<p>I’m in a rigorous engineering course at a top university and although I’m keeping up, I’m not doing so well. Right now I feel like I’m struggling and still on the border of a B-/B in my two engineering intro classes (I have an A in calc and my non-engineering course, though)- and I graduated top 1% in my high school. My work load is huge too; it’s literally one thing after another. A lack of sleep affects me more than most teenagers and I’m tired all the time (which leads me to finishing my hw later, which leads me to sleeping late again…it’s a vicious cycle). I also get distracted VERY easily</p>
<p>I’ve always been an introvert because I feel “detached” from the outside world, but over the last three years I’ve developed pretty good social skills. I have plenty of friends and a lot are even upperclassmen. However, I still feel that detachment and I constantly feel I have no actual, meaningful relationships with anyone. It feels almost superficial. Even though my family and I didn’t get along very well, at least the relationships were more solid.</p>
<p>I just feel lost. For the first time in my life, I feel like I really want a boyfriend. I’ve never had any complaints about being single EVER. In fact, I’ve never had a serious boyfriend before and I was always the one who did the dumping because I preferred being single. This is so out of character for me and I’m embarrassed by it, and I believe it is because I just feel a void and have lost the solidity that was previously filled through school, family, and friends. </p>
<p>I’m not homesick or anything, I just feel so meaningless. Is this just a phase, or should I do something about it?</p>
<p>You are used to being at the top of the class, and now you are surrounded by peers who were also at the top of the class. You suddenly have competition/peers that you never really had to deal with before. That’s an adjustment that a lot of bright students find difficult when they start college.</p>
<p>Don’t stress out too much about the B’s. I’m betting that you are still getting some of the best grades in the class. You are now taking more difficult classes than high school. Do the best you can but don’t sacrifice your health trying to do even better. If the B is the best you can do, and you are making serious effort, so be it (no pun intended).</p>
<p>Feeling lonely is also very normal, especially for introverts.</p>
<p>You come to learn that GPA isn’t as important as you think. Believe me, I was in the same situation. I was at the top of my high school and I came here and was all about keeping that up. I managed too up until I got into my Jr level courses. I got some Bs and that was bad for me. I was really ****ed off. </p>
<p>But, your main goal is to get the best job you can out of college. Turns out, your internship and co-op experience is much more important than your GPA. They just want you to be over a 3.0, really a lot just bunch anything over a 3.5 together. </p>
<p>Keep your grades up obviously, but getting some Bs isn’t the worst thing in the world.</p>