Hello students,

Congratulations on completing the first semester of the 2021-2022 academic year! I know things can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when many of us are thinking about post-secondary admissions and future opportunities. If school feels tough now, it’s true that college or university can come with its own set of hurdles, and often each year feels a notch above the last. A recent study even noted that about two-thirds of students feel anxious about getting into their preferred college or university. Thankfully, with some careful planning, things can become much more manageable. In this post, I’ll share a few practical tips that have helped me and might help you do better next term.

My first suggestion is to clearly understand the purpose and objective of each assignment before you start. Attempting a task without fully grasping its goal is like trying to reach a new destination without directions or assemble furniture without using the manual – anyone could get lost or make easily avoidable mistakes. Guidelines serve as helpful boundaries, and straying too far can often lead to disappointing results, like lower grades or missed deadlines. A straightforward way to avoid these issues is to review the success criteria and rubric carefully before starting. Spending a few extra minutes at the beginning can save you much more time and stress later on in the process.

If you find you’re still unsure after reviewing instructions, don’t hesitate to ask your teacher or professor for clarification – they’re almost always deeply passionate about the subject and happy to help. When I was younger, I often lost marks because I was hesitant to ask for help. It might feel uncomfortable at first, but seeking clarification early can significantly reduce your stress. Following this approach might make your assignments feel less intimidating and more manageable. Still, doing well involves more than just knowing what you’re supposed to do.

This brings me to my second point, which focuses on effective time management. With just a few simple strategies, you’ll be able to accomplish more within the same amount of time. Let’s face it – everyone encounters assignments that feel challenging and/or at times make us question our approach. Through experience, I’ve found it helpful to prioritize assignments worth more marks, since this tends to be more efficient when aiming for optimal performance. Also, try to avoid working when you’re feeling angry, tired, or frustrated, as it can negatively affect both your efficiency and the overall quality of your work.

If it helps, consider planning how much time you’ll allocate to each section based on the number marks assigned. Naturally, you don’t want to spend valuable time on unnecessary tasks, so before starting any part of an assignment, take a moment to ask yourself: “Is this really necessary?” A similar approach is useful when choosing topics for assignments that allow you to define your own process or strategy. It’s like positioning yourself for a free throw in basketball – if you spot an easier shot, it’s a golden opportunity! You’ll have saved yourself unnecessary effort with a simple choice. When facing tough decisions, students often find that having a friend or classmate nearby often helps ease the pressure and makes the process much more enjoyable.

My main point is to be mindful of how much time you spend on each task. When comparing the amount of time spent on a task to your mark, I’ve found that the result is often similar to a graph like this:

In this example, spending 20 minutes of one assignment and 180 minutes on another might leave you with a disappointing average of about 62%. But spending the same amount of time – 100 minutes on each – could give you a significantly better average of around 83%.

Following these strategies can potentially help improve your performance on assignments. Still, exams will soon become a regular part of our lives again once COVID is behind us. Organized note-taking is essential for performing well on tests. According to a study from ResearchGate, students who consistently take effective notes score about 13% higher on average. But it’s worth reflecting: how effective are your current note-taking methods?

Although your teachers carefully evaluate essays and lab reports, they likely won’t be reviewing your personal notes. This is why, one of the most important aspects of note-taking is keeping your notes concise and clear. It often helps to include diagrams, images, charts, or anything that improves readability. The goal is for you to easily understand your notes when studying. Make sure you’re capturing key points without overdoing it. Don’t feel pressured to fill multiple pages of notes just because others are doing so.

When studying for tests, you’ll typically only need a summary of key information – not everything word-for-word. Since it’s consistently been shown that writing is one of the most effective ways to retain information, taking notes thoughtfully will not only make test preparation easier but will also reinforce your memory of important concepts. If you apply these tips and work efficiently, you’ll likely avoid stressful surprises like “report card shock.”

Remember, even if your performance wasn’t great last term, there’s still hope for the future. Most universities primarily focus on your grades from the second term of Grade 11 and your Grade 12 marks, and even afterwards, there are always new opportunities. So let’s stay optimistic and keep working hard! I wish you all the best for the upcoming term.

Thank you!