Should I Drop Spanish 101 Despite My Challenges and VA Benefits?

[Drakkith]

So I'm currently taking 3 classes, one of which is Spanish 101, and I find myself on the verge of dropping it. I hate it. I loathe it. It feels like it's a mountain with no peak, and I'm just climbing forever. I can't seem to study more than a tiny bit because it's mind number memorization and I just shut down. Everything from the language to the exercises make me lost. (Like when an exercise says, "Tell your partner about a local restaurant. What do you like or dislike?" Yeah... I can't do those because I can't ever think of anything, so I can't do the exercise)

I work for 15 minutes on some notecards and it takes so much effort just to decipher what I'm reading and write it back down that I want to throw them into a nuclear furnace and watch them suffer. And I'm talking about the entire process. The reading, the deciphering, the putting the pencil to the paper, everything. It's all infuriating.

I've also got a plethora of personal issues I'm dealing with, including my ADHD and difficulty speaking, which obviously makes it difficult to do the oral exercises. (I know the words, I just can't get them out) I had to physically walk out of class one day a few weeks ago when my teacher tried to get me to interact with two other people and I couldn't even get out a basic introduction. I've been so stressed out by the class that several times during the last week I felt like I was about to break down and cry on the drive home.

I'd probably have already dropped it, but I'm using my Post 9-11 GI Bill to pay for everything, and if I fail I think I have to pay them back or something. Plus, I'm required to take 2 foreign languages for my major anyways...

I just don't know what to do.

 

[JorisL]

Have you discussed these problems with your teacher? They might have a solution for that.
A way to make you feel at ease so you can participate without having stress put on you when there is this kind of interactivity i.e. gradually get you to join in.

 

[Drakkith]

Have you discussed these problems with your teacher? They might have a solution for that.
A way to make you feel at ease so you can participate without having stress put on you when there is this kind of interactivity i.e. gradually get you to join in.

I have. There's nothing she can do that would actually help. And it's not specifically the interactivity that gets me. The best way I can put it is that it feels like I'm getting little hits from everywhere, and they all add up. If it was just one or two things I think I'd be able to handle it. But it feels like I have to fight against myself to do literally everything.

 

[Akaisora]

If it is affecting your overall performance, then yes drop it. If you can put more effort and deal with it, since you will have to deal with it later on, then talk to your adviser or instructor and pass this annoying class.

If you decided to drop it, you have a chance to prepare well for it and take your time studying it this semester and during spring break.

That aside, I personally hate humanities and such type of classes. And I hate memorization as well.

 

[Office_Shredder]

If you find the speaking component of the foreign language class to be stressful, see if you can fulfill the requirement by taking a dead language like Latin or ancient Greek or something which does not require oral mastery of the language (check that those classes do not require speaking components before making the switch of course).

 

[Evo]

Is there any option to take the course online and satisfy your requirements? I notice that a number of colleges are doing that now, these language requirements apparently are a hindrance for a number of students.

UEX courses will appear on a UT Austin transcript and are transferable. Admission to the university is not required.

Talk to your advisor about how to transfer credit earned with UEX, as degree requirements vary across schools.

http://www.utexas.edu/ce/uex/bgspanishonline

 

[Student100]

Here's a note about the GI bill:

If you drop it, they'll make you pay back the money you've already received, and readjust your benefit usage. If you fail it, you don't pay back the money and can try one more time before you have to do it on your own.

They, however, sometimes won't try to recollect payments for dropped classes, depending on the time enrolled. I've withdrawn from one class with a W, and they didn't recoup the money. Although it did waste some credit hours I could use for benefits. I would speak with the vet group at your school before you make any decisions.

 

[Drakkith]

Here's a note about the GI bill:

If you drop it, they'll make you pay back the money you've already received, and readjust your benefit usage. If you fail it, you don't pay back the money and can try one more time before you have to do it on your own.

They, however, sometimes won't try to recollect payments for dropped classes, depending on the time enrolled. I've withdrawn from one class with a W, and they didn't recoup the money. Although it did waste some credit hours I could use for benefits. I would speak with the vet group at your school before you make any decisions.

I didn't know that. I'll have to go talk to the Veterans group or whatever they're called about this.
On a related note, it did make me feel a little better to learn that my squadron commander failed spanish twice when he was in college.

 

[Drakkith]

Is there any option to take the course online and satisfy your requirements? I notice that a number of colleges are doing that now, these language requirements apparently are a hindrance for a number of students.



http://www.utexas.edu/ce/uex/bgspanishonline

I don't know. How would I find this out?

 

[Student100]

I didn't know that. I'll have to go talk to the Veterans group or whatever they're called about this.
On a related note, it did make me feel a little better to learn that my squadron commander failed spanish twice when he was in college.

Are you still AD?? Do they not offer TA anymore?

 

[Drakkith]

Are you still AD?? Do they not offer TA anymore?

Reserve, and yes they do offer TA. Why do you ask?

 

[Evo]

I don't know. How would I find this out?

Speak to your school counselor/office to see if they offer online courses, and if not, if they would accept the credits from another school. Check with the VA to see if they will pay for the online course from an accredited school. I'm sure they have had to make a decision on online courses from accredited schools. Doing it online sounds like a solution to the anxiety caused by a classroom setting. Good luck with it!

http://www.gibill.va.gov/benefits/post_911_gibill/index.html

 

[Student100]

Reserve, and yes they do offer TA. Why do you ask?

Okay, now I understand. I always try to talk the AD folks out of using their GI Bill while still in the service, since you're reserve I understand why.

 

[Drakkith]

Speak to your school counselor/office to see if they offer online courses, and if not, if they would accept the credits from another school. Check with the VA to see if they will pay for the online course from an accredited school. I'm sure they have had to make a decision on online courses from accredited schools. Doing it online sounds like a solution to the anxiety caused by a classroom setting. Good luck with it!

http://www.gibill.va.gov/benefits/post_911_gibill/index.html

Thanks Evo.