I am almost positive everyone has/had a class they struggle with. A majority of students, myself included, have a class they dread going to because they can never seem to fully understand the lesson. Personally, I feel we always discuss the difficult classes we’re in, but we never conversate on how to get through them. As a Junior in high school, I can say I’ve had many classes, all subjects ranging, that I found to be strenuous. No shame in admitting they would have me crying at midnight, or heavily doubting my own intelligence. Lots of students grapple with certain classes, but we tend to not discuss it out of fear of embarrassment. The big question here is…How do we pass those classes? That is what I’ll be discussing today! The ultimate guide on, “How to Succeed in a Class You Struggle With.” 

The first tip for succeeding in a class you struggle with is proper note taking! Pencils and pen can only catch our attention for so long. I highly suggest adding color and highlight when taking notes. That way you’ll be more interested in your notes, which in turn will have you reviewing them more often. When it comes to not understanding a subject, sprinkling creativity and splashing a pop of color on the paper, can result in you being more excited to take notes for that class. I mean, who doesn’t like to color?  Another tip with notes is to write things down, even if you’re the only one doing it. According to an article from LifeSavvy it states, “Students who handwrite notes can’t write nearly as fast as a lecturer speaks, so they have to distill the information and make wise choices about what to write. This gives them a better working knowledge of the subject—even if they never look at their notes again.” Notes are a great reminder, and taking them gives you the ability to look back on something for support.  Writing notes helps you retain information, and that can send you down the path of following along that class’s lessons better than you ever have before! 

The next tip for succeeding in a class you struggle with is to ask questions! I’m fully aware that fear tends to get the best of us in situations like this. The anxiety that arises when we convince ourselves that we are most likely the only individual in the room who does not understand the material. But, I can guarantee that somebody else in the class will have the same question(s) you do. Asking questions does not mean you lack intelligence, it simply shows that you care about flourishing in that class. I promise your teacher appreciates when you ask questions because they would much rather have you understand, then to fall behind. Now if you know you’ll never be able to work up the courage to ask questions, there is still a solution for you! That solution is after school hours. After school hours gives you the opportunity to be one on one with the teacher, and truly explain what it is you struggle to comprehend. This is a great way to go if you can’t seem to conquer the fear of asking questions during the school day. Not only that, but staying after school allows you to focus better because the distractions of several other students being in the room will dissipate as well. 

The final tip for succeeding in a class you struggle with is to be aware of how crucial it is to believe in yourself! Classes like this are a great way to instruct self discipline, and become more diligent. Just by putting forth a tad more effort, into that specific subject, then you ever have before will go a long way. Take the time to study, and never doubt your work ethic. Confidence in yourself is what will bring you to the top. An article from Honor Society supports this statement, “Let school offer you the chance to put your abilities and skills to the test. Push yourself and see what you’re capable of. Even in moments of doubt and difficulty, you’ll be able to look back and realize what you were able to accomplish.” Always know you are capable of more than you give yourself credit for.

Unfortunately, difficult classes can truly take a lot out of us. Sometimes they can be both mentally and physically deteriorating. But, following these few tips can help you over this bump in the road, and allow you to get right back onto the path towards success! It’s important to remind ourselves that hard classes can help us grow, and allow us to prove how strong we are. I will close out on a quote from Babe Ruth, an American professional baseball player, that I hope will encourage you to begin overcoming the difficult class(es) you face. “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.”