The following is an editorial. All views, thoughts and opinions belong solely to the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Drury Mirror. 

I am going to be honest. Midterms kicked my butt. In high school, I was a straight-A student. I managed to keep a 4.0 GPA and still be involved in every extracurricular activity they had to offer. So, naturally, I thought I could do that in college, too.

I was so wrong.

I am still learning to be content with C’s, and it has been a journey filled with many tears and very long calls to my mom.

But nothing prepared me for this semester’s midterms.

Bouncing back

So, if you are like me, and you didn’t know that GPAs can fall below 2.0, do not fear! There is still time to bounce back and the easiest ways to do so are usually right in front of your face.

It can be frustrating and scary asking for help. People will tell you, “Have you tried talking to your professor about your grade?”

Yeah, thanks. Like I didn’t think of that.

It sounds obvious (and also terrifying) but I promise, it will be the best thing you do this semester.

Even if the professor can’t do anything to bump your grade up, they can still offer a lot of resources specific to that class. For instance, they may offer to go over a failed test with you, tell you which (if any) late assignments you can still turn in for partial credit, give you extra credit opportunities, direct you to tutoring, or even discuss the pros and cons of dropping the class.

Make sure you email your professor instead of just dropping in. This way, your professor can prepare any materials they need and set aside enough time to thoroughly explore your concerns.

If, for some reason, you are not on the best terms with a professor, your adviser, another professor for that class, or even the department head can be just as valuable.

Go to class

Another easy way to find your ambition again is to show up for class. Every class.

Sure, your teacher may not give points for attendance. They might even specifically state in the syllabus that attendance is not required. Go anyway, even if it just means doodling in your notebook.

In class, professors will likely remind you of important upcoming due dates, topics that will definitely be on the test, and outside study resources that you can’t find anywhere else. Go to class.

Speaking of the syllabus, how long has it been since you looked at that thing? Maybe you haven’t even glanced at it since the first week of school.

Now is the time to do that. For most classes, the syllabus can be found on Moodle. If not, ask your professor! The syllabus likely contains due dates for big assignments and what percentage of your grade each assignment may be.

While you have your syllabus out, take time to record all of those due dates in your planner or calendar.

Help your classmates

Finally, it’s important to network in all of your classes. Form study groups, and plan a date and time for your study group to meet. You may want to meet regularly, or perhaps just for big tests.

Study groups are beyond helpful. If you don’t understand something, it is likely that someone in your study group does. If you know something really well, teaching it to someone else can help solidify that knowledge.

If you’re feeling too overwhelmed and you are sure there is no coming back from a certain class, it may be time to consider dropping. There is no shame in dropping one or two classes, but be sure to exhaust all of your resources first.

If you have decided to drop a class, you must retrieve the paperwork from MyDrury and have both your professor and adviser sign the document before submitting it to the registrar’s office. The class will show as a “W” (for withdrawal) on your transcript, and it will not affect your GPA. The deadline to drop a class is Nov. 16.

Remember to take a deep breath. Professors are here to help. Keep an open mind, and don’t be too hard on yourself. It is not the end of the world.

College is scary and midterms are stressful, but you don’t have to do it alone. Drury offers free counseling services in FSC 114. Walk-ins are available on Tuesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. or you can make an appointment at (417) 873-7418.

Article by Delilah Gadd.