First off... welcome to "Surviving AP Euro". For many of you AP European History will be your first Advanced Placement class. It can be nerve racking to begin a class when you have no idea what to expect... especially an AP class. I also want to congratulate you for being accepted (and accepting the challenge) to take the class. It was probably a tough choice whether or not to take AP Euro keeping in mind that dropping the class is no longer an option due to budget restraints along with hearing all the rumors about the class.
Now unfortunately most of the rumors are true. For me, AP European History was one of the most THE MOST dreadful and depressing class I have taken. The earliest I would usually get to sleep was around 10PM and during swim season sometime usually around midnight. I've been up as late as 5AM doing my Euro homework and have pulled a few all nighters (not because of procrastination either). Now I'm not saying everyone stays up that late... but history does not come naturally to me and I have to put in the extra work to do well in the class. For some people it comes more natural, but hard work will be required either way. I would look forward to the weekends where I could catch up on some of my sleep missed during the week. Please keep in mind I took AP Euro in addition to 3 Honors classes... which I could probably write another whole page on how "fun" Honors English and "The Grapes of Wrath" are. It is difficult for most people to have a social life while taking AP Euro; especially those involved in sports in which a social life is almost nonexistent. Everyone is different and sometimes sacrifices have to be made.
Regretting taking the class now?... well don't. The benefits of the class are great. You will know everything from the names of the six wives of Henry VIII to Tyco Brahe's metal nose (... and his drunk pet moose that died falling down the stairs). You will also learn words that you thought never even existed such as defenestration. In addition to the incredible knowledge learned from the class, 10 points will be added to your final class grade and onto your final Global History Regents Exam (which yes you have to take too). Furthermore, you may receive college credit depending on your final score on the AP Exam and college in which you decide to attend. AP Euro will also prepare you for other AP classes you decide to take in the future of your high school career (which by the way I have heard, and based on experience, that AP Euro is the hardest AP class... so if you can get through it, you can get through any of them). Lastly, AP Euro will shape you as a person. You will learn how to budget your time better and set your priorities so that you get things done in the most efficient manner possible. Oh!... and of course: You get the bragging rights about taking and surviving AP Euro.
So why did I create "Surviving AP Euro"? Because I was initially asked by a few people if they could have my notes. After a year of being posted on the internet, "Surviving AP Euro" has reached the top of Google search results and continues to be used by an ever increasing amount of students from across the country (100+ pageviews/day). Some people think the idea of me giving my notes to others is absolutely insane and that they should do the work on their own. However, I'm a firm believer that work should always be progressive. What's the sense in taking your own notes when someone else already has? Why reinvent the wheel? I'm not saying you have to use my notes because some people prefer to take their own since that is what works for them...that's what works for me. In fact, some people (a rare few) don't take any notes and manage to do well in the class...I don't suggest this though unless you are a complete history genius. But for those wanting to use my notes... by all means use them because I sure won't be using them anytime soon. I hope "Surviving AP Euro" will be useful to you.
