How to be busy but still do well?

[fishieFDR]

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Next year, I have 4 science classes, 2 that will require lots of hard work. But how do I do it while staying busy? In the last two years, a full course load was plenty busy, but now I have other things to worry about. I seriously don't know how people do it. Some kid just accidentally sent his CV to a lot of people and he has a 3.8 science (way above average matriculation GPA) and is like Father Teresa.

How do you stay disciplined? How do you manage many hard classes?

 

[justAstudent]

I'm sure he "accidently" sent it to everyone. Just manage your time well and make sure not to take on too many things at once. If your grades suffer, drop some activities. You don't need to be like the kid that is seemingly doing everything. I know it's hard to not compare yourself to others, but try to. It'll help keep you sane.

 

[fishieFDR]

I'm sure he "accidently" sent it to everyone. Just manage your time well and make sure not to take on too many things at once. If your grades suffer, drop some activities. You don't need to be like the kid that is seemingly doing everything. I know it's hard to not compare yourself to others, but try to. It'll help keep you sane.

Haha, it ruined my day.
But how do I utilize all my time more efficiently? Sometimes I feel like I don't even have enough time for 1/2 my classes.

 

[justAstudent]

Haha, it ruined my day.
But how do I utilize all my time more efficiently? Sometimes I feel like I don't even have enough time for 1/2 my classes.

Taking 3-4 science classes at a time can be quite time consuming. Is it at all possible to take some non-science classes with maybe 1 or 2 science classes? Efficient studying can also help. Try to figure out what type of learner you are and what methods work best for you to retain information.

 

[Aerus]

It's all about increasing your efficiency. It's easier said than done, but you should treat any little bit of free time you have during the day as an opportunity to get some work done. You NEED to understand how you learn best in order to maximize your efficiency.

Aren't you at an Ivy League school, though? You should already know how to be busy while maintaining great grades. You did it in high school. While the material is much more difficult, the tempo is still the same.

 

[fishieFDR]

Taking 3-4 science classes at a time can be quite time consuming. Is it at all possible to take some non-science classes with maybe 1 or 2 science classes? Efficient studying can also help. Try to figure out what type of learner you are and what methods work best for you to retain information.

I am taking 2 easy prereqs along with an easier upper level. So my main concern is these 2 science classes. Sure, I will. Do you know how I could possibly learn how to study efficiently during the summer? Should I take a class?

 

[fishieFDR]

It's all about increasing your efficiency. It's easier said than done, but you should treat any little bit of free time you have during the day as an opportunity to get some work done. You NEED to understand how you learn best in order to maximize your efficiency.

Aren't you at an Ivy League school, though? You should already know how to be busy while maintaining great grades. You did it in high school. While the material is much more difficult, the tempo is still the same.

True, in high school I planned to study for each class for an hour, ended up failing and pushing back all the time to sometime during school. I don't understand what's so different about high school than college. I learned so much better from the teachers. Now it's like the professors are speaking another language unless you prestudy.

 

[persumas]

Just put in the work and do your best. Not a recipe for success 100% of the time, but that really is all we can ask of ourselves.

For me, I've taken 4 science classes + 3 business courses, worked ~20 hours a week, and traveled with our club tennis team a few times that quarter. Definitely not something I would recommend for anyone, and I definitely was running on empty for the majority of the quarter. But having such a busy schedule definitely motivated me to make good use of my time. Whether I was studying, at work, or hanging out with friends, I really made an intentional effort to do whatever I was doing at the time with my full attention -- it's no fun being that person who is studying or stressing out about classwork while you're at dinner with your friends.

Anywho, for me I try to read the readings, review lecture notes after class and take note of anything that is confusing, do all the practice problems you can. Seek help EARLY since science courses tend to build concepts throughout the quarter -- having a strong foundation will make your life easier. Most importantly. Know your limits and try not to compare them to others (I know, this is nearly impossible for us SDN'ers).

 

[omegaz]

I don't understand what's so different about high school than college. I learned so much better from the teachers. Now it's like the professors are speaking another language unless you prestudy.

I fully understand your pain. Many professors suck at teaching and presenting the material to students. But then again their main focus should be on their research, so I don't blame them for sucking at teaching. On the other hand, high school teachers are all terrific at teaching because that's all they do. This means that for college you need to learn to teach yourself the stuff you need to know and not rely on the stuff you got from lectures like we all did in high school.