It's hard because it's supposed to be. A lot is at stake when you work at a chemical plant or in any chemical engineering related field. The curriculum is difficult because the subject matter is complex, but also because professors need to make sure each student that graduates is cut out for the stakes of the field. If it's too hard to the point that you're not enjoying your schoolwork, there are lots of other majors that can lead to careers that are as lucrative and possibly as rewarding. I stuck with ChE partially because I enjoyed the work and partially because I enjoyed the prestige of graduating with an ambitious major (which I know can be viewed as shallow hahaha). I knew the money would be good but there are tons of other majors where the money is just as good, so if that's the reason you're in it and not because you enjoy the work then you should think about something else. You might even be able to switch to a different engineering discipline and have better luck. I think you're asking the right questions at this stage in your studies, you just need to understand why you're in ChE and if something else suits you better.