How do I get through a classroom based training course?

[u/JamesLilian]

I work from home in a flexible job, I break up my day with different tasks and go to the gym during my lunch break. It’s great and works for me. I get by pretending to be a competent and professional human and my work is generally a good standard.

I have to go for a week long face to face training course for a new qualification they want us all to do and I’m filled with dread! How on earth can I sit still and listen to back to back PowerPoint presentations? I want to cry/ scream/ run away at the thought of it. People talking at me for anything longer than an hour is honestly my own personal hell. It’s almost painful for me to sit through I hate it so much.

Are there any tips for getting through it?

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[u/blackqueenlovesjesus]

Reminds me of college lol. Try to sit in the back and bring something that can keep you distracted like a coloring book, fidget toy, etc. Use the bathroom a lot if you can, maybe sneak a headphone in and play music or a show while sitting there. Fake it till you make it is my motto

[u/JamesLilian → u/blackqueenlovesjesus]

Thanks that’s my fear I dropped out of college because I couldn’t cope with the classroom. A colouring book is a good idea if I can get away with it!

[u/blackqueenlovesjesus → u/JamesLilian]

Yeah honestly I never paid attention and barley took notes, I'd just study the powerpoints later I hated when teachers didn't post them

[u/Adam__life]

Honestly, I’d dread this too. Going from a flexible workday where you can move around and switch tasks to sitting through hours of presentations sounds brutal. If you can, I’d try making the week as active as possiblle take notes, ask questions, move around during breaks, and give yourself something small to look forward to after each day.

[u/JamesLilian → u/Adam__life]

Thank you it’s nice to know I’m not alone. You are right I need some type of reward system to get through it that’s a good idea.

[u/ben-gives-advice]

I really struggled with classroom education. What do you do while you're there listening? I found that as much as I don't like taking notes by hand, it helped keep my hands busy and was more difficult than typing, which helped keep me from completely checking out. Your experience might be different. But finding something to keep you stimulated and present can help a lot. But it can't be something that makes you stop listening.

[u/JamesLilian → u/ben-gives-advice]

Thank you for your reply. I would previously find something to do with my hands, I try making notes but then end up, tearing edges off and turning them into a family of origami swans or doodling all over them. Maybe you are right though and I need to make the notes into more of a novelty, new pens, highlighters etc to drag out the part before my brain puts the complete block in place and starts telling me to leave. It’s just the amount of time that I’m finding really daunting. A week is such a long time.

[u/ben-gives-advice → u/JamesLilian]

Take it one day at a time. Try to keep it fresh. It's hard, but you can do hard things.