Christian Dumol | On 21, Mar 2017

No one in human history has ever bought time. As every second passes away, the school year shortens as well. That means there is less time to prove that you are deserving of acceptance to the prospective colleges to which you might consider applying.

If you have not noticed yet, the title of this article is clickbait, but you actually came to the right place. This is not a review of Drake’s mixtape, but since the academic calendar is nearly approaching the end of the third quarter and the year in general, you might want to know how to bounce back from your setbacks. Whether applied to regular, honors, or AP classes, these basic tips will definitely help you cope with the rigorous curriculum set by Hudson Catholic.

 

1. Stop, Look, Listen.

If you think you are lost in a certain class, why don’t you reassess yourself? One of the key reasons why most students fail to maintain their grades is because they do not pay 100% attention to the teacher. Most of the successful people you know started with this very simple step. Just think of your favorite teachers. They would not be where they are at this moment if they did not listen to their professors. (Unless if they knew everything in the first place, but dear reader, what are the odds?) So, instead of texting your pal or just being plainly indifferent, why don’t you stop what you are doing, look at the teacher, listen attentively, and take notes?

 

2. Do not be afraid to ask questions (even if their level of stupidity is beyond infinity).

Now you have given your full attention to your teacher; however, you still did not understand what he or she is talking about. What do you do? Call it a day, maybe? Definitely not. You can do one of the following: ask the teacher to clarify him or herself during the class discussion (politely!), or simply set an individual meeting and ask for help tutoring you. After all, the teachers in Hudson Catholic are not cannibals! They do not eat students, so do not get intimidated.

 

3. Study Smart.

Spending 86,400 seconds of your time reading your notes and textbook is too much. Why don’t you make a list of the topics or concepts in a particular subject that you are not familiar with? Going all over your notes is okay, but isn’t it tedious? Why would you study something that you fully understand? Instead of studying hard, studying smart is more appropriate. The less stress you have, the more sleep you will get.

 

 

4. Don’t procrastinate.

What do social media and digital games have in common? They are both examples of distraction that make your progress in school slow way down. Instead of texting, playing, or the like, prioritize your academics first. Remember, even though homework affects your grades less compared to quizzes and tests, it can still raise your overall average by a point or two. Furthermore, your homework serves also as your practice in case a teacher assigns an unexpected activity.

 

Use these tips to maintain or raise your grade point average. They require zero talent, just hard work and determination!