Surviving as an economic major is about self-discipline. Each year of schooling contains its own set of skills to master, and they require your commitment to reviewing key concepts to succeed. The good news is that schools will define success by test scores. How you measure your level of success is up to you. Here we offer up five survival tips for economics majors. 

1. Stay Out of Your Own Way

Expect to feel burned out and drained. Economics is a complex subject, and it will take intense study sessions to get the most important concepts down. You will feel like you’re spending more time studying than anything else. All of your hard work will pay off in the end, though, especially once you ace the core theory prelims your first year. Stay out of your own way and study. If you genuinely want to succeed as an economic major, you’ll put in the necessary time and effort to get there. Your mantra should be, I will survive this. 

2. Maintain a Positive Mindset

While a degree of bitterness is inevitable, do your best to maintain a positive attitude as you progress throughout your program. It will be all the more difficult to grasp concepts if you are willful and resistant to the process. A common complaint by economic majors is that some of the material is not relevant to economics; these are there as fundamental aspects to ground your economics career around, so try to see them as such. 

3. Be Productive With Time

Rather than long study sessions, divide up your review into smaller chunks. Giving yourself breaks in-between studying will give your mind a chance to relax and better absorb the material. You will avoid exhaustion by balancing your time in this way. You might also consider subconscious programming techniques to help you retain the material even better. Record yourself stating key concepts and listen to these recordings while you sleep. Your subconscious is always listening, giving you the ability to study even more while you’re sleeping. Work smarter, not harder. To maximize your study sessions, start taking supplements for brain power.

4. Remember, You’re Not Alone.

While it is up to you alone to stay committed, it is comforting to remember that you are not alone in your pursuit of success. When feelings of inadequacy strike, remember that other students are battling the same emotions. Reminding yourself that you’re all in it together will help you maintain a sense of belonging and give you the strength to endure the process. You can apply this sense of togetherness whether you are pursuing economics undergraduate courses in USA or graduate courses in Canada. It doesn’t matter what the specifics are as long as you show up for yourself. 

5. Study in Groups

Get to know the students in your classes and set up review sessions with them. You can ask each other questions and gain insight from different people, helping you remember information in new ways. Listening and engaging with peers is an active way to learn. Humans are social creatures, so choosing to study in ways that feel natural will do you good. One group session at the end of the week is recommended. You can go over all of the material presented that week, so you don’t miss a thing. 

Surviving as an economic major is all about the strategies you implement to set yourself up for success. Self-discipline, the right mindset, and smart studying are all strategies to adopt and follow through on as you move through your course. Economics is truly mind over matter.