High school for some people, is referred to as the easiest years of their lives. Activities such as football games, pep rallies, and prom chaos being the highlights. High school for the most part wasn’t a big headache when it came to time management and homework. That’s the downside of high school. It literally prepared you for nothing.
The teachers at the high school I attended didn’t stress work or teaching unless there was an end of course exam to conclude the semester. The classes that didn’t have a mandatory final exam were usually the AP classes and some of the regular honors classes, so of course I took them. Majority of class would be spent playing Uno, watching the Matrix, or just talking. The days we were given homework the standard was still low. The little to no work load enabled us to practice time management skills and self-discipline. The act of taking seemingly more advanced classes but doing nothing occurred all Junior and Senior year. I didn’t realize the damage I had done until about a week ago when I started having multiple assignments due in different classes and I had to really designate time to do my work. Keeping in mind I haven’t had to really work since sophomore year of high school, so getting back in the swig of paying attention, taking detailed notes, and applying the curriculum to real situations was extremely hard for me.
Now I am beginning my third week of class as a college freshman and figuring out I don’t really know how to study. My time management skills include no structure in its layout I’m basically “flying by the seat of my pants”. Most of the time and the only person holding me accountable for anything is myself. The professors aren’t here to hold my hand like my teachers did in high school. At the end of the day, if I don’t do my work then what I get for my grades is on me and there is no negotiation. It’s all on me.
So how are you dealing with all your setbacks, you might ask? I write everything down and set weekly goals for myself, I have a daily to-do list, and I live by these words “Sacrifice the things you want to do for the things you need to do.” It reminds me that putting work off for fun only hinders me in the end. Adjusting to this sudden lifestyle change is very hard most days, but surrounding myself with studious individuals encourage me to focus on the bigger picture, not just the here and now.