Now that second semester is here, you might find yourself with a class that you are dreading going to. But just because you are struggling at the beginning does not mean that you are destined to fail! Here are a few tips to help you succeed in a difficult course.
1. Go To Class
This is pretty self-explanatory, but if you are struggling you need to actually go to class. Even if you feel like you are learning nothing in class, the professor will probably at least notice you are in class and are trying to succeed.
2. Get A Tutor
At many schools, getting a tutor through the school is completely free. Every semester so far I have gotten a tutor for my hardest class, and it has been really helpful most of the time! Even if you don’t need the tutor to explain concepts, they can help quiz you over the material and force you to study. Also, I usually try to know my stuff before I go to tutoring because I don’t want to look dumb in front of my tutor! This gives me an extra motivation to study.
3. Find A Study Buddy
In high school, 2 of my friends and I would study for chemistry and physics together before quizzes and tests. It worked out well because even though we got distracted sometimes, we still got a lot done and learned from each other. So far in college, I have found that study groups seem to distract me. But I know from experience that if you can get the right group together, you can get a lot done! Now, I try to just have a friend or two in each class that I can text or email if I have a question about the class or the material. Even if we aren’t actually sitting down and studying together often, it is really helpful to have someone to ask questions!
4. Meet With Your Professor
Profs have office hours because they want to be able to help you! If I have a question that my friends (and tutor if it is a class I have a tutor for) can’t answer, I will usually email the prof and ask. Usually they can quickly answer it over email, but if it is complicated or if I am struggling with multiple things, I will set up an appointment to go meet with them.
5. Make Flashcards
Depending on the subject, sometimes I like actual flashcards but sometimes I just use Quizlet. For anatomy last year (one of my hardest classes) I turned my notes into Quizlets so instead of reading over my notes I actually was quizzing myself through Quizlet to study. But when it came to memorizing the different bones and muscles, I printed out pictures and made actual flash cards to learn them. Find what works best for you and your class, and go from there!
How do you do well in hard classes? Share in the comments below!
xo, Scarlett