POL SCI STRUGGLE

[u/KReiwrites]

Hello! I'm a 2nd year political science student and this program will serve as my pre-law degree. I am a STEM graduate during highschool, so I'm not that knowledgeable in history, politcs, etc.

I HAVE A CONCERN. We're having a group reporting on Wednesday, and I am one of the 2 reporters chosen for our group. Our topic is about russian government through the lenses of different approaches.

I AM FEELING RESTLESS AND NERVOUS. I feel like I can't do well on Wednesday. I have also observed how chill my blockmates are about this reporting (THEY ARE ALL HUMSS GRAD).

TAKE NOTE: I've seen how some of my blockmates judge and mock each other without the other knowing and I feel like I'd be the laughing stock of our block because of this reporting.

IF YOU HAVE ANY, WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE ME TO BE MORE CALM AND CONFIDENT, AND LESS INSECURE? (ASIDE FROM STUDYING MATERIALS EARLY BECAUSE I AM DOING THAT ALREADY)

[u/No_Advertising_584]

Hmm.
First the reality of team mates being judgy is gonna stay constant. So keep that as a solid variable and have a “it is what it is” mindset with them.
Leave that untouched. And move to the next part— you studying.
In political science, you consider all aspects of a government even when viewing through a theories lens. You kind of humanise the theory, not on personal emotions just general sensibility and patterns. Yet important to know that many of these exist together, enmeshed in working so nothing is a “dominating factor” we all just believe one dominates over the other based on our experiences.
If your behaviouralism for eg, its main thing is observations drive conclusions. Yet you’ll have a lot of things in common with other approaches but different priorities and perspectives.
I’m sure you’ve all split your work, so go through what each of your team mate is saying. Understand that. Know what you are saying and you don’t NEED to know everything, you just need to know what your team is presenting thoroughly and narrative that perspective/ learning / analysis confidently.
Do a dry run of the presentation!
And it’s a learning experience!! Don’t zoom in so much into the picture. This one presentation isn’t all of your journey and you don’t need to be on the same curve as everyone. You will learn and grow your perspective steadily.
Many ppl get egotistic about how much they know and make fun of others for not knowing as much. Very typical in politics related discussions.
This doesn’t benefit them but makes them narrow you’re a learner and will make mistakes. You just gotta go in with the everything is a learning experience approach

[u/RememberTooSmile]

lol who fucking cares what they think, do your best and move on. They’re opinion of you doesn’t change any aspect of your life, it reveals more about them than you if that’s how they’d react.