I'm a math major. My struggles have mostly been social. Related to being able to talk to professor and instructors. Asking for help. Taking advantages of services I have available to me (asperger's related). Stuff like that. Dealing with my mother also on what I should do going forward since she refuses to pay for school. She wants me to volunteer which I feel at this point in my life is counterproductive for myself. While my dad feels I should be in school and that I just need to have a less go to life and death mindset about it. And go to learn, meet people, and try new things. I know what I want to do this Semptember but I haven't told my mother don't want to deal with her. Also I tend to burn out and would like advice on ways not to get discourage and stay interested and invested.
In colleges the diversity of the social scene depends on the size of the college. I deliberately picked a state u. instead of a Catholic or private college here because I feel the most secure as an unknown in a large group of people I
don't know. Larger colleges have more varied social cliques and groups so that it's easier to change your associates if one group doesn't fit you.
I
never had a lot of friends. Just a few good ones. So give yourself the time to find those who you're most comfortable with.
Same with advisors. Some don't know their a-holes from a hole in the wall. Others want you to schedule an appointment months in advance. Find someone who knows the curriculum, makes time to talk to you, someone you can talk to and trust, someone who sees you as a person, not a number, and stick with that person throughout your major.
Professors...what can I say? Some you may want to talk to, but if you're doing fine in the coursework, you may find it better the
less they know you. If you're good at taking notes TAKE THEM. Some profs. test from their lectures and not the book, and for those who don't, the notes can't hurt. But then again, you're a math major. That's pretty tough. (I always hated math.)
For burnout, set in your mind what's most important to you, minimize the rest. If it's the studies then concentrate on that and work the social life around it, rather than it around the social life.
Another major difficulty you mentioned is financial support for your schooling. I don't know what options are available to you in your area(work-study, local grants, etc.) The student loan route should be the absolute last resort, because you'll probably be paying on it for the rest of your life.
However you are correct in realizing that volunteer work would be a diversion from your goals, especially if you're dealing with burnout, social, and time issues. That would be the LAST thing you need. If you spend your additional time doing something like
that you need to get PAID, dude.
G'luck.