TMills- thanks for the suggestions. I've been writing down some plans for taking care of what's been bothering me, and slowly but surely, the list is starting to shrink down. I do agree with Teax, that the act of writing it all down somewhere makes those issues less prone to popping up intrusively during study sessions, etc.
I've especially made it a point to start taking chill out time more seriously. (Wait... or do I mean less seriously?) I'm making it a point to let go of that desire to be productive 24/7 without any regard to how important play and relaxation is. I'm also going to let go of obsessing over shortening my college journey. It's going to take me forever, especially if I want to change my career course again. I need to get over it and take fewer credits. I have a "P..." *shrug*
"retain" is the wrong attitude. lower math is not a new thing you need to memorize - it is how your subconscious already works! and you're trying to become
aware of it.
related thread.
confidence comes from seeing limits of a concept. this is the last step after awareness and application.
These are interesting ideas! I checked out the thread cited, and this mulling over concepts until they become obvious and then throwing it all out the window is exactly what I am craving in math and the sciences.
I've been pursuing math this semester in the hopes that my subconscious will "break-into" the right mode of thinking about it after a while. I remember how long it took to wrap my brain around how my former majors worked. I can recall definite "clicks" in basic understandings of the subconscious bases of operations for some of these fields after about a year or two of working at them.
My advice is to fix these problems first. "Complete turmoil" isn't going to permit you to get other things done.
*sigh* I think this is true. Unfortunately, I'm spending a vast chunk of my semester trying to find a new apartment, figuring out how the new university works, hiring movers, trying to cope with the recent loss of a parent, losing one or two very close relationships, having serious problems dealing with certain people at my college, quitting the old job, sick pet, taking far, far too much care of the grieving parent who is still alive, etc. I just can't focus well right now. I'm upset all day and then I have nightmares. LOL! I did manage to find a new apartment, I'm going to be getting away from the people causing me problems, I am a lot more oriented to how the college works, and my financial situation is semi-stable, so I can see the next semester going better for me, but it's hard getting to that better place.
The most prominent tip is perhaps to take less classes whenever math is on the schedule, especially since you have personal troubles outside of classes. Also, you can speak with your professor during office hours and ask for some tips on understanding the concepts. Third, study group/tutoring.
I'm implementing all these suggestions and it's been going well. I registered for fewer credits next semester, and I'll use note cards next semester too, probably (especially since that will be my first physics class). I wish I'd begun taking notes earlier in the semester. It would have made studying for tests waaaay easier. My college has group tutoring and access to WolframAlpha stuff that I do not, so I basically just hang out there whenever I can.
Of course your home life situation also needs to be resolved but perhaps that needs another thread to fully delve into?
Mmmmm, I don't see my family situation resolving anytime soon, or ever, possibly. If I can get the other stuff resolved though, there will be ways to work around the family issues.
Thanks for all the responses! I'm going to keep plugging away at learning the maths... three tests this week...
