calculus will be the death of me

[secretariat]

I HATE IT GRAHHHHHH
im going to fail the class at this rate and studying has never been my strong suit :(

if anyone here is good at math, any tips? or does anyone share my aversion towards calc?

 

[sserafim]

I took Calc 1 in college and got an A-. That's the only math class I ever took, apart from a philosophy of science class that counted as math for some reason lol

 

[secretariat]

I took Calc 1 in college and got an A-. That's the only math class I ever took, apart from a philosophy of science class that counted as math for some reason lol

aghhhh how?? i always have trouble paying attention in class and my prof is kinda scary.

 

[sserafim]

aghhhh how?? i always have trouble paying attention in class and my prof is kinda scary.

I honestly don't know lol. Probably because I always went to office hours

 

[secretariat]

yeah ive been told to go to office hours and tutoring but social anxiety has got me stuck!!

really impressive of u tho. congrats on the A!

 

[DizzyFolfy]

I tried memorizing the formulas by humming it into a song. I'm sure there are better ways of learning, but it works to cram in that last bit of information before a test.

I was afraid to talk in class, especially calculus, so I never asked questions if I missed something. There's always youtube videos explaining something that you can replay over and over :3

Also those little online study rooms... can surprisingly help.

 

[secretariat]

hm maybe i should try that!

the word problems are especially hard bc its more comprehension based

thanks :3

 

[LaVieEnRose]

Use khan academy or kristakingmath.

 

[secretariat]

ive tried khan academy but doesnt stick for me.

ill try kristakingmath (sprinkling in some organic chemistry tutor) thanks!

 

[thenamingofcats]

I'm really interested in math but lack the discipline to learn it. When I was kind of trying I used The Math Sorcerer on Youtube and found his videos to be really good.

 

[Aergia]

I took Calc 1-3 and did okay (but probably only because my professors typically didn't make the tests/exams too hard). Idk how much I actually retained lol.

I can recommend resources that aid with comprehension* but passive learning isn't going to help all that much with getting a good grade in a math class. You need to consistently practice problems (ones issued by your professor/found in your textbook).

I've found having study sessions with a friend, even over a video call, can help create a sense of accountability and help prevent you from getting distracted. If you can't/don't want to to do that, like someone suggested, there are online study rooms that serve the same purpose (with audio-only options if you're uncomfortable enabling video).

*A lot of people I knew used Prof Leonard's lectures. There's also this 3Blue1Brown course that helps provide an intuitive understanding of the subject. I generally prefer textbooks and if you do too I'd suggest trying a couple of different ones (if your prescribed textbook doesn't work for you). Also, this isn't calculus-specific but A Mind for Numbers is a good book on techniques to learn math/science efficiently.

 

[LaVieEnRose]

ive tried khan academy but doesnt stick for me.

ill try kristakingmath (sprinkling in some organic chemistry tutor) thanks!

You need to practice and do lots of exercises. Really understand what it is you're doing each step of solving the problem and why you're doing it.

 

[NeedAnEscape]

I got Bs in Calc 1 and Calc 2. Usually, I would just need to study the material diligently from the start to the end of the unit. I would look over old notes and resources and do a bunch of practice problems. It's also helpful to understand why / how formulas are constructed, to help boost further understanding. Online videos are also great, since you can rewind and keep working to understand concepts at your own pace.

 

[DeadKennedy]

I HATE IT GRAHHHHHH
im going to fail the class at this rate and studying has never been my strong suit :(

if anyone here is good at math, any tips? or does anyone share my aversion towards calc?

haha im actually in a very similar situation lol. im like 2% away from failing calc

 

[secretariat]

wahhh thanks for everyones suggestions; feeling more motivated to study now!

haha im actually in a very similar situation lol. im like 2% away from failing calc

we're in this together then! you can do it!! good luck to us both :)

 

[damyon]

It depends on your goal, your style of learning, and how much time you have.

If you just want to pass and/or do not have too much time, you can try cutting corners and memorizing some of the stuff you do not understand.
If you see that one particular concept is used in many places, then try to understand it in details.


Some people learn by doing better. You can try to solve as many problems as you can. If it is a theory-based exam, then you can also recall theoretical concepts when you are solving problems, or you can resort to rote learning.


Some people learn better by studying from top to bottom (like NeedAnEscape noted in this thread). So you can do that if it helps.


~~~
Graduated with Distinction in t1 college (Math/CS Department)

I don't see math as the ultimate goal but rather as a tool. I've never been passionate about it otherwise. So you can definitely pass if you put in the effort (and if calculus is not something you enjoy doing naturally)

 

[dogbreath]

Good luck with calc I passed with a C somehow, but calc made me genuinely want to jump out the window in my dorm. Would start to think "oh wait I think I get it!" And then I had to take a test and no, no I never did get it. Am a stem major too and I had more fun taking organic chemistry than calc,,but yah, good luck and hope you do pass!!!

 

[7seppuku]

I HATE IT GRAHHHHHH
im going to fail the class at this rate and studying has never been my strong suit :(

if anyone here is good at math, any tips? or does anyone share my aversion towards calc?

Hey im in a maths major you can ask me precise questions if you want.

 

[secretariat]

i havent been active on this site for a while but i wanted to update ygs bc i passed calc with an A! thanks for all the advice; ygs are all very sweet and i appreciate it sm!

ill struggle in my math again next semester but until then, ill take the feeling of relief lol