Tips on how to learn a completely different subject area? Kind of struggling

quixotic1990

Hey all,

I had to choose 3 options out of 4 compulsory modules (not a lot of choice eh). Two of those courses revolved around the European Union - the one in question is looking at European integration theory. I'm slightly freaking out because all of it just seems alien to me. I've never studied the EU before, and I'm being plunged into all of these theoretical terms and I feel like I'm swamped and I can't take anything in. My undergrad was history, and that's where I feel safe. However, I'm not sure if it's even possible for me to do it. I'm reading the material provided but none of it makes sense because I haven't got any pre-existent knowledge to refer to. I could learn what a theory is, for example, but I'd struggle to apply it to real life examples of EU related things because it's all new to me. I just feel ****ty because most of the students in my class have studied it before so they can actively contribute, I also have to do a presentation at some stage and I'm dreading it.

Any tips on how I can better absorb the information? It's not as if I have a year to do it as well, the module is just for one semester so it will end in December/January.