Many students struggle with poor performance. And to some, it’s not obvious until it’s too late. In the current education landscape, students have to compete greatly just to secure their spot. And if your grades drop below a certain mark, you may even fail out.
Assuming you’ve just noticed that your grades are on a decline, let’s take a look at some of the reasons you might’ve found yourself in that situation. Later in the article, we will give you some practical tips on dealing with the declined performance and improving your grades.
Depression & Anxiety
Student depression is on the rise nowadays. The current generation is the most depressed one ever reported. And even more students struggle with anxiety. Many report feeling depressed because of homesickness and loneliness, some report academic stress as the main reason.
Anxiety is a little bit more complicated. It’s harder to find reasons for it, but if you feel it, you feel it. Although, some of the most often reported reasons for anxiety are lack of sleep, uncertainty about the future, and being faced with a new environment. Both these illnesses affect students’ performance greatly. Yet, there are ways to deal with it.
The first and the best thing to do would be to ask for help. See if there’s a counseling center available in your school. If not, your school may give you a referral to a community clinic. There are also support groups online, as well as services like Better Help and the like. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Often, simply asking someone ‘please, write my paper’ can give you some relief. Talk to your peers, many of them might be facing the same issues as you are.
Course Material Is Too Complicated
This is also very common for students. Some might realize mid-year that they’ve chosen the wrong major. And some might not be putting enough effort into understanding the classes. If the latter is true for you, try to find a tutor or gather a study group. Your peers might be struggling with the same topics. Together, you can fill each other’s gaps, quiz and test one another.
Another common problem is that people tend to memorize, rather than understand it. When learning a new topic, try to really pay attention to the textbook. When it comes to math, take your time, don’t skim over pages, read into them. Solve example problems by yourself to test your understanding.
With a test approaching, review your notes as often as possible. See if you comprehend the material. If not, revisit the book once again and come back to step one.
Tutoring is also a viable option. You might simply not like your professor or not follow their teaching techniques. Getting a tutor might help you see the same topics from a different perspective. Besides, when you’re one-on-one with a teacher, you get their undivided attention and are free to ask as many questions as it takes. Which is often impossible during a lecture with a hundred more students.
Procrastination
How often has it happened to you that you are perfectly aware of an upcoming test, yet you do nothing but beat yourself up over not studying for it? Procrastination is extremely common among students and we all have to deal with it almost daily. Although everybody knows how dangerous it can be, everybody still does it, ending up with not enough time to prepare properly and pulling all-nighters.
In this case, prevention is key. Establish a routine where you have a specific time to study and to have rest. Make sure you understand just how important it is to learn the course material on time. It will probably take a lot of effort at first. But once you develop a habit of studying at a particular time, reviewing your notes, and paying attention in class, it will come naturally.
For a routine to really work, set a specific time for each activity. This way, your brain will remember it and automatically put you in the right mode for studying.
Irregular Sleep Pattern
This vicious cycle follows most students. You put studying off till the last moment and end up having to sacrifice your sleep. Or you might really want to go to a party after an intense studying session. Sleep deprivation can have adverse effects on your health and school performance. Thinking that you’re young and your body can take a lot is a common misconception. You might not feel particularly bad at this age but later in life, those hours without sleep will catch up.
Again, following a good, well-balanced schedule can help you solve many problems at school. Dedicating enough time for studying and recreation will ensure proper work-life balance and avoid problems with sleep in the future. And having enough rest is essential for your brain to work in its full capacity.
Not Knowing Your Learning Style
People perceive information differently.
- Auditory
- Visual
- Kinesthetic
- Verbal
There are the main learning styles that define the way we learn. Trying to study using a style that doesn’t work for you will be troublesome. It will require much more effort than using a method that your brain perceives best. Many a time, professors will try to either incorporate all the methods or use the one that they prefer.
Find your learning style. Analyze the different lectures you’ve been to and think about the kind of information you remembered and understood best. Then, incorporate your preferred learning method into your daily study routine. Obviously, you cannot expect professors to lecture everyone using the style that is appropriate to you. However, you can use it in your personal study sessions.
If you’re a visual learner, use graphs, pictures, and all the different kinds of images. If you prefer audio, download audiobooks and/or podcasts. You get the gist. Find what works for you and follow that path.
Wrapping Up
There are many reasons for students to fall behind in their classes. What’s important is that you don’t leave it be but take control over the matter and fix your grades. Nowadays, competition among college applicants is immense, and dropping out is not an option for many.
