I ex muslim man form Saudi Arabia. I'm on my third year in college and I find it hard to focus on my studies with all the thought of what I will do in the future, and how my family and friends would feel if they know that I left Islam. depression don't really help on top of that I'm having problems sleeping.
I just can't focus on what I need to do for now.
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Then do as I did. Focus on your studies now, forget the rest. Get the degree first, then focus on the rest. Yes, it will be difficult. But you can do it.
rmfr
@Captain crunch ….
arakish is right ….. you are going to need resources in the future ….. job/career ,money ,a social network ,the ability to travel....
A lot I know....but you could be in a perilous situation …. resources will give you choices..... no resources =no choices.....
So....keep your head down get the qualification..... start laying the foundations of your future.
Third year? Looks like you have been doing things the right way. One of the greatest tips I can give anyone regarding studying is to use mnemonics. How you study is everything. You can spend half the time you do now studying if you learn how your brain works; how it stores information.
You have a perfect memory. This is evidenced by the fact that if you saw a person stabbed right in front of you, you would instantly remember the situation. Where you were, what happened. instant memory.. Why are some things easy to remember and others seem so hard? It all has to do with the way you are taking in the information.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoSqNd1TE4A
I use a Keword method with the Roman Room. In this video they call it the "Mind Palace."
What you do is choose a room in your house (A different room for each subject.) You take Key words that you must know. Recalling the word will usually help you recall information associated with it. You already know your room. You can close your eyes and visualize the room. (This is essential.)
Now, (Actually walk around the room as you study and you will learn even faster.) Look at the door. Your first concept is attached to the door. "Homeostasis" Well the door is the opening to a home and stasis means even. So I have an equal sign on the door with a roof over it so it looks like a home. Home + = is Homeostasis. What about "e" 'o" I was having trouble with that. I put the 'e' and the 'o' as windows between the equal sign lines. Simple. Now I move on to the next important concepts. I open the door.
Freudian Psychoanalysis - There is Freud standing on the back of the door and behind him a black leather couch. He gestures to the couch and wants me to lie down. I see the word Psycho above the couch and Know I am crazy. Freud says, I'm just going to analyze you. I say no thanks and enter the room. I turn to the right. The first thing on the right is a wall with a picture of a clown on it. My next concept is Gestalt. Gestalt is an existentially based feeling directed therapy. So I look at the wall and cover it with asphalt and I notice a spilled oil can that smells like gas - It says gas on it. Gasphalt. And NOW all the little gas stains begin forming feeling words. Happy, sad, angry, etc....
You do this with as many concepts as you can. Then all you need do is remember your room - something you know like the back of your hand - to study. What was on the door? Homeostasis, open the door, Freud - psycho - analysis, next is the wall "gasphalt - gestalt a felling based existential therapy. etc......
You will spend no time at all studying. Studying actually becomes interesting. You can study in the supermarket line at the local store or even at a cricket match by just remembering your room. It's insane how fast you can remember things using nmenomics.
Remember there was a time when we did not have writing and people could remember entire books. They used techniques like this.
When we began to write, we no longer needed our memories. Basically we have forgotten how to remember. Schools tell you that you must remember information but they never help you by telling you how to do it. It's not a secret.
You want to pair new information with some information you already know. I used my room. You could use the English alphabet, a piece of music or anything you know well. The next step is to make the information "Silly." "Bigger than life. " "Strange or unusual." These images, like the man stabbed in front of you, can move directly into long term memory. The brain has this amazing categorization function. We go through our days noticing nothing... "that's a tree, there is a car, say Hi to Bob, another building," we just lump things all together. Making your memory stand out, making it silly, strange or unusual, stops your brain from instantly categorizing and causes it to pay attention.
There are many good videos on these techniques. Decrease your study time, enjoy studying more, and remember faster with mnemonics.
The Roman Room is known as a "Tag System" It's the one I use.
This is called a "Link System" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsC9ZHi79jo&t=440s
The problem is that if you forget any section of the link, you may lose all that follows.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoYOb2sPnqA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qIBe0h0-Ig
You have a perfect memory and have simply not realized it yet! Learning is FUN!
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Captain Crunch
How to keep focus on my studies?
I ex muslim man form Saudi Arabia. I'm on my third year in college and I find it hard to focus on my studies with all the thought of what I will do in the future, and how my family and friends would feel if they know that I left Islam. depression don't really help on top of that I'm having problems sleeping.
I just can't focus on what I need to do for now.
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It depends if your family is close to you or not. If not put aside the thoughts of that. I find that a mental exercise like imagining disruptive thoughts, (when they occur), are like paper. Screw them up and throw them in an imaginary trash bin. Keep on tossing the thoughts out like this. Maybe even go through the motions, as in miming the action.
If your family are close, then be careful what you reveal to them. If your friends would be a disturbance or hurt you, (should they know you better), then maybe they are not really friends.
On the study front, PLAN your study schedule. Figure out what you need to do to succeed, commit it to paper, and then do your best to stick to it.
Always reckon IN, with times for rest, relaxation and leisure, what ever that may be for you.
Seek to be with people who will be supportive of you, the real you, as you are, (if you can do that).
All the best to you,
Mu.
@Captain Crunch
Dude! Just maintain a low profile and go with the flow until you can get out of there and park your ass somewhere safe. Granted, I'll be the first to admit I have no idea how it must feel to be afraid for my life just for telling family and/or friends what I believe. Honestly, it is difficult for me to imagine. That being said, my personal opinion is that you should FIRST become self-reliant and be situated in a safe location before attempting to address your issues with family and friends. That means completing your education and gaining employment that will allow you to get away from there. Personal safety first. Complete school second. Obtain employment third. Get the hell outta Dodge fourth. THEN worry about family/friends. Priorities.
Here's some advice I learned from school: Let go of distractions and try to anchor your focus on your studies when you are doing them. Then think about other things.