I.Study Skills
First off, let me be honest and say that I've never really studied in my school life so far. I've never needed to. I'd listen in class and retain information that way, by doing classwork, homework, and/or just by leafing through the textbooks when it was required, or occasionally; for fun if it was a subject I really liked. In that case, I would often read ahead and already have a good grasp on the subject. It depends on the subject and difficulty level thereof, though. Even as our classes have gotten harder over the years, with generally more work, and more difficult things to learn...you still wouldn't ever find me looking over notes at home to prepare for a test. I simply didn't need to, and when I applied myself I almost always got good marks. Let's jump to the present school year...
The items on the list I need to improve on the most are numbers 1 and 4, "Get to class on time" and "Get Started." I've always had to miss school sometimes due to crippling, hindering migraine headaches. However, come middle and high school, I started missing more and more school not just due to my headaches, but whenever I'd have an exceptionally bad day I'd just stay home. I've gone through complications this school year too numerous and (obv.) complicated to elaborate upon, but needless to say, I've missed a LOT of class my first year at PLC. Missing whole days of school, and even just whole classes, and often at that...works with #4, getting started. As a result, I'd find myself near end-of-term (or a deadline) with piles of make-up work to do. Now, in the past, this is what led to me ending up at PLC in the first place. At least now, I try to do all of the coursework I am both present and not present for in order to salvage and sharpen the sad GPA freshmen year earned me. I procrastinate, though. Always. Which makes it even more difficult and stressful. It starts with anxiety, thinking that the task at hand is much more than it is, and when one puts things off...that only makes the anxiety build up more.
II. Notetaking/Procrastination
Taking Notes (better)
1. I need to make a habit of completing my assignments on time, so that I can really use any notes I need (or are required) to take in class to my advantage; having understood the material covered the day previously.
2. It'd be helpful if I were more organised with my notebooks, so that I can easily find notes/material I need instead of spending ages leafing through them looking.
3. Sometimes things really are as simple as they seem. By this, I mean that I really don't need put so much detail into class notes specifically. Just the main ideas, most important stuff. If I still don't understand that...well...that's why someone made Wikipedia.
4. I need to stop losing my pens. Seriously. I need to designate a specific place for them, and above all...KEEP THEM THERE. (Kirsten, don't just toss your pen in your purse when you're done. You know you'll just spend forever looking for it next period...)
5. Speaking of pens, I need to stop playing favourites. Yes, I mean with pens. If I can't find my favourite one, it's not the end of the world...jeez. I won't die if I have to use a pencil or something.
Combating Procrastination
(is it really possible for me to at this point? ..heh.)
1. I am a huge perfectionist. Seriously. Over-analysation only makes it worse. A friend once gave me the advice that, it's just highschool assignments (generally) in things you don't truly care that much about anyway. And they're almost always simple, and/or doable without so much worry and effort. All that matters is getting it done, handed in, and a good grade. Then I figured, yeah, that's right. I don't always have to be the best, I just have to do it. And, often, when I do...I come out as the best anyway. (Meaning that, I've achieved what I wanted anyway - the satisfaction of achievment and a high grade.)
2. Oh gods, yeah, of course I fear failure. Failure to me kind of goes with the above, not coming out as "good enough" for my own self, let alone anyone else who matters. I guess the only way of combating that is by just sucking it up and doing whatever I have to do. It's a hard concept for me, when I'm used to just procrastinating or giving up completely on anything that seems too overwhelming, too out of reach, too impossible.
3. Structure, structure, structure. I envy other kids my age who have parents breathing down their necks every second, because they've got the structure in their lives that I lack. A parentcan be too controlling, but I wish I had one or two who punished me for bad grades, who forced me into clubs and hard classes. I don't, so I guess I'll have to find some way to do that for myself. Maybe like make my own sort of schedule and structure, and stick to it.
4. Really, procrastination in and of itself can be narrowed down into something very simple: really doing what I say I will and when.
5. Overall, ideally I'd like to get my head on straight so that I don't put everything off due to anxiety and whatnot.
III. Service Learning Weekly Journal
First off, let me be honest and say that I've never really studied in my school life so far. I've never needed to. I'd listen in class and retain information that way, by doing classwork, homework, and/or just by leafing through the textbooks when it was required, or occasionally; for fun if it was a subject I really liked. In that case, I would often read ahead and already have a good grasp on the subject. It depends on the subject and difficulty level thereof, though. Even as our classes have gotten harder over the years, with generally more work, and more difficult things to learn...you still wouldn't ever find me looking over notes at home to prepare for a test. I simply didn't need to, and when I applied myself I almost always got good marks. Let's jump to the present school year...
The items on the list I need to improve on the most are numbers 1 and 4, "Get to class on time" and "Get Started." I've always had to miss school sometimes due to crippling, hindering migraine headaches. However, come middle and high school, I started missing more and more school not just due to my headaches, but whenever I'd have an exceptionally bad day I'd just stay home. I've gone through complications this school year too numerous and (obv.) complicated to elaborate upon, but needless to say, I've missed a LOT of class my first year at PLC. Missing whole days of school, and even just whole classes, and often at that...works with #4, getting started. As a result, I'd find myself near end-of-term (or a deadline) with piles of make-up work to do. Now, in the past, this is what led to me ending up at PLC in the first place. At least now, I try to do all of the coursework I am both present and not present for in order to salvage and sharpen the sad GPA freshmen year earned me. I procrastinate, though. Always. Which makes it even more difficult and stressful. It starts with anxiety, thinking that the task at hand is much more than it is, and when one puts things off...that only makes the anxiety build up more.
II. Notetaking/Procrastination
Taking Notes (better)
1. I need to make a habit of completing my assignments on time, so that I can really use any notes I need (or are required) to take in class to my advantage; having understood the material covered the day previously.
2. It'd be helpful if I were more organised with my notebooks, so that I can easily find notes/material I need instead of spending ages leafing through them looking.
3. Sometimes things really are as simple as they seem. By this, I mean that I really don't need put so much detail into class notes specifically. Just the main ideas, most important stuff. If I still don't understand that...well...that's why someone made Wikipedia.
4. I need to stop losing my pens. Seriously. I need to designate a specific place for them, and above all...KEEP THEM THERE. (Kirsten, don't just toss your pen in your purse when you're done. You know you'll just spend forever looking for it next period...)
5. Speaking of pens, I need to stop playing favourites. Yes, I mean with pens. If I can't find my favourite one, it's not the end of the world...jeez. I won't die if I have to use a pencil or something.
Combating Procrastination
(is it really possible for me to at this point? ..heh.)
1. I am a huge perfectionist. Seriously. Over-analysation only makes it worse. A friend once gave me the advice that, it's just highschool assignments (generally) in things you don't truly care that much about anyway. And they're almost always simple, and/or doable without so much worry and effort. All that matters is getting it done, handed in, and a good grade. Then I figured, yeah, that's right. I don't always have to be the best, I just have to do it. And, often, when I do...I come out as the best anyway. (Meaning that, I've achieved what I wanted anyway - the satisfaction of achievment and a high grade.)
2. Oh gods, yeah, of course I fear failure. Failure to me kind of goes with the above, not coming out as "good enough" for my own self, let alone anyone else who matters. I guess the only way of combating that is by just sucking it up and doing whatever I have to do. It's a hard concept for me, when I'm used to just procrastinating or giving up completely on anything that seems too overwhelming, too out of reach, too impossible.
3. Structure, structure, structure. I envy other kids my age who have parents breathing down their necks every second, because they've got the structure in their lives that I lack. A parentcan be too controlling, but I wish I had one or two who punished me for bad grades, who forced me into clubs and hard classes. I don't, so I guess I'll have to find some way to do that for myself. Maybe like make my own sort of schedule and structure, and stick to it.
4. Really, procrastination in and of itself can be narrowed down into something very simple: really doing what I say I will and when.
5. Overall, ideally I'd like to get my head on straight so that I don't put everything off due to anxiety and whatnot.
III. Service Learning Weekly Journal
I don't have the option of volunteering with the rest of the class anymore, but recently on my own I volunteered to work at the Marigold Festival in Winterville. It was two very long days of carrying heavy things (park benches, cement blocks), setting up various things, running around playing Messenger Girl to let folks know what # their booth was and leading them to it, bad experiences with a strange kind of spray paint, heat that the likes of you-know-where can't even compete with, connections, dancing & country music, directing traffic/parking, lots of teamwork (it takes at least two to put up a giant tent...), etc...and it was awesome. The positives I can narrow down to are helping wonderful people and conversing with them on breaks, meeting someone who works at Cine who invited me to participate in the next "Plotluck," and then, on the day of the festival, seeing it all come alive and knowing that I...we all had a part in making that happen. And the negatives? Mostly the heat, being on your feet for so long and doing hard labour tasks in such heat made me sick, and the culture-shock of a country music concert (but I still managed to have fun). I was glad to have re-learned something that I'd forgotten: being part of a team that's setting up a major event is so much fun. Also, that work involving a heavy amount of physical labour doesn't always have to suck. In fact, it felt so good to come home each night thoroughly exhausted and satisfied. It takes a lot to organise, set up, and hold a major event such as a festival of any sort (the Marigold, Athfest, etc), but with each person doing their part, you can really create something spectacular. No one could do that alone, and it wouldn't be what it was if they did anyway.
The parade!
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