So, you’ve passed the half way point. You’re already picking out next semester’s classes. But what about this semester? It’s not over yet. You still have plenty of weeks ahead of you. These weeks can be crucial. If you’re looking at an uphill climb to get your grades to where you want them, don’t worry. We’ve all been there. You’re far from sunk. So take a deep breath, and listen up. Here are some steps to put everything back in order.
- Evaluate
What do we know? Your grades aren’t in the best shape. Why is that? Look at your study habits: how actively you read the material, your note taking, and attendance. Most of the time you know exactly what’s costing you points on tests or assignments. Once you’ve figured that out…..
2. Actually have a conversation with your professors
It takes a while to learn how to have a good dialogue with a professor, but if you talk to them frequently and show initiative, you will find it easier to get help when you need it. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even about little details of the material you don’t get. Sometimes those little details snowball into bigger difficulties in understanding the material.
3. Manage your time
This isn’t exactly a relaxing time of year. Everyone is busy. It’s easy to forget things like reading a chapter in your book. Be sure that you set aside time for things related to class. No feeling is worse than showing up unprepared for a test or without an assignment that was due.
4. Get good sleep.
See those Pokemon? Learn from those Pokemon. We all get busy during the day. But at night, once everything slows down, get yourself to bed on time. Yeah watching 5 movies seems great, and yeah putting off papers until 2am is easy, but the next morning you are going to wake up and not want to get out of bed which leads to skipping class. Which reminds me…..
5. Seriously. Go to class
Once it gets cold, it’s really easy to find justifications to stay home and blow off a class or two. Don’t do it. That’s how you get behind, and when you get behind you miss things and then it spirals until you’re reading from the beginning of this article again. As much as we here at Edge love page views, we’d also love for everyone to succeed and not need this advice more than once.
6. Find friends to help you
Chances are you aren’t the only one who needs to shape things up before the end of the semester. Find other people who are in the same boat and help each other. Keep each other focused and motivated. Another person can let you know when you’re getting off track and need to buckle down. Plus, someone else to double check work with or ask questions is never a bad idea. Remember: don’t Scooby Doo this. You don’t need to split up and search for clues. You know what happens every time they do that. Stick together and get things done.
7. Read any and all comments
You know that mess of red ink professors put on assignments? It’s not there to make you feel bad. It’s there for you to get honest feedback, and not all of it is negative. Sometimes the comments are just there to show you where you were on the right track. Read the comments and if you have any questions or concerns, it’s a great chance to practice #2 on this list.
8. Find a study playlist
A good study playlist can put you in the right state of mind to get things done. May I suggest this one that was curated by Edge just for you (and if you like that one, check out more of our playlists).
9. Reward system
This one is pretty simple: Set up rewards for making improvements. Not just improvements to your grades but even improvements to your overall habits. You can figure out on your own what kind of reward seems suitable. Give yourself another reason to make improvements.
10. But still enjoy yourself
These steps aren’t meant to prevent you from enjoying fall. By all means, enjoy the season. Frolic about in the leaves and eat fall themed snacks. Just remember what you want to accomplish as well. There is a way to get out and have a good time while still doing all the nitty gritty things that help you get good grades. So don’t despair. Be confident. This semester’s going to turn around for you real quick.
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