Hey everyone,
It happens to all of us – getting a bad grade – whether it’s in an exam or a class. It happens, and it sucks. As university students, there is a lot of pressure for us to get good grades, whether it is to get into other programs after our degree or to stay in our program. So what do we do when we get that bad grade on our exam that we were dreading to see?
We can use it as motivation. In one of my first year classes I got 50% in the first midterm. I was so upset about it, but I used it as motivation to start working hard for the rest of the course. I worked really hard for that class and managed to get an A at the end of it. In fact, had I not gotten that grade I probably would not have done as well in that course.
On the other hand, if it happens that you get a bad grade towards the end of the course, that can be quite demoralizing. If you’re not improving in a course over time, it could be a problem of adjusting to the professor’s method of teaching; so, the best thing to do is go talk to your professor or someone that you know that has previously taken the course and ask for tips on how to study. You could also go through your tests and figure out how to study better for your final.
Of course if you get a bad grade for an entire course, that can be pretty disheartening, but the key is to learn from your mistakes and to use them as experiences to grow and further succeed in your academic career.
One resource on campus I have found helpful is the Centre for Academic Communication. There are also many different resources at UVIC that can help you with your coursework, don’t be afraid to go check those out.
It’s always really hard to get hit with a bad grade, but always remember that there are other opportunities to do better.
The views expressed in this blog are my own, and do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of the University of Victoria. I monitor posts and comments to ensure all content complies with the University of Victoria Guidelines on Blogging.