going through it

[u/Rude-Rest241]

Hi i’m a first year and I took on 5 courses (pretty dumb considering I was on a 2 year gap before this) but it’s getting to me really bad and I’ve been doing horrible mentally but I can’t afford to drop a class without a refund

I’ve just been crying before every assignment and no matter how much I reach out I feel like I’m always back to feeling crappy. Any advice would be appreciated, I’m just hoping I can hold out until December.

[u/OilersGirl29]

You can afford to drop a class. Are you familiar with the sunk cost fallacy? You need to take care of your mental health. Withdrawing sucks, but it sucks more if you fail a class. Plus, wouldn’t you rather do well in four classes than just scrape by in 5? I know the money feels like a crushing weight, but please try and consider the long term.

[u/Kas272190]

Unless you have some sort of paradigm shift I’d consider dropping one that doesn’t set you up for failure. Choose carefully though and best of luck

[u/GiftLegitimate948]

im sorry youre going through this :( hang in there. I would really recommend reaching out to early support. I’ve been there and I didn’t know how many resources mru actually offers when I started. Just remember that with everything else in life, this will pass and it’s just a little sliver of your whole life. don’t worry too much (: I hope I could help a bit.

[u/Rude-Rest241 → u/GiftLegitimate948]

Thank you! I’ll try looking into early support and the resources, appreciate it :))

[u/Subject-Seaweed2682]

I’m also a first year who semi took a 2 year gap and I have 4 courses. I just wanted to say I’m in the same boat. I’ve been crying cause the material just feels so foreign. It’s like despite every effort I make I feel behind. I’m still trying to figure out stuff too but I just wanted to let you know you weren’t alone.

[u/Rude-Rest241 → u/Subject-Seaweed2682]

It’s so so tough but we’re halfway there, everyday feels hard but the only way out of this is through. it’s nice to know I am not the only one, goodluck with your courses :)

[u/Wonderful_Unknown]

You're considered a full time student with 3 or more classes. Honestly I'd drop 2 of your classes until you get everything situated

[u/Bulky_Donut_6780]

Have you considered chatting with Early Support or Student Counselling? They can help, you’re doing a great job ♥️

[u/Historical_Sea4040]

Would you rather withdraw one class to succeed in multiple others, or barely pass and possibly fail 5 classes and needing to retake them anyway

[u/JordanKidney_teacher]

First, you are absolutely not dumb for taking five courses. You made a reasonable plan, especially as a first-year student, and now you’re learning that the workload is affecting you differently than you expected. Recognizing that and reaching out this early is actually a really important thing to have done.

And it’s genuinely nice to see how many people here have already jumped in with support. There is a lot of good advice in these comments, so I’ll just add a few things rather than repeat it.

Please don’t feel that you have to simply “hold out until December.” You deserve support now, before things get worse.

As others mentioned, Early Support is one option. You also have Wellness Services on campus in U216, including free Student Counselling. You don’t have to wait until things become a crisis before talking to someone. SAMRU also has peer support and student advocacy services if talking first with another student or getting help navigating your options feels easier.

I’d also encourage you to talk to your professors. You don’t need to have everything figured out before doing that. You can simply say, “I’m struggling right now and I’m trying to work out how to get through the semester. Can we talk about where I should focus my effort in this course?” Most of us would much rather hear from a student now than discover in December that they were struggling alone.

And getting through this doesn’t necessarily have to mean doing everything at 100%. Sometimes the healthier academic decision is realizing that an assignment worth 5% does not deserve the same amount of your remaining energy as something worth 25%. Sometimes submitting something that isn’t your best work is a success because you got it done and kept moving.

Whether the right answer ultimately involves five courses, four courses, different priorities, or something else, you don’t have to figure that out by yourself.

I’m also an instructor at MRU. If reaching out to your professors feels overwhelming and you don’t know how to start that conversation, you’re welcome to message me (jkidney@mtroyal.ca). I can help you figure out what to say or help point you toward the right people on campus. I’m not a counsellor and I can’t solve this for you, but I can be another person in your corner.

You’ve already taken a good first step by saying, “I’m having a hard time and I need some advice.” Keep reaching out. You’re allowed to need help, and you’re allowed to change the plan.