Incoming freshmen, please select classes that are right for YOU!
I just finished my first year at Duke, and one of my biggest regrets was letting my ego cloud my judgment when choosing classes.
I remember sitting in CHEM101 during my first semester and realizing I was completely in over my head (I hadn’t taken chemistry since sophomore year of high school). But during drop/add, I refused to switch out because all my friends were in the class, and I felt like they would think I was stupid if I did (not true at all btw). I ended up failing the first midterm and eventually had to withdraw, so now I have a W on my transcript that could’ve been completely avoided if I had just taken CHEM99 instead.
The same thing happened second semester with MATH111. Math has never been my strongest subject, but I convinced myself I had to take the “harder” class like everyone else. I spent almost every weekend studying just to keep up, when I could’ve taken MATH105 and 106 instead, both of which are P/F, and probably had a much healthier and more enjoyable experience.
All of this is to say: you’re already at Duke. You don’t need to prove yourself to anyone. It’s far more important to take classes that are actually at your level so you can genuinely learn, grow, and enjoy the material instead of constantly stressing yourself out trying to keep up.
Wishing you all the best!