How to tackle a failed course in university?

If there is one thing I have learned over my years as a university student and a (somehow) sixth-semester student now, is that everyone has a course they suck at. This means that everyone has a course or two that they fail, during their academic career. Therefore, what can you do when faced with that big F staring back at you on your transcript that is making your life miserable?

Let it go

The first step is to – as weird as this may sound – let it go! You are bound to face failure throughout your life, either during your academic life in the form of not passing a course or in your professional life being unable to land a job within the first six months of graduating and in many other forms. Therefore, you need to learn to roll with the punches, because life is going to throw you quite some of those and what you got to do is simply to get up, dust yourself off and keep your head up stop agonizing over one mistake that you can still make up for.

Strategize

Now that you have decided that the grade on that course is not a source of misery but a problem you must tackle, it’s time to begin strategizing. You should start considering the reasons for which you did not do well in the course and plan accordingly. This might make you ask; what exactly should I be looking into?

Background knowledge

Sometimes when faced with a course that has content that you have virtually no knowledge of, it’s difficult to wrap your head around it. In this situation, the best thing you can do is to gain a deeper understanding of the subject itself. A good place to start is to read up on books that have been recommended by your teachers for the course, as well as watch video lectures on platforms like YouTube and Coursera – which may be more interactive and engaging than reading a textbook.

Teaching Methodologies

Have you ever taken a course that seemed boring at first but was taught in such an interesting manner that eventually you found yourself interested in it? Have you ever found yourself dozing off in certain classes while being incredibly active in others? This could be a result of how your course is being taught. Some teachers simply provide a set of slides that you can go through even without attending the class and simply need to revise before finals to perform well in the exam, while other teachers emphasize keeping their students engaged to the content taught and actively make them participate in class, giving colorful examples that remain in their students’ minds long after it was taught. You need to begin asking yourself what kind of method used suits you best and then ask your seniors how a certain professor conducts their classes. If their method suits you, you have a better chance of picking up your grade, as you will find it easier to retain anything taught in class.

Implement & Keep Going

Keeping in mind the two pointers described above, make a strategy to pass your course and begin to put it into action. After all, following a good plan ensures that you have a greater chance of success. And, remember; one failed course is not the end of the world. Everyone has had to retake a course or two at some point in their university career, you are not the first one and you will certainly not be the last one. There is no shame in not being able to get things the first time, therefore don’t be discouraged. Just make sure that after you start following your strategy keep going at it, without giving up halfway through as consistency is vital to success and you will be right on track to pass your course.