Brain drain: how students deal with difficult classes

By Daniella Martinez 

Features and Entertainment Reporter 

Not every class is designed to be a breeze. Some classes are so difficult that they push students to their absolute limits. Ultimately, this leaves them scrambling to keep up with both the workload and high expectations. This pressure leads many students to have a decline in motivation.

Photo courtesy of greenhauscollegeconsulting.com

“I think Calculus is the hardest math class students can take. I don't think Calculus is the most important class to take if you aren't planning on pursuing a career involving that kind of math. The base for Calculus is important for students to learn as it has more day-to-day applications and understanding the world,” math teacher Mrs. Foote said. 

According to Mrs. Foote, calculus stands out as the most difficult subject in math. It's a course known for its complexity. According to the College Board,  around 25-30 percent of students taking their first calculus course in college fail. However, it is a great and important class for anyone pursuing a math-heavy career or wanting to understand the things going on around you and in the world. 

According to Sophomore Gerard Fleming, a class can be self-explanatory if the teacher is good at their job.  

“If the teachers are good, then any class can be easy. Essentially, better teachers, better students,” Fleming said. “Man, you just have to study anytime, anytime. It's not even like. It’s not a big thing. Just get your notes. Make sure you take notes and look at them at all times. Because everything is just memorization.”

Gerard finds that memorization is very important, taking notes and studying can help alleviate the pressure. However, he also believes that the difficulty of a class increases his motivation. 

"I'm motivated to do hard things, you know? And you should be, too; if you're not, then you shouldn't be taking a hard class.

Fellow underclassman, Estrella Santiago, gives her take on the matter from a different perspective. While she agrees with the statements made that taking notes can better prepare you for a class and motivation can be impacted depending on difficulty, she doesn't believe that the difficulty of a class positively impacts her motivation. 

"I 100 percent think the difficulty affects how much motivation I have, but because of the amount of work and how much I don't have time to do it, nor do I understand, it makes me not want to do it,” Santiago said.  

She feels that as the class gets more difficult, she will be less likely to follow through with her work. 

"The most difficult class that I have taught here is AP biology. This class is challenging for students because it is a lot of material to learn and memorize. It is also challenging because it is designed to last two class periods, and we only allow one class period for the course, along with a lot of reading, which students don't always complete,” Santiago said. 

AP biology teacher Ms. Werner explained that the class is one of the hardest classes because there is so much material to learn and memorize, and it can sometimes feel overwhelming. Ms. Werner pointed out that the course is designed to be taught across two class periods, but students only have one, which makes it much harder to really understand everything in detail.”

She went on to say that on top of that, there's a lot of reading to do, and many students find it difficult to keep up with all the assignments, especially given the time constraints. She said that when students put it all together, the sheer volume of content, the limited time, and the heavy reading load, it's no wonder many students find it so challenging to succeed in this class. 

Freshman Estrella Santigo shared her perspective on what could make her classes more manageable. 

“I wish teachers would slow down a little bit and be more organized with their schedules,” Santiago said.  

Her words sum up what many students seem to feel: that sometimes, it's not just the difficulty of the material but the pace and structure of the class that makes things harder.