College is exciting for a variety of reasons. In many ways, your whole life has been leading to this point. Finally, your education is in your hands. No more subjects you hate, and no more filling your head with anything unnecessary. Now, all your subjects are chosen by you. And, each one of them could take you closer to your dreams.
Which is why it can be so disappointing when lectures turn into let downs. You had everything riding on this class, and it seemed perfect. But, the lessons arenât sticking, or youâre not enjoying them, or something just isnât right!
When this happens, itâs easy to fall into panic mode. After all, this is the most important learning youâll do! How can you even stand a chance at passing your exam if the lessons are going over your head?
The good news is, itâs not unusual to feel a little lost during your first lectures. Often, these subjects will be new to you. You may well have been passionate about them for years, but your knowledge will be minimal. So, all that information is bound to be overwhelming.
For the most part, these feelings will dissipate as you move further into your college journey. Sometimes, though, certain lectures will continue to lag. If thatâs the case, itâs important to consider the root of the issue. And, to help you get to the bottom of things, weâre going to look at a few common problems students face.
Somethingâs standing in your way
First, determine whether anything’s getting in the way of your enjoyment. Something as simple as not being able to see the board could hinder your experience in a significant way. As such, you may automatically shut off in lectures and start falling behind. Next time youâre in the offending class, consider how well you can see whatâs happening. If you struggle to read your lecturerâs writing, it may be time to get your eyes checked. Until then, move further forward if you can.
Or, perhaps the issue is with your hearing. Many people donât realize that they have hearing problems until in a situation like this. Lecture halls are, after all, much larger than the classrooms youâre used to. As such, your hearing needs to be much better. If you can only half hear what your lecturer is saying, itâs no wonder youâre having trouble engaging. If you think this is the case, get your hearing checked. You may find that a hearing aid, like those found from Hearing Aid Buyer Today, is all it takes to improve your learning. If you were suffering unaware, something like this could change your whole college game.
You donât gel with your professor
If youâre sure nothing’s getting in the way of your learning, your issue could be as simple as the wrong lecturer. While we all dream of the incredible minds that will teach us during our uni days, we donât always strike gold. Sometimes, a professorâs teaching style just doesnât suit us. Perhaps you can’t stand the tone of their voice, or maybe you donât like the way they construct their lectures. Whatever the reason, not liking your lecturer is a hard blow to take.
But, itâs not the end of the world. Most times, professors only stay with us for a matter of terms. As such, you should do everything possible to engage yourself for now and rest easy that a different teacher could change your feelings. In extreme cases, you could ask about deferring until a new lecturer is teaching your course.
Youâre in over your head
Sometimes, new students find lectures are at a more advanced level than theyâre prepared for. If this is the case, itâs no wonder that those lectures sound like nonsense to you.
The good news is, this initial struggle doesnât mean you canât go on to achieve amazing grades. It just means you need to acknowledge the gap in your knowledge and get to work filling it. How you do this is up to you. You may choose to study the basics in your free time. Often, even just knowing keywords is enough to catch you up. Make sure, too, to take in-depth notes.
Or, you might want to head straight to your lecturer and ask about private sessions. All lecturers have office hours in which to guide students. Make the most of these in subjects youâre worried about. Express your concerns, and ask where you could improve.
It might also help to talk to other students on your course. They may admit to feeling as lost as you, which will help you stop worrying. Or, they may be able to explain something you didnât understand.
Itâs at the wrong time of day
This may seem strange, but the time of day you have your lecture makes a huge difference. Some people operate best in the mornings, while others arenât functional until after 2pm. The bad news is, you canât change a whole lecture to suit your personal time frame. But, you can find ways to make yourself more efficient during different times of the day. Perhaps eating a chocolate bar before an afternoon lecture will be enough to keep you awake. Or, maybe you should ensure you get up at least an hour before a morning lecture. That way, you’ll have time to get breakfast first.
The subject isnât what you expected
As mentioned above, these subjects are new to you for the most part. As such, you may find that a subject you thought youâd love just doesnât suit. If youâre at a point where you dread your lectures, and nothing else seems to blame, have a long hard think. If you catch this issue early, you may be able to swap subjects. All students are in the same boat, and you wouldnât be alone. Either way, make a decision fast so that you donât waste crucial time on a subject youâre not going to take forward with you.
Be the first to comment