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Life

Four Ways to Succeed in a Class You Don’t Like

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at WVU chapter.

College is a time for self-discovery- – but to find the “good”, working through the “bad” is inevitable. Whether it’s the classroom topic(s), professor, workload or even time of day, there will always be classes less than thrilling to attend.

 

1. Go to class.

If there’s one thing worse than attending an unpleasant class, it’s feeling guilty and lazy after avoiding it. Many professors take off points for missed classes, and you do not want procrastination to make succeeding more difficult. Tough it out– you’ll feel accomplished at the end of the day and at the end of the semester.

 

 

2. Meet someone in the class.

If there’s no one you already know to accompany you through the semester, make a friend. Having a familiar face and a confidant will make the class seem more familiar and less like an obligatory detention.

 

 

3. Force yourself to learn.

Don’t spend the hour scrolling through Pinterest and staring at the clock. Put the computer away, pay attention to the lecture and make the most of your time. Regardless of our preferences when it comes to education, no one can argue that there is a downside to getting great grades– especially when they’re earned. Feeling satisfied after good marks on an assignment or an aced midterm is worth the studying, and might make the topic material more interesting as well.

 

 

4. Reward yourself.

Create a system that gives you something to look forward to after getting a good grade, finishing the semester, finishing the week or even just finishing the day. Seeing a light at the end of the tunnel will make a world of difference.

 

 

Maura is a senior at West Virginia University, studying honors journalism and leadership. She was the president of Her Campus at WVU from 2018-2019, interns with ESPN College GameDay and works as a marketing/communication assistant for the Reed College of Media. On campus, she has written opinion for WVU's Daily Athenaeum, served as the PR chair for WVU Society of Professional Journalists and was a reporter for WVUToday. She teaches leadership classes for the Honors College and is an active member of both the Honors Student Association and Helvetia Honorary. Maura is an avid fan of The New Yorker, (most) cities and the first half of late-night talk shows.
Hi ladies and gents, my name is Mel, Melanie if you're feelin' fancy. I'm a senior studying advertising, political science and fashion at West Virginia University. In addition to my studies, I am the Campus Correspondent for the WVU HC Chapter! You can hear me on the radio at U92 FM reporting the news and hosting morning shows. If I'm not there, I'm most likely at the local Panera eating my body weight in broccoli cheddar soup or writing about the daily, awkward encounters I experience. I represenative of the college of media as an ambassador and the prez of the magazine club. Oversized sweatshirts and jean on jean are my aesthetics. Lover, not a fighter unless you tell me Joe Jonas wasn't the best Jonas. Laters, baby.