Problem Studying In College

[ROOKIE OF THE YEAR]

During my high school years, I got good grades, and graduated with horors. But as I got in college (i'm a freshman now), I had a really hard time on studying. Memorizing the informations seems to be really difficult for me. As for the results, I failed some of the classes. I have never failed on anything before, and I feel like a real downer. Not only that, I am getting lazier because of that since of feel so hopeless now. Now I worry whether I have a chance to get atleast a bachelor degree or not. I know that you guys will say that memorize is bad when it comes for studying, and learning is a lot more effective. But don't guys agree that learning is a lot harder that memorizing, especially for a second language in English like me (I'm Chinese). So I really really really need advicing from people who are intelligence or have experience in this forum. I trying to get in touch with my advisors in college, but they're really ****y making me not comfortable in talking to them. So I'm willing to looking up for you guys for best advices or give me a a really good free site on this situation.

thank you so much.

 

[ROOKIE OF THE YEAR]

P.S.

I'll promise to pay close attention on your helps. This situation may someday messed my future thats why.

Also, I'm wondering will have to sacrifice my chances and time on finding dates as well, and wait till I graduate then I start asking girls out? That will really suck because I never got a girlfriend before and I'm willing to improve on that area as well.

but anyhow, my life is much more important, especially in college. I really need to do something about this studying issue. So thanks anyway.

 

[c3LL]

I totally bombed my first year at college. It was such an awkward situation for me. I had my study habits that I couldn't really act upon in college. ...Plus me and my roomate were big potheads at the time and - well, we didnt always have our minds on studying.

For what was best for me, I had to switch to a school with a degree program that I was more tailored to and had my parents help support the costs of moving into an apartment to live by myself - as opposed to dorms with a dormmate.

I need the isolation in order to study and I need to have my surroundings the way I need them to be in order to stay comfortable and focused.

 

[ROOKIE OF THE YEAR]

anymore advices?

 

[SELF-MASTERY]

high school was harder than college for me, and my first 2yrs of college were harder than the last 2.

Do you understand the material? I see ppl majoring in fields that they do not have the talent for. Learn to cheat, if it is morally okay with you-- really-- 95% of the ppl in all my classes are cheaters and we do fine.

 

[naoi deag se deag]

Don't cheat on anything but your girlfriend. It could end your uni career and the rest of your life.

 

[TheRelic]

I see this is where the morons gather.

 

[Fitch]

Originally posted by ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
During my high school years, I got good grades, and graduated with horors. But as I got in college (i'm a freshman now), I had a really hard time on studying. Memorizing the informations seems to be really difficult for me. As for the results, I failed some of the classes. I have never failed on anything before, and I feel like a real downer. Not only that, I am getting lazier because of that since of feel so hopeless now. Now I worry whether I have a chance to get atleast a bachelor degree or not. I know that you guys will say that memorize is bad when it comes for studying, and learning is a lot more effective. But don't guys agree that learning is a lot harder that memorizing, especially for a second language in English like me (I'm Chinese). So I really really really need advicing from people who are intelligence or have experience in this forum. I trying to get in touch with my advisors in college, but they're really ****y making me not comfortable in talking to them. So I'm willing to looking up for you guys for best advices or give me a a really good free site on this situation.

thank you so much.

The best advice:

Think about how you did well during High School. Good, now what is different from HOW you did well in High School than College.

Just work, work, and work. There is no SECRET FORMULA. Persistance is the only key. Studying is the key. UNDERSTANDING the information, not memorizing it.

Get off your @ss, and DO something about your grades.

This is a pathetic thread. You know what must be done...

 

[SELF-MASTERY]

cheating can do that if u blab to ANYONE. We have students who study their buts off and still get B's while us cheaters make A's. Never tell anyone about your cheating, ppl get offended; your cheated urself, cheaters never win, never learn anything. Only cheat in subject that aren't crucial to your career. If your a biology major planning on attencing med school, you obviously dont cheat in ur science classes, because you need to know the info. If you have a more generalized worthless classes-- cheat in those.

Search google for methods of cheating---

one tip just like everything else in life: cheating is best performed with a calm and confident demeanor. Do not look at the teacher, or look around the room. Last week I was able to get away with pulling out the study guide and laying on my desk, needless to say I made an A:cheer: :cheer: :woo: :woo:

 

[Fitch]

Originally posted by SELF-MASTERY
cheating can do that if u blab to ANYONE. We have students who study their buts off and still get B's while us cheaters make A's. Never tell anyone about your cheating, ppl get offended; your cheated urself, cheaters never win, never learn anything. Only cheat in subject that aren't crucial to your career. If your a biology major planning on attencing med school, you obviously dont cheat in ur science classes, because you need to know the info. If you have a more generalized worthless classes-- cheat in those.

Search google for methods of cheating---

one tip just like everything else in life: cheating is best performed with a calm and confident demeanor. Do not look at the teacher, or look around the room. Last week I was able to get away with pulling out the study guide and laying on my desk, needless to say I made an A:cheer: :cheer: :woo: :woo:

Cheating is a technique mastered by the "useless." As a future attorney, would you want me to represent you if I had cheated my way through law school? I think not.

Do you still wonder why America is deemed to be the country filled with idiots? I don't.

 

[SELF-MASTERY]

Cheating is a technique mastered by the "useless." As a future attorney, would you want me to represent you if I had cheated my way through law school? I think not.

I suggest you read my post again. Only cheat in fluff classes, damn did I not make that point clear. Did I not use the example of a future med student not cheating in biology because he will need the info learned in that class later. Cheat in your worthless knowledge classes.

In my major all my classes are fluff, so I cheat in all oif them. I have more time to do the things I really enjoy. 90% of the ppl in my major cheat.

 

[I_Only_Live_Once]

rookie of the year: think about your motivation. Why do you want it and how badly do you want it. When you are in tough classes, most of it is about how much you want to succeed and how determined you are to get it.

 

[theSpeculator]

After reading this post I decided to research your previous posts. From reading what you wrote, I think you may have depression. Here are some of the symptoms (the bolded ones are what I have noticed from your posts):

Depressed mood
Persistent feelings of hopelessness, guilt or worthlessness
Fatigue or lack of energy
Slowed behavior (the feeling of "dragging oneself around")
Reduction or loss of pleasure in life
Decreased motivation
Negative or pessimistic thinking
Loss of interest in friends, activities, hobbies or work
Change in eating habits; weight gain or loss
Sleep problems, including waking up early
Frequent crying
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
Irritability
Being anxious or worried a lot
Thoughts of death or suicide
Suicide attempt

I can write this because I have went through depression and overcame it. Like you, when I was depress I was having trouble concentrating in school and I feared that I would fail the semester.

You need to understand that it is now your responsibility to help yourself. You need to understand that people here are not responsible for you. The best we can do is to point you into the right direction.

Also, you being Chinese and English as your second language is NOT AN EXCUSE for you doing bad in school. You obviously know enough english to be able to understand. Even if your english is very bad, you should be working hard to improve it instead of drinking and partying. I can say this because I am asian and english is my second language. So instead of whining about it, I worked hard to improve my english until I could speak it as good as any american-born white boys.

 

[DrMetallica]

American-born white-boys arn't the only ones who can speak english fluently. We also have our mix of asians, blacks, indians (both kinds), and hispanics who can speak english. Also many immigrants (of any race or color) can speak it perfectly.

I'm glad we had this conversation theSpeculator, I hope it helped.

 

[Centaurion]

I agree with the above posters. Using 'english is my second language' as an excuse is just plain and simple r*tarded.

Hell, even though English is my 3rd language (german being 4th, but whatever) I'm still fluent in it. Of all the languages out there, English is one of the easiest to learn.

If you have that much problems with English, go and buy some kid books and read them several times, watch english TV and most importantly hang out with ENGLISH speaking friends. I don't want to generalize, but over here most International Asian Students hang out with their own 'asian-crowd', speaking their own language 24/7.

Needless to say they all pretty much suck in English.

I can relate to how you feel. It was a big transition for me to go from being a reckless teenager whos biggest problem was how to get drunk and laid, and still getting straight A's in High School, to Army life and then finally, University in Australia. My first semester here I totally screwed up. I was out partying 5-6times a week, drinking every night and skipping classes like a pro.

I thought that I could just cruize thru Uni like I did HS, but o'boy was I wrong. I failed 3 out 5 classes last semester.

I had to take a step back and re-evaluate myself. I asked myself where I would be 10years down the road if I followed this path. Strangely enough (!) being a fat, 30 year old bum with no money and job didn't seem so tempting.

So basically I got my **** together. I started changing all the things that were in my circle of influence - things that I could affect.

This semester I've sobered up, I attend lectures and tutorials, hand in assignments on time, I don't skip quizes/exams and most importantly, I have cut back on the drinking. I might go out and get drunk once a week or everyother week. As a result my grades have skyrocketed. I'm getting Distinction and High Distinction left and right.

Basically, try to balance your life. Work on all aspects of your life - social, professional (uni), physcial and mental. Don't neglect any of them.


edit. regarding International Students.
http://www.freewebs.com/afrodizziact/USU1.pdf

it just cracked me up!

 

[harwell]

Originally posted by SELF-MASTERY
...Only cheat in fluff classes.... Cheat in your worthless knowledge classes. In my major all my classes are fluff, so I cheat in all oif them. I have more time to do the things I really enjoy. 90% of the ppl in my major cheat.

Wow... i'm speechless.... I seriously don't no what to say... other than you will probably be caught somewhere down the road. It just gets easier the more you do it.... and if you're in any kind of university you will most likely be expelled.

Here at Texas A&M: "Aggies do not lie, cheat or steal, nor do they tolerate those who do."

I live by the Aggie Code of Honor with pride.

After going here for three years, I've only heard of two people getting caught. Both were first time offenders, but.... then again neither of them go to school here anymore.

Do the honorable thing. Don't cheat.

As for studying tips, I find i'm the most productive when i don't have any distractions. Go to a library, its perfect.

You're also gonna have to make a personal decision to do the work. It up to you how important your future is. I, personally, don't want to be diggin' ditches or pumpin' gas for a living. It will all come down to how badly you want something. I'm a true believer in "if you want it bad enough, you can get it," because I've experienced it first hand.

A personal favorite and something I try and live by everyday:

"The only place success comes before work.... is in the dictionary."

 

[TheDarkSaint]

High school is easy. You have teachers that look out for your and help you along. College is a different story all together. Since you are paying, you are the one responsible and the proffs are not there to make sure you pass.


Memorizing information is not the same as learning it. The info you memorize will be gone in a week. No wonder you are failing classes.

I would suggest starting to use "cause and effect" learning. Almost every subject you study will have a domino effect built into it.

Examples: You know that on your next history test, you are going to have some questions about the Battle of Hastings.

Instead of trying to memorize dates and names, which you probably won't be asked, learn what happened there. Learn what lead up to the battle, what happened at the battle, which won it and its outcomes.

Science works much the same way. It is full of chain reactions that you can learn to follow. If you're having problems with mitochondria, then learn what causes them to react, how they are formed and so on.

You'll be doing yourself a favor by LEARNING instead of MEMORIZING.

 

[Microphone Fiend]

alright here's what i tried....

hit the library where there is no distractions, find a floor where there are FEW people, get a seat facing tha wall so u are less likely to get distracted

bare down, keep at it and make it a habit

 

[Luveno]

First things first is to have a plan. If you go into university without a goal, you're wasting your time and money.

A bachelor degree will get you a **** job. A masters degree will also get you a **** job. Unless you're an Einstein or Dirac, a PhD will only make you a lab/literature slave for 15 years.

Your best bet is to take courses that are pre-reqs for professional degrees such as law, engineering, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, etc. Practical education will actually get you a job. Obscure scientific formalities or reading the opinions of some political windbag will get you the good ol' Wal-Mart sticker.

Have a plan. Then work towards the plan.