Try not to beat yourself when you are frustrated. While the light at the end of the tunnel might seem EXTREMELY far away and appear to be an insurmountable task, times will change (if you put in the effort).
Chris – former Math 110 student
Formulating a plan
“I was not doing well on the quizzes, so I decided to spend 1-2 hours every day on Math 101 until the next quiz, and I received much better results.”
May – former Math 101 student
Catching up in a cumulative course like math can be an daunting task. Formulating a plan that involves a little bit of work each day will make catching up less intimidating.
You will want your plan to include:
- Specific times for review, homework and practice, as described in the sections on keeping up and WeBWork.
- Additional times devoted to catching up the topics most relevant for understanding the current section of the course.
If you are unsure about which sections of the course you will need to learn to understand the current one, make an appointment with your instructor or talk to a classmate or TA, and ask them which sections are most relevant to the current one. This will allow you to focus on catching up the content which is essential for learning the current section.
In addition to focusing on learning the calculus topics most relevant for catching up, you may also want to review the pre-calculus topics most relevant for the current calculus topic. If you go to the pre-calculus review course on connect.ubc.ca and open the “Calculus-inspired review package” you will find a list of pre-calculus topics most relevant to each calculus topic.
Getting help
“Put a lot of time into it and don’t be afraid to ask for help from friends, TAs, or even the professor.”
Kimberly – former Math 180 student
Sticking to a plan can be a challenge, especially when working alone. If you know a friend who is also struggling, decide together on this plan and hold each other accountable to it. If you find you are having trouble following through on your plan, there are many academic supports on campus to help with studying and academic life. For example, Science Peer Academic Coaches can help with time management and studying. If you are unsure about where to get help or meet people in the course, see the section on getting help.
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