HELP needed retaining info!!

[shananay 0]

I need some help!
**Sorry this is so long, I wanted to express my true emotions. (Damn women!)**

I am currently in school trying to complete my CIS/Network Administration degree.

Over the last 3 years everything has been a complete and total breeze for me up to this point and I am now about to lose my freaking mind, blow a gasket or take someone else out...I am in the second phase of my Windows 2003 classes;

'Managing and Maintaining Microsoft Windows 2003 Server Environment' and my teacher does not necessarily teach the class, but instead has set us free to read/absorb and then be tested over the material. Bascially he treats us as if we were taking the Microsoft Cert. exams.

I took one of the most difficult tests I have ever taken last night AND it was open book. No chance in hell that I would have passed it not have been open book.

The class average was 62 and on top of that he added 10 pts. for all of us..basically the tests are now being geared toward the Micorsoft Env. and all the questions are case scenarios where I have to decide how to set up the Network, utilize MMC when needed, Active Directory, blah blah blah. Basically one question is an entire paragraph and it takes literally 10 minutes per question.

I have completely lost all faith in myself that I can maintain my current GPA, which I have BUSTED my ass to get in the first place, and come out with an A as I have over the years. I am not retaining the information what-so-ever, I can't focus on it and I am doing nothing but getting totally stressed out and creating an attitude of 'wanting to be a quitter'.

How can I study for these tests and actually retain the information and learn it and then put it work during the tests so I can pass this damn class??
I need some serious tips/advice. I am losing it and being so close to finishing I don't want to give up, but I have lost all my confidence and interest to be honest with you.

How do I study!???
I read the stupid chapters and goodness I can only keep so much information stored upstairs but obviously it is not sinking in with me...Is there no easy way?
Suggestions please!!???

Do it Again!
P.M.S. #22
LaLa Gang #4

[akarunway 1]

and my teacher does not necessarily teach the class, but instead has set us free to read/absorb and then be tested over the material.++++++++++++++++++++++++ That's all higher education is about. Teaching you to teach yourself. Or so I am told

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[PhillyKev 0]

Get some cheap pcs and set up your own network at home. No one in this industry knows or remembers everything, the key is knowing how to recognize the issue and where to go to find the answers. The only way to recognize the problems is to have seen them first hand, not read about them. So set up a network at home and screw with it.

[AggieDave 6]

Heh, that reminds me of some of the engineering classes I took while I was still an engineering major here at Texas A&M...

"Dude, what's that guy saying?"
"I don't know, can't understand a word"
"I wonder why they let foriegn prof who can bare speak fucking english teach courses?"
"Because they're freshmen courses and they want to weed you out, make you fail."
"oh."

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[alanab 0]

get some ginko biloba. my mom says the stuff works great!

[shananay 0]

Quote

get some ginko biloba. my mom says the stuff works great!

I tell ya, at this point I am so willing to try anything!!! Thank you so much girl for the info.
I'll let you know how it works out...

Quote

Dude, what's that guy saying?"
"I don't know, can't understand a word"
"I wonder why they let foriegn prof who can bare speak fucking english teach courses?"
"Because they're freshmen courses and they want to weed you out, make you fail."
"oh."

I had to laugh at that one, out loud....all those guys at my school teach the Math and programming classes.
My programming teacher was such a mess.
She was from India and aside from being hard to understand her little red dot was in a different place each night and she got sloppier with the positioning of the ink/paint as time went by. That was more interesting than the class...

I am so screwed unless like someone else suggested, (thank you by the way) set up the network at my house and go balls to the wall.
Geez, someone want to come set up a network for me? I need to go jump.

Sigh....who the hell talked me into computers anyway? I like plants, cooking and butterflies..why not butterflies?

Cooking would even be better at this point.. Maybe if I chose another major my friend wouldn't tell me to drop out of school because it's turning me into a freaking stress ball.

Do it Again!
P.M.S. #22
LaLa Gang #4

[tspillers 0]

I'm sorry....what was the question?

I am not totally useless, I can be used as a bad example.

[shananay 0]

Quote

I'm sorry....what was the question?

yeah yeah yeah..I hear ya..

Do it Again!
P.M.S. #22
LaLa Gang #4

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

If you're not interested, you wont retain anything. The trick is, find something cool about it. What cool things can you do with said info? And, most of all, look at the bigger picture. Remember what your goal is. You want to set up networks, troubleshoot, whatnot? Whatever it is, just remember what you're working toward, and try to see how the info you are learning will apply.

Sometimes the weed out classes for undergrad engineering get to me, but I just try to see the bigger picture. I used to hate calculus, but after reading more theory, and doing less problems, I started to enjoy it.

I HATED Physics... but decided to pick up a non-textbook physics book by Brian Greene, and I realized that this stuff is pretty interesting. So, even when i'm in a part that sucks (this applies to your current class), I just look at the bigger picture and it helps me to focus and learn it.

And, NOTECARDS, NOTECARDS, NOTECARDS. Make a set of notecards with important info. Then, make them again. Read them, expand on them on paper, then make a new set of notecards w/o looking at the last. This helps me remember formulas, maybe it can help you.

:) Don't give up!! Cooking is for your freetime
Angela

[blueskyserenity 0]

Note cards are a great way to take portable notes and study at the same time. Highlight key points, pictures, figures and transfer them onto notecards. Even add color and detail. Read the material and highlight what you think is important. (B/c evidently your instructor is not) Transfer info to a stack of notecards. Read through notecards to study. Whenever you have a minute. Watching tv, before bed, sitting in traffic. Just start flipping and reading. The point is the repitition. Think about it in skydiving terms, arch, reach, pull, throw, >>>>holy hell...well shit...pillow, silver. Over and over.

Good luck!! I have full faith in you girlie girl. Just remember, don't be too hard on yourself. There is absolutely nothing wrong w/ a B. Your clients will NEVER ask you about your GPA. Guaranteed!

I like coconuts. You can break them open and they smell like ladies lying in the sun!

[shananay 0]

Quote

If you're not interested, you wont retain anything. The trick is, find something cool about it.

I think that is the hard part for me at this stage. I have been working in the field for 8 yrs. now and only started my education journey 4 years ago..sitting at work all day and then having to go to class and sit in front of another computer for another 4 hours at night, is really making me lose interest.

HOWEVER, I do need to get through this and I can't believe I never once thought of using note cards.

That is such a great idea and I am defintely one that works better with memorization and going over and over and over things to get it to sink in.

Thank you thank you for taking the time to reply to my post. I truly appreciate that!! I have two more tests, one final and a hands on practical over the next 3 weeks, so looks like I got some serious writing to do.

Ugh...either way thank you all for the advice and to the beautiful BlueSkySerenity, thank you so much for the support and believing in me. I love you!!
Happy Friday!

Do it Again!
P.M.S. #22
LaLa Gang #4