stressing out please help (need advice plz)

[masterMood]

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hi all, college started this week and i'm already feeling pressured and overwhelmed.

my schedule is as follows: chemistry I mwf 8:30-9:20 am , general biology I - mwf 9:30-10:20 am, calculus mwf - 1:30-2:20

Writing seminar (required) 11:20- 12:35 pm, General bio lab tuesday - 3:30 pm-6:20 pm

thursday - writing seminar 11:20-12:35 pm, Freshman experience in biology (1 credit class nothing special) - 2-2:50


now the thing i've learned so far from college academically is that as a pre-med time is CRUCIAL. and for the past 3 days i've been TRYING to work hard. I make the conscientious effort right after class to grab a quick lunch, then i go to the library until the next class to read a textbook, then come back for the rest of the night so i know the stuff cold.

i feel pressured because i didn't receive my textbook until the first day of class, and our professor wanted us to read the 1st chapter of the textbook the night before however he said it wasn't mandatory but would be useful. Being the perfectionist that i am, i wanted to read it because it was the 1st chapter, and so far I am behind in my bio class by 2 chapters. When i mean behind, i mean that when i come to class, i have not read the chapter before.

another thing is that i think i'm going too slow to the point where im not understanding the text, but not because i don't understand the words, but when i read it, i can't "understand" it mentally, like i'm not absorbing the information and remembering it. Well I am understanding it, but i completely forget what I just read after i read it.

I read faster today, however I feel uncomfortable and I feel like i made a superficial reading at the most. At least when i read slowly, i have a really deep understanding of biology and chemistry (i am slow when studying in general).

Do you guys recommend that before lecture I read the chapter quickly or slowly or in-between slow and fast? Then after lecture, what should I do? Should I reread slowly, quickly, or what? I'm afraid that if i read too slow, i will take more time reading the text fewer times than i will when i read quickly several times, and vice versa.

Another thing, that so far hasn't bothered me, is enjoying college. My friends say that i'm going to lose my motivation and drive if i keep upt the pace i'm at, even though i'm not really making any progress through the books (like i'm reading them but i feel like i'm not absorbing the text 100 percent or even 80 percent).

i don't mind studyiong all the time because i feel good studying, however, it's very hard for me to absorb the text quickly.

i want to go for the best grades i can possibly get, and i shwoed you guys my schedule, so please gimme some advice or helpful motivation.

 

[ShyRem]

Studying is something you have to figure out what works best for you. Me? I rarely read the chapter except as a refresher. I also went to class EVERY SINGLE TIME. I missed a class once 'cuz I had the flu. The prof emailed me to ask where I was and if I was I ok.

In your case, if the prof tends to go over the chapter pretty well in class I would skim it before hand. Read the chapter in depth after class to fill in any gaps. I usually reviewed with the "chapter-in-a-nutshell" conclusion outlines at the end of each chapter in the book. Also: Start a study group for each class. You'll find that discussing the concepts from class reinforces stuff immensely. Meet like once a week for each class - work on homework together, figure stuff out together, etc. Really helps a bunch. BTW: where's your chem lab? one year of gen chem lab and one year of ochem lab is required for med school in addition to the lecture portion.

One major point: MAKE SURE YOU HAVE TIME FOR YOURSELF. Fun is very very important, and contributes greatly to destressing in the future.

It will get easier - you'll figure out how to study and what each prof wants. I think one of the hardest times in college is figuring out how to study and manage your time. Good luck.

 

[fleur531]

Hi there!!!.. Hope that things have picked up since you've posted this! Don't worry-- school just started so it's natural to feel overwhelmed! Everybody else is overwhelmed too. I am not sure if this will help-- but my advice is to try not to study ALL the time.. I am a junior this year and I've found that my most successful semesters were the ones when I scheduled in time for studying, socializing time(w/ positive people who support you and make you feel good about yourself), spiritual time, health and physical activity time, etc... I've found that when I allow myself time for these things(instead of feeling guilty for not studying all the time).. that I am more efficient when I do study.. This strategy has worked for me.. I hope that it works for you or that you find another strategy that does! All the best!

 

[masterMood]

thanks for the advice, i think part of it is that all of my friends are non-bio majors and that adds to the problem. So i need to find a study group (like for the moral support because i don't have trouble understanding the material, i mostly just have trouble focusing)

 

[FrkyBgStok]

it will get easier but you need some time for your friends and/or family and just to kick back. most the times i will study for a solid hour or hour and a half, and then go do something i like to do like working on my basement, playing with my daughter, watch a portion of a movie or something like that. if i am watching a movie it may try to relate things i see to the material (if i see a car accident i think about physics and relate it to acceleration, velocity, etc and it starts to make sense). it isn't easy but that is what is going to make me a doctor. i am willing to pay my dues. good luck!

 

[anystream]

when i read it, i can't "understand" it mentally, like i'm not absorbing the information and remembering it. Well I am understanding it, but i completely forget what I just read after i read it.


Do you guys recommend that before lecture I read the chapter quickly or slowly or in-between slow and fast? Then after lecture, what should I do? Should I reread slowly, quickly, or what? I'm afraid that if i read too slow, i will take more time reading the text fewer times than i will when i read quickly several times, and vice versa.

Another thing, that so far hasn't bothered me, is enjoying college. My friends say that i'm going to lose my motivation and drive if i keep upt the pace i'm at, even though i'm not really making any progress through the books (like i'm reading them but i feel like i'm not absorbing the text 100 percent or even 80 percent).

The above paragraphs concern me. I would recommend maybe taking a lighter course load until you develop stronger study/learning habits.

 

[willthatsall]

Take a lighter load and relax some, you're gonna have a heart attack.

 

[Pose]

Your studying/reading habits, and the rate you absorb the information sounds identical to mine. I haven't started any pre-reqs yet, but I have been required to read a few textbooks, and attempt to apply that knowledge on an exam. Sometimes I'll read a paragraph, and completely forget everything I just read, so I'll have to go over it several times. Very frustrating, I know.

I don't have many tips, but usually if I try seeing the 'big picture', and how what I'm reading fits into it (by building on what I had previously read), I can get a better understanding. Keep me/us updated, and share any success you've had! :-D

You also may want to check out http://www.studygs.net/ or any similar site. May offer something of use.

 

[67192]

The above paragraphs concern me. I would recommend maybe taking a lighter course load until you develop stronger study/learning habits.

I disagree with anystream. I don't think you need a lighter course load; you just need to figure out how you study best. I'm a microbio. major and throughout my bio. and micro. classes, I rarely (practically never) opened the text books and focused on learning the lecture material. I went over it and over it and over it again until it stuck. Most of my studying consisted of writing and re-writing my notes and asking LOTS of questions when I had them. Does your school offer any study/tutor sessions? These were really helpful to me, along with meeting with the professors (helps for LOR's too). I'm also a bit-picture learner and found I had to put A LOT more time and energy into the first quarter of science classes when I didn't know anything and then could do really well in quarters that built off previous material.

Anyway, I was kinda like you and got really frustrated when I didn't do very well in Gen. Chem I and Bio I and Physics I by focusing on just reading the text. But I found a study method that worked for me and have a pretty good GPA for applying to med. schools.

Oh, and I also found I work better when I am involved in more activities and have to maximize the effeciency in my study time...

Good luck to you!

 

[RaaMD]

Relax Friend. You seem like a very determined individual which is exactly what you will need in order to obtain your goals. One of the above posters mentioned about the importance of living a balanced life. I agree. I cannot profess enough the importance of having people around you that support you (friends, family, mentors, etc.) and being physically active. Exercise will enable you to have stamina throughout the day, and gives an outlet for stress. If exercise is not your thing, find something that will enable you to decompress. Do not try to take on more than you can handle. You will figure this out with time hopefully. Good luck to you. You're going to be okay. You remind me of myself when I was starting undergrad.

 

[DrBowtie]

Thus far in my college career I have found that for most classes going to lecture is inefficient way to spend your time. Go until the first test, find out if they test exclusively from the book. If so, just become intimate friends with you textbook during the times you would be doodling and listening to the teacher tout their knowledge.

 

[jon stewart]

Thus far in my college career I have found that for most classes going to lecture is inefficient way to spend your time. Go until the first test, find out if they test exclusively from the book. If so, just become intimate friends with you textbook during the times you would be doodling and listening to the teacher tout their knowledge.

its more than just studying, you need to figure out what yout teacher teaches in class and make sure you understand that stuff. I didnt really read the text books for gen chem or gen bio, i just went to lectures and learnt of those. Some profs have questions from the reading, so you wont really know until your first test of your profs style, or you could get a past test for that class. You need to relax, and take things slowly. Its been like three days, when you study dont feel rushed, beacause that wont be worthwhile. Just relax and start reading. Take a small 3-5 mintue break every 30 minutes or so. I was freaked out when i started college beacause i was like,
"ofmg, this is college, the tests are going to be reallllly hard, the material will be very confusing and complex..blah..blah" . It turns out that it wasnt all that bad. If you read and dont get something, go and see the prof.

 

[Risa]

I often have trouble really absorbing what I'm reading too, unless I go so slowly that I'll finish my first week's reading sometime next month! Studying with others helps me a ton: read and absorb what you can, then get together with a friend and take turns explaining things to one another. Act stuff out too: it's amazing what an interpretive dance of a chemical reaction can do for your memory 🙂

 

[Anastasis]

I often have trouble really absorbing what I'm reading too, unless I go so slowly that I'll finish my first week's reading sometime next month! Studying with others helps me a ton: read and absorb what you can, then get together with a friend and take turns explaining things to one another. Act stuff out too: it's amazing what an interpretive dance of a chemical reaction can do for your memory 🙂

Oh wow - I gotta try that one.

Do your textbooks have CD-ROMS? I have been finding the webtutorials really useful for absorbing information (more useful than lecture)

 

[nebrfan]

My advice...

ENJOY COLLEGE!!​

 

[ms1finally]

Thus far in my college career I have found that for most classes going to lecture is inefficient way to spend your time. Go until the first test, find out if they test exclusively from the book. If so, just become intimate friends with you textbook during the times you would be doodling and listening to the teacher tout their knowledge.

So my college experience was the exact opposite - I attended a small school and the profs mostly tested on lecture notes and not book material. If you didn't go to lecture you were sunk.

 

[pre-medUSF]

I know how you feel. This semester I have gen chem II, bio II, and physics I all with labs. In addition, I am taking english composition II and gerontological counseling. I also do research and work at a nursing home. I spend all time in between classes reading the text. I find that this works best because information in science textbooks can be difficult to retain if you study for too long at one time. The night before an exam I usually do the little quizes that are sometimes online or come with the text cd-rom. Most importantly, I always attend class. Depending on the class, if you attend class and read the chapters you probably will not need to do much additional studying. After your first exams I'm sure that you will have a better idea of what you personally need to do to make good grades.