If you’re reading this article, then chances are that you, too, have that one class. Maybe you got stuck with the last registration date, or maybe you just completely misjudged the class’s description. Maybe you missed the withdrawal deadline, or maybe you just told yourself things would get better as the semester went on. Maybe you’re bored of the subject, maybe you can’t stand the teacher or maybe you just have classmates that get on your last nerve. However you ended up here, you’ve been plagued by this hellish class. One thing’s for sure: you can’t wait until it’s over.
Unfortunately for you, the semester’s only halfway complete. The enthusiasm you had when you entered the school year has been MIA for nearly a month, but the pressure to maintain your GPA is stronger than ever. You know that you need to suck it up and find a way to survive that one class whose curriculum was crafted by the Devil himself, but how?
1. Make it your priority to get a high grade.
It may not be the easiest solution to your problem, but it’s certainly the most rewarding. Why waste an entire semester trudging to Hibbs to spend an hour in the stiffest chair known to man, just to fail the class and have to do it all over again in the spring? After all the BS you’ve had to endure, you deserve an A.
2. Contribute to class discussions.
If you know what you’re talking about, you can help steer the conversation (aka, spend your time discussing something you think is worthwhile instead of letting Shelby in the front row babble on about conspiracy theories every class). Additionally, speaking up during discussions generally has a positive impact on your final grade, so you might as well.
3. Make friends.
Make friends who are just as confused by the professor’s lectures as you. Make friends who took the class last semester and will give you their old notes. Most importantly, make friends who will listen to you complain about your class from hell.
4. Find something you do like about the class, and make it your focus.
If that chapter on the independence of cyberspace was tolerable for you, then talk about it. Post about it on the class discussion board, make it the subject for your research paper and ask your professor questions about it. The first two will demonstrate that you have a clear understanding of at least one of the class’s topics, and the last one will score you a few brownie points.
5. Know the attendance policy.Let’s be honest. There are going to be days when you just can’t seem to justify leaving the comforts of your home for the class of your nightmares, and that’s okay. But you should know what you’re getting into before you accidentally waste all of your skip days within the first two weeks. Try to pace yourself. If skipping class is a bad habit of yours, try to ration out your absences across the semester. If your professor allows four absences, this means you’d get to skip about once a month (although it’s never a bad idea to leave one or two slots open, just in case you actually need to miss a class).
6. Bring your laptop.
When all else fails, iMessage, Twitter and Tumblr will always be there for you. Just be sure to look up every once in a while to make it look like you are paying attention.
Everybody has that class from hell at some point during their college career, sometimes more than one. Reward yourself for going to and getting through that class. You can celebrate at the end of the semester. You can do it!