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First-year college student has fun but no academic success

Question: I just completed my first year of college, and even though I had the time of my life, my grades aren’t so great. I received two Ds this past semester in classes required for my major.

Question: I just completed my first year of college, and even though I had the time of my life, my grades aren’t so great. I received two Ds this past semester in classes required for my major.

I cannot proceed to the upper-level courses in those subjects without at least a C. I am also taking a couple of summer classes in order to keep my scholarship, because I messed up during the academic year.

I go to a college away from home and absolutely love it, but would it be best for me to just stay home and attend a community college to make better grades?

I really don’t want to leave my school that I now call home, but will it be best for my future?

I truly think that I can get it right next time around, but hate to take two classes over again. Advice please!

Answer: You can keep a scholarship after getting two Ds? Is this by chance a partying scholarship?

So, what really happened this year?

Were you actually sober enough to know what happened?

Going back in the fall and doing the same thing you did this year and expecting different results is a waste of time and money.

But if you know exactly what went wrong and have a plan to fix it, it’s not so crazy.

In fact, this can be the best thing that ever happened to you. Once you know how to fail a class, it becomes easier to avoid failing again.

You just do the opposite.

For example, instead of sleeping in and skipping classes, you get up and go to class. Instead of skipping the readings, you do the readings.

Instead of failing midterms and expecting to magically pass the final, you get help from instructors, grad assistants and tutors in the resource centre.

Give yourself a semester to change it. Leave for school with a plan and make sure you have people you can turn to on campus if you slip.

If you can’t fix it, go back home and figure out how you can fix it. And if you don’t have a plan to fix it, don’t even go back to school.

Write Harlan at harlan@helpmeharlan.com or visit online: www.helpmeharlan.com. Send paper to Help Me, Harlan! 2506 N. Clark St., Ste. 223, Chicago, IL 60614.