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Is anyone else suffering from a severe lack of motivation due to the intense worry over admissions decisions? Seems like every time I sit down at my computer to study, I end up spending a couple hours checking all my app statuses and perusing the TLS forums and I'm rarely accomplishing anything anymore.

Any ideas on how to cope with this problem/ anyone got reassurances that my motivation will return once this is all over? I'm going nuts here...

I can't seem to motivate myself to finish my PS/optional essays. A self-imposed (or mod-imposed) ban from TLS might cut down on distractions.

willyj wrote:Is anyone else suffering from a severe lack of motivation due to the intense worry over admissions decisions? Seems like every time I sit down at my computer to study, I end up spending a couple hours checking all my app statuses and perusing the TLS forums and I'm rarely accomplishing anything anymore.

Any ideas on how to cope with this problem/ anyone got reassurances that my motivation will return once this is all over? I'm going nuts here...

I have this same problem recently when decisions start coming out. I try to spend time more at the library after work so I can be away from my computer. I print things out to read instead of doing so on computer. And I intentionally leave my laptop at my girlfriend's place (since I can check emails and facebook and do other things with my phone).

My point is trying to stay away from the computer. Hope this helps.

Yes! I'm in college so a huge chunk of my time is spent on the computer emailing or writing papers or researching. I have decided that I am NOT going to check the status checkers ANYMORE, and if I have to I will limit it to checking each one once a week on Friday. I also am going to attempt not to check TLS and LSN so often. It is tough. I didn't check last night though because I was drunk but I don't think that's a good solution

The Gentleman wrote:I can't seem to motivate myself to finish my PS/optional essays. A self-imposed (or mod-imposed) ban from TLS might cut down on distractions.

lol

The poker sites have a feature called "self exclusion." Maybe TLS needs something like that so a user can temporarily ban himself for a set period of time.

if you have chrome, install the Stay Focused extension!

JazzOne wrote:The poker sites have a feature called "self exclusion." Maybe TLS needs something like that so a user can temporarily ban himself for a set period of time.

LOL.
That is exactly what I need.

Spykuh wrote:if you have chrome, install the Stay Focused extension!

Thanks for the tip! I just installed it.

YES!!!!!!! It's sick! I'm obsessed! I have two finals to write, yet can't tear my eyes away from law schools forums and status checkers. My boyfriend thinks I'm insane. I wish I had some words of advice for you, but i'm just as bad

I submitted too recently (Tuesday) for checkers to have anything, but I'm obsessing over TLS. I actually didn't check out the TLS forums until after I had already submitted. In a way I'm glad because I think it probably would have freaked me out even more, but there are also some really good suggestions on here that I wish I had known before I submitted.

I just know that as soon as any reasonable length of time has passed I'm going to be one of those obsessive status checkers. I already think about it almost constantly. I didn't get in to TFA, so I guess I feel like I have something to prove by getting in to law school.

There's a Mac App called "Self Control" that lets you create a blacklist of websites and block them for any given period of time, I might have to add TLS and the checkers before finals or else I'm screwed.

Understand and accept that you are no longer in control of something (i.e. your acceptance or rejection at the schools you have applied to). Know that not being in control of something can oftentimes trigger feelings of anxiety and fear, and that the discomfort these feelings create is motivating your behavior. Many of you are checking the boards because it actually reduces the feelings of anxiety and fear. But, the trap is that checking the boards obsessively does not, in any way, give you back any measure of control. At best it lets you know that you are not alone in feeling this way. But in the end, the shared panic can reinforce and strengthen the feelings of anxiety while negatively impacting your ability to do things that will actually reduce that anxiety (for instance studying for that final which is coming up).

What I'm saying is that it totally makes sense why people are finding themselves addicted to the site. So what? It's more important to know that there are far better ways to deal with the anxiety of having something really important no longer be in your control. There may be no worse feeling in the world than powerlessness. Focus on the areas of your life that you do have control over. That will help you maintain your sanity while waiting for the rejections from HYS to show up.

tartugas wrote:Understand and accept that you are no longer in control of something (i.e. your acceptance or rejection at the schools you have applied to). Know that not being in control of something can oftentimes trigger feelings of anxiety and fear, and that the discomfort these feelings create is motivating your behavior. Many of you are checking the boards because it actually reduces the feelings of anxiety and fear. But, the trap is that checking the boards obsessively does not, in any way, give you back any measure of control. At best it lets you know that you are not alone in feeling this way. But in the end, the shared panic can reinforce and strengthen the feelings of anxiety while negatively impacting your ability to do things that will actually reduce that anxiety (for instance studying for that final which is coming up).

What I'm saying is that it totally makes sense why people are finding themselves addicted to the site. So what? It's more important to know that there are far better ways to deal with the anxiety of having something really important no longer be in your control. There may be no worse feeling in the world than powerlessness. Focus on the areas of your life that you do have control over. That will help you maintain your sanity while waiting for the rejections from HYS to show up.

Amen!

I should be studying for finals right now. I try going skiing or for jogs to get my mind off of things. It helps.. for a couple of hours.

Yes, in addition to checking TLS and status checkers obsessively, I also stare at my phone a lot, willing it to ring with an out of state number, lol.

I sent my apps out and was like "to hell with this". Whatever is going to happen is going to happen. Im not going to stress about it, because obsessing over status checkers is not going to make my decision come any faster. I'll probably recheck them all later this month and then not again until after the New Year.

I dropped off of TLS soon after October scores came out, and I've been able to focus on the rest of my life and not my applications. There is absolutely nothing I can do about them at this point, so why worry about it?

I've got to say, and I'm sure this has been brought up before, but status checkers are such a joke. Once you go complete, they are basically useless because every school has a different definition of what "under review" means. I see a lot of people saying things like, "oMg, i've been under review for like 3 weeks! How long does this take!?" Honestly, theres a decent chance no one has even seen your app yet (sorry if that was mean).

But, for sure, I am also guilty of being too occupied with my cycle and especially checking TLS. I stroll around these boards, rarely pick up any useful information, maybe get a sneak peak at when decisions will come. Tatugaus's analysis was right on, its the lack of control that keeps me coming back. My thing is I work a job right now that has be in front of a computer 90% of the day, but I only have enough work to keep me occupied for 50% of my day, so why not hang around?

QuailMan wrote:I've got to say, and I'm sure this has been brought up before, but status checkers are such a joke. Once you go complete, they are basically useless because every school has a different definition of what "under review" means. I see a lot of people saying things like, "oMg, i've been under review for like 3 weeks! How long does this take!?" Honestly, theres a decent chance no one has even seen your app yet (sorry if that was mean).

But, for sure, I am also guilty of being too occupied with my cycle and especially checking TLS. I stroll around these boards, rarely pick up any useful information, maybe get a sneak peak at when decisions will come. Tatugaus's analysis was right on, its the lack of control that keeps me coming back. My thing is I work a job right now that has be in front of a computer 90% of the day, but I only have enough work to keep me occupied for 50% of my day, so why not hang around?

Haha me too! I don't know what I'd do if my job blocked this site.

tartugas wrote:Understand and accept that you are no longer in control of something (i.e. your acceptance or rejection at the schools you have applied to). Know that not being in control of something can oftentimes trigger feelings of anxiety and fear, and that the discomfort these feelings create is motivating your behavior. Many of you are checking the boards because it actually reduces the feelings of anxiety and fear. But, the trap is that checking the boards obsessively does not, in any way, give you back any measure of control. At best it lets you know that you are not alone in feeling this way. But in the end, the shared panic can reinforce and strengthen the feelings of anxiety while negatively impacting your ability to do things that will actually reduce that anxiety (for instance studying for that final which is coming up).

What I'm saying is that it totally makes sense why people are finding themselves addicted to the site. So what? It's more important to know that there are far better ways to deal with the anxiety of having something really important no longer be in your control. There may be no worse feeling in the world than powerlessness. Focus on the areas of your life that you do have control over. That will help you maintain your sanity while waiting for the rejections from HYS to show up.

I am going to print this out, frame it, and hang it above my desk, so I could stop being obsessed.

QuailMan wrote:I've got to say, and I'm sure this has been brought up before, but status checkers are such a joke. Once you go complete, they are basically useless because every school has a different definition of what "under review" means. I see a lot of people saying things like, "oMg, i've been under review for like 3 weeks! How long does this take!?" Honestly, theres a decent chance no one has even seen your app yet (sorry if that was mean).

But, for sure, I am also guilty of being too occupied with my cycle and especially checking TLS. I stroll around these boards, rarely pick up any useful information, maybe get a sneak peak at when decisions will come. Tatugaus's analysis was right on, its the lack of control that keeps me coming back. My thing is I work a job right now that has be in front of a computer 90% of the day, but I only have enough work to keep me occupied for 50% of my day, so why not hang around?

Although.. of 4 schools I've been accepted to, 2 were via status checker first...

QuailMan wrote:I've got to say, and I'm sure this has been brought up before, but status checkers are such a joke. Once you go complete, they are basically useless because every school has a different definition of what "under review" means. I see a lot of people saying things like, "oMg, i've been under review for like 3 weeks! How long does this take!?" Honestly, theres a decent chance no one has even seen your app yet (sorry if that was mean).

But, for sure, I am also guilty of being too occupied with my cycle and especially checking TLS. I stroll around these boards, rarely pick up any useful information, maybe get a sneak peak at when decisions will come. Tatugaus's analysis was right on, its the lack of control that keeps me coming back. My thing is I work a job right now that has be in front of a computer 90% of the day, but I only have enough work to keep me occupied for 50% of my day, so why not hang around?

+1. I almost NEVER check status checkers at home or on the weekends, and only check TLS once in a while. Damn corporate desk jobs under-utilizing employees

I am not sure it is possible to be too "pre-occupied" with things that are/will be hugely important to the rest of your life...

However, with that said, it is possible to be obsessive...and, yes, I am in that category!

QuailMan wrote:I've got to say, and I'm sure this has been brought up before, but status checkers are such a joke. Once you go complete, they are basically useless because every school has a different definition of what "under review" means. I see a lot of people saying things like, "oMg, i've been under review for like 3 weeks! How long does this take!?" Honestly, theres a decent chance no one has even seen your app yet (sorry if that was mean).

But, for sure, I am also guilty of being too occupied with my cycle and especially checking TLS. I stroll around these boards, rarely pick up any useful information, maybe get a sneak peak at when decisions will come. Tatugaus's analysis was right on, its the lack of control that keeps me coming back. My thing is I work a job right now that has be in front of a computer 90% of the day, but I only have enough work to keep me occupied for 50% of my day, so why not hang around?

I'm in the same boat.

Hahaha, I'm with the "I'm basically being paid to constantly refresh a status checker/TLS" people. I think I got mayyyyybe four things done around my office yesterday.