
She’s Smart… So Why Is College Studying So Hard?
A Blog for College Girls (and the Moms Who Love Them)
by Suzanne Hanna, Ed.S. | Life Coach for College Girls
College freedom is the greatest feeling ever.
That I-get-to-make-my-own-decisions-feeling.
That wait-you-mean-I-can-do-whatever-I-want-feeling?
It’s so fun. So exciting. So new.
Until it isn’t.
Until you’re back in your dorm, the door closes, the room gets quiet…
and suddenly you remember the 7 gazillion things you need to do.
You know you need to study.
You want to do well.
You swear you’re going to get your life together.
But you have no idea where to start.
And sweet girl, that miserable, lost feeling?
It is so normal.
For the Moms Reading This
Your daughter is so smart.
Brilliant. Capable. A former straight-A high achiever who makes you proud every time she walks in the room.
And now she’s telling you:
“Mom, I’m so overwhelmed. I don’t know how to study.”
You see the stress on her face.
You hear the fatigue in her voice.
And your mom-heart starts doing that thing we do: the worrying, the wondering, the wishing you could just fix it for her.
What I know for sure that brings everyone a sigh of relief:
It’s not her fault. And it has nothing to do with how smart she is.
Studying in college is a completely different ballgame, and no one ever taught her how to do it.
I know this world well (as a mom, a former English teacher, high school assistant principal, instructional facilitator, and someone who literally taught teachers how to teach).
I’ve spent 25+ years helping students learn how to learn.
And that’s why I created something for your daughters.
Why Is Starting the Hardest Part?
One of my clients said it best:
“Suzanne, this whole free will thing is getting to me.”
(Still the greatest coaching quote of all time.)
Making your own decisions feels grown up. Until it comes time to do the thing you don’t feel like doing.
Or the thing you don’t know how to do.
Or the thing that feels too big to even start.
Most girls aren’t unmotivated.
They’re lost.
And when you’re lost, your brain can’t get on board.
You want to do the work.
You want to get ahead.
You want to feel confident walking into class.
But you don’t have a plan.
And without a plan, your brain freezes.
That overwhelm?
That procrastination?
That confusion?
It’s simply a lack of strategy and is not a lack of intelligence.
What Every Smart Girl Secretly Wants
Even the most independent college girl still has that little voice inside whispering:
Someone tell me what to do next.
It’s the same instinct that made us want someone to take our hand and walk us in the right direction when we were little.
College girls still want that! It's not because they’re incapable; it's because they’ve never been shown the way.
And that’s exactly what the Smart Girl Study System does.
Introducing the Smart Girl Study System
A simple, science-backed, step-by-step guide that finally shows girls HOW to study in college.
This short course (four videos under 30 minutes total) teaches:
🌟 How learning actually works
🌟 How to move information from short-term to long-term memory
🌟 How to follow a curated study flow after every single class (with a detailed plan to follow)
🌟 How to take control of your learning and feel accomplished and confident
🌟 How to walk into exams feeling prepared, not crashing out
It’s not overwhelming.
It’s definitely not boring (remember, I used to present to hundreds of high school kids in one sitting...I know how to keep their attention!).
And it’s not filled with generic “study harder” advice.
It’s me — a college life coach who loves these girls fiercely — taking their hand and saying:
“Come on sweetie, let’s get you started.”
Girls feel supported.
They feel motivated.
They feel capable again.
For the Moms Who Want Peace of Mind
You want your daughter to be confident, organized, and in control.
You want her to stop cramming at 1 AM.
You want fewer tearful calls after tough exams.
You want her to feel the relief of having structure.
This system gives her:
💯 A solid, educator-created method (not random social media advice)
💯 A plan (not guesswork)
💯 A feeling of calm and control
💯 A sense of ownership over her learning
And yes, she can feel a shift by her next exam.
That’s how fast this works.
Two Bonuses Included (Because These Girls Need Support Beyond Studying)
🎁 Bonus #1: Anxiety + Your Brain (Live Session)
🧠 Why smart girls freeze, panic, or go blank
🧠 What’s happening in the brain during overwhelm
🧠 How to calm your nervous system fast
These are the exact tools I teach my beloved clients in private coaching.
🎁 Bonus #2: Office Hours Confidence Guide
📚 How to talk to professors
📚 What to say when you introduce yourself
📚 Ten simple questions to ask
📚 How to show up professionally (even when you feel awkward)
What Girls + Moms Are Saying
“The videos were so helpful!! I wish someone had told me this earlier. I feel so much better heading into finals.”
— Jada, college freshman
“First time she didn’t call me crying about school. Total shift.”
— Michelle, mom of a freshman
“Oh my goodness, I LOVE it! I finally understand how my brain works.”
— Hannah, college sophomore
Why I Made This System (The Real Reason)
Because I got tired of watching smart, capable girls feel lost.
I got tired of hearing:
“I don’t know how to study.”
“I feel so stupid, Suzanne!”
“I can’t keep up.”
“I’m trying so hard… why isn’t it working?”
These girls deserve tools.
They deserve clarity.
They deserve confidence.
And moms: you deserve peace of mind.
The Smart Girl Study System gives both.
Ready to Help Your Girl (or Yourself) Thrive This Semester?
Whether you’re a mom wanting to support your daughter…
or you’re a college girl ready to feel in control again…
The Smart Girl Study System was made for you.
👉 Click here to get it.
She’ll have lifetime access, and you’ll finally have a plan that works.
Here’s to our girls feeling confident, motivated, and prepared. They deserve it.
You’re stronger than you think you are, and I’ve always got your back.
(Proof: I even made y’all a Smart Girl Study System.)
