It’s the first day of school, and you walk in, eager to learn what this course that sounds so interesting has to offer, but as soon as you walk in you don’t recognize anyone in your class. You nervously sit at a corner desk, waiting anxiously for the professor to start class. As soon as the professor walks in, the noise dies down and they start taking attendance. The syllabus gets passed around and you read through it, and realize that the amount of work is intimidating. Then you skim through grading, and OH SURPRISE, participation is a big part of your grade, but you really don’t like talking in class. What to do now?

Does this sound familiar? I have personally been in this situation every semester, and still get intimidated and nervous as a Senior. It is completely normal to be intimidated when you are in a class full of Seniors and you are a Sophomore, or when your class is discussion-based and you are shy. What I have learned throughout the years is that staying in these classes, regardless of the nerves you're feeling, is the most rewarding experience and what college is all about. First impressions aren’t always right, and although some classes might make you feel anxious, they allow you to learn and push yourself in order to grow not only academically but personally.

One of the things that I have found extremely useful in order to be successful in classes that aren’t my strongest is talking to professors about my insecurities in the course. If a professor knows you are really shy, or you are not good at public speaking, they will be understanding as to why you are not speaking out more. Sometimes, they will ask you if you’d rather be called on during class to participate. There are multiple ways professors can approach these insecurities, but most likely, they will want to help you improve in those areas. Even though you might not become a public speaker in one semester, you might gain some confidence in your capability, and next time you take a discussion class, you’ll feel more comfortable.

Switching out or dropping a class simply because it's hard is not a good excuse. If you are just not interested in it then that’s a different story, but intimidating classes are the reason college is great. If there is no challenge, are you really learning? Will it be a tough semester? Well, yes, but that doesn’t mean it will be a bad one.

If I dropped out or opted for “easier” courses when I felt uncomfortable, I would not feel like I have learned or grown as much as I have. These classes are the reason why I am now hundreds of times more confident in my abilities, the quality of my work, and my contribution to class discussions.

Don’t drop out of the class that makes you nervous! Just breathe, buckle down, and take it on with full force! Trust me, it really is worth it.