Are You Prioritizing Your Education?
We get it: school isn't always fun. In fact, it can be pretty tough to keep up, especially when assignments, projects, and exams seem to fly at you at breakneck speed. Over time, it can be easy to slip into bad habits, like skipping class or procrastinating. If you're wondering whether you're being a good or bad noodle—or you're hoping to turn things around—here are 10 signs you're not taking your education seriously enough, and 10 ways to get back on track.
1. Skipping Classes
Are you always sleeping past your alarm in the morning, or deliberately skipping class to do other things? If you're always missing your lectures or showing up late, that's a clear sign you're not taking school seriously enough. And the longer you let this habit continue, the more it'll snowball into a bigger problem you can't come back from.
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2. Constant Procrastination
Do you constantly put off your assignments and tasks and say you'll do them later, only to complete them at the last minute? Whether it's shelving away essays, projects, or small tasks, if you let things pile up until your deadlines loom over you like threats, it's another red flag that you're not taking school seriously.
3. Doing Only the Bare Minimum
How much effort do you put into your tasks? Do you just do the bare minimum for most of your projects and assignments and hope for the best? If you're only doing as much as it takes to keep you afloat, but you're not actually retaining anything you've learned, that means you're not investing in your education.
4. Not Asking for Help
If you're not understanding the material or concepts taught in class, it's always a good idea to ask for help instead of trying to figure it out yourself. Otherwise, your confusion might only deepen. And if you're deliberately choosing to stay silent, that only means you don't care enough about your learning and growth.
5. Last-Minute Studying
Do you cram all your studying to do the night before an exam? If the only time you're ever looking back at your notes is a few hours before your midterms and finals, that's a telltale sign that you're not taking school seriously.
6. Not Taking Proper Notes
If your notes are scattered, unfinished thoughts that don't properly capture your understanding of the subject or topic at hand, you're only setting yourself up for failure. It'll only demotivate you further when it comes to studying from these notes, too, and without a reliable study guide, you're more likely to prefer "winging" your exams.
7. Always on Your Phone
Are you always on your phone, whether (secretly) during class or while doing your assignments? If you're constantly texting your friends or scrolling through social media, you're not really present and absorbing the material you're meant to learn, which will only negatively affect your academic performance.
8. No Planner
You might think it unnecessary, but a planner can make all the difference, helping you keep track of all your assignments, projects, and exams. If you purposely decide to go without one and try to rely on memory alone, you're probably not treating your responsibilities seriously enough.
9. Sleep in Class
If you're not only skipping class but attending your lectures just to snooze, that's a glaring sign you're not taking school seriously. You might think you can just "catch up later," but more often than not, missing out on a lecture puts you further behind.
10. Grades Don't Matter to You
If getting low scores on exams and a near-failing (or failing) GPA doesn't faze you, that's a telltale sign you don't care about your education. Sure, grades aren't everything, but it's still important to put enough thought and effort into school so you can further your learning and growth.
Do these signs sound like you? If you're wondering how to get back on track, we've got you—keep reading.
1. Talk to Your Teachers
The first thing you should do when trying to get back on track with your education is to talk to your teachers. They can help you through concepts and material you don't understand, answer any lingering questions, and are there for extra support if you're going through a tough time, so don't be afraid of reaching out.
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2. Set a Study Schedule
Hold yourself accountable by setting a study routine that you follow every day or every other day. For example, after you come home from class, try spending an hour or two to thoroughly review your notes and make sure you understand what was covered in your lectures, then make it a habit. The more you practice discipline and get yourself into a familiar groove, the easier it'll become.
3. Start Using a Planner
Instead of trying to memorize all your assignment deadlines and exam dates, start using a planner. You'll find that your tasks become much more manageable just by writing them down and keeping dates organized. And, as you tick things off, you'll find it's surprisingly motivating.
4. Go to Class & Be Present
If you want to get back on track with school, go to class. And that's not all: go to class and be present in it. That means not showing up late, only paying half of your attention to the lecture, or napping in your seat. In order to get better acquainted with the material, your mind and your body have to be ready to learn.
5. Find a Study Buddy
If you're finding it difficult to tackle your assignments and study alone, find a friend or classmate to do it with. That way, you can hold each other accountable and motivate one another when either of you gets stuck in a rut. Plus, you'll probably realize you can get more done when you have someone to share the work—and struggles—with.
6. Break Complex Tasks Into Manageable Chunks
Instead of making things harder for yourself and tackling complex tasks or projects with no plan in mind, break them down into manageable chunks first. It's easier to fall into the procrastination trap and put things off when they seem too difficult to complete, so start small, and once you find your footing, you'll gain momentum.
7. Limit Distractions
If you frequently get distracted by your phone or social media, hold yourself accountable by putting these distractions away. That might mean setting your devices on "Do Not Disturb" mode, or placing them in a different room entirely so that you won't be tempted to reach for them.
8. Set Clear Goals
It's also important to set clear goals that motivate you to do your best. You might be tempted to "go big or go home" when first getting back on track with school, but holding yourself up to unattainable or unrealistic expectations, especially from the get-go, isn't going to be as encouraging as you think. So, start small, and set targets that are easy to reach.
9. Keep Track of Your Progress
As you get into the groove, keep track of your progress. Identify areas that you need to continue working on (say, procrastination tendencies), and work on improving your approach. Seeing incremental growth in your grades and performance can motivate you to work harder.
10. Reward Yourself
You want to work hard, but you don't want to push yourself too much to the point that you experience burnout, either. So make sure to reward yourself regularly, whether that means taking frequent breaks during your study sessions (it might help to try the Pomodoro Technique—25-minute bursts with quick five-minute breathers), or treating yourself to a snack you're craving. You deserve it!
