[PSY]

I was (more-or-less) a straight A/B student in high school... so I was appalled when I received a C in one of my classes during my first quarter of college. College courses are VERY different from high school courses - it can be a huge adjustment for many people!

In addition to the suggestions that were already provided, I would take some time to re-examine your study habits. For example, I discovered that I relied heavily on recognition for exams. I have a (somewhat) photographic memory, so if I was given a multiple-choice exam, I could easily pick the correct answer. There are some exams that require you to actually learn the material, though. You have to go one step beyond simply recognizing words/terms... you have to be able to actively solve problems. One I realized where I was going wrong, I began spending more time on practice problems (which force you to go a step further), and I began to do better on my exams.

It's also important to be aware of your limits. Some college courses are easier than others, so take a look at your catalog in order to determine whether you are ready for a particular class. For example, there were several different types of psychology courses within my college's department. Through trial and error, I discovered that I had an easier time with social and clinical psychology courses, whereas physiological and behavior psychology courses were extremely difficult and time-consuming. If I had to take any of the latter courses, I made sure I only took three courses for that quarter vs. four courses, to ensure I had extra time to devote to the difficult course. If that wasn't possible, I made sure I took easy courses (ex. a lower-division "movie" course and a fun upper-division course) in order to balance everything out.

Hang in there! I have felt like a complete idiot at various points in my life, but I didn't give up, and I managed to graduate from college (I even earned a Master's degree afterward!). You'll get into the swing of things soon enough... as long as you take the time to reflect upon what you need to do differently in order to perform better!