How To Deal With Academic Setbacks in College
Whether you’re here because of a failed exam, a missed deadline, a disappointing grade, or simply seeking guidance for future setbacks like these, I’m here to help.
First, I want you to breathe and know that setbacks are a universal part of life, especially in college, where academics, part-time jobs, social life and relationships can be challenging to juggle.
Yes, even the straight-A student in your class has had their share of setbacks, which is entirely okay. I’ve seen many students (myself included) who initially struggled but eventually thrived, and you can too.
Rest assured, you’re not alone in this journey. I’m here to provide practical steps to navigate this situation and support you every step of the way.
1. CHANGE YOUR MINDSET
Our mindset plays a significant role in how we see things, deal with situations and react to the environment around us. Seeing this setback as not the end of the world can make a big difference in how you can move past it and emerge as a better person. The first thing to realize is that if you failed (received a bad grade or whatever you categorize as failure), it DOES NOT mean you are a failure.
This affirmation is VERY IMPORTANT because if you consider yourself a failure, it can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Embracing a growth mindset is not just about seeing setbacks as opportunities for growth but also as a natural part of the learning process. It’s about understanding that these setbacks are temporary obstacles to success and do not define you. This mindset empowers you to focus on improving rather than dwelling on failure, and it’s a powerful tool for your personal growth.
Now that you feel motivated and ready to face this head-on, we can implement the second step: reflect on the setback and learn from it.
2. REFLECT ON THE SETBACK AND LEARN FROM IT
Reflection is a crucial part of the process, as it allows you to understand what went wrong and how to avoid similar situations. Simply put, reflection is the key to the growth you want to achieve in this situation.
It would be wrong to see this as an opportunity for growth but not implement any step that increases your chances of doing so.
To carry out reflection, you need to ask yourself three things;
i. What did I do wrong?
ii. what could I have done better?
iii. what must I do to ensure this does not happen again?
Asking yourself these three crucial questions ensures you know what to do and avoid. Perhaps you did not pay attention in class, did not manage your time effectively, did not seek timely help from your colleagues or professors, did not understand what the class was about, or did not care. One of these or other reasons could have been why this happened, and realizing this will help you understand the necessary changes you need to make.
I have already answered those three questions, and I still don’t know the problem. What should I do? That’s where the third step comes in.
3. SEEK TIMELY HELP
It’s entirely okay not to know what the problem is, but what’s not okay is not seeking timely help when you know that’s what you need.
Now, you might be wondering why I emphasized “timely.”. That’s because when you seek help after failing the entire class or semester while ignoring all the red flags or checking points that indicated that you might not be able to do this on your own, this help might not do much compared to asking for help from your course mates, professors, outside school or even online while taking heed to the red flags on time; this could have done much to save you from failing the class.
If you realize after reflecting that you don’t know what is wrong or need assistance (of whatever sort), please seek timely help by talking to your coursemates, professors, academic advisors or healthcare professionals. By seeking timely help, you ensure you are much closer to success.
Remember, there’s no shame in asking for help, and it’s a sign of strength, not weakness.
It is also helpful to know that resources are available to help you. I have experienced setbacks (and still do), and I keep realizing that there are many more resources at school to help me than I think there are.
In light of this, if you need help, ALWAYS go to your school registrar’s office or wherever you get information about what kinds of resources might be available to help you in this situation, and you’ll soon realize that YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
Now, you have positioned your mindset for growth, asked yourself the three essential questions and sought timely help (if needed). What is the last critical step you must take?
4. SET SMART GOALS
This final step helps to cement the progress you’ve made in the above four steps.
SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely. Your goals should be SMART to ensure you can secure yourself from recurring failures.
Let’s do a quick explanation of this acronym.
The goal should be specific; that is, you should narrow down your goal and make it very specific or targeted. Use numbers or precise terms to ensure maximum results. For example, if your goal is to work on your timeliness to ensure you never miss a deadline, say, “My goal is to hand in all my papers twenty-four hours before the deadline.” DO NOT SAY, “My goal is to hand in all my papers early.” Do you see the difference? (Yes, you do!😁)
Your goal should be measurable. That is, you should be able to track how well you are meeting the goal. Both your goal and your progress should be measurable. This can be done through self-reflection, seeking feedback, or other means.
The goal should be attainable; this means you should be realistic and set a goal you can achieve. For example, you failed 25% of course components out of 100%. Do not aim to score 80% in this class because this goal is NOT ATTAINABLE!
The goal should be relevant and align with the problem you are trying to solve. Do not aim to make five more friends to party with when you struggle to cut back on the time you spend partying. The goal aligns differently from the problem you are trying to solve.
Lastly, the goal should be timely; it should be time-based. You should set a deadline to attain this goal. For example, your goal should be “I want to have a 3.0 GPA by the end of my second year second semester”. Having a deadline brings you closer to achieving your goals.
To summarize everything,
1. Failure is not the end of the world; everyone experiences it.
2. You should adopt a positive mindset after failing because that prepares you for growth and allows you to maximize the benefits of the steps needed to overcome the setback.
3. After adopting a positive mindset, practice self-reflection.
4. Seek timely help if needed.
5. Set SMART goals.
After implementing all these, you’ll be closer to achieving and bouncing back to success.
Remember that dwelling on failure or past mistakes won’t solve the problem, but taking action will!
Thank you for reading, and please share other helpful tips in the comments!
