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So this blog post is probably me procrastinating even more but I'd probably be playing SC2 anyway, so I figure why not.
So I have this problem of being addicted to the computer or something which, you know, I wouldn't mind AT ALL if it weren't for the fact I have an assignment (Uni) due in 26 hours and a test in 25 hours. I just can't bring myself to start studying because... I don't know. And I can't just ditch the assignment because it has a weighting of 25% for the subject, and I haven't started yet fuck my life.
I've always been addicted to the computer. Mostly gaming. I was raised on the internet and my mom did a pretty decent job of keeping it in check, I even had a breakdown over my gaming restrictions when I was about 15 which was probably the lowest moment of my life (how sad is that). Now I'm 18 and she decides to give me more freedom blah blah and I SHOULD be responsible enough not to abuse the freedom and it's not like I want to. But games just take over my life. I already failed the entire first semester of my course because of SC2 beta (was doing so well before I discovered it) and now I'm probably going to fail this semester unless I can get whipped back in shape.
Speaking of which, I never told my mom that I failed because... Well, I'm Asian and she'd kill me and I'm a pussy so I didn't have the balls to tell her. Now I'm fucked because she hates liars more than anything. I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't even know why I'm writing this, probably because I need to get my thoughts out there somewhere. If anyone has any tips on how to get off my ass and start studying please share.
I dunno I'm kind of starting to think the Uni life isn't for me. I'm doing Computer Science and afaik I don't even need a degree to get myself a decent programming job. I know for a FACT that I'd study better by myself if I didn't have to learn all this unrelated bullshit and all the electives I have to do. I guess the only reason I'm not just dropping out is because my mom wouldn't let me live under her roof if I did, and I don't really want to miss out on the entire Uni experience (let's not forget the whole "that's the guy who dropped out of Uni" label). It's not like I'm an idiot or anything, I find myself quite intelligent yet, I know my problems are caused by my lack of focus and motivation but I don't do anything about it. I guess that makes me an idiot in itself.
/rant
 
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I usually do my work before I get on or plan to get off at a certain point. If you get in the habit of doing it, it is easy. 
Edit - Also, when you get on NA server - Add me
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break your computer
I did that
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You need motivation how bout this. If you fail, you will have no where to live. If you have no where to live, you have no internet, meaning no games. plus i understand being homeless isnt very fun
Get your ass in gear and do your work. No one ever wants to do it, thats why its work not play.
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I don't think I've ever adopted a good habit, they're all terrible.
When my mom threatened to take my laptop away (and at one point, break it), I argued that I would need my laptop for Uni, which I do. Oh noes.
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I have 2 computers.
Games + my gaming rig in my room, shittier laptop in my basement.
Go downstairs, do the work, no distractions in anyway, then go game later on.
AKA
Seperate yourself any way possible. Library your work if you have to, the temptation is much easier to manage when you cannot easily get to the thing that distracts you.
Hence why I cannot work with TV on, or in my room period (as my couch is 4 feet from an xbox, my pc, a wii, my ds, ps2, etc etc).
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i go through the same thing. my parents were gonna withhold my education fund unless i went into nursing before applying to med school, and i absolutely hate it. i feel like i could be learning much more important stuff, it just feels like a huge waste of time (plus it doesn't prepare me for the mcat). i have no motivation to do anything, but i need the good marks for med school so i'm plowing through the shit. these last couple weeks have been hell for getting back into readings (i'm a pc addict as well). what i like to do is really clean my workspace, and just use my laptop for music while i do my work. if it becomes a problem, i have another room with no computer. i find i need a comfortable area that's organized and clean for me to do good work. this year i'm also writing down all my readings so that i can see what i'm doing, and i feel like visually crossing shit out as i do it will add some sort of positive reinforcement and make everything easier.
i think writing down what you need to do would help. and ask for a ban so you can focus, you're spending too much time here when you should be working! 
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go to the library. if you have a laptop, don't bring it. there are computers in the library. if you need the programs on your laptop, bring your laptop, but dont bring a mouse so you can't play sc2. i cant stand playing with only the trackpad, if your so addicted that you have to play with the trackpad... idk man... i'd say trash your computer man. its not worth spending hundreds of dollars on education only to have it wasted by a $60 game.
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Get a mac you can't play games it got me through uni
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Dude, was in the same boat as you are addicted to different things (games, girls, drugs, you name it, anything but school work). Got kicked out of 2 programs and finally pulled my shit together in this new one (still on conditional standing).
Honest advice to you: I've made up my mind countless times to fucking stop fucking around and pull my shit together, and every time that had failed. I understand the reason for my unbelievable lifestyle of utter sloth now:
We're both Asian with tight stuck-up parents. They gave us zero personal freedom until the age of 18 (university age), we've acquired zero study habits, and sudden this new burst of overwhelming freedom in university life just completely overwhelms what little self-control you might possess; aka., you fuck around as much as you can because you've never obtained the aforementioned study habits/priorities/self-control in high school.
Then, your parents have high hopes for you. You have high hopes for youself. You think/believe you're smarter than everyone else, which was probably true in high school and how you did relatively well back then. But IQ average in University just jumped by 30 points, so you're fucked if you don't study. Once you fall behind it's infinitely harder to catch up due to: A - knowledge in a subject snowballs and B - your pride stands in your way; you believe you can defer studying until later, with the mindset that you can just cram and study extra hard to catch up later on. But there is a point of no return, it's probably 2-10 days before an exam (depending on the subject/major) and once you pass that point your overconfidence lies to yourself and you escape by indulging in whatever that's not school work.
So let me fucking whip you back in shape: you're not fucking intelligent. You know what's intelligence? It's having the ability to cram for 10 hours for a subject and pull a 90 on the final out of your ass. If you can't do that, you need to stop lying to yourself about your perceived intelligence and work hard. Let me put it another way: everyone works hard in university, so unless your IQ is above 150, having 130 over someone who has an IQ of 120 makes little difference if you don't study and try.
I learned/figured out all of this the hard way, hope you don't go down the same road.
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You don't need a CS degree to get a programming job. You need a CS degree to get payed well while doing a programming job.
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No you dont need a degree to get a programming job, but having the degree makes it much easier to get interviews and actually get the job. Also, it really sounds like you DO need the degree to get the job. The people who go into programming right after high school are the ones that program and study for fun, not the ones who go home and play video games.
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If you can't balance undergrad classes and sc2 there is no way you'll be able to keep a job. Also a lot of employers with throw your resume away without a second thought if you don't have a degree. I do when I'm hiring (and I hire programmers). A degree doesn't indicate skill level, it indicates the dedication, discipline and ability to balance work/life required to get work done. The easiest programming work you do at a job will likely be harder than your toughest assignment in college.
Get your shit together. Uninstall sc2, snap your cd in half and ask a mod for a ban.
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On September 21 2010 01:33 mardi wrote:
its not worth spending hundreds of dollars on education only to have it wasted by a $60 game.
rofl, what ghetto college do you go to?
I have the same problem in life, OP. I might be fine during the week, deprived of sc2 though. Then the weekend comes, im staying up till 6 am, waking up at 4pm, and have class 10 am monday. It is a bad feeling, the way I feel is school is getting in the way of what I want to do. I'm pretty hardcore though, and I would actually pursue pro-gaming if I dropped out, but nearly everyone in life says the degree is worth it.
I'm not going to tell you something that makes you want to study, because that would be hipocritical. The system we live in though, games can be a little like drugs nowadays, and you gotta be careful how much the drug creeps into your life.
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Get Net nanny. Seriously. Use it to restrict yourself to two hours a day.
And it's probably best to be straight up and tell your mum- she'll find out eventually anyway. Take your punishment like a man and learn from it.
Games are fun but you need to find a balance, we all do.
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Figure out what makes studying easier for you or more calming, such as music or coffee, something to focus you. Put music on low and just start working. Studying is all about build up and alternatives, if you feel nervous or daunted by the material then you put it off and look for alternatives, such as playing computer games. I was exactly the same. Until I realised my future is more important than some fucking computer game. Grabbed my coffee and started. The hardest part is to actually begin, as soon as you begin you get into it more and its easier, you feel satfisfied at the progress you make and how much more you understand and as a result feel less daunted by the material. When I was revising for my final university exams I would play games also. Study for 1-2 hours or finish a practice paper and then play a game for around an hour or so and then back to studying so they're not mutually exclusive activities. My advice would be to just start, find some nice music for the background, schedule a break every few hours. You'll feel 100% better. Of course you don't have to put music on or drink coffee, it's just what I do :p
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On September 21 2010 01:38 ArbAttack wrote:
We're both Asian with tight stuck-up parents. They gave us zero personal freedom until the age of 18 (university age), we've acquired zero study habits, and sudden this new burst of overwhelming freedom in university life just completely overwhelms what little self-control you might possess; aka., you fuck around as much as you can because you've never obtained the aforementioned study habits/priorities/self-control in high school.
Then, your parents have high hopes for you. You have high hopes for youself. You think/believe you're smarter than everyone else, which was probably true in high school and how you did relatively well back then. But IQ average in University just jumped by 30 points, so you're fucked if you don't study. Once you fall behind it's infinitely harder to catch up due to: A - knowledge in a subject snowballs and B - your pride stands in your way; you believe you can defer studying until later, with the mindset that you can just cram and study extra hard to catch up later on. But there is a point of no return, it's probably 2-10 days before an exam (depending on the subject/major) and once you pass that point your overconfidence lies to yourself and you escape by indulging in whatever that's not school work.
So let me fucking whip you back in shape: you're not fucking intelligent. You know what's intelligence? It's having the ability to cram for 10 hours for a subject and pull a 90 on the final out of your ass. If you can't do that, you need to stop lying to yourself about your perceived intelligence and work hard. Let me put it another way: everyone works hard in university, so unless your IQ is above 150, having 130 over someone who has an IQ of 120 makes little difference if you don't study and try.
I learned/figured out all of this the hard way, hope you don't go down the same road.
Wow. There's not a single thing here that doesn't apply to me.
I'd love to say that reading the replies made me open my eyes and realise that I need to study, but all I feel is a slight need to study. Idk I guess I'll go open up Word and try to write some words but there's no way in hell I'm uninstalling SC2.
Appreciate the comments telling me that I can't get a good job without a degree. Kinda sucks but I guess I'll have to live with it.
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On September 21 2010 01:38 ArbAttack wrote:
So let me fucking whip you back in shape: you're not fucking intelligent. You know what's intelligence? It's having the ability to cram for 10 hours for a subject and pull a 90 on the final out of your ass.
lol, that must mean I'm intelligent. i've done that way too many times for my own liking. in recent times, i've got my shit together and started really managing my time, and it's gotten me more sleep and reduced my stress a lot. i may be able to delay those gray hairs a bit longer...
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as long as you have a computer your body will keep giving you a hard time studying. Find something that puts you in the zone. for me it was putting earphones on, house music on, and studying/writing non stop.
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What the hell are you still doing here. PM a mod for a temp ban. Get your shit together and study.
Anyway, I'm in to serious gaming myself, the way I do it is I never study in my dorm room. I always study at the library or a classroom.
Try your best to pull yourself out of the chair. Get your books, go out of the room and find somewhere else to study.
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EPT
