<p>I am an 18 year old college freshman who just started my second semester at my school. The school is a small school and I am in the only major I have ever had any interest in (game design) but I am absolutely miserable. I have lyme disease and I am struggling with my health (been being treated for over a year now) which isn’t helping and school feels like hell. I go home every weekend and dread returning. I was hoping after semester break I would feel recharged but I just have absolutely no motivation and I don’t know what to do. I am afraid to take a year out but I hate it here. I’m not close with anyone on campus and my major is very time consuming and my gen eds feel like an utter waste of time. I don’t have any interest in the other majors and college is now feeling like prison. please help, I recently tried depression meds but my body didn’t tolerate them. I feel like I am running out of options. I just can’t stand the idea of being here anymore.</p>
<p>Perhaps you should request a medical withdrawal for the semester. This could buy you some time to decide if you want to return to the same school next semester or pursue a different course of action. In order to get a medical withdrawal, you’ll have to provide documentation from your doctor. Meet with your academic advisor ASAP and discuss the issue.</p>
<p>a lot of schools have the option to withdraw for a semester and take credits at another school (like a community college or something). that may give you a chance to explore different options (commuting versus living at school) to see which you like better. if possible, maybe try to socialize a little bit more and see if you can find a group of friends you get along with. if you really don’t think your school’s a good fit for you, look into transferring. it’s definitely an option worth looking into.
good luck!</p>
<p>lol game design is a fake major</p>
<p>Yakyu, you couldn’t be more wrong. </p>
<p>Game design is a fast growing major. Why? Big businesses and specialized companies are using simulation to do a lot of their employee training. It has been very effective and is expected to grow for years to come. </p>
<p>NASA training? Yup… they use simulation… made by people who have a major in game design (or very similar major for the older folks…).</p>
<p>All those kids playing video games… who makes em’???</p>
<p>You do not always need medical documentation to withdraw. As suggested, go meet with your advisor and/or a counselor at the counseling center. If you are in good academic standing, you can use this as a “leave” and return when your health improves (or transfer, as the previous poster suggested). If you think that your current condition will impact your academic standing, it is better to withdraw now prior to any damage being done to your GPA. I would strongly advise meeting with a career counselor either at your current university or near your home. They can assist you in identifying potential majors of interest that you will actually enjoy (they are out there!).</p>
<p>Regarding my previous post: I meant—Medical Leave, not Withdrawal.
Withdrawal means you’re not coming back. A leave will buy you time. If you later decide that you don’t want to return after your leave, then withdraw from the school.</p>
<p>Cam, I’m pretty sure NASA would take the thousands of Computer Science majors from Carnegie Mellon over a Game Design major from some unheard institution.</p>
<p>Anyways, on a more hopeful note, whenever I’m overly stressed out, I just run around my neighborhood until my lungs explode. But in all honesty, the fresh air really helps. Never rely on drugs and medicine, it only takes yourself to make you feel happier. :]</p>
<p>Calvin, computer science guys aren’t specifically trained to do game design and simulation though. Not saying they can’t do it, but you may not be getting “the best of the best” through them. Just watch over the next few years, bigger schools will start adding game design to their programs… My schools is seeing a big increase in interest and it’s pretty interesting to see what they do and how their importance goes beyond just xbox… </p>
<p>I dont know why I really care though… I’m a business major… haha</p>
<p>I have been thinking about trying to take a medical leave of sorts. I like the major I am in but im just too depressed and drained to care right now. I think if I was in a better frame of mind school might not be as bad. I also think I would do better as a commuter student. I don’t like campus life. Thanks for the posts and I am going to pretend that the person who said game design isn’t a major didn’t say anything. It is a very real major with a lot of options but it is incredibly competetive and more time consuming than I ever could have imagined. I really just hope my parents can support my need to take medical leave. I think my mom will support me because she has what I have as well but I think my dad is gonna flip.</p>
<p>No worthwhile university has “game design” as a major sorry. It’s a scam major; only diploma mills and community colleges carry it. You can ignore me all you want but the fact is that you’re getting an empty degree.</p>
<p>Yakyu, would you consider RPI a diploma mill? Or UC Santa Cruz?</p>
<p>^Perhaps the OP is a computer science major with a concentration in game design.</p>
<p>OP–Disregard the rudeness by some people on CC. </p>
<p>Lyme’s can be very difficult to treat–especially if it isn’t picked up at early onset of the infection.</p>
<p>Definitely meet with your advisor and discuss your options.</p>
<p>If meds did not help, speak with our doctor. There are many different ones to try which may work for you.</p>
<p>My son had Lymes over the summer. The meds are strong and he tolerated them because he had to. Sorry to hear your’s is more long term. </p>
<p>Younger son took 4 online classes over the summer. They were pretty easy (gen eds he needed to get out of the way (he is dual engineering major). He was able to go at his own pace and finished them pretty quickly. If you take a medical leave, maybe you can ad a couple of online courses and take a couple over the summer too. In the meantime, you can figure out if you want to transfer or return to your school. </p>
<p>Good luck to you.</p>
<p>You can add University of California, Irvine (UCI) to the list of schools with a Computer Game Science major (new): [undergraduate</a> degree in computer game science @ the bren school of information and computer sciences](<a href=“http://www.ics.uci.edu/ugrad/degrees/degree_cgs.php]undergraduate”>undergraduate degree in computer game science @ the bren school of information and computer sciences). UCI is ranked in the top 50 nationally, and their Bren School of ICS is renown in terms of innovation. There is nothing wrong with your choice of major…!</p>