Not sure this is for me

[Unregistered]

I started as a cadet in September and I am beginning to have doubts. I know this is such a good opportunity but I seriously doubt I can do it, I feel like I am never going to be confident in doing anything I have been taught, I feel like I can't keep up with the workload and will not be able to cope in this type of career. Before I started I was so excited and couldn't wait and now it just feels like I have made a mistake.

I know I've still to go and experience the sea phase which is soon but I just feel like I am going to go on a boat and not have a clue what I'm doing and end up being sacked. I don't want to leave because there is not much else I can do and I don't want to end up regretting it in the future when I am stuck in a dead end job.

My main concern is tests because I feel like I am going to fail them all and then going to sea, I know I will make mistakes and that's part of the training but I think I will be the type of person that will make lots of mistakes everyday and end up hate being on a ship.

Has anyone else ever felt like this? What is the best thing to do in my situation?

[GuinnessMan]

I started as a cadet in September and I am beginning to have doubts. I know this is such a good opportunity but I seriously doubt I can do it, I feel like I am never going to be confident in doing anything I have been taught, I feel like I can't keep up with the workload and will not be able to cope in this type of career. Before I started I was so excited and couldn't wait and now it just feels like I have made a mistake.

I know I've still to go and experience the sea phase which is soon but I just feel like I am going to go on a boat and not have a clue what I'm doing and end up being sacked. I don't want to leave because there is not much else I can do and I don't want to end up regretting it in the future when I am stuck in a dead end job.

My main concern is tests because I feel like I am going to fail them all and then going to sea, I know I will make mistakes and that's part of the training but I think I will be the type of person that will make lots of mistakes everyday and end up hate being on a ship.

Has anyone else ever felt like this? What is the best thing to do in my situation?

If I'm being honest, you sound stressed more than anything else, so have a relax and calm down. You will not be the first cadet to go on-board without having the foggiest idea about what they are doing. You will f*ck up and you will make mistakes, you're a cadet and it's expected. However, when you do mess up, learn from it and crack on.

Any hobbies? Go and do something that relaxes you this weekend....

[Midge]

My my you are being very hard on yourself. Talking with my parental head on here of course. But since Septmeber you will have made some big changes in your life, and I'm sure it's something that many people go through at some point this self doubt thing. It's very early days and sometimes learning new things takes time. Personally when I learn something new I know I have to do the practical side before I feel confident that I really know it, but then that's me and we are all different in how we learn and at what point we feel confident.
If you have come straight from school then there its is a big adjustment that you have made, leaving home friends family everything that you know well. If it's a career change then again it's a big change from something you have felt comfortable, easy maybe to do, to something very different. Those kind of life changes can and do unsettle people its not unusual I don't think. It is after all only a couple of months in.
It seems the sea phases more often than not bring comments like I didn't think I'd be painting so much, I thought I'd be doing more. I doubt very much anyone is going to expect you to diagnose and fix something on day one if you are an Eng or make a passage plan and steer the ship from one side of the Atlantic to the other if you are deckie.

I have no idea how your college is set up or whether talking to staff might help you if you find the study hard, it might be useful to talk to them , but I'm sure others that are actually cadets will be able to offer a much better idea on that side

Thats my mother touchy-feely thing done, go and take GMs advice and do something you enjoy and relax.

[solman07]

If you're at fleetwood then I have a good idea who are you and mate, just ask one of us who knows the subject! I'd be more than happy to sit down with you and try to help explain it.

Like I said just ask and please don't give up on this career. There is a reason why you got into it!

[Dannyboy14]

Yeah, same here. I'm always there if you need help with something.

[Midge]

Lovely to see guys - helping hands.

[Blondie]

Speaking from the point of view of someone who's well into their first phase at sea: almost everything you learn at college right now is irrelevant: I thought this at the time but now it's just been cemented. My advice is to stick it out, play the game, pass the exams, go to sea and then actually start learning.

I should add that college isn't really irrelevant, it just is right now. Being taught a chief mates level of gyro compasses when you've never even seen a ship just seems crazy to me.

[Estevenson92]

Same as above if your at warsash i'm more than happy to help always sat here coz i went through this a few weeks ago as well and a few hiccups this week with exams i was sure id failed outright!

[Rtaylor]

I remember that feeling.

Don't worry. Your real learning happens at sea. Just work hard, think about stuff a bit and you will be totally fine. Judging by the level of english on your post you are easily clever enough. I failed a few exams at college, (celestial navigation anyone), just learn from it and try and pass them next sitting. Cel nav for example totally baffled me, I think because our lecturers explained in a way that made sense to them (Indian, rote learning) whereas it didn't click with me till I fully understood what it all meant. Google is your friend for things like that...there are loads of examples, diagrams etc. online that will help clarify things.

As for making mistakes every day...how old are you? I'm 24, sailing as second mate (just back from my first trip) and any day I didn't make a mistake was a very quiet day indeed. Nobody expects you to be perfect. You are there to learn, as they are there, in part, to teach.

Don't hang your head in shame if you make a mistake. Admit to it (this is respected onboard), apologise and ask for guidance if necessary.

Good luck and enjoy your first sea phase.

R

[Unregistered]

I cant remember my login details so ill have to remain anonymous. Im currently half way through phase 4 and I am only just starting to piece together all the things we have been learning. If you are at Fleetwood they will help you through the academic side if you need help. I found it useful to ask a different lecturer to explain it as they would explain a different way. Try to stick it out to your 1st sea phase. You may find being on ship is much better. Dont worry about not knowing anything as they dont even teach you anything till phase 3. Also you are there to learn and mistakes will happen. I myself have put the engine ahead when I meant to do it astern by accident. Its how you correct yourself and learn from it. They expect you to not know what you are doing that why we have to do the 12 months.

[Benr42]

I felt a lot like that throughout my cadetship. Try to stick it out. You will make mistakes when you're at sea. But don't worry about that because everyone in every rank on board make mistakes .it is expected of a first trip cadet. If you are at fleetwood, remember the college has an open door policy. Any subject you are struggling with the tutors will be more than happy to help and anyone in the college should be happy to help. Like I said at the beginning of my post I felt the exact same way as you when I started my cadetship in 2011, but now I've passed my OOW orals and I'm glad I stuck it out. I'm still at fleetwood doing the extended HND so if there's any advice you need or questions you have then feel free to drop me a message and more than happy to help out. We all look out for each other . It's good to see others willing to help too

[Fox]

I'm really sorry I can't post a longer reply right now but seriously do not worry about knowing nothing on ship. You'll soon meet people who have a "license" and don't know anything... But seriously, people break things by accident or stupidity on ships all of the time and that stuff just gets fixed, people joke, then everyone carries on. Believe me some of the stories out there about what cadets have broken, you'd really have to go it some to beat them.
Stick it out, you can resist exams if need be, it's not the end of the world and give the sea phase a go. You will be very WTF at first but that will go away in a few weeks. No one has any great (or really any...) expectations of a first trip cadet. Just smile and be keen to learn

http://foxatsea.wordpress.com

[Fox]

Like others have said, feel free to message me any time if you want to chat at all. There was plenty of times Fleetwood got me really down or I felt crap about things

http://foxatsea.wordpress.com

[endure]

Don't give up till you've been to sea.

[an_imperial_affliction]

The job is working at sea, so stick it out until you've done your first sea phase. After that, if you decide to drop out, there's no shame as you can honestly say you've given it a full go, at college and sea.