Prior to this school year, I was a 4.0 student and what I was learning came pretty easily to me. I liked school and was able to focus on the learning experience while developing my love for STEM because I didn’t have to worry too much about my grades. My goal is to become a Bio Medical Engineer so being successful in STEM courses is important to me. This school year has been a different experience. My Chemistry class has been very challenging and sometimes discouraging. I haven’t been able to keep a 4.0, and there have been moments when I have questioned if I can be successful with my STEM goals because of this one class. However, my career and educational goals are strong, so I’ve been thinking about how I overcome what feels like a setback and not let it deter me from my goals.
For various reasons, some students are quick to abandon their STEM pursuits and goals when they get discouraged or feel unsuccessful. I want to share some of the discoveries I’ve made that have helped me change my perspective and I hope will help others persist when they run into obstacles or face barriers.
Remind yourself that your results in one class doesn’t define your future.
Meet with your teacher and express what you are feeling. Ask him or her to give you some guidance and help about how you can be successful in their class and share what is difficult for you. See your teacher as a partner in your learning and do your best to understand your teacher and their teaching style. We all learn differently and you may not connect with your teacher like you might with other teachers and that’s okay.
Write down your long-term STEM goal and put it in your folder or somewhere you can see it often. That will help you stay focused on the long-term and give you the motivation to continue on when things are tough.
When you don’t do as well as you would like or make a mistake, remind yourself that it’s impossible to be perfect all the time and it’s okay to make mistakes. In fact, often times we learn more from our mistakes or when we are less successful.
Be patient with yourself. Sometimes it takes a little bit of time to get comfortable in a new class or with some topics. Experiment with how you approach studying because you may have to study differently than how you have in the past.
Share what you are feeling with a parent or trusted adult. They will be able to help you find ways to work through your frustration and concerns. There are people on your side who want to support you, even if it doesn’t feel like it.
As a STEM student, keep looking forward to the future. It takes guts to dream big dreams, so avoid letting obstacles or mistakes to hold you back. Continue learning something new every day and believe in yourself. As you follow your heart and your dreams you will find success.
I’d love to hear from you. Share your ideas and experiences in the comments below.
Bright Futures Begin With STEM 