I remember the hardest part about studying in college was that no one taught me what studying was, and never showed alternatives. Movies just showed people reading the book and looking stressed, so that’s what I did. It wasn’t until later that I learned studying could be quizzing yourself, doing example problems reading over homework to see what you did well or didn’t do well, or listening to lectures again, or anything.
I was in a similar situation to yours. K-12 was easy enough that I did well on test and assignments without ever having to develop good study skills.
So, naturally, when I got to college, I was woefully unprepared to cope. I was at a small institution where 90% of the student body was an academic overachiever in high school, so there were few enough students like me that the university didn’t have a dedicated tutoring place where one could pick up some study skills. Combine that with possible undiagnosed ADD and mental health problems, and it’s a wonder I managed to graduate.
Exactly the same. Everyone told me I was so smart in High School, I’m so incredibly smart, I never needed to study. College hit and I failed my first year. Big fish, small pond for sure.
High School (and college probably) should have set up time for teaching me how to study, and high school teachers (and my parents) needed to back off saying how smart I was. Or at least back it up. “I’m glad this stuff comes so easily for you, be ready for college though, because you’ll be surrounded by people just like you, and they’re expecting even more”
Oh interesting. My college had a required freshman intro course that touched on stuff like this + introduced you to on-campus resources that could provide additional assistance.
You can, but you do have to buckle down, and I know that’s a cliche. It took me 6 years to get a 4 year degree. 1st year I partied too much, and I wasn’t emotionally ready. 2nd year I went to a smaller school, a 2 year college and it made a huge difference. Smaller classes, more one on one time with the professors. by the time I finished the 2 year school I was finally ready for a 4 year.
I had moments though. I thought about dropping out early on. I remember talking to a mentor saying I’d be fine if I did, and that I had tried. They looked me squarely in the eyes and said “Bullshit. I know you could have tried harder”. That hit me hard. I was surrounded by parents who supported me and said I probably did everything, to have someone call me out like that, it really hit me hard.
You can do it - if you really dedicate yourself to it. College is not easy. It’s not fun. I have nightmares about finals even now, a decade later. But I don’t regret forcing myself through. I wasn’t an A student, I was a solid C student, but it was worth it.
I know I don’t try hard enough but I seem to have some kind of mental block from studying. I just cannot get started. I would literally rather stare into the damn ceiling.
Might have missed the study subject. I just cannot force myself to study the math. I probably should have switched to studying linfuistics or something 2 years ago.
I will still try my hardest to get my maths done in a couple days but if that fails…
I remember the hardest part about studying in college was that no one taught me what studying was, and never showed alternatives. Movies just showed people reading the book and looking stressed, so that’s what I did. It wasn’t until later that I learned studying could be quizzing yourself, doing example problems reading over homework to see what you did well or didn’t do well, or listening to lectures again, or anything.
I wish we prepped kids more for college.
I was in a similar situation to yours. K-12 was easy enough that I did well on test and assignments without ever having to develop good study skills.
So, naturally, when I got to college, I was woefully unprepared to cope. I was at a small institution where 90% of the student body was an academic overachiever in high school, so there were few enough students like me that the university didn’t have a dedicated tutoring place where one could pick up some study skills. Combine that with possible undiagnosed ADD and mental health problems, and it’s a wonder I managed to graduate.
Exactly the same. Everyone told me I was so smart in High School, I’m so incredibly smart, I never needed to study. College hit and I failed my first year. Big fish, small pond for sure.
High School (and college probably) should have set up time for teaching me how to study, and high school teachers (and my parents) needed to back off saying how smart I was. Or at least back it up. “I’m glad this stuff comes so easily for you, be ready for college though, because you’ll be surrounded by people just like you, and they’re expecting even more”
Oh interesting. My college had a required freshman intro course that touched on stuff like this + introduced you to on-campus resources that could provide additional assistance.
Ah we had some kind of learning to study stuff in secondary school but I thought it was unnecessary as I never had issues then.
Now I am in uni and doing year 1 for 3rd year in a row and still have no clue if I will even make it.
You can, but you do have to buckle down, and I know that’s a cliche. It took me 6 years to get a 4 year degree. 1st year I partied too much, and I wasn’t emotionally ready. 2nd year I went to a smaller school, a 2 year college and it made a huge difference. Smaller classes, more one on one time with the professors. by the time I finished the 2 year school I was finally ready for a 4 year.
I had moments though. I thought about dropping out early on. I remember talking to a mentor saying I’d be fine if I did, and that I had tried. They looked me squarely in the eyes and said “Bullshit. I know you could have tried harder”. That hit me hard. I was surrounded by parents who supported me and said I probably did everything, to have someone call me out like that, it really hit me hard.
You can do it - if you really dedicate yourself to it. College is not easy. It’s not fun. I have nightmares about finals even now, a decade later. But I don’t regret forcing myself through. I wasn’t an A student, I was a solid C student, but it was worth it.
I know I don’t try hard enough but I seem to have some kind of mental block from studying. I just cannot get started. I would literally rather stare into the damn ceiling.
Might have missed the study subject. I just cannot force myself to study the math. I probably should have switched to studying linfuistics or something 2 years ago.
I will still try my hardest to get my maths done in a couple days but if that fails…