waiting for something to happen (How to pass the next exam)
Waiting for something is passive thought. You are a detached spectator. What may or may not happen is not really up to you. It has very little involvement and certainly no commitment. It’s not a big deal if it doesn’t happen because you don’t really believe it will.
waiting for something to happen (How to pass the next exam)
Waiting for something to happen is proactive on your part. You are an involved participant. You believe that the chances of it happening are greater than the chances of it not happening. You would be very disappointed and hurt if it didn’t happen.
You need an Action Plan
So what is the best possible source for the information you need to learn and remember? The first answer that comes to mind is the Internet. Do you use Answers.Yahoo.com? And, of course, there’s Ask.com and Google.com. These three sources of information will tell you, 99% of the time, what you want to know. But starting a task by looking for the answers first can be counterproductive.
Develop and follow a course of action
As I’ve covered in other articles, any time you’re tackling an assignment or preparing for an exam, it’s imperative that you follow a regular course of action. “If you fail to plan… you are planning to fail.”
Do you have a Day-Planner? I know they are expensive. So use a spiral notebook to plan your week, day by day.
Some students I’ve talked to say they spend half an hour on Sunday afternoon planning their time for the next week, and that brings up another point.
brain selection
As you progress each semester, you will become aware of the GOOD students, those who, by their actions in class, how they answer questions and how well they do on their test scores, and which ones get the best grades. If you use the right approach, they just might tell you their secrets. By this I mean you will be able to spot the smart ones. So pick their brains!
Of course, be subtle in your approach. Approach these people in a kind, understanding and tactful way.
this is not about sports
Most people will be more than willing to tell you how they manage to study and retain the information they need to be at the top of the class. So why should they want to help you? Simple… You are not in competition with them. This is not volleyball, tennis or hockey. When your grades improve, they may even take some credit for it. So why should you worry? You’re just boosting his recognition, his ego, so to speak.
Use the subtle approach
All I suggest is that you simply start a conversation and gradually work your way up to the topic of any class you share. You could say something like this: “Tim, you really seem to be burning out psychology class. Is anyone in your family a psychologist and is it in your genes?” Or maybe something like, “Hey Betty Sue, you seem to have a real talent for writing. Have you secretly published a romance novel or something?”
this is not a joking matter
Keep the request light-hearted, but don’t make a joke about their ability. “I would be forever indebted to you if you shared your study methods. I’m totally lost in that class and I can’t seem to get out of this predicament I’m in.”
Some students seem to study smart and seem to have a lot more free time for fun as a result. There’s no reason why you can’t follow suit. You may be scratching your head in amazement at how a student carries a full load but has time to rehearse for the next musical show or practice 5 days a week with the basketball team, yet still manages to turn in every assignment as a clock.
You too can fit this mold, you just need to budget your time in a more productive way. There is no shame in asking for advice!