by Karen Zortman-Loos

Created on: December 01, 2009

Failing................

This isn't a word that most college students allude to doing! How did this happen?

Do you want to be associated with failing in college, and hear the wrath of mom and dad when you go home? I hope that answer to this question is, NO!" But if you have no idea what to do at this point and you have always been a great student in high school! Asking for help is always scary. If you never had to done this before. It could be adversarial, and you could actually learn something about yourself in the process.

HELP!

Perhaps, the Beatles sang the song but what can you do to get it? "Not just anybody," are you going to get the help from! Use your resources! Are you making it to class or does sleeping in or playing on the computer seems more appealing? If you answer honestly that you skipped out on class because now you have this newfound freedom then at least you learned something about yourself. You learned you need to work on time management. There's a time for play, and there's a time to work! Your work is going to class, and listening to your professor even if he has the monotone voice that should be bottled and sold on EBay for the sleep deprived. You need a huge bottle of water or if you rather have a latte buy it!

Rethink why you went to college!

Why am I here? Do I want to become a musician, a doctor, an attorney, or a scientist? If you say you are here to make something out of yourself then again you have passed this lesson.

Do you know how to study?

Have no clue why the professor is talking about one thing, and your textbook says another. Does your professor use an outline? Does he use an overhead, or a "magic" board? What is his style? Ask your professor if you can have an appointment with him. Tell him you are very concerned about your grades, and you want to take that grade from an "F" to at least a "B"! This will probably impress him that you care to be the very best, and want to know the secrets to mastering this game of life! Remember this isn't a Nintendo game; this is the game of life!

Cruise the Internet:

Perhaps, you still don't understand a subject and need more assistance. Google. Use resources to your advantage! Does your textbook come with a program for studying terms? Use it and buy it! It's worth the price of passing vs. failing! Who wants to take Professor's Sociology Class again?

Study Groups:

Study with others gives you a new perspective! You have no idea what a chromosome is? But others have ways of remembering what it is and what it does in the body. Perhaps, they know of people that have old tests from a prior semester. I am not saying get this semester's test get old ones! Exchange notes! Make note cards!

Don't wait until the last minute!

If you know that you aren't doing well find out what isn't working, and figure out what will work for you!

Don't sweat the small stuff!

Take each study section one at a time, and use this same process when you take the test! Eat, exercise, and relax! Most of all go into the test with an attitude that you are a winner, and that you made the effort to improve!

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