John Lennon was a dreamer singing “Imagine all the people living life in peace…”, just like you are thinking that you can get no bad grades. Even if you were a straight-A student in high school, the thing might be different in college. You miss several lessons, shut your ears to what your professor says, and you get a C before you know it. However, it’s not time to panic yet, your life is not over. We will explain the five stages of overcoming education challenges and will give you some useful tips on how to turn your failure into better luck on the next test.
The Five Stages of Overcoming Problems in Academic Life
When you fail a test or get your first bad grade, a shock is a normal reaction of your organism. Scientists have proven that people go through the cycle of five emotional stages before they are able to get a grip and move on.
The first stage is called Denial. You cannot believe this is happening to you. You know the material. Your answers were correct (three quarters at least). Panic is groundless. You can sort out things later: there must be some misunderstanding.
Stage two is Anger. Here, your thoughts are like: “I’m so stupid!” or “It was the professor’s fault that he did not give us all the topics that would be at the exam,” and, finally, “Why should I suffer for someone’s odd teaching methods?!”
The third stage is Bargaining. You are ready to do anything just to settle things down. Some extra work may compensate for your lousy grade. You start planning how you will convince the teacher you will not waste the second chance.
The fourth stage is called Depression. You think your academic career is over. There is no chance you will graduate from college. Your parents will lose faith in you. And the final note in this depression symphony sounds like “I am worth working at McDonald’s only.”
The fifth stage is Acceptance. You finally understand that it is just one failure. Everyone makes mistakes. Work harder and you will improve your GPA. A single bad grade will not ruin your life. You still have time to study better and get ready for your dream job.
These five stages do not look so scary with cats. Nothing looks scary with cats. Check it out!
How to Avoid Problems in College
Do not Look at the World through Rose-colored Glasses
College load is heavier than it was in high school. In addition, you will face more temptations that will distract you from studies. Life happens and you may get some bad grades from time to time. Do not expect too much from yourself. If you set standards too high, you may feel miserable because you do not meet them, and you will just burn out.
Be Responsible
Do not assign blame to others, your mistake is only your responsibility. And instead of just feeling sorry for yourself, think of what you have done wrong, how you can change the current situation, and how you can prevent such problems in the future. Consider failing as one of the numerous life challenges that make you stronger. Tackle this difficulty as an adult, show others that you are not a child anymore.
Do not Hesitate to Ask for Help
Do you think asking classmates or a teacher for help is beneath you? Do not be shy to ask questions that may seem foolish to somebody. We start learning only when we ask questions. It is worse when you pretend you understand everything. Believe us, teachers like it when you ask something, - this is how you show that you are interested in their subject and that you are trying to master it.
Do not Forget about Long-term Goals
You should always keep your motivation on toes. There are many ways you can inspire yourself to make small steps towards your big dream, and negative motivation is one of them. Use your bad grade as a stimulus to become a better version of yourself. Put it in a visible place, and it will get you thinking next time you consider going out instead of studying.
Think Before You Act
Do not leave your grades to chance. If you do not prepare enough, it is highly probable you will fail the test. Make everything in your power to increase your chances of success. Ask your professor ahead how you can get extra credit in case you are not satisfied with your results. Plan your day, week, and semester in order to not get stressed out before the finals. Review your previous college experience and change your habits if needed.
Did you find these tips useful? Tell us how they helped you. But if you see that you cannot tackle the academic problem on your own, PaperCoach is always ready to give you a helping hand in paper writing.