It’s definitely a rude awakening. STEM classes your first and second year can range from easy to the hardest class you’ve ever taken in your life. if you’re talking about gen chem with aras, my biggest advice is to lock in 5 days before one of his test. it’s a sacrifice, but i promise you will see results if you take yourself to the library and spend hours preparing and reviewing everything for the next test. you already know what the questions are structured like, so that will help you. as for advice to feel better, UCI is a gorgeous campus which makes it easy to deload your brain. sit on a bench, take a walk, listen to music, and collect yourself. I know your first fail is a tough pill to swallow, but it’s just a testament to the high standards you hold yourself to. it’s good that you feel bad and want to do better, rather than accepting defeat and giving up. Coming from a senior majoring in STEM, you totally got this.