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High school and university can both be incredibly daunting with an overwhelming amount of pressure. Many people find their last year in high school the toughest as with the approaching coursework deadlines and exams, college applications are also emerging in a distance.
Yes, it is difficult and there are times when you are convinced that you won’t make it to the deadline, however, that’s not true. It’s doable and with the right mindset, you will be able to achieve it.
Below is a list of a few tips and adjustments that you can make in your life to both improve and maintain your academic performance.
Tip 1: Have a realistic, yet positive mindset.
A lot of times people see the never-ending list of tasks and choose to procrastinate. Parents may get upset with their teenagers, saying that procrastinating is unacceptable. Well, they are quite right on that, however, that doesn’t mean that you cannot take breaks. The most important thing is that you learn to differentiate between taking a half an hour rest and subconsciously giving up for a day.
Tip 2: Revision schedule.
Instead of spending hours on Netflix or PlayStation, you could make yourself a study plan.
A study plan can be a simple list composed of bullet points, a mind map, or a visual poster. If you are unsure on which one to use then pick the one that seems the most appealing and give it a try.
Tip 3: Be familiar with your deadlines and the work that you have to complete.
To create your revision schedule, you do have to face your fears and reality in regards to how much work you have to do.
If you are using a calendar or notepad to organize your revision plan then do make sure that you write down your exam dates and deadlines first and highlight them so they are easily recognizable. Through this, you can visually see how much time you have left and what you can use that time for.
Tip 4: Be realistic.
As much as you would wish to write a 2000 word essay in a day that may not work out. To prevent stress, divide your work realistically.
If you are aware that you have guests coming over the weekend then plan accordingly. This means that you could do more work before the visit or if you have no approaching tests then you could allow yourself to have a more relaxed weekend.
Tip 5: Start on time.
Instead of planning on getting up at 4 am to do your work last minute, try to start at least a week before. By saying that you will write the 2000 word essay over four days you will be breaking up the work into sections of 500, meaning that you can even allow yourself to both research and relax during those days.
Tip 6: Look at the marking criteria.
You should be familiar with the requirements of your subject or course. The criteria are almost always provided on the school’s online website or have been handed out in print. Make sure that you hang onto that and refer to it when writing your assignments.
Despite reading the criteria previously multiple times and being somewhat confident in its contents, do refer to it regularly as it’s common to make careless mistakes and to forget about simple things.
Tip 7: Listen to previous feedback.
Many students only look at their mark or grade once receiving their test and essay results back, as opposed to the constructive feedback.
The written lines of teachers can prove to be very useful as they often point out mistakes that you had no clue about. They may also recommend ways to improve or give you small hints about how to get a higher grade next time.
It’s also important that you also look at the feedback when you receive a good grade as it’s just as equally challenging to get that as it is to maintain it.
Tip 8: Be ambitious.
It helps if you set goals for yourself and approach things with a positive mindset. Instead of aiming for a C, try to aim for an A or a B. Don’t limit yourself thinking that your work is not good enough, because it can be and it is.
If you are interested in a certain field then you can also look for summer internships or even data entry jobs for college students.
Tip 9: Don’t be hard on yourself.
However, with ambition comes failure at times. Sometimes things don’t go as planned and you might get a grade that you are disappointed with. It’s ok to be sad at these points, but do keep in mind that what truly matters is that you tried your best and that one bad grade doesn’t mean that you won’t succeed.
Tip 10: Ask for help.
It’s good to have someone to rely on, be that academically or emotionally. If you are feeling sad then sharing those emotions with someone can help deal with that stress. Also, there is no shame in attending after-school tutoring if that’s what you feel like you need—it might even help with your confidence!
Until you are dedicated and put in the effort which gives you a grade that you are satisfied with, there is nothing to worry about. Try to live in the present and then you will decrease the chances of you getting overwhelmed. If you are still in high school then you shouldn’t think about things like how to find a job quickly.
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