So, I’m in my sophomore year of college at UCDavis and it does seem like I’m not doing any better academically than last year. Currently I have two C’s and two D’s. I still have the opportunity to bring my two D’s up before finals. I’m just feeling discouraged that I feel like I’m barely hanging on by a thread. I am a residential advisor this year too, so I think balancing the job along with school was a little challenging. But, calculus is mostly to blame. I already talked to an academic counselor about changing my major to microbiology since it isn’t calc heavy and I have somewhat interest in it. However, I’m just wondering if I’m deluding myself to change from one science major, physics, to another microbiology, when maybe I shouldn’t do STEM at all? English is something I do well in, however I feel like there is nothing viable career wise I can do with it. I know I kind of described a lot of various things but I’m just wondering if I can get some perspective on how to approach my situation. Thanks 
If you are looking at major-specific career prospects, biology majors are not all that great for that. English literature may not have great major-specific career prospects outside of teaching English, but general writing skills, including ability to write about different subjects (not just fictional literature) and to varied readerships (not just those who want to read fictional literature and analysis of such) can be useful for technical and business writing jobs.
These pages give some ideas on what career directions you may consider with an English or communication major, although you will certainly have to put in some planning, thought, and effort to career development as you go through college, rather than wait until you graduate:
https://www.ucdavis.edu/majors/english
https://www.ucdavis.edu/majors/communication
If you have some interest in science as to how it relates to other areas, you may want to consider this major:
https://www.ucdavis.edu/majors/science-and-technology-studies
If your forte is in the English language, perhaps consider linguistics as a major.
https://linguistics.ucdavis.edu/undergraduate/careers/careers-in-linguistics
There are many career opportunities in the field of linguistics, for example: artificial intelligence; computer-mediated learning; linguistic aspects in law enforcement, to name a few.
Microbiology requires calculus also, no? Have you used peer tutoring service?
Are you using all the help that UC Davis provides? https://tutoring.ucdavis.edu/
Also Calc (problem solving) is much different than Biology (memorization). Which are you better at?
How much time outside of class do you spend studying/doing homework? It is generally expected that for each hour in class, you spend 2-3 outside doing homework. Treat this like a full time job.
I think you should figure out what went wrong.
Health, mental health, relationship issues?
Too much sports/partying/Clubs/videogames?
Working too many hours?
Feeling like what happens if you try your best but still don’t do well?
Too much freedom/executive function issues?
General Tips
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GO TO CLASS, BUY THE BOOK, READ THE CHAPTERS, AND DO THE HOMEWORK!
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Go to Professor’s office hours (office hours are times a professor sets aside to meet with students…the actual hours should be in the syllabus) early in the semester and Ask this question: “I know this is a really difficult class-- what are some of the common mistakes students make and how can I avoid them?”
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If you have problems with the homework, go to Prof’s office hours. If they have any “help sessions” or “study sessions” or “recitations” or any thing extra, go to them.
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Form a study group with other kids in your dorm/class.
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Don’t do the minimum…for STEM classes do extra problems. You can buy books that just have problems for calculus or physics or whatever. Watch videos on line about the topic you are studying.
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Go to the writing center if you need help with papers/math center for math problems (if they have them)
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If things still are not going well, get a tutor.
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Read this book: How to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less by Cal Newport. It helps you with things like time management and how to figure out what to write about for a paper, etc.
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If you feel you need to withdraw from a class, talk to your advisor as to which one might be the best …you may do better when you have less classes to focus on. But some classes may be pre-reqs and will mess your sequence of classes up.
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For tests that you didn’t do well on, can you evaluate what went wrong? Did you never read that topic? Did you not do the homework for it? Do you kind of remember it but forgot what to do? Then next time change the way you study…there may be a study skill center at your college.
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How much time outside of class do you spend studying/doing homework? It is generally expected that for each hour in class, you spend 2-3 outside doing homework. Treat this like a full time job.
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At first, don’t spend too much time other things rather than school work. (sports, partying, rushing fraternities/sororities, video gaming etc etc)
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If you run into any social/health/family troubles (you are sick, your parents are sick, someone died, broke up with boy/girlfriend, suddenly depressed/anxiety etcetc) then immediately go to the counseling center and talk to them. Talk to the dean of students about coordinating your classes…e.g. sometimes you can take a medical withdrawal. Or you could withdraw from a particular class to free up tim for the others. Sometimes you can take an incomplete if you are doing well and mostly finished the semester and suddenly get pneumonia/in a car accident (happened to me)…you can heal and take the final first thing the next semester. But talk to your adviser about that too.
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At the beginning of the semester, read the syllabus for each class. It tells you what you will be doing and when tests/HW/papers are due. Put all of that in your calendar. The professor may remind you of things, but it is all there for you to see so take initiative and look at it.
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Make sure you understand how to use your online class system…Login to it, read what there is for your classes, know how to upload assignments (if that is what the prof wants).
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If you get an assignment…make sure to read the instructions and do all the tasks on the assignment. Look at the rubric and make sure you have covered everything.
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If you are not sure what to do, go EARLY to the professors office hours…not the day before the assignment is due.
You might think that this is all completely obvious, but I have read many stories on this and other websites where people did not do the above and then are asking for help on academic appeal letters.
Figure out what you really want to do, and balance that with career prospects. You have an entire life after college. You need to succeed, which means bringing enthusiasm to your job, career, etc. Don’t just get a degree in something that looks easy so you can get a job that’s drudgery every day.
Drop non-class related activities and minimize your class load until you have things under control. You probably can’t just quit as an RA, but ask the program if there’s a way to get help. Drop down to four courses next semester.