Posted by Tamar on September 27, 2005, at 8:08:28
In reply to I'm getting desperate again... :-( *trigger*, posted by Deneb on September 27, 2005, at 1:04:24
> Guys, I'm getting desperate again.
DON’T PANIC!
> I have two midterms on the 4th and I haven't really started studying for them yet. I'm getting desperate. I don't know what to do. I don't know if I can study enough. I didn't study today. I don't think I'm studying enough. I think I need to do something drastic...
Have you done no study at all, or just too little?
If you’re doing some, how many hours per day? How many hours do you think you should be doing?
If you’re doing none at all, what are you doing instead?
I think it’s sensible to be very honest with yourself about what you’re actually doing. Even if you’re not doing much, doing a little is better than doing none at all. If you’re doing none at all, you need to think about why. Are you distracted by other things you enjoy? Or are you procrastinating because you’re afraid?
Maybe you’re actually doing plenty, even if it doesn’t feel like enough.
You can’t get back the time that has gone. But you can make good use of the time you have left. You have a week. It’s enough time if you use it wisely.
If necessary, lower your standards. Do you really need to do well? Or do you just have to pass? If you just have to pass, then aim for passing.
And also… if you fail, it’s not the end of the world. That can be difficult to believe. But failure is usually something from which you can learn. If you’re afraid of failure, sometimes experiencing it makes you realise it’s not as bad as you expected (after the initial shock). And you can find ways of ensuring you don’t fail again.
If you expect a lot of yourself, then you might worry you’ll let yourself down and then you might procrastinate because you’re worrying and it can become a vicious circle. Be honest with yourself: what do you expect of yourself? What do you think other people expect of you?
When you need to study, start with something that interests you, and spend at least half an hour on it, even if you feel you know it thoroughly. It should give you some impetus to move on to something you find less exciting.
If you’re really struggling with procrastination, perhaps you can talk to someone about it. Maybe a sympathetic professor? Or are there learning advisers at your institution? Many institutions employ people who can help with all kinds of study problems. Procrastination is a common difficulty and one that you should be able to seek help with.
Good luck.
Tamar
poster:Tamar
thread:560096
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20050922/msgs/560140.html