We’ve all heard of relationship red flags but what about the academic kind? From professors who don’t believe in rubrics to classmates who swear they didn’t study for the test, here’s a list of what I think are the biggest red flags in college classes.
- Participation is 20% of your grade
   Translation: Wave goodbye to an A if you have social anxiety.
Survival tip: Answer at least one question per class or ask the lamest questions ever.
- Assignment due by 11:59 pm
Translation: You’re going to start the assignment 15 minutes before the deadline, manage to crash your computer and beg for an extension.
Survival tip: Make it a habit to finish the assignment by 10 pm. It’s that easy.
- Don’t worry it’s an easy exam
Translation: Tears. Every. Single. Time.
Survival tip: Form a study group, go to TA hours and collect as much extra credit as you can.
- There’s no recommended text book for this course
Translation: There is one. And it’s $150 for a copy.
Survival tip: Find the free PDF online.
- You can choose your own topic
Translation: You’ll spend more time choosing a topic than writing the essay.
Survival tip: Pick any topic that relates to the course.Â
- STEM Labs
Translation: H-E-L-L and lots of back pain.
Survival tip: Watch the pre-lab videos, read the lab manual and confirm each step lab before performing.
- This class has no prerequisites
Translation: Everyone knows what’s going on except you.
Survival tip: Fake it till you make it.
- This is my first time teaching this course
Translation: You’re the guinea pig.
Survival tip: Congrats, you’re both in beta testing. But hey! We all start somewhere, right?
- There’s no final exam
Translation: There’s a project due the same week as finals week and trust it’s 10x harder.
Survival tip: Look at the syllabus and start 2 months early.
- The exam will be based on slides
Translation: Nope. That one comment from lecture 2 you thought was unimportant? It’s on the test.
Survival tip: Show up to class, memorize every word the professor says and gaslight yourself til your memory turns photographic.
- Most students drop by the midterm
Translation: You might too.
Survival tip: Lock in from Day 1, pray there’s a curve and spend more time calculating your potential grade than actually studying.
- It’s an open book test
Translation: The test’ll be so difficult, you’ll still have no clue what’s going on.Â
Survival tip: Page flipping is not a strategy. Condense the textbook into notes.
If college was a relationship, every day would come with a million red flags, emotional whiplash and a group chat for mutual healing. But between caffeine-led breakdowns, surprising A’s and all nighters in Butler, you’ll come back stronger every semester.Â