If you find yourself in the unenviable position of having recently finished your freshman year of college without getting the grades you wanted, you should take heart and begin to determine how you can reassess your situation, make adjustments, and try again starting with The right foot. If you prepare carefully, you will be closer to being a successful student with outstanding grades. Keep in mind that you are not a failure just because you don't get something the first time, but this is just a wake-up call for you to seriously reflect.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Reevaluate Your College Experience
Step 1. Research the best classes available to you
Review the course catalog and mark the classes that excite you to return to class with an asterisk. In order to deal with academic failure, one of the best ways is to find classes that you would love to take. By feeling excited about going back to study, it will be easier for you to overcome your previous difficulties, even if you study different subjects than what you studied the previous year.
Step 2. Talk to your teachers about the courses that have presented you the greatest challenges
Consider the aspects of your classes that you have had the most difficulty with in the past year. Was it the format of the exams? Were the essays you had to write very difficult? When you have identified what has presented you with a challenge, you should ask a teacher or assistant professor for advice, asking if they have any recommendations or strategies so that you can do well on the aspects that are particularly overwhelming.
Take notes during the meeting and then determine a realistic way to proceed. You can ask your teachers if there are any additional resources that you could refer to over the summer to better prepare you to do well next year
Step 3. Meet with a counselor or mental health specialist
Because the transition to college life is hugely disruptive, it can lead to students feeling lonely and overwhelmed during their first year. For many of them, failing the first year is not related to their academic abilities but rather to a symptom of some underlying psychological or emotional problem. You must recognize that if you need time to adjust to the social, emotional and mental difficulties of college, this is 100% normal. Talking with a counselor about ways to be successful academically, even if you're feeling emotionally good, can help you stay on track.
Do not forget that there are groups and organizations that support students to overcome academic and emotional difficulties. If you haven't been able to do as well as you hoped in your freshman year of college, you can talk to a trusted loved one about getting additional support from a mental health professional
Method 2 of 3: Make a Plan That Addresses Problems
Step 1. Determine how to get back on track by meeting with your academic advisor
After you identify the cause of your problems, you should discuss with your academic advisor what you need to do to improve your grades. Your advisor will be able to tell you which courses you should take again or recommend some classes that might be of interest to you and also help you improve your GPA.
Step 2. Create a new curriculum
After you've selected your courses and started on your way to recovering from failure, you need to come up with a serious plan that can help you stay on the right track and help you do well the second time around. Be careful to allow enough time to study and finish your assignments every day.
- It can be helpful to determine when you are most productive. In many cases, people work best in the morning. Choose a time of day when you can finish your most demanding tasks and stick to a routine schedule.
- In class and when you do your readings, you should take clear notes so that you can both study for exams and organize your essays later.
- Study with a friend. It can be helpful for your academic performance if you find someone who can keep you motivated and focused on your assignments. Ask your friends to test you on the material, and feel free to collaborate with some of your peers whose work you respect.
Step 3. Take advantage of the resources at your disposal
Universities have many resources to ensure that their students do well. The first thing you should do is make sure you attend all the chairs, labs and seminars that are available to you and take advantage of all the opportunities to learn and grow.
- Join a study group. Studying with other people will help you hold yourself accountable and make learning fun and social.
- Check if there are tutorials or individual assistance available to you on your university campus. Individual learning is a great way to review the toughest topics that may not be covered during class time.
Step 4. Manage your time and find a balance between your work and your life
It is important that you dedicate yourself to your studies, but we all need to have time to relax and have fun. A great way to help you be efficient is to use a personal calendar to keep track of upcoming dates and deadlines. In this way, you can enjoy your free time without worries.
- Get extracurricular activities that interest you. It will be easier for you to get rid of stress and focus on your work when you need it if you take the time to participate in activities that you are passionate about.
- Make time for your important relationships. You shouldn't force yourself to spend 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the library. Instead, get much-needed breaks by spending time with your friends. College is also about social growth, so it's important that you give yourself the chance to meet new people and forge meaningful relationships.
Step 5. Learn to engage with the material
This will be easier for you if you like what you study. You should go for something that you are passionate about and approach it with a curious and creative mind. You should not just memorize the material or burn your tabs for the exams, since this method, in addition to being bad for information retention, makes the material tedious.
Carry out the readings on time, talk to your peers and teachers about the concepts that interest you, and investigate on your own initiative ways in which you can participate in internships or volunteer opportunities in areas in which you want to venture
Method 3 of 3: Stay on track
Step 1. Share your plans to do well academically
Don't be afraid to involve the people you love in your goals and plans. You must be honest and open about the way forward you propose or just inform those around you about what factors in your life have diverted you from your studies. If you keep all these emotional and mental problems to yourself, they will seem unmanageable, whereas, if you talk to other people about some of these problems, you may realize that you are not the only one who has difficulties.
In case you don't feel like you can talk to your loved ones about your problems, you can make an appointment with a counselor. At almost every college you can find mental health services that are free to students
Step 2. Schedule follow-up sessions with your academic advisor throughout the semester
Connecting with a mentor whom you respect will help keep you from feeling so isolated and allow you to have someone to be accountable to about your studies. You don't have to worry about being a hassle, as guiding you through the process of choosing a suitable program and navigating it to success is part of your advisor's job. You can ask him for advice on your plans and ask if he can check your calendar.
Step 3. Don't let yourself fall behind
The longer you put it off, the more overwhelming your workload will seem. Instead, you should stick to your curriculum and make sure you finish your assignments on time. In this way, you can move on to the next one without worries.
If you are concerned about a particular assignment, ask your university's writing center for help, or meet with your professor during his or her office hours. By getting help from experts, the job will seem less scary and more doable
Step 4. Be active and eat healthy
Staying in shape and eating healthy foods encourages good brain activity. Generally, the phenomenon of weight gain in college freshmen is often caused by high-calorie diets and lack of exercise. This makes you feel lazy and tired. You can join a club sport, take physical education classes, get a good night's sleep, and eat fresh food.
You can make a plan with a friend to attend a physical education class and then eat something healthy. Having someone to exercise with will help hold you accountable and make choosing healthy options more fun
Step 5. Do not drink excessively or use illegal substances
Exploring different social opportunities in college is healthy and normal, but getting involved with the culture of alcohol drinking on college campus or using drugs will have negative personal and professional effects.
- Don't binge drink alcohol. If you are of legal age, a great way to socialize and relieve stress is by having a few drinks casually with your friends or attending parties. However, binge drinking is unhealthy and can lead to depression and demotivation.
- Choose your friends carefully. Surround yourself with people who have made lifestyle choices similar to yours. Don't let peer pressure cause you to engage in illicit activities that may harm your academic and emotional potential.
Step 6. Be confident in who you are and in your decisions
College is a time to explore yourself and prepare to build a meaningful life for yourself. In addition to the academic side, you should take some time to reflect on who you are, your guiding principles, and what you want to achieve in the world. Be yourself without letting anyone else determine who you should be or who you think you should be. It is enough that you are the way you are.
Advice
- If you have a momentary failure, you should not be discouraged, as improving yourself is a process that requires time and patience. Do not give up!
- Involve your loved ones actively in your recovery plans from failure. Although they may be angry at first, you need to show them that you have a plan for solving the problems.
- Surround yourself with positive influences. Being successful is much easier if you have a good support system.
Warnings
- Avoid making the same mistakes as before. You need to determine why you failed and do your best to make sure it doesn't happen again.
- Prevent your partner from monopolizing your time. In many cases, people have their first love in college. This is an incredible and worthwhile experience, but you shouldn't allow your relationship to completely consume you. Don't stop studying!
- Don't allow yourself to get discouraged or anxious. You must recognize that being successful takes time and keep going giving your all in your studies.