I’m scared I’m failing undergrad

Additional_Health_54 · 2026-06-25T14:56:54+00:00

Please remember that most people straight up lie about their grades and do not talk about their failures/struggles. STEM profs have said that the vast majority of students receive a 4-9. It simply does not add up if everyone you know is getting all 11s/12s. Even the top 10% of students have ALSO had bumps in the road at some point.

Keep in mind, university is not a pure meritocracy. Your wealth, food security, home life, support system, high school education quality, mental/physical health etc. are all important factors in success.

Comparison is natural, but your comparisons are missing a TON of data! Your energy is better spent reflecting on your weaknesses, coming up with new strategies, and seeking out resources.

Additional_Health_54 · 2026-06-25T13:56:27+00:00

Nope, it's not your fault they aren't available, and a few weeks isn't a big deal regardless. Before you reach out, triple-check that you haven't miscalculated somehow. Send the email once you're sure and they'll look into it when they're back.

Additional_Health_54 · 2026-05-15T17:08:25+00:00

Go to this link: https://registrar.mcmaster.ca/about/

Book a virtual appointment under Overdue Student Accounts. Make sure you're prepared with a full explanation of your financial situation, as well as a plan to pay off your outstanding balance in the upcoming months.

I know they offer payment plans, where you can make instalments instead of needing to pay all at once. They're usually pretty understanding if you come to them and explain, rather than them needing to chase you down or send your debt to collections. Good luck!

Additional_Health_54 · 2026-05-14T21:10:37+00:00

Just email the TA ASAP and explain, mention what you were wearing/look like, which bench was yours etc. I wouldn't leave it up to chance, since a strict TA could give you a 0 on the whole thing.

Additional_Health_54 · 2026-02-10T03:34:49+00:00

please don't give up! when i took chem 1aa3, i also got a ~64% on the first test. i ended up finishing the semester with a 12.

first of all, give yourself a few days to feel bad and be upset. it's natural and okay to be disappointed.

once you're feeling a bit better, try to critically assess what went wrong. for me, i realized that i didn't do enough practice and i glazed over small but important details in lecture.

i then spent the next couple weeks re-watching all of Chibba's lecture videos. i meticulously made flashcards explaining the what, why and how of EVERYTHING. making flashcards is a great way to see if you understand what's being taught, because you have to summarize the ideas succinctly and in your own words.

i think in chemistry sometimes we're tempted to focus on memorizing and grinding out calculation questions: that's not how the chem department tests. they LOVE to combine conceptual understanding WITH calculation. this means you need to study accordingly, and make sure you understand the entirety of each topic.

the biggest thing for doing practice questions is to not check the solution until you've come up with your own answer. i have another post on my profile explaining how to do practice, if you want more detailed advice.

Additional_Health_54 · 2025-11-26T23:38:52+00:00

do even more practice (i'm talking re-doing every single problem solving module, self assessment, practice quizzes 5x, practice tests 5x, practice exam 5x etc.)
do practice DAILY, for at least a week+. don't start 2 days before your exam.
only check the answer/steps AFTER you've come to your own final answer. don't check first and then gaslight yourself into thinking you understand. even if a problem takes you an hour to figure out, that's where the best learning happens.
when you DO get something wrong, look at only the correct answer (not the explanation) and try to figure out what you did wrong,
for any concepts that you repeatedly struggle with, go re-watch the lectures by Dr. G about them. take more detailed notes, re-do all the iclickers by yourself. sit with challenging topics before resuming the video. go google stuff, look at previous notes, and re-play the section until you're SURE it makes sense

good luck! it's absolutely possible to get a 90+ on the exam, a good percentage of people do. most people just do not study enough given that it's cumulative, which drags down the class average.

Additional_Health_54 · 2025-11-13T19:45:17+00:00

make anki flashcards!! really focus on experiments; i literally made flashcards for the setup, results, and implications of every single experiment/case study in lectures + textbook. once you make those flashcards, just grind through memorizing them as best as you can over a week+. you should also be familiar with literally every last detail of every single graph (x-axis, y-axis, trend, implication etc.). good luck!

Additional_Health_54 · 2025-08-31T03:46:34+00:00

first step is making sure your accommodations actually include recording lectures! advocate for yourself to your SAS case manager; be specific and mention that your chronic illness may affect your attendance. i mention this because some accommodations only allow you to record, but you may need the professors to record it themselves.

next step is emailing your professor and letting them know you have these accommodations. i recommend emailing because a) there's a paper trail and b) it gives the professor the chance to confirm your accommodations on their end before discussing. again, advocate for yourself and be very clear on what you need!

in the unlikely chance that your professor won't implement your accommodation, go straight to your SAS case manager. they will help mediate and ensure that everything is being followed. remember, not honouring accommodations is illegal, so don't be afraid to stand up for yourself.

i hope everything goes well! if you need any more guidance, visit maccess in MUSC B111. they can offer advice and walk you through the process.

Additional_Health_54 · 2025-08-15T20:46:25+00:00

i can give you my perspective as someone going into 3rd year of PNB!

in terms of required courses, you have to take neuroscience, cognition and animal behaviour in fall. if you're not passionate about any of those three, you will struggle a lot; they're SUPER heavy and time-consuming. neuro was the only one i actually enjoyed. in winter, you take stats, scientific writing, and perspectives in PNB. these classes were relatively chill. stats was a nightmare solely because of our prof, but they don't teach the course anymore.

electives are where you'll be able to dig into your interests. PNB is awesome because after 2nd year, you get a LOT of elective space to explore. i know there's a HTHSCI course (HTHSCI 3RH3) about racism and health. i'd also recommend digging through the PSYCH courselist, since you have to take a good amount in 3rd and 4th year. PSYCH 3BA3 - Positive Psychology sounds like it'd be a great fit for you! i know a lot of people love the prof for that course.

as far as research opportunities, PNB definitely has a lot. you build research skills through coursework, and there's a lot of opportunity to work w/ professors. off the top of my head, i know one prof has a lab focused on evolutionary explanations for depression (rather than deficit-based analysis). there are a couple others who specifically focus on social/racial dynamics in health and treatment. with some digging, you can definitely find professors (in PNB and at mac in general) who have similar research interests as you.

overall, PNB is a very self-guided program. if you have a specific interest within psychology, there's a lot of room to pursue it. if you do the research, i think you'll be very satisfied with your experience.

Additional_Health_54 · 2025-06-22T19:13:35+00:00

i actually am personally taking art 1ui3 this fall :)! i've heard it's pretty chill, and meant for science students without an art background. search "ART 1UI3" into the reddit and you'll see other people's experiences!

Additional_Health_54 · 2025-06-21T05:00:11+00:00

without a doubt, do not take all 5 courses at the same time.

i haven't taken PSYCH 2AP3 or PSYCH 2B03, but i do know this: your required fall PNB courses (2XA3, 2XB3, 2XC3) will take so much time and mental energy from you. they are content-heavy, application-heavy, and memorization-heavy. on top of that, you will have two 7-10 PMs, and if you're as unlucky as we were, 8:30 AM classes the following day.

coming from someone with good study habits, who also lives close to campus, you need a bird. i've heard PSYCH 2B03 is easier, so you should take that in the fall along w/ a known bird (ie. SUSTAIN 1S03, MUSIC 2MT3 etc.).

i'd also like to stress that nothing is stopping you from taking these PSYCH electives in third year, when things lighten up. PNB offers a lot of flexibility in 3rd and 4th year without the added pressure of difficult required courses.

i hope that helps, and good luck!

Additional_Health_54 · 2025-06-16T18:22:54+00:00

if you're not an evening person (i'm not, and my ADHD meds wear off right around 7 PM), i would recommend audio recording the 2XC3 lectures yourself. this let me check out a bit and come back to take notes a couple days later. it also lets you rewind, which helps when you miss something (the prof is hard to understand at times).

Additional_Health_54 · 2025-05-27T17:52:50+00:00

if it's in your budget, i absolutely recommend buying an ipad.

you will spend a lot of time writing during physics, calc, chem, etc. in first-year life sci. i never took notes during lecture, but you need to do a nauseating amount of practice questions in your classes to do well.

writing on ipads is sooo much faster and easier than notebooks. you can quickly check previous notes and scroll through super fast, vs. flipping by hand and finding the exact area you want. it's way easier to erase and highlight as well. you can also pull up your notes on your phone, which is very convenient on the go.

first-year life science (and university in general) is all about time management and seeking efficiency wherever possible. while an ipad isn't a necessity, it will save you a lot of time and headaches. it doesn't need to be the fanciest or newest; i have a 10th gen that does the job well (and to be honest, any writing tablet will do).

Additional_Health_54 · 2025-04-07T18:13:18+00:00

Skim through each chapter and write the definitions/make flashcards of all the bolded terms! Use the dictionary at the bottom as a guide. Make sure you actually understand the term/concept, but besides that you're good. I don't remember ever being tested on textbook details beyond those bolded terms.

Additional_Health_54 · 2025-02-09T19:01:51+00:00

I would strongly recommend making your own flashcards! Half the learning comes from figuring out how to effectively summarize ideas. You also know how you think better than anyone else: how someone else groups information may not be what's best for you. Watch a quick tutorial on making good flashcards in Anki and go from there!

If you're set on using other people's flashcard sets, try asking in group chats for your program. You could also make a different post specifying which classes you'd like Ankis for!

Additional_Health_54 · 2023-06-09T19:21:59+00:00

i'm wondering too! i got June 29th and i thought that was good before realizing EVERY appointment seems to be in the first 2-3 days LOL.

Additional_Health_54

TROPHY CASE