Elise's LaGuardia audition is coming up.

[conuly]

She's totally unprepared, of course.

Jenn, when she auditioned, literally threw together a dance routine the day of her audition. Of course she got in.

When I took my Stuy test, the only prepwork I did beforehand was flipping through a Regents review book. And yeah, I got in.

My family is like that - we're really good at doing things at the last minute (lots of practice, there!) and if there's something we want to do, we generally go ahead and do it. Not because of perseverence and discipline and all the stuff from movies, but because we're usually good at doing what we like to do. And it's not just Jenn and me - I grew up hearing stories about how my dad "passed current events without doing the work because he knew more than the teacher, who had to ask him for help" and how my mom "nearly failed beginning French (her first language!) because she never filled in a required notebook". I remember being told that I'd be "allowed" to stay up late when I was older, to finish up last-minute, overdue papers. (Jenn got a good grade on that essay, most likely.)

We'd be better off with a little more of that perseverence and discipline - this magic skill doesn't work when there's stuff you really don't want to do, or don't care about. Jenn passed a math class she should have failed, because she spent two days before learning a year's worth of material. But if she hadn't decided, two days prior, that she wanted to pass - yeah, she would have failed. And failed next term too, if she kept up not putting in any work.

I've written countless essays in the space between two classes, and gotten As. But if I don't care about the subject, I can't dredge up the energy to do this. And I've failed classes for just that reason.

But here's the question - how do you go about getting good study and work habits when, deep down, you really believe you don't need them? Because, like I said - generally, if I want to do something, it gets done. That's just how I am. And I have the hardest time convincing myself that I really *want* to get the stuff done that I don't want to do!

(This really pointless post was brought to you by Sinus Infections R Us. They're the gift that keeps on giving! Get one for your family today!!!!)

Comments

[failstoexist.livejournal.com]

for me, it's more of the idea of the actual limitations on my time. My ability to write a 5 page paper in an hour is nonexistent...i just don't type that fast! But if I give myself a short but manageable time for the task, then I do it well....the best grades I got on papers this semester were written 10 minutes before their due dates. but I started doing the reading and making notes at a reasonable time.

you need to build in a little emergency time window and be reasonable about your expectations from yourself...and then...well, it doesn't matter how long you give yourself. if you'd rather do something just before it needs doing and you're OK with that, then go for it! But kids you watch/have might not be able to do that, so teaching them to study at first would be a good idea, so they have those skills to fall back on just in case.

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

New York is weird...

[conuly]

It is?

[leora.livejournal.com]

I had a strong desire to get my work done, but bad work habits. This meant I did very well and regularly got far too little sleep. I feel this was a mistake. If I could help the younger me, I'd say, because it's bad for you and you'll be healthier and happier if you develop good habits. You don't need them to get the work done or to do well, you need them to do well without hurting yourself.

[firingneurons.livejournal.com]

I really need thre exact same advice. Says the girl who half studied for her chem exam tomorrow afternoon, and while she'll pass for sure, she could have done a much better job studying.

I just hate reading over notes and things because I see the words but in my head I know what they say so I couldn't be bothered to read things and study.

This could end up being a Very Bad Thing.

[conuly]

I just hate reading over notes and things because I see the words but in my head I know what they say so I couldn't be bothered to read things and study.

If you know what they say, then you don't have to study, right? There's a difference between knowing without reading the notes and not knowing but being able to learn fast, isn't there?

[firingneurons.livejournal.com]

I think it's a combination of both, because I don't remember what I've written until the exact moment that I read it, but I still go in to tests and exams and immediately forget everything.

[ex-chaos-by-699.livejournal.com]

I wasn't ever the type of person who could get As without studying. But I could be fairly slackful and disorganized and get mostly Bs. I guess I'd make the case for good study habits by pointing out that by *not* procrastinating, you'll save yourself a lot of stress, even if you don't need good study habits to do well. Sorta like what Leora said.

[failstoexist.livejournal.com]

for me, it's more of the idea of the actual limitations on my time. My ability to write a 5 page paper in an hour is nonexistent...i just don't type that fast! But if I give myself a short but manageable time for the task, then I do it well....the best grades I got on papers this semester were written 10 minutes before their due dates. but I started doing the reading and making notes at a reasonable time.

you need to build in a little emergency time window and be reasonable about your expectations from yourself...and then...well, it doesn't matter how long you give yourself. if you'd rather do something just before it needs doing and you're OK with that, then go for it! But kids you watch/have might not be able to do that, so teaching them to study at first would be a good idea, so they have those skills to fall back on just in case.

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

New York is weird...

[conuly]

It is?

[leora.livejournal.com]

I had a strong desire to get my work done, but bad work habits. This meant I did very well and regularly got far too little sleep. I feel this was a mistake. If I could help the younger me, I'd say, because it's bad for you and you'll be healthier and happier if you develop good habits. You don't need them to get the work done or to do well, you need them to do well without hurting yourself.

[firingneurons.livejournal.com]

I really need thre exact same advice. Says the girl who half studied for her chem exam tomorrow afternoon, and while she'll pass for sure, she could have done a much better job studying.

I just hate reading over notes and things because I see the words but in my head I know what they say so I couldn't be bothered to read things and study.

This could end up being a Very Bad Thing.

[conuly]

I just hate reading over notes and things because I see the words but in my head I know what they say so I couldn't be bothered to read things and study.

If you know what they say, then you don't have to study, right? There's a difference between knowing without reading the notes and not knowing but being able to learn fast, isn't there?

[firingneurons.livejournal.com]

I think it's a combination of both, because I don't remember what I've written until the exact moment that I read it, but I still go in to tests and exams and immediately forget everything.

[ex-chaos-by-699.livejournal.com]

I wasn't ever the type of person who could get As without studying. But I could be fairly slackful and disorganized and get mostly Bs. I guess I'd make the case for good study habits by pointing out that by *not* procrastinating, you'll save yourself a lot of stress, even if you don't need good study habits to do well. Sorta like what Leora said.