OMG I Already Feel Like A Failure!

I have been here one day and am praying I can get this down. We had to do shifting in the simulator today and sometimes my mind would just draw a blank on the shift patterns. I feel overwhelmed with information. I hope tomorrow is a better day. I brought my laptop with me, but my daughter used it for 2 years before she just recently sent it back to me and I can't seem to log on. Not sure what she has done to it, so will try to update occasionally from my phone.

I'm not giving up, but need some sunshine as it rained all day. Ok, need to study and get some sleep!

I have been here one day and am praying I can get this down. We had to do shifting in the simulator today and sometimes my mind would just draw a blank on the shift patterns. I feel overwhelmed with information. I hope tomorrow is a better day. I brought my laptop with me, but my daughter used it for 2 years before she just recently sent it back to me and I can't seem to log on. Not sure what she has done to it, so will try to update occasionally from my phone.

I'm not giving up, but need some sunshine as it rained all day. Ok, need to study and get some sleep!

Believe it or not, you will actually "get used" to being overwhelmed! lol .. your brain will be near overload for the next year. I have conditioned myself to adapt. You will also.

Where are you in school?

Have you watched this video?

I also wouldn't be shy about having a print out but when I went through training the trainer wrote it out on the windshield. That made it very easy!

I have been here one day and am praying I can get this down. We had to do shifting in the simulator today and sometimes my mind would just draw a blank on the shift patterns. I feel overwhelmed with information. I hope tomorrow is a better day. I brought my laptop with me, but my daughter used it for 2 years before she just recently sent it back to me and I can't seem to log on. Not sure what she has done to it, so will try to update occasionally from my phone.

I'm not giving up, but need some sunshine as it rained all day. Ok, need to study and get some sleep!

Shifting in a truck is easy different than in a Sim, just an FYI for ya... But nun the less you'll get the hang of it. Depending on the transmission, you'll be 4 low and 4 high (8 speed) or 5 low/high (10speed)

8-speed

10-speed

Just study these a few times. I found it helpful to pretend I was shifting while sitting on chair or edge of bed.

You can also do a google image search for "xx speed Eaton fuller transmission".

I have been here one day and am praying I can get this down. We had to do shifting in the simulator today and sometimes my mind would just draw a blank on the shift patterns. I feel overwhelmed with information. I hope tomorrow is a better day. I brought my laptop with me, but my daughter used it for 2 years before she just recently sent it back to me and I can't seem to log on. Not sure what she has done to it, so will try to update occasionally from my phone.

I'm not giving up, but need some sunshine as it rained all day. Ok, need to study and get some sleep!

Shifting in a truck is easy different than in a Sim, just an FYI for ya... But nun the less you'll get the hang of it. Depending on the transmission, you'll be 4 low and 4 high (8 speed) or 5 low/high (10speed)

8-speed

10-speed

Just study these a few times. I found it helpful to pretend I was shifting while sitting on chair or edge of bed.

You can also do a google image search for "xx speed Eaton fuller transmission".

That 10 speed pattern is strange looking. Our older trucks in school were all even on the bottom in high range. The pattern shown makes no sense at all. That would be very difficult to learn ... I hope that is not the norm. ;)

I have been here one day and am praying I can get this down. We had to do shifting in the simulator today and sometimes my mind would just draw a blank on the shift patterns. I feel overwhelmed with information. I hope tomorrow is a better day. I brought my laptop with me, but my daughter used it for 2 years before she just recently sent it back to me and I can't seem to log on. Not sure what she has done to it, so will try to update occasionally from my phone.

I'm not giving up, but need some sunshine as it rained all day. Ok, need to study and get some sleep!

Shifting in a truck is easy different than in a Sim, just an FYI for ya... But nun the less you'll get the hang of it. Depending on the transmission, you'll be 4 low and 4 high (8 speed) or 5 low/high (10speed)

Just study these a few times. I found it helpful to pretend I was shifting while sitting on chair or edge of bed.

You can also do a google image search for "xx speed Eaton fuller transmission".

Yes we have the 10 speed. I am going to use my umbrella tonight to practice shifting. I bought some index cards to write out the various things to be covered in the pretrip. I think if I write them individually with the verbage it will help me learn them. I brought a sandwich and apple for lunch and ate it quickly so I could get back out to the truck to try to learn the engine parts I didn't know what they were. I am going to do the same tomorrow to have extra study time. Thanks for the encouragement!

Was it 8 gears?

Check this out

Jolie, did you go with Roehl? the 10 speed estin fuller is pretty simple once you get the basics down, and you will. just takes practice. Company sponsored schools are fast paced, but if you eent to Roehl their instructors are very patient. you'll get it.

Hey Chickadee! You are smart, you are a fast learner, and you got this! Certainly you are not alone! Relax, breathe, take a bubble bath. First day jitters that's all, over and done now.

Hey, Jolie.

You're going to be fine. We got your back here. First thing. Slooooowww down. I mean, slow down your mind. Remember all the fighter pilots and astronauts we watch in the movies? They're burning up and falling at mock speed to the ground and their voices never change in tone. Pilots are the same in real life. They remain calm. When we get upset and frustrated with ourselves (we all do this) and our minds start to scramble and our focus gets worse. Give yourself a break here. Be nice to yourself.

There's nothing wrong with having a diagram, like you're doing, in front of you, that illustrates the patterns while you're sitting there. Whatever works. There's nothing wrong with saying your gears under your breath, until you don't have to anymore. The more senses you use, i.e., hearing, sight, feel, to learn something, the better and faster you'll learn it. Your brain will learn this. Give it a little time.

When we learn new skills, we are actually plowing and creating new pathways through our brains that didn't exist before. You're actually forcing your brain to grow, a bit. Babies pull everything to their mouths but for months and months, they miss and hit their cheeks, chin, nose, whatever, until they've done it thousands of times and then after that, unless they're ill, they learn to feed themselves without missing - dead center, every time, without even looking. Now, you're learning something new and you have to do it over and over again, till your shifting is precise enough that you don't even think about it anymore, just like putting your fork to your mouth. You can't see your mouth but you know exactly where it is. The pathway in your brain for this new skill is brand new and not carved in very deeply yet. It's not a smooth pathway yet, but the more you do it, the more efficient that neuro-pathway will become and the smoother this new action will get.

For these reasons, while you're learning this new skill, try not to associate it with stress and self-criticism because you don't want your brain to learn that this new skill is associated with negative thoughts. Try to enjoy this early phase of school. Tell yourself "This is fun, can't wait to get back into that simulator and practice this new, totally fun thing," and say to yourself "Woops, I was really grinding that one, hunh? Guess I have to remember how not to do that." Stay positive so your mind can learn.

Get as much rest as you have time for, so your brain can do its night-time download, for learning and repair. And like you're doing, keep up with the excellent nutrition and if coffee works for you, drink a cup of it a few minutes before you get into the simulator again to help your neurotransmitters connect a little faster, in this new skill.

You're doing great.

"Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming."

-Dori

-mountain girl