Grades Grow Tutors

It’s sad but true: we all make mistakes. I, of course, am no exception, and although I’ve done a pretty good job during my school career, I do wish I had done a couple of things differently. Here is another edition of “Tales from the Classroom”, with the top 5 mistakes I made while I was in school.

5. I Worried Too Much About the Little Things!
In school, especially once you reach junior high and high school, it can be easy to spend a lot of time worrying about your appearance, your reputation, or what the cute boy or girl with the locker next to you thinks of you. My experience has now taught me that, while it’s important to take pride in your appearance and get along well with others, it’s not worth it to agonize over who will ask you to the dance! All of that ends up taking care of itself if you simply be yourself! You’ll have more fun and be more successful if you just be yourself and let the rest fall into place!

4. “Cramming” for Exams…
This is one of the worst things that high school and college students do, and I was no different. Studying for a huge test the night before and staying up until 5 a.m. won’t get you many A’s on test day! Instead, study your material on a daily basis, with regular cumulative review sessions. Ask your tutor for even more study tips!

3. I Skipped Breakfast Too Often!
This may seem like a joke, but it’s a pretty serious matter! It’s important for students to be well-fed before a long day of learning! I remember waking up late and having to rush to school, skipping breakfast in the process, many times. However, on those days, I found it hard to concentrate in the hours before lunch, as my stomach was grumbling and all I could think about was how hungry I was! Get your day off to a good start, and you’ll be a better learner!

2. One Word: Procrastination.
Too many term papers, book reports and assignments I had over the years suffered and never reached their full potential because I waited too long to start on them! As you get into high school, teachers will start giving you long-term assignments and projects to test your responsibility level. Pace yourself on these huge tasks, get homework help ahead of time and work on big assignments little by little! There’s nothing worse than having to read a whole book the night before class, or rushing through a term paper! You’ll get a better grade and save yourself a whole lot of stress if you get your work done early.

1. I Didn’t Want to Ask for Help!
I don’t know if it’s a macho thing or not, but for a long time I refused to ask anyone for help. Occasionally, I’d raise my hand or approach the teacher’s desk to ask a question, but more often than not, I would stubbornly work for three times as long to figure out a problem myself instead of just asking! Now, I’ve had the experience of working with a tutoring service, and I understand the importance of asking for help! I never would have gotten through calculus without it…at least, not with my sanity intact! If you want to succeed, don’t be afraid to ask for help.