Good afternoon
everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.
Not too long ago, I
asked what you would like to see me discuss on my blog. Today, we have a
request from an anonymous reader who asks:
Do you mind writing
about school? I'm someone who gets really anxious about my grades, and it'd be
cool to hear some tips, or something of the sort. Xx
School is an obstacle
course that teaches us lessons we will need at some point in our lives. We
hurdle through classes and are flung through buildings until we have completed
every grade possible. Through these school days we strive to be the best
because grades define our very status. This is a concept that follows us from
kindergarten to college and even in the career world, where we are examined for
high Grade Point Averages based off those grades. This is a stressful idea, to
know that your career or class choices rely on five letters of the alphabet and
numbers.
At times it can be too
much and often lead to anxiety, depression, or even considering dropping out.
However, there are some methods that can help you relieve any stress about your
grades.
1. Join a Study Group
Study groups are
students or friends that study together. There are specific types of study
groups so it should be easy to find what you’re looking for. Trouble in
Biology? There’s a study group for that. Don’t understand Math easily? There’s
a study group for that. Can’t quite grasp Art History? There’s a study group
for that. By being in a study group, you’ll not only understand the material
better, but also make friends which will help remedy your stress. Also trade
numbers, Facebooks, and whatnot that way if you need to ask someone a question,
they’ll be there for you.
2. Remember to Relax
Yes, you have four
papers due tomorrow. Yes, you have three worksheets, a powerpoint project, and
an essay due soon. Yes, you have so much work due in the very near future. Take
some time to yourself, even if it’s just for a few moments and breathe. Go get
a snack, walk around for a bit, meditate, drink a cup of tea, and watch that
hilarious Youtube video. Everything will be completed because you are a powerhouse
and the victory will be sweet when it’s all done.
3. What Can I Do Better
Always ask yourself and your teachers this question. What can I do better to
get the major I want? What can I do better to improve my grades? What can I do
better to understand the material? In return, teachers will help you to not
only understand the work better, but to show you different ways of grasping the
subject. Also by asking yourself this question, you think of different ways of
achieving what you want, and make those ways your plans for something better.
This question also eliminates the notion of ‘doing your best’. ‘Doing your best’
is a concept that can lead to anxiety about your grades. It will make you
wonder if your best isn’t good enough and will greatly stress you out.
4. Ask for Help/Extra
Credit
Most teachers
understand that not every student is the same. I’ll use myself as an example: I
am terrible at Math. I can do the basics, but nothing extreme like calculus. My
strongest suits are English, History, Creative Writing, and Art. When I was
having trouble in my last Algebra class of high school, I asked the teacher for
help. This led her to create an extra credit project for anyone in the class
who believed they had terrible grades, myself included. Another time I was
struggling in a Public Relations course and the teacher created an extra credit
project to help her students. It may seem embarrassing to ask for help or extra
credit from the teacher, but if you know it will help you, then swallow your
pride and ask away.
Also, whenever a
teacher offers extra credit, take it. If your grades are at the top of the
class, do not stray away from it. I say this because at the time your grades
could be excellent, but what if you fail a test or forget an assignment? What
if you mess up on a project? That extra credit could greatly help you.
5. Get a Tutor
Never, ever be ashamed
to ask for help. Asking for help does
not mean you are an unintelligent idiot. Rather, it means that you want to
do better for yourself and expand your knowledge. That’s where tutors come in.
Like study groups, there are tutors for everything. French, Astronomy,
Calculus, History, there are tutors for just anything you can imagine. It’s
also easy to find a tutor, just check postings around the school, your local
paper, and the Internet.
6. Organize Your Work
This actually helped
me during my college years. What I would do is take a notebook, put my schedule
in it, and then make a list of my assignments. Example:
Work Due Do It
_______________________________________________________________
2 Worksheets (Math) 2/10 2/8
Powerpoint (History) 2/13 2/9
Study Guide (Biology) 2/11 2/10
Book questions
(English) 2/12 2/11
The key is to spread
your work out and focus on one thing at a time. You’ll also be able to easily
manipulate the workload and schedule. This will eliminate any stress from
assignments and you’ll concentrate on each one; thus putting forth your best effort
and ensuring a good grade. Plus if you’re still uncertain of anything, you have
time to text your friends or ask the teacher. Organizing your work also reminds
you of what’s due and what to do. However, there will be days where you might
have to multitask, such as finals period and the end of the semester. Do not
worry, the schedule will help you.
Thank you anonymous
reader for suggesting today’s topic. If you would like to see me discuss
something in particular, send me a message and I’ll be more than happy to write
about it. Also, thank you for reading today’s entry. If you enjoyed it, feel
free to comment and reblog.
So tell me, what do
you do to feel less anxious about your grades?
