I get it. You tried your best to stay on track and stick to your study schedule, but it didn’t work out. Now you find yourself buried in what seems to be an endless pile of work that you don’t have the time or energy to complete. College is fast-paced, and while it may feel like it is impossible to recover from a slip-up, there are a few things you can do to make it easier to catch up on the work you missed.
- Talk to your professor
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Professors may seem intimidating, but it is important to remember that not only are they experts in their fields, but they are also tasked with making sure you learn and succeed in their class. Letting your professor know that you are feeling overwhelmed and unsure how to tackle the class workload gives them a chance to reflect on how they are running the class and share advice with you. They will be able to point you to the most important chapters of the textbook and go over tricky concepts with you. Most professors are actually very kind and empathetic. They want to help you!
- Check out the academic support center
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If you really don’t want to talk to your professor or if you did and they weren’t able to provide the help you needed, your school’s academic support center is a valuable resource that you should explore. Most colleges will have an academic center with tutors and resources that you can use for free. This might be a more comfortable solution for those who wish to talk to people who are also students themselves.
- Reach out to classmates
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It is easy to feel unmotivated when studying alone. Forming a study group is a great way to create a support network for when you feel overwhelmed. Study groups are also an invaluable resource for when you need lecture notes from the day you missed.
- Self-reflection
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While all three of the above tips are great coping mechanisms for when you fall behind on schoolwork, it is also important for you to understand why it happened in the first place. There is nothing we can do about the random emergency that disrupts our life, but if you are struggling with time management and procrastination, maybe it is time to build healthier study habits.
College is a busy time, and it is extremely easy to get off track. If you are struggling with keeping up with a class, it is important that you take action immediately. It is never too late to change your study habits.
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