Looking back around two years ago, I was at the height of my senior year in high school. I felt so incredibly busy being booked each week with sports and having events to plan for ASB regularly. On top of that, I truly dedicated myself to my academics. I’m sure many of you can relate to having a crazy senior year, the time when you are finishing out the many activities you jumped into while also balancing your schoolwork. It’s such an exciting time, and you think you could not possibly be working any harder.
Flash forward to my spring quarter of freshman year in college; I was taking 14 units, only attended maybe one sorority meeting per week, and was no longer involved with sports. So you may ask, why did I fail a class? When I got my grades back and found out I would be retaking a course, I did not know how to feel. High school is difficult, but at the end of the day, working hard will get you amazing grades. College is different; you can study to the brink of insanity and still feel as though it is not enough. For the first time in my life, I did not feel academically validated at the end of the term. After that experience, I decided I would no longer live with the guilt of repeating units. While it was never my goal to repeat a few units, I could not let myself sulk forever. For those of you who are feeling the same as I did, here’s a few of the benefits that come with truly understanding what your major requires of you, whether it’s your first, second, or thirtieth (hopefully not) time taking a class.
Everything Makes Sense the Second Time
Has anyone ever asked you a question, and you simply did not comprehend a single word they said? Yet, when they repeat themselves, their words are much clearer because you were paying attention. I’d like to apply the same concept to revisiting a class. While I was unhappy about retaking my course, I realized that going over the same content a second time made much more sense. Concepts I had previously not understood came easily, and I was even able to help my peers who had not yet taken the class. I think quite often, we are rushed to understand material, and in turn forget to actually try and comprehend it. So often I have found myself memorizing equations or repeating definitions without even taking the time to grasp what the information is telling me. As a result, I blaze through the class and come out knowing nothing. Whether you are taking a class for the first time, or retaking it, allow yourself enough time to look into the content in depth for a further understanding.
Time Helps You Retain
Let’s say you understood the entire course, but took the final and choked. I know this happens to a lot of students— it’s why we spend hours in the library and walk out remembering maybe half of what we reviewed. The truth is, we retain more than we think. At UCSB, or any school following the quarter system, our courses move quickly. Meaning, we go over enough information to fulfill the units we are taking, but at a pace that is often difficult to keep up with. As a result, we subconsciously know everything we study, but we cannot always retain it when we need it. While retaking my course, I was able to remember a lot more, already knowing terms that I would have easily forgotten the first time around. Although it is not the most efficient way to get through your major, sometimes time helps you to remember things you would miss in the height and stress of the quarter.
Confidence is Key
The memorization benefits of retaking a course are great, but we also have to take the confidence aspect into consideration. Personally, taking any new classes is an intimidating step for me. From walking into a new lecture hall, to becoming acquainted with an entirely new schedule, new classes are always difficult to navigate at first. When I retook my course, I not only felt more confident because I was familiarized with the content, but also knew what to expect for the weeks to come. Confidence within academics is extremely important, as we often navigate a class based on how we think we will do. If you walk into a class knowing you have already attempted it, you’re most likely going to assume that you’ll pass it this time around. On the contrary, a new class can lead you to a number of incorrect assumptions, such as how difficult the content is, how much you should be studying, etc. After having taken a course, you are aware of everything that is going on, and can therefore confidently base your actions on what you know already.
My point is, retaking a class is not the most enjoyable experience, but keeping a positive outlook never hurts. Taking a closer look at your major and what it entails is beneficial to both your education and any worries you may have for the future. So, good luck with any course you may be taking in the future, and remember to look for the upsides.