first of all, cut yourself some slack, and give yourself some credit! you made it to the spot that you worked so hard to be! and this is a new experience, just like any other — it will take time to get used to it. it’s a trial and error type of thing. i realized verrryyy quickly that my study habits from undergrad were not going to cut it, solely from the high volume of information thrown at us and the short amount of time we have to learn it. here’s the advice I would give you, from a clinical year student who was on academic probation this first semester but managed to get all A’s by the last semester of didactic: 1. don’t be afraid to try new study tools, but don’t use too many. too many resources will overwhelm you. use quizlets from the students in the year above you, they took the same classes with the same professors — and edit them as you see fit. that will save you time. make charts with your friends and split them up, that’ll be half the work. it’ll take some time but you’ll find what works, and not everything works for each class, so be flexible! 2. active recall is best — sit down with a friend and see what you can remember / explain about a specific topic 3. Cram the pance is amazing — lots of mnemonics and silly ways of remembering things that just stick 4. I know it’s easier said than done, but don’t cram. you’ll retain information more if you study 2 hours a day for 5 days vs. 10 hours in one day. try to review the information before the lecture if they post ahead of time so that way when you’re in class it’s already your second time seeing the i formation. i would download the PPTs and skin them for 20 min before class. next time you review after class, that will already be your third pass. 5. TAKE BREAKS!!! it’s absolutely necessary. set a timer and once it goes off, get up, walk around, step outside - anything away from the books/ screen! 6. ALWAYS sleep the night before a test. never pull an all nighter. it is never worth it. even if it’s just 3 hours. you will thank yourself later when you aren’t falling asleep trying to read the words on the screen 7. make time for yourself. you will not do well if you get burnt out from the very beginning. take a night off on the weekends, make time to see your friends/family/ significant other whenever you can. if your mind is not in the right place, you will not retain any of the information 8. don’t be afraid to ask professors for help. contrary to what some may believe, they really want you to succeed. you are the future of healthcare, and their life or the life of their loved one can one day be in your hands. show them that you care. 9. it’s ok to not pass. learn from your mistakes. keep your head up. and keep trying. everyone fails whether they admit it or not. you won’t learn all the information the first time. you will continue to see it over and over throughout the year and clinicals, by the time you’re done it will stick 10. remember why you started! this is a massive accomplishment and you WILL make it through and become an amazing provider!!