What To Do If You Are Drowning In A Class

It’s the middle of semester and you just received one of your bigger midterms. Your grade was lower than expected and you haven’t been doing well in the class.  You open your notebook to study and you realize that nothing makes sense.  You think you get some concepts but when you compare it to the answer key, you know that you are missing a few key aspects.  This can be a terrifying experience, especially if this is the first time this has ever happened to you.  Trust me, this happens to many people at all stages of their academic career.  The important thing is to address your problems and solve them before it is too late.

First, take a deep breath

Surprise, it doesn’t help to stress out.  Your work will be much more difficult if you worry about it.  You already coping with bad news, take a breather so that you can focus on a goal plan.

Analyze material with feedback

If that is a test or homework, just go through everything.  Try to pinpoint the topics that you don’t understand.  If you can figure out what sense and what doesn’t, you can create a study guide for yourself to improve your grade.  This works if all your problems seem to be using one mechanism or under one topics.  You can use your strengths to build your weaknesses.

Contact your professor

This is so important.  Your professor won’t know how difficult this class is for you unless you tell them.  They may have an idea from your grade, but a cry for help is the clearest indication.  One thing I always recommend is to setup weekly meetings with the professor to understand the material.  It not only shows you are dedicated, it’s almost like a weekly tutoring session with the person most versed in the topic.  

Create study groups

Often times, other students are confused by things that you are a pro in and vice versa.  Create groups, not just with people you like, but people who think differently from you and perform differently than you do on exams.  While working with your friends can be fun, it may not be the best way to learn.

Consider other options

If the other options don’t work for you, you may want to talk to your dean or consider the first year drop if this applys to you.  For these options, I recommend talking to your professor first.  Bypassing the professor and going to higher levels doesn’t give them a chance to help you.  Moreover, many times you may not be doing as poorly as you think.  You could be dropping a diffcult class that you are doing fairly well in!  In a nutshell, you don’t want to jump the gun but definitely do what’s best for you.

I hope these tips have helped you in some way.  These are a few of the things that have helped me through the years. If you have suggestions (or just need someone to talk to) feel free to contact me!

HCXO

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