Is it just me or are the lecturers too fast to even ask questions? It’s definitely not just you. I used to sit in class wondering if everyone else had superpowers — the way some lecturers flew through topics like they were in a race, barely breathing between sentences. Meanwhile, I was still trying to find the page in my notes or digest the last formula before they were already five slides ahead. Asking a question? Impossible. I struggled with this so much in first year, I almost convinced myself I wasn’t smart enough for university. But it wasn’t a “me” problem. It was a pace problem. Let me walk you through how this affected me, and what I’ve learned since — because trust me, you’re not the only one feeling this. First Year: The Silent Panic When I first got to campus, I was excited to finally learn “real stuff.” But from the very first lecture, I realized that university teaching isn’t like high school.

Is it just me or are the lecturers too fast to even ask questions? It’s definitely not just you. I used to sit in class wondering if everyone else had superpowers — the way some lecturers flew through topics like they were in a race, barely breathing between sentences. Meanwhile, I was still trying to find the page in my notes or digest the last formula before they were already five slides ahead. Asking a question? Impossible. I struggled with this so much in first year, I almost convinced myself I wasn’t smart enough for university. But it wasn’t a “me” problem. It was a pace problem. Let me walk you through how this affected me, and what I’ve learned since — because trust me, you’re not the only one feeling this. First Year: The Silent Panic When I first got to campus, I was excited to finally learn “real stuff.” But from the very first lecture, I realized that university teaching isn’t like high school.