I don't understand university.

[Deleted]

I started university with high hopes a month ago, but I'm already tired of it. It sucks. For example, before university I would go to a lesson, listen for about half an hour, do an assignment there, get some specific assignment to do at home, and that's it. It was simple, fun and I learned something. At university I have to listen to a guy stand and talk about math for 2 hours, even though (as far as I'm aware) the average human being can listen for about 15 minutes before attention starts to dwendle. Then I only get a 5-10 minute break where I can't do anything but stand up before the lecture starts again. Then I go home and there I am, I know kinda what math I need to study but there are no recommendations, no one that has introduced me to how to structure my work, I just sit there like a jackass. I go to school because my book doesn't have examples of math problems that I can look at and learn from, only to find out we're not going to have those math problems, even though they're in the chapter that has the stuff that we've talked about in school so far.

I used to be a student that worked pisshard in elementary and high school so I could achieve something in life but now here I am and I feel like dropping out because I don't know anything at all, seemingly no one can help me to get some structure and I fail to see how the working methods in university relate with those in the worklife. Anyone that can relate or am I just going nuts?

[Rukentuts]

It really doesn't get fun until you get into core courses. Then if it's not fun, you picked the wrong major.

Math was especially terrible and not giving applications to RL.

[Angrybathtub]

When it comes to math, lectures were somewhat useless for me. I'd just go home and do a bunch of exercises in the back of the book.

[Reeve]

You get one bad math class and you think that's what university is about? Suck it up, finish the class, and move on. There will be good and bad classes. Time to get used to that fact.

[Abrasion]

University is a completely different mindset from grade school. It is very much focused on individual learning. One suggestion would be to read up on material being taught *before* the lecture and that way the lecture fills in the gaps that you had trouble with on your own.

[Skippy88]

It sucks doesn't it. Especially if your professor has an accent where you can only make a word or two out of each sentence. That's not to say all professors are bad. Some are quite good but some are quite dull.

My advice is go to college. It's a lot more hands on I found and the classes are smaller.

[Abrasion]

Something else to consider: Your professors in high-school went to school to become teachers. Most (if not all) of your professors in university have no formal training on how to teach.

[grimsanta]

In primary school, everything is laid out for you.

Now is the time to lay everything out for yourself. You are now in charge of your education, your teachers merely provide the information.

[haxartus]

I fail to see how the working methods in university relate with those in the worklife.

You get presented basic information and it is up to you to research it and understand some of it, then do the task that is required from you.
This process is quite essential since the university is not going to teach you even half of the things you need to do your job. The information is just too much and there are new innovations too fast. The university is going to present you the basics and teach you to rely on yourself for the rest.

[Sunius]

Math was especially terrible and not giving applications to RL.

I personally can't agree. After taking one math class each semester for 4 semesters I can easily say that I'm using ALOT of it every day and I'm kind of even frustrated that they didn't cover more subjects.

[Deleted]

My advice is go to college. It's a lot more hands on I found and the classes are smaller.

No colleges in that form in Sweden as far as I'm aware.

I guess I picked the wrong major really... I'm bored out of my mind and incredibily unmotivated to do work... even though before I've had no problems whatsoever. Trigonometry was fun in high school but in university I don't even want to hear the word sinus or I'll get anxious and depressed. I'm serious. So it feels like there's something somewhere that's just plain wrong but I can't figure out what.

[Belloc]

I personally can't agree. After taking one math class each semester for 4 semesters I can easily say that I'm using ALOT of it every day and I'm kind of even frustrated that they didn't cover more subjects.

While I can't say that I've ever had to use what I learned in calculus, I will say that I really enjoyed the class itself. Well, aside from the fact that apparently Trig. was a pre-requisite for the class and I never took it, so trig. functions were always somewhat annoying for me.

[Prokne]

At university I have to listen to a guy stand and talk about math for 2 hours, even though (as far as I'm aware) the average human being can listen for about 15 minutes before attention starts to dwendle.

The average person doesnt have a college degree either.

For example, before university I would go to a lesson, listen for about half an hour, do an assignment there, get some specific assignment to do at home, and that's it. It was simple, fun and I learned something.

Sounds like it was too easy and didnt prepare you for real college learning. I remember doing homework for some classes in HS during class because it was so easy that I didnt even need to listen to the teacher. College is harder, you need to pay attention in class.

Then I go home and there I am, I know kinda what math I need to study but there are no recommendations, no one that has introduced me to how to structure my work, I just sit there like a jackass. I go to school because my book doesn't have examples of math problems that I can look at and learn from, only to find out we're not going to have those math problems, even though they're in the chapter that has the stuff that we've talked about in school so far.

Get another math textbook that has examples and runs you through how to do problems? The professor should be demonstrating in class either what the next assignment is or the one you just did. Since you are just starting its probably the former but when you get higher you will be expected to "discover" how to do math that was discovered by someone else a long time ago. You will basically have to derive everything from scratch.

Your experience is something Ive noted after watching how secondary schools are reforming classes to be more hands on, technology based, or using non-traditional methods. They wonder why the kids who were taught using these methods didnt do well in college. Its because college doesnt teach that way, and shouldnt teach that way. You have to either learn to learn that way or figure out how to reframe your lessons in ways it is easier for you to learn. In other words college is about learning how to learn and not just learning how to regurgitate what the teacher has just said or compiling a list of facts and equations. If you have problems with any of these things professors always have office hours and can help you learn what you are having trouble with.

[Flame6]

Is it just math that's the problem or do all your courses feel similar? Listen to boring lecture with little guidance on what to do later?

[Reeve]

While I can't say that I've ever had to use what I learned in calculus, I will say that I really enjoyed the class itself. Well, aside from the fact that apparently Trig. was a pre-requisite for the class and I never took it, so trig. functions were always somewhat annoying for me.

God I hated Trig. It's a good reason for why I chose not to have a math heavy major in college. I couldn't stand the high school format of math classes where you went over 50 problems in class, went home and did 50 more assigned problems, then went back to school and went over the 50 problems you did the night before. So damn much repetition. Give me the theory, let me do 2-3 of each problem type, then let's move on already!

I've heard Calculus is cool though. I've been considering teaching it to myself.

[Flame6]

Yea, if you have a favorite instructor talk to them about how you feel. Great thing about university is instructors are much more "real" people and willing to give advice. Just remember they're real people and don't want to hold your hand the whole time.

[Deleted]

Is it just math that's the problem or do all your courses feel similar? Listen to boring lecture with little guidance on what to do later?

All courses.

[Mihalik]

First of all OP, what exactly are you studying?

Pure mathematics? Or some field which requires theoretical or applied mathematics?

University can be wildly different depending on what you are studying.

Lectures are a crucial element of the University teaching process, and how effective or engaging they are, depend greatly on the lecturer and the student himself. Sometimes the person giving the lecture fails at engaging the students, but often times students are simply uninterested.

The attention span of 15 minutes is dependent on how you interact with the subject. That is why we are able to engage in activities for hours on end. We aren't goldfish. Well most of us aren't.

If you find your studies boring, and you can't motivate yourself, maybe you should reconsider the subjects you chose.

[haxartus]

Looks like you want someone to spoon feed you information and tell you what to do all of the time.
Real life doesn't work this way.

[snaxattax]

if you want text recommendations for building a mathematical foundation, pm me your field of study (as in top., algebra, real/complex analysis, etc.) and background (what other math/physics courses you have taken and which texts did you use).

if you're looking just for more general 'work' i would highly recommend schaum's outlines. they have them for every course you could take in undergrad, and they present the material in a straightforward, but sometimes slightly different (not in a bad way, gives you another angle to look at the topic) way along with *tons* of worked out problems.