Ok. Here's my situation.
I have this thing where every time I study for a subject that I don't like/need to work extra hard, I get to a certain point where I think: You've done enough. You'll be fine. Stop studying. And right then and there, for a split second, my brain believes me. I'm telling myself that I'm good to go after studying for maybe an hour in two subjects: science and AP World. They're my hardest classes, and when it comes to studying, especially in science, the information goes right over my head.
But why do I tell myself I should be done studying for a huge test in my hardest class after one hour? It's like I'm giving up. I am giving up. I normally categorize myself as a pretty self-motivated person, but when it comes to this, I'm done with it all before I've even started. And I hate that.
So I've decided to test myself (hahahaha get it "test" myself? School? Exams? Ok I'm done). I have finals coming up in almost exactly one month, and I will be starting to study for all my classes relatively soon. I have made a set of goals for the grades I want to achieve for each test, and here they are:
Italian- 95%
AP World- 80%
Geometry- 95%
English- 95%
Earth Science- 80%
If I get the grade I want (or higher) for each class, I will (1) make a blog post sharing my happiness and (2) reward myself. It is so extremely important to reward yourself after working hard and seeing great outcomes. The reward doesn't even have to be something big. It can be, "I'm going to buy a drink from Starbuck's today," or "I'm going to go for a walk with my dog," or "I think I'll buy that ____ that I've been saving up for." Whatever makes you happy and is something that is going to make you feel good about what you accomplished, do it. For me, if I get these grades, I think I'll go shopping for cute dresses for the summer. Or maybe I'll take a fashion class over the summer with a friend. Who knows? As long as you set goals for yourself with some sort of "prize" at the end, you'll have something to work for.
Think of your goal, whatever it may be, as a marathon. You're running through the roads of the course along with tons of other people, but you're only focusing on you. When you cross that finish line, you've accomplished your goal. That big gulp of water you drink at the end, the huge hugs your family and friends give you when you've made it, those are your rewards. Just make sure the "prize" fits the goal accomplished. And don't aim too high for your goals, either. You want them to be something worth achieving and something reasonable. No one likes an impossible goal.
So next time you have some huge, annoying test to study for or an obligation to attend to, let yourself know that when you finish whatever it is, you're going to treat yourself. You deserve it.
- Gabriella
I have this thing where every time I study for a subject that I don't like/need to work extra hard, I get to a certain point where I think: You've done enough. You'll be fine. Stop studying. And right then and there, for a split second, my brain believes me. I'm telling myself that I'm good to go after studying for maybe an hour in two subjects: science and AP World. They're my hardest classes, and when it comes to studying, especially in science, the information goes right over my head.
But why do I tell myself I should be done studying for a huge test in my hardest class after one hour? It's like I'm giving up. I am giving up. I normally categorize myself as a pretty self-motivated person, but when it comes to this, I'm done with it all before I've even started. And I hate that.
So I've decided to test myself (hahahaha get it "test" myself? School? Exams? Ok I'm done). I have finals coming up in almost exactly one month, and I will be starting to study for all my classes relatively soon. I have made a set of goals for the grades I want to achieve for each test, and here they are:
Italian- 95%
AP World- 80%
Geometry- 95%
English- 95%
Earth Science- 80%
If I get the grade I want (or higher) for each class, I will (1) make a blog post sharing my happiness and (2) reward myself. It is so extremely important to reward yourself after working hard and seeing great outcomes. The reward doesn't even have to be something big. It can be, "I'm going to buy a drink from Starbuck's today," or "I'm going to go for a walk with my dog," or "I think I'll buy that ____ that I've been saving up for." Whatever makes you happy and is something that is going to make you feel good about what you accomplished, do it. For me, if I get these grades, I think I'll go shopping for cute dresses for the summer. Or maybe I'll take a fashion class over the summer with a friend. Who knows? As long as you set goals for yourself with some sort of "prize" at the end, you'll have something to work for.
Think of your goal, whatever it may be, as a marathon. You're running through the roads of the course along with tons of other people, but you're only focusing on you. When you cross that finish line, you've accomplished your goal. That big gulp of water you drink at the end, the huge hugs your family and friends give you when you've made it, those are your rewards. Just make sure the "prize" fits the goal accomplished. And don't aim too high for your goals, either. You want them to be something worth achieving and something reasonable. No one likes an impossible goal.
So next time you have some huge, annoying test to study for or an obligation to attend to, let yourself know that when you finish whatever it is, you're going to treat yourself. You deserve it.
- Gabriella