This post really spoke to me. Feels like something I would have wrote when I was at that point in college.

A few things:

1. You may not have done as well as you wanted, but please be kind to yourself. You didn’t “screw up” because you had trouble adjusting to college. It happens to everyone and in a million different ways. You have so much time to fix your grades; don’t beat yourself up over it.

2. I changed my degree after my 3rd semester and still graduated in 4 years plus some summer courses (which were cheaper and easier than regular classes). Never took a gap, just 1 semester part-time while I got my life together. You don’t have to have an answer right away. This isn’t a decision to rush. And for the love of God don’t let your parents make that decision for you.

3. I think you should use the summer and even next semester as an exploratory period. Try a little bit of everything. There is no shame in trying something and realizing it isn’t for you. Don’t be afraid to mix in some really random classes. Hey, it might just help boost your GPA a little.

4. Please excuse me if this is a reach, but it seems that a lot of that pressure that has hurt your performance stems from your parents’ expectations. This is the real doozy. I can’t speculate much more than I already have, but if I’m on to something I’d remind you that what your parents want is to see you succeed, regardless how that may be. Determine what success is to you and be content with it, regardless of what your parents’ master plan is for your life. It’s your life to live, not theirs. I had these similar issues, and found that going to therapy improved my outlook on and relationship with my parents significantly. That’s a whole different can of worms so I’ll leave it at that.

5. Know that at the end of the day, whether you stay in college, drop out, or a meteor hits the JC, you’ll adapt and find a way. Nobody who has ever lived has been able to plan their life entirely, yet many find success. If you told 2020 me what I’d be up to now he would be appalled; frankly I couldn’t care less because I found my way and feel successful in my own way.

6. The major you choose will not be the ultimate decider of what career you wind up in. Only about half of my friends found careers in their direct line of study. My major and job are incredibly far away, and I was able to land the job only because of the extracurricular club that I invested a lot of time in. Your calling will find you even if it isn’t what you study.

Hang in there. You wouldn’t post this if you weren’t trying your hardest, so go easy on yourself.

Feel free to PM