I’m struggling with this weird balance at university. Sometimes I get really into a subject and end up researching way beyond what’s required-like, I want to understand the foundations and the stuff behind the scenes, not just what’s on the syllabus. But then I realize most of that depth isn’t even necessary for the exams, and it kind of demotivates me. I end up feeling like I’m wasting time or that I should just focus on what’s required, but then I lose motivation and sometimes end up doing nothing at all.
It doesn’t help that my university isn’t super prestigious and I feel surrounded by people who are mostly into gaming and partying rather than meaningful academic discussion or building study-focused friendships. I do engage with classmates during classes, but I feel alone in wanting to go deeper and build real connections around learning.
Does anyone else feel this way? How do you deal with wanting to learn more than what’s required, especially when it feels like nobody around you is on the same wavelength? Any advice for finding motivation or like-minded people?