I'm so cooked

Ask a Therapist Seeking Help
1

I have exams in less than 10 days and I have not studied the content for the whole year. But I’m just not motivated to do it. I panic so much but I can’t bring myself to to go to my notes. I can’t bring myself to read and remember anything. It’s also an exam structure I’m not familiar with, and I will be very short in time. I need to do practice papers but if I don’t know any content, how can I do it? All my subjects are so content heavy. All 4 are essays. I dont know what to do, I think I’m going to fail and I will have to re do the year. The tuition is not cheap.

I have always been like this since primary school and I just have no motivation for my fire. I think this is a real issue but I do t I ow what to do about it. I actually think I’m going to screw up really bad this time and my parents will be extremely disappointed. I’ve been putting too much time into my cca. And they have told multiple times if I was studying. Which I didn’t , because I hate doing it. I chose a course that was difficult but intriguing so that I would try to be more motivated to study but now I’m in deep trouble.

1 Like
2

Dear @user2327

Thank you for sharing this honestly—it takes a lot of strength to say “I’m struggling” when you’re under this much pressure. And I want to start by gently reminding you: you are not lazy, and you are not a failure. What you’re describing—feeling frozen, panicked, unmotivated, and overwhelmed—is not uncommon, especially when the stakes feel high and the mountain feels too steep to climb.

Right now, it sounds like your brain is stuck in what we call “shutdown mode.” You know you need to study, but the fear and pressure are so strong, it’s like your whole system just locks up. You’re not alone in this. This isn’t about lacking discipline—it’s about being exhausted, scared, and stuck in a cycle of self-blame and fear that’s making it almost impossible to move.

You clearly care about your future, or you wouldn’t be this stressed. That caring—even when it shows up as panic or guilt—is a sign that you want to do well. That spark hasn’t gone out, it’s just buried under the weight of burnout, anxiety, and fear.

Here’s what you can do right now, even if it feels small:

1. Focus on what’s possible, not perfect.

You don’t need to cover everything. You just need to start somewhere.
Pick one topic from one subject—something manageable. Set a 20-minute timer. You’re not trying to conquer the exam today—you’re just nudging yourself out of the freeze.

2. Use practice papers as learning tools.

You don’t have to wait until you know everything to start practice papers.
Try one, open-book. Use it to identify what topics come up most, or where your gaps are. This can help you prioritise, instead of trying to study the entire syllabus blindly.

3. Let go of guilt, and redirect your energy.

You’ve been beating yourself up, but guilt won’t help you move forward. What you can do is shift your focus:
From “I’ve wasted time” to → “What can I do today that helps me, even just a little?”

4. Reach out for help—even if it’s just one person.

If possible, talk to a teacher, mentor, or school counsellor. You don’t have to explain everything—just saying “I’m really overwhelmed and don’t know how to start” is enough. You deserve support, especially when things feel this heavy.

Lastly—and I hope you let this sink in—your worth is not measured by this exam.
Not by your results. Not by your panic. Not even by how much you study.

You’re a full human being. You care. You’re trying. And right now, that matters more than anything on a piece of paper.

You’re not out of time—you’re just in a hard moment. One small step is still a step forward. :yellow_heart:

1 Like
3

Hi there,
Thank you for sharing
It sounds like you’re under a lot of pressure, and the fear of failure and disappointment feels around the corner…and those are such heavy feelings to carry.

It also sounds like everything is coming at you all at once – like a wave of overwhelm.
When I feel like that, what helps me is to take a deep breath and try to organize my thoughts. I start with the easiest thing – something I can do right now. then, if I feel able, I move on to something heavier, only something I can carry mentally.

I just want to tell you that you matter. you’re definitely not lazy or a failure - you’re human.

Step by step

1 Like
4

What course are you in? Maybe some of us who have been in a similar course can offer some last minute study tips haha

1 Like
5

if you are cooked keep cooking. also try eating gherkins regularly to give your self a surge of vitamins to bring on that motivation. follow these steps and you are guaranteed an A*

6

Hey @user2327,

I can see you’re feeling overwhelmed about your upcoming exams, and that’s completely understandable when time feels short. The good news is that you still have time to make a real impact on your results if you act strategically right now!

Here’s what can truly work when you’re in this situation (personally I find it works for me!) :

  1. Be ruthless with your priorities
    You can’t study everything perfectly, so identify your strongest subject and the one with the highest weight in your overall grade. Focus there first. This isn’t giving up - it’s being smart about where your effort will pay off most. You need to make tough choices, but that’s better than spreading yourself too thin and underperforming everywhere~

  2. Past papers are your lifeline - use them immediately
    Stop reading textbooks cover to cover. Start doing past papers today, even if you feel unprepared. Here’s the key: don’t study first, then do papers. Do papers first, then study what you got wrong. This shows you exactly what you don’t know and how questions are actually asked. Learn the mark schemes, understand the patterns, then repeat. This method is uncomfortable but extremely effective!

  3. Create the right environment
    Put your phone in another room. If background music helps you focus, use it. If it distracts you, work in silence. You know what works for you - now implement it

You have a choice right now, use the time you do have effectively! These strategies work, but only if there’s action. Start doing them today, not tomorrow!

You’re capable of more than you think when you focus your energy properly. Now go get it!