Reoccuring school dreams

[Blaze]

I have had reoccuring dreams for the last several years which involve uncompleted coursework. I have some theories of my own on what the dreams mean, but I'm always looking for more input. I will likely post my interpretations thus far at some point. First, some background.

I went to a private elementary school and private high school, both of which were paid for by my parents. I went to a public college and graduated with a four-year degree a couple years ago. I am still paying for the college myself.

The dreams vary, but the theme is always the same. In the dreams, I have completed college but I have to go back to complete grades for some reason. For instance, in the dream I had last night, I had to complete grade 7 and then one grade in high school. I always get the feeling that once those grades are complete, I will have truly graduated from all school. None of the courses I have to go back and complete are ever college-level.

I never complete all the required coursework in the dream, but am always on the verge of completing a portion of the grade levels required. Sometimes there are multiple grades in both elementary and high school that I must complete, in which case I'll be "full-time", taking 4 or 5 at once. Other times, like in the most recent one, I only have two courses to finish and I'll only be enrolled in one. In the rare cases where I try to complete them all in one semester, it will be too much work and I'll end up failing at least one.

As far as the feeling I get from these dreams, it is primarily annoyance. I am annoyed that I have to go back for these lessons. I feel they are beneath me, an insult to my intelligence and progress. I am also confused. I don't understand why I have to go back and take these courses again, when I've supposedly already completed them.

Any insight is welcome.

[CFTraveler]

No insights, just sympathy. I had those exact same dreams about high school (which I hated).
I loved college though, and get those types of dreams occasionally (actually, quite frequently) but in these re-writes I'm confused and lost.
I have noticed though, that the 'confused and lost' school dreams happen when things in my life spin out of control- I'm wondering if your 'annoyance' dreams happen when things happen in your life that make you think you shouldn't have to put up with certain things, that you have outgrown?
Just extrapolating a little.
Although it was pretty obvious.
Oh well, I did say I didn't have any insights to speak of.

[Beekeeper]

I still have uni dreams all the time. The last time was a few nights ago and I turned up in my pyjamas but that was okay because there was a pyjama party in the library and I just pretended that I knew all about it.

The dreams you're having are probably about primary social lessons you encountered in your schooling. Obviously, these lessons repeat throughout life, sometimes in more sophisticated form, sometimes not so. Look at each dream very closely because repeating scenarios can give you tremendous insights.

[SleepGOTweird]

Maybe you need to see if you missed something important regarding your education.

Re-checking your foundation to make sure it's strong.

[Palehorse Redivivus]

I don't know how helpful or relevant this could be, but I've found "school" in my case to refer to the "school of life" -- and the format the dreams take to reflect something about how my "lessons" are being processed.

The most recurring one for me was that I show up for a class, and then realize that I had been enrolled in this class that I didn't know about all year, it's the end of the year so obviously I've done none of the work or study, many times I have to take an exam that I'm probably going to fail, and this is going to set my graduation back another year. This same dream has gone on for years, though sometimes the setting is high school and sometimes college.

More recently I found I had a subconscious aspect of myself that was programmed to put me in similar situations -- here's a "lesson" that you didn't consent to and aren't ready for, but the stakes are high even though chances of success are basically nill. Obviously this isn't a very effecient or effective way to learn anything, so I reprogrammed the aspect and haven't had the dream, or related life situations since.

So, take that FWIW...

[Beekeeper]

My variation is more about not being able to find the books I need and only having half-written the essay. I'm also always looking for shortcuts to the library.

[Blaze]

Thanks everyone for the replies thus far. I had no idea that other people had dreams of this sort so often, though likely for different reasons.

My opinion on reoccuring dreams is that they represent a barrier you've yet to surmount. Thus, understanding what the dreams represent is the first step towards moving forward (and leaving the annoying dreams behind).

To replay in kind:

I had those exact same dreams about high school (which I hated). I loved college though, and get those types of dreams occasionally (actually, quite frequently) but in these re-writes I'm confused and lost. I have noticed though, that the 'confused and lost' school dreams happen when things in my life spin out of control- I'm wondering if your 'annoyance' dreams happen when things happen in your life that make you think you shouldn't have to put up with certain things, that you have outgrown?

I have felt my life out of control ever since I graduated. The US economy is in the pits and my employment has suffered as a result. Most everyone I know reassures me that the current state of things is not my fault, but I refuse to believe it. If I allow myself to believe things are out of my control, I believe I will become lazy and stop trying. Therefore, your reasoning is quite plausible from my viewpoint and is actually one of the theories I had come up with.

I still have uni dreams all the time. The last time was a few nights ago and I turned up in my pyjamas but that was okay because there was a pyjama party in the library and I just pretended that I knew all about it.

The dreams you're having are probably about primary social lessons you encountered in your schooling. Obviously, these lessons repeat throughout life, sometimes in more sophisticated form, sometimes not so. Look at each dream very closely because repeating scenarios can give you tremendous insights.

One difference I see between your dreams and mine is the mood. I'm always annoyed, rushed, and stressed, whereas you took the situation in stride and improvised.

The dreams themselves are quite varied, with only the theme to tie them all together. I may compile them all together at some point for an in-depth analysis, if I ever get bothered enough to do so

Maybe you need to see if their is something important that was missed regarding your educational structure.

Checking your foundations to make sure they're strong.

I would say that, for the most part, all the institutions were good ones. And they should be, for what they cost.

Of course, I also believe that more controversal things should be at least introduced in cirriculum. However, I don't feel that I am strong-hearted enough about it to leave such an subconscious impression to create dreams.

I don't know how helpful or relevant this could be, but I've found "school" in my case to refer to the "school of life" -- and the format the dreams take to reflect something about how my "lessons" are being processed.

I completely agree.

The most recurring one for me was that I show up for a class, and then realize that I had been enrolled in this class that I didn't know about all year, it's the end of the year so obviously I've done none of the work or study, many times I have to take an exam that I'm probably going to fail, and this is going to set my graduation back another year. This same dream has gone on for years

I have had several dreams exactly like that, word for word. In the rare cases I tried to take all my courses at once, once or twice I "remembered" about a class I had neglected the entire semester/year. Hence, I instantly knew I was doomed to at least one more iteration of school.

[Palehorse Redivivus]

I have had several dreams exactly like that, word for word. In the rare cases I tried to take all my courses at once, once or twice I "remembered" about a class I had neglected the entire semester/year. Hence, I instantly knew I was doomed to at least one more iteration of school.

Huh, I wonder how common that one really is.

Have you ever felt like you were in that situation in your waking life?

There were somewhat similar instances for me during real-school. At one point I managed to misread two different syllabi at the beginning of spring break, and thought exams for two classes were a few weeks after they actually were. So I happen to look again right before school starts back up; it's Monday, they're both on Wednesday, I have work and several other classes in between. But I was also supposed to graduate that year, these were two of the last required classes, and these exams were crucial for my grade.

I had a history of this -- making stupid and somewhat uncanny mistakes that end up making things a lot more difficult on myself than they needed to be, and finding myself on the verge of something with major implications for how my life plays out, that I'm totally unprepared for. I've also had a few instances of being plonked in that situation by things outside my control that weren't down to any mistake on my part.

I'm still not sure where the pattern originated exactly, but I do know it was a self-destructive subconscious pattern, which I was able to demolish and reprogram.

[Beekeeper]

I had a history of this -- making stupid and somewhat uncanny mistakes that end up making things a lot more difficult on myself than they needed to be, and finding myself on the verge of something with major implications for how my life plays out, that I'm totally unprepared for. I've also had a few instances of being plonked in that situation by things outside my control that weren't down to any mistake on my part.

I'm still not sure where the pattern originated exactly, but I do know it was a self-destructive subconscious pattern, which I was able to demolish and reprogram.

I think it's something we air signs are a little prone to, as well.

[Blaze]

Huh, I wonder how common that one really is.

Have you ever felt like you were in that situation in your waking life?

Not in the literal ways you've described.

However, as I mentioned on my intro post, one of my main interest areas is in projection. I've tried very hard for short durations to make it work, but I've never been satisfied with my progress. I then move on to something else, only to come back to it later, bothered by both my abandonments and my continued failures. Progress has been made over the years, but not in the ways or "quantities" that I've desired. There are likely several factors in there any psycho-analyist would have a field day with In fact, if someone else wrote what I just did and I read it, I would suggest several things to try

It is not limited to projection "training" either.

I'm still not sure where the pattern originated exactly, but I do know it was a self-destructive subconscious pattern, which I was able to demolish and reprogram.

If our patterns are indeed similar enough, I may be interested in hearing more of the methods you used to accomplish that.