| Written by Alexis K. |
Students tend to talk to other students and learn which classes are challenging and whether or not they should maybe avoid them. That being said, some classes are going to be tougher than others, no matter what—it’s inevitable. Although students try to avoid the more difficult classes, you’ll actually find that the tougher ones are the ones that help you grow stronger, academically, emotionally, or strategically. You learn new material, new coping skills, and new methods for success.
The most difficult class I’ve taken so far is a physiological psychology course. As a psychology student who basically lives, breathes, and sleeps psychology, most of the courses and memorization come easy to me because I genuinely enjoy what I’m learning. This class was the first psychology course I truly struggled with. The material was extensive and a lot of it was based in anatomy and biology. I found myself unable to focus in class and had difficulty retaining information, no matter how great my note taking skills were.
Now that it’s over, I feel stronger in all of the areas I previously described as areas of weakness. I ended the semester with an A—somehow. I came away able to describe way too much about neurons and phantom limbs; I learned to cope with my test anxiety; I gained some new study skills. By challenging myself, I feel as though I’m better prepared for future courses. So, I’ll pass on some tips.
Tip 1: Drop/Add
If you attend the first two days of class and you’re not feeling the content or the requirements outlined on the syllabus, you can drop the course and add a new one without penalty. But you can only do this within the first week and a half of the semester. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t just drop a class because you feel challenged; you should challenge yourself! But, if you’re feeling hopeless that early on, dropping/adding might be your best option.
Tip 2: Office Hours
The first sign that you may be falling behind or struggling, be sure to reach out to your professor and attend their office hours! Don’t wait until you’ve been doing poorly for awhile or you’ve bombed the first exam to reach out. When I felt myself slipping, I e-mailed my professor and asked her for study tips to retain the material better. She provided me with a few websites and offered to meet with me if I wanted to discuss things further. Showing up to your professor’s office hours also makes you stand out; it shows that you genuinely care, which professors love to see, and they may take this into consideration when its time for them to determine final grades.
Tip 3: Learning Center
If reaching out to your professor seems too intimidating at first, you can take a trip to the Learning Center and be tutored by one of your peers. This may be a more comfortable setting where you can sit down one-on-one with another student who has taken the course and has probably had some similar struggles but found ways to succeed. The peer tutors provide a wealth of knowledge and insight!
Tip 4: Study, Study, Study
If you’re anything like me, then you’re not used to having to always study or put in a lot of extra effort to succeed. Challenging classes don’t work this way! If you want the grade, you have to put in the work. I personally live for flash cards. I had about 150 cards per test for my physiological psychology course and they were truly my saving grace for this class. If flash cards don’t work for you, try making Quizlets, making outlines, or rewriting your notes.
Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself! College is a time of discovery and newness, so take these classes and find what works for you. They’ll provide you with the skills that go beyond just booksmarts.