To succeed in this course, I strongly recommend that you:
Complete the guided notes while watching the videos
Pause the videos and actively think through each step before I share my thought process
Write down questions and ask classmates, tutors, or your instructor
Complete all practice problems before checking the solutions
When you get a question wrong, do not immediately move on to a new version or a new topic entirely. Instead, fix your mistake and do that exact problem over again. It is better to understand one version fully then partially understand many versions
Create a personal notes sheet with ideas you think you may forget later
This will streamline your review process. Instead of having to look through EVERYTHING, you will only need to look at your note sheet to have a reminder of what you struggle with
Start over
People have a fear of starting over and it prevents them from truly understanding the details. Have you ever rewatched a movie or a show and noticed things the second time through that you didn't see the first time? I sure hope so! Most of us need to see something more than once before it clicks. Do not be afraid of going back to the video, back to writing notes, and back to working out old problems
Stay patient with yourself and trust the process of improvement through practice
Mathematics is a skill, much like learning an instrument, playing a sport, or getting in shape. You cannot learn it passively. You have to actively practice it yourself. The good news is that math almost always becomes easier with consistent effort. The beginning can feel difficult because everything is new, but once you build momentum and start recognizing patterns, concepts that once felt impossible begin to feel natural.
One of the biggest mistakes students make is believing that struggling means they are “bad at math.” In reality, struggling usually means your brain is doing exactly what it is supposed to be doing: growing. Not knowing how to do something can feel uncomfortable and sometimes even frustrating, but it should also be exciting. Learning new things is one of the best parts of life! Everyone nowadays is thirsty for new content, why not let that content provide lifelong benefits? Will it be uncomfortable at times? YES! But as a wise football coach turned futball coach from the midwest once said, "taking on a challenge is like riding a horse. If you're comfortable while you're doing it, you're probably doing it wrong."
If you still are not convinced that struggle can be a good thing, Arnold Schwarzenegger once said, “strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.” This idea applies to mathematics surprisingly well. The moments where you feel stuck, confused, or challenged are often the moments where the most learning is happening. Every difficult problem you work through strengthens your understanding and builds confidence for future challenges.
I try to set you up for success; the guided notes and videos are designed to give you the tools you need to succeed, but real understanding comes from using those tools yourself. Think of it like owning exercise equipment. Someone can buy you a treadmill, but progress only happens when you actually use it.
One of the most important things to remember is that you do not need to learn everything alone. Ask questions. Ask questions to your classmates. Ask questions to tutors. And of course, ask questions to your instructor when something is not clicking. Sometimes hearing an explanation a different way or working through a problem with another person can completely change your understanding. Mathematics becomes much easier when you stay connected and communicate with the people around you. As do most of life's challenges.
I wish you the best of luck in your journey. Always remember, if it were easy, everyone would do it. One last quote for you, from the legendary bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman, "Everybody wanna be a bodybuilder, but ain't nobody wanna no lift no heavy {expletive} weight!"