Depressed About School?
Here are 3 Keys to Success Most Won't Tell You!
Going to school can really suck.
This is particularly true during adolescence (high school) and early adulthood (college). The original idea was for young people to gather together to learn a few things before joining the workforce.
Nowadays, it’s seems like our education system has become nothing more than an indoctrination center, a chance for teacher-activists to force their radical ideas on children. Add this to the normal tension that comes from the onset of puberty, the struggle to find an identity, the struggle to find friends, and it’s no wonder so many kids are depressed about the whole thing!
If you’re a student and you’re depressed about school, hang in there. I’m going to give you several tips to get through the hardest aspects of it.
Let me start by asking this question:
Why are you depressed ABOUT SCHOOL?
Depressed About School:
1. Fitting In
If you’re having trouble fitting in, know this: All of us go through it. Feeling like an outsider is part of the human condition.
But I’m not gonna lie to you and tell you fitting in doesn’t matter. It does. Everyone needs friends.
The trouble is that some of you younglings put too much pressure on yourselves to fit in. Believe me, in the long run, you’re going to forget about 99% of the other students you meet. They’re going to forget about you, so don’t worry so much about impressing them.
What you need to do is establish 2 or 3 good friends that you frequently hangout with. These are the kinds of friends who will back you up if someone’s trying to bully you. They’ll help you get you a job after college. They’ll get drunk with you when your parents die, or after your marriage falls apart.
They’ll be there for you through thick and thin!
You can’t create these friendships by trying to fit in with the “cool” kids. You have to find 2 or 3 people you genuinely click with, and you have to hangout with them in the real world, NOT on social media!
So be yourself, find a few friends who are as weird as you are, and grow old together.
Depressed About School:
2. Pressure to get good grades
If you feel pressure to get good grades, congratulate yourself. That pressure is good for you. It’s a sign that you’ve got the ambition and drive to survive in this world. It shows that you want to get the most out of yourself.
The instinct to succeed is a gift! Never let go of it.
Is pressure tough? Sure, it’s tough, but so is life. Learning to thrive under pressure is one of the greatest things you can do. It will help you in so many ways throughout your life, far more than trigonometry. Consider this your training.
Depressed About School:
To be knucklehead, or not to be a knucklehead. That is the question.
Might you be a happier if you were like those slackers who don’t care about studying? Perhaps, but it wouldn’t last.
Everyone feels the pressure of life eventually. Those slackers will just feel it a little later, when they’re 30 years old, still living at home with no career, no investments, and no prospects.
And it’s gonna sting.
So take a little bit of advice from an old geezer like me: Good grades are important, mainly because achieving them puts you in the habit of learning, which is the most important habit you can ever develop in life.
They might also help you to get into a “good” college, or a “good” masters program, but let’s be real. Your ultimate goal isn’t to get an “education.”
It’s to make MONEY. It’s to be successful. It’s to have a good life. Formal education is only one route to that, and these days, it’s not even a good route.
Depressed About School:
A bachelors ain't what it used to be.
Once upon a time, a bachelors degree in this country – ANY bachelors degree – automatically got you a good job with a high enough salary to buy a house and support a family on. That’s not how it is anymore.
Everyone and their mother has a bachelors degree. It doesn’t mean anything. It damn sure isn’t worth the inflated cost of tuition – not unless it’s in a technical field that’s actually in high demand. Art history, poetry, and political science ain’t gonna cut it.
If you’re in high school, get good grades if you can, but you also need to start reading books on real estate investing, finance, and how to start a small business. You know – things your school ISN’T teaching you.
Believe me, the urge to start a business and become your own boss WILL come eventually. You need the skills to make it happen, and those skills take time to develop. The sooner you start learning, the better.
Don’t worry about the resources. They’ll come as long as you go into a field that actually pays and is in high demand.
Depressed About School:
3. Bullying.
What can I say about bullying?
I know the proper advice is to “talk to your teachers,” but in my experience, most teachers just want to protect their safe, secure jobs, and minimize their stress. They don’t want to deal with the headache of resolving disputes between students.
They’re already swamped as it is, and in any case, whoever is bullying you might be one of their favorite students! (This is often the case, as sociopaths can have a lot of charm.)
Disclaimer: The following information is for ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY. I do not condone violent behavior of any kind, for any reason, ever… Okay, sucka? So don’t sue me.
That being said…
When it comes to bullying, the only thing I’ve found to be effective is this:
Punch that person square in square the nose when they’re not looking, and keep aiming for the nose until your teacher breaks it up.
Is this dirty? No, because this isn’t a “fight.” It’s not a boxing match, or a karate tournament. You’re not trying to prove how skilled a fighter you are, or how tough and noble you are. You’re not trying to demonstrate superiority in any way.
This isn’t The Karate Kid.
You’re just trying to inflict pain so your bully STOPS harassing you, which they will, as long as you follow these 5 simple steps:
1. Get close to them.
Do this when they’re not looking. If they are looking, just smile as you approach. Raise your hands as if to indicate that you’re harmless, like you just want to ask them a question.
2. Punch them directly in the nose.
If you’ve never thrown a punch before, it’s a good idea to practice at home on a pillow. Just make sure you’re making a tight fist, and that you aim for the nose.
As long as you aim for the nose, you don’t have to be Bruce Lee. Any contact at all will be enough to make their eyes water up.
That means they won’t be able to see you for at least 3 seconds, which is plenty of time for you follow up with additional shots to the nose.
Do NOT throw body punches. Do NOT aim for the jaw. Don’t kick. Don’t grapple.
Just keep hitting his nose so he remains blind and helpless.
3. DO NOT warn them.
Don’t say, “Stop picking on me, or I’m going to kick your butt!” or some other non-sense.
If you threaten to fight someone, what it really means is that you’re afraid to fight. You’re hoping harsh words will be enough. Bullies know this and are encouraged by it!
So don’t threaten them. Don’t insult them. Don’t tell them you’re angry.
Bullies don’t learn through words! They only learn through action, and through pain. There is NO strategic advantage to letting them know what you’re going to do, so don’t.
4. DO NOT do this after school...
…or in an alley, or in the parking lot, or at some private location where things can get out of control. Don’t agree to meet them behind 7-11.
Those are all uncontrolled environments, and in any case, if you’re discussing where to fight, then you’ve already blown Step 3!
5. Do it in the middle of class, in front of EVERYONE, with at least one teacher present. That’s important.
The more eyes, the better.
Your classmates will witness your audacity – your willingness to escalate the situation fast and hard – and they’ll respect you for it (or they’ll think you’re crazy). In any case, it will serve notice that you’re not to be messed with; you’ve got the balls to smash anyone in the nose at any time, regardless of who’s around, so they’d better not try you.
Your teacher will rush in to break up the “fight” within a few seconds, before your bully has a chance to retaliate, but after you’ve landed 5 or 6 solid shots to his nose in front of everyone.
He got hurt. You didn’t. Congratulations! The “fight” is over. Mission accomplished.
Depressed About School:
The Aftermath
Bullies only pick on people they think are weak. When his nose heals, there’s very little chance he’s going to mess with you again. It’s in a bully’s nature to look for easier prey. If he does mess with you again, well, you know what time it is.
Your teacher, and maybe the Dean of Students, will go batsh*t crazy on you. That’s fine. They’ll say they’re outraged about what you’ve done. In reality, they’re just upset you’ve done something that might get THEM in trouble.
Calmly explain that you didn’t want to do it, but you felt threatened by this guy, and that other students have felt threatened, too. Tell them you’re sorry to have done it, and you won’t do it again, BUT ONLY if they agree to protect you and the other students from his threats and intimidation. (Play the game!)
Peace is EARNED by Sticking Up For Yourself.
After your suspension, they’ll be watching you and your former bully closely, making sure both of you keep the peace. Good. Peace is what you want.
Now you can go about the rest of your academic career focused on what you should be focused on: getting good grades, getting into a technical field with solid pay and high job demand, and studying business and real estate in your free time.
And remember, you may be depressed about school now, but you’ve got youth on your side. The fact that you found this article shows you’ve got the ambition and drive to succeed.
I know it doesn’t seem like it now, but the world is truly your oyster. Hang tough, dream big, and keep working to achieve your goals.
Good luck!
(Below are some affirmations for confidence. Read them for 5 minutes, every single day, by watching the video or printing the PDF sheet. As your mind improves, you’ll start to give off a vibe that absolutely repels bullies.
You can find all kinds of affirmations on this site, including those to help with social awkwardness, self-consciousness, and insecurity about your looks.
Program your brain for success, and success is inevitable. That’s true for every aspect of life, not just while you’re in school, but forever.)
Affirmations for Confidence
- I believe in myself.
- I feel confident in all situations.
- I can handle anything.
- I’m a brilliant person.
- I am smart, motivated, and capable.
- The world can feel my confidence.
- I’ve got a high self esteem.
- I’m a strong person, and I’m ambitious.
- I can learn to do anything.
- I’ve got big goals, and I’m achieving them one step at a time.
-Tommy