I didn’t do good in my first semster of college because I got a D in math and withdrew from English and then I did better my second semester even though I got a C in history. I know that this site is filled with threads about OP’s not doing well, got a bad grade in or failed a class, there GPA not being good or not good enough, and being on academic probation or dismissal. No body feels good about themselves when they get a bad grade. I like to believe that there is always hope in that situation. It seems that while there is pressure to get good grades either from people or it’s required that most people have gotten atleast one bad grade in there life whether it’s an individual grade on something in a class or as a final grade in a class.
Yes, my first semester I had something like a 2.8- a C in Sociology, a B- in World Religions (neither class was hard but I didn’t bother to go to the required discussion sections) and a couple of other classes I don’t remember. My sophomore year was better and my GPA for my last two years was a 3.9. But the earlier grades did hurt me- I ended up with a 3.64 overall.
I got a very very low test grade in one of my first “real” engineering classes – really messed with my head because it actually put me in jeopardy of failing the class, and a voice in the back of my mind was going, “If I can’t pass this class then why do I think I can make it through the degree?? Or be an engineer at all???”
I found that the only way I could move on from it was largely ignoring the fact that it had happened. It happened, it was behind me, and the only thing I could do was look to the future (studying both the material I had messed up on and the new material for the next exam).
Gotta make a realistic plan for improvement and act on it.
Lot’s of people struggle and do poorly in a class or two, especially early in undergrad. Some get discouraged, others take these low grades as a learning experience and figure out how to improve.
My first semester was a B, C, F. I managed to turn it around and earn a master’s degree. I wasn’t a Rhodes scholar, but I survived. You’ll be fine.
You have to change what you are doing because clearly it doesn’t work.
Here are ideas:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-life/1920853-college-is-a-step-up-from-hs-16-tips-on-doing-well-in-college.html