Interim grades recently came out, and for some, the grades were less than ideal. Drowning in D’s, just barely passing or losing hope of keeping a scholarship, students begin to doubt themselves and their abilities. If this sounds like you, there is still hope! Here are a few tips to help you turn your semester around.
First, start by being realistic. Your teacher can’t bump your grade up from a D to an A, but you may be able to change that C into a B+ or that B- into an A+. Getting there, however, is going to take a lot of work and motivation. Make sure you stay motivated throughout the rest of the semester, whether that is through friends holding you accountable for your work, self-motivation or whatever works to keep you going. Form study groups to help keep yourself organized and on top of things, or make an appointment at the Writing Center so that you have a self-set deadline for rough drafts. Remember that A’s and B’s aren’t everything, and your self worth is not defined by your grades.
One of the tips you will hear over and over again is to stop procrastinating and start your work early. This is easier said than done for many reasons, but how do you actually accomplish it? The best way that I have found is to break your due dates down into small daily tasks. Have a big paper coming up? Save one day for research, one day for taking notes on each of the articles you find, one day for making your outline, and then break your paper sections down into daily or hourly tasks. Can’t focus on that big assignment you need to get done? First, find out what is distracting you. If your phone keeps going off, put it on silent and move it to a different room. If your roommates won’t be quiet, put in headphones or move to a quiet study room. If you find that you are paying attention to anything except your work, maybe it is time for a change in scenery. Go grab a drink from Starbucks and sit in Digs or on the benches on Scholar’s Walk. Changing up your study locations can help you feel like you aren’t trapped in schoolwork.
Make sure you are utilizing the resources on campus. Office hours or class tutors can really help if you are struggling to understand class material. These come with the added bonus of showing your professor that you are trying hard to do well in their class. The Writing Center is a free resource to help with grading papers or other written class assignments and can help you set personal deadlines. The language lab in Kinard can help students studying a foreign language like French or Spanish with class assignments, papers, studying, or speaking. The library has a program to help students with research called “Book-a-Librarian” where a student can get a one-on-one session with a librarian that knows their subject best. All of these are free resources around campus that can help students stay accountable, stay motivated, and ultimately do well.
Lastly, make sure to keep your health as a top priority. Take breaks during your studying to do something you really enjoy. Make sure you are eating well and drinking enough water so you can stay healthy, focused and energized. Most importantly, get enough sleep. You cannot retain information, stay motivated, or focus in class if you do not get enough sleep. Your health is more important than your grades, and if you fail to take care of yourself, your grades will follow suit. Remember, you are not defined by the numbers on your transcript.
