This is Way Harder Than I Expected

Many STEM students find that the pace and rigor of their courses surprise them, and it requires them to really step up their game. Here are some tools to take your academic game to the next level:

Develop effective study habits. You’ll spend countless hours studying, completing problem sets, preparing for exams, and more, but you want to avoid burnout and cramming. Schedule your time wisely and develop a workable study schedule and routine. See the article below on Balancing Everything on Your Plate to help you make this more manageable.

Ask for help. You will likely need to add to the study skills and strategies to that tool belt you came to college with. Seeking out help doesn't mean you are weak or stupid. In fact, it means just the opposite--you are smart enough to know that nobody gets through new and challenging tasks without some guidance and mentorship. Remember, if you already knew all the things that you are doing in college, you wouldn't be here. Campus resources will help build up your new and improved tool belt. Here are just a few to consider:

Go to your TA's and your professor’s office hours. Remember, your TAs and professors are the ones who designed the class and who will design your assignments and exams. So, they know what they are expecting of you and can help you to learn how to best study and understand the concepts. Go to their office hours to ask questions and get guidance.

Find other resources that will give you additional support for your class. TAs will hold sections, office hours, and review sessions. Many STEM classes will have regular open study labs (e.g., MathLab) where grad students are there to answer questions. Many students will go there to do their studying so that they can readily access help when they need it. CLAS offers tutorial sections for specific classes but also has workshops and individual appointments so you can get help on everything from writing a paper to studying for exams.

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Balancing Everything on Your Plate

The quarter system moves fast.  For each of your classes, you will likely cover in 10 weeks the amount of material that you would have covered over the course of a whole year in high school. On your first day of class you will get your syllabus with the readings, assignments, and exams that you will have throughout the term. There is no warm up period--work begins on Day 1. Before you know it, problem sets will pile up and midterms will creep up on you. The accelerated pace, increased rigor, and looming deadlines requires you to be consistent with studying and use your time efficiently to be able to get it all done. 

Here are some tips to tackle all that you have to do with greater ease:
  • Put all of the due dates for your assignments and exams in your calendar. As soon as you get your syllabus it is time to schedule in these dates so that they don’t sneak up and take you by surprise. Also, it is probably good to track back from those due dates and set an alarm for yourself to alert you of your upcoming deadlines. For example, if you have several exams or assignments due in the same week you will need to start prepping for these early. Give yourself some extra time in your schedule as padding in case your estimate of how long it will take you to complete your assignments or prep for your exams was off.
 
  • Create a template of your weekly schedule. Besides scheduling when you are in class, create a daily schedule that includes your wake up and bed time, meals, study time, breaks, and leisure/down time. The key is to create a consistent schedule that helps you to operate at your best each day. See the example below of how to construct a balanced schedule.
 
  • Consider what you can reasonably get done in the chunks of time that you set aside. For example, if you know that you have an hour in between two of your classes, perhaps you can read part of a chapter or outline the paper you have to write during that time. Starting a “big” task that requires more time and concentration when you only have a small chunk of time may be more frustrating than productive. But don’t forget, all “big” tasks need to be broken down into smaller chunks so perhaps you can chip away at it in those periods too.
  • Make time for breaks! On a good day, most students have the capacity for 45 minutes of work before their attention and concentration start to wander. On a tougher day, you might need to take breaks more often. Taking a short 5-10 minute break to grab a snack, take a lap around the library, or just talk to a friend gives your brain time to recharge so that it is more efficient and effective when you refocus on your studying.

  • Do the tasks that need more of your brain power earlier in the day when your energy is highest. If you try to do a difficult task when you are tired, you will likely take longer and it will be more challenging to complete the task when you are not operating on a full battery.

Ground Yourself by Establishing Your Weekly Routine

To allocate time for all that you are trying to do--sleeping, eating, class and studying, socializing with friends, regular personal maintenance (e.g., laundry, shopping), extracurricular activities, and work--you need to be organized. Keeping a consistent schedule will help you to know what to expect generally each day and each week, and this will help to ground you. 

Map out your regular weekly schedule in a planner, a calendar, or your phone. Some students also like to have a big calendar with major events (e.g., exams, breaks) marked on it to make it easier to visualize the whole term. Need some help with planning? Check out our tips, as well as visit CLAS for workshops on time management, or schedule an individual appointment with a CLAS counselor. Click here to get a blank template to use for your own planning.

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Finding Your Way When Things Feel Overwhelming
Navigating the requirements of being a STEM major brings challenges that can sometimes feel overwhelming. Here are a few tips to cope when things feel really challenging:
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  • Remember your strengths. You have worked hard to get here, and you are resilient. Those tools that got you here (e.g., strong organizational skills, work ethic, persistence) can also help you to succeed. Think about what helped you to achieve your goals in the past. Pull those tools out of your tool belt, dust them off, and put them to work.
  • Talk to important people in your life. Your family, community, past mentors, and friends are all important people to turn to when you are on this adventure. Remember, those folks helped you through past challenges so that you could get here. They want to see you succeed. No one succeeds without support. Let them continue to be your sounding board to solve problems and be your cheerleader to encourage you when you feel discouraged.
  • Recognize and actively challenge your imposter syndrome.  Many STEM students are plagued with fears of failing, worries about not being good enough as compared to their peers, and the belief that because they are struggling in STEM courses, they aren't competent. Check out more about imposter syndrome and how to get out from under the weight of these negative thoughts.
  • Find the path that best fits YOU. Remember, following your true interests, passions, and skills will lead you to be more successful in college, and in turn, that will help you to find success in a career. Sometimes STEM students find that being a STEM major isn't the right fit for them. If you are not interested in or enjoying your classes, or find them so over- challenging that it is causing you significant distress, talk with an academic advisor... sometimes your original plan for what you major in might require an overhaul.​


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