a half years after getting CFS.
Firstly, Thanks Laura for posting those tips - there are some I hadn’t thought of and they’re great!
My own experience is that studying with CFS is quite tough. I find that brain fog can be a major problem for me, and so I find meetings and presentations scary because I am prone to forgetting words, or what I was saying. But what
I have realised is that it can be done! You need to take good care of yourself - if you get run down, take the day off, miss those classes and recuperate, because you will lose less by doing that than by struggling on.
Don’t stress (thanks Jenna). That’s a biggie, and hard at times, but letting stress get to you will reduce your ability to study. So just go at your own pace and you’ll get there.
Find a place in the uni with couches you can lay down on. I discovered early on that the graduate building (I’m a grad research student) has a loft loungeroom with couches. If I’m really tired of an arvo but haven’t done enough work to go home, I go there and lay down, or even nap (yes, true) for half an hour and it helps SO MUCH!
Communicate - well both Laura and Jenna covered that.
Try to find accomodation close to campus. It takes me about half an hour to get to uni, and if I miss the bus this can include a 15 minute walk, which can be quite stenuous activity for me at times. When I started studying I was living a 5 minute walk from the uni, and it was so much better. If you and reasonably well you tend to forget how much energy travelling takes.
Oh, and look for scholarships/bursaries targeted at people with disabilities. Yeah, even if you’re reasonably well, people with CFS incur more costs due to travel, health products, and all sorts of other things. So don’t shortchange yourself, make your life easier by seeking these out (which reminds me, must do that…)
Sylvia
Sep 14, 2007 at 6:02 pm
Did you see this in the news today?
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/canada/story.html?id=a6eed182-593e-4ddf-96fc-95b35f818741
If what they allege is true, I say we burn her in effigy on YouTube. The last thing we need is people like her casting suspicion on all of us. Grrrrr.
laura
Sep 14, 2007 at 7:04 pm
Sylvia,
if you lived in my neighborhood, you would have just heard me swear a blue streak…a rare thing indeed!
Tell me something, how is it that a teacher can receive $40 000 in disability benefits in one year. I don’t even know any teachers in BC who make $40 000 a year, working.
I hope the BCTF sues her ass!
I will definitely be following this story, thanks for bringing it to my attention.
Sylvia
Sep 14, 2007 at 7:56 pm
She must have had lots of degrees and seniority and whatnot. I’d like to see how she explains the running a business part…
Hey, are you close enough to go dump manure on her doorstep? Or maybe something thematic like a bunch of smelly used sport socks?
laura
Sep 14, 2007 at 8:02 pm
Perhaps I misread, but I thought the article said that she had been only teaching since 2001….not long enough, to make that kind of cash in disability benefits.
Yes I am close. And maybe I will do a little something.
Sylvia
Sep 14, 2007 at 8:16 pm
No, she’s been on disability since 2001. Perhaps she really was sick at one time but got better and decided to start her new career before ending her old one. Or maybe she really is a complete fraud and just thought they had stopped watching her. I hope the outcome will be reported.
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