GPA Dropping?

<p>Hey guys, my GPA was a 4.0 in the humanities, now it's dropped a bit to 3.8 ...just needed some general advice on how to study better for science courses, i'm a very diligent student and i'll do anything possible to get good grades, the reason my grades drop sometimes on exams is because i get very nervous, and memorize unnecessarily (which is what happened in physics I this summer...) Please, i have to do well and make my family proud after an immediate family member passed away.</p>

<p>can someone please answer me?? please don’t tell me none of you had this experience or aren’t science majors who have no advice on studying efficiently rather than harder… :S</p>

<p>Here’s one thing I’ve gotten from taking math courses, and it may apply to science as well, since Math is technically considered a science. Do not use memorization. Any idiot can memorize formula’s. You need to apply them. Do the homework’s everyday and practice daily. Some things you may be able to get through by memorizing, but something as abstract as Physics, can’t be done. Also I don’t understand what pleasing family members have to do with anything. Forget about that. Do something for yourself, not for others. The only person you need to convince to do well is you. You need to think about the ramifications if you do not do well. Retaking of classes, which will hold you back a semester, which means, you’ll have to pay more. A reduction of grades may impact financial aid. But don’t think of these as more burdens, rather take it as a sign to work hard. Maybe science is not your thing. Honestly it’s not for everybody. I don’t want to discourage you though. Have you ever thought maybe you retained a 4.0 in a Humanities track because it is simple? There is no need to apply anything in humanitites, except to read and critically think. What you’ve encountered now is a challenge. Are you ready for that challenge? Are you ready to do more than just memorize formulas?</p>