Читать книгу Facing Failure and Winning - Matthew J. Salerno - Страница 3

I begin this narrative by discussing a topic that is relevant to everyone in one way or another. Many of us have had the great opportunity to work our way through a structured school system. Some individuals never had the opportunity to attend a school with a formal education system, and others have had that opportunity cut short. Regardless of the educational background you may come from, formal or informal, we have all faced failure in learning new things. It can be overwhelming when trying to balance hanging out with your friends or family while also focusing on your education. Also, the expectations placed upon you by your family, professors, or even yourself can be problematic, if not handled the correct way. Like anything else, education is a balancing act; however, it is an important act that has a large impact on the rest of your life.

I was fortunate to go to a fantastic public school in the heart of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I have been blessed with the ability to learn things quickly and have had the determination to obtain good grades throughout school. It was always important to me to do well in school because my family expected it from me, but more than anything else, I expected it from myself. Even though I had these great circumstances in my favor, I have still experienced a lot of failure throughout my years in the public education system. Many poor grades on projects, tests, reports, and so on have been obtained. It was a terrible feeling when I studied several hours for an exam, only to receive a C or D in return. It was even more difficult to compare myself with my friends, people who I knew did not put in the same amount of effort and see that they received a higher grade. I started to think to myself that maybe my friends had some recipe for succeeding in this system. Did I just have to put in less effort and not worry so much, and I would come out with better grades? Far from it, actually.

Education is a peculiar topic because everyone experiences it in a different way. We all learn at different paces and some of us are much more proficient at certain topics compared to others. I believe this is the first challenge most young individuals face in a public school system. Administrations and teachers expect all students to learn at a similar pace and in a similar fashion. They expect everyone to get the same amount of homework done every night and for all of us to be able to focus for the same amount of time. The problem is that this is far from the reality of the situation. Young students are simply trying to figure out their way in life and in their education. They are venturing into different topics to see what piques their interest. Math seems to pique the interest of some students while science piques the interest of others. Plenty are interested in literature and how to communicate through words on a page, and some are well-rounded at a young age to tackle all of these topics at once. The point I am trying to make is that students are going to be more proficient at certain topics and that it may take time for them to grasp the boundaries of ones that do not mesh with their immediate interests.

The inaugural thoughts of failure stem from this particular scenario. Many students, including myself, see others excelling in all areas of the school, while they only excel in one or two. It leads them to assume that they are not as bright or intelligent as the individuals around them. The way to overcome this initial speculation of failure is to stay the course and focus on the topics that you can complete with the most proficiency. Now, this does not mean you should ignore the other topics being taught in class; however, you should not worry about how your peers do in comparison to you in subject you do not enjoy as much. I have always excelled in mathematics, but I arrived at the conclusion that some kids were simply better at science or history than I was. This did not mean I was a failure; it simply meant that I needed to expand my horizons a little bit and work harder on those topics. Instead of attempting to be great at every single topic, I became an expert in one topic and became proficient in the others. I believe this is the best and most effective way for the average student to succeed in the public school system. Not every student is going to graduate with a 3.5 GPA or higher. Many students may not even graduate with a 3.0 GPA. However, if you are able to become an expert in one specific field, whatever it may be, you will set yourself up better for your future. An author does not need to excel in science, and a music teacher does not need to excel in math. They simply need to be outstanding at what they do and what they enjoy. Focusing on this topic from a young age can allow them to accomplish this.

Another thought of failure can arise when a single form of studying or preparation does not work for an individual. Various students, both young and old, think of studying and immediately picture opening up a book, taking down every note they can find, and cramming for hours the night before an exam. This may be extremely effective for some students, but in my experiences throughout grade school and college, this does not work for the majority of students. If you excel at memorization and are able to take “mental pictures” of the material, then this method can lead to a very fruitful academic career. In contrast, if you are not able to achieve a level of success with this method, you must find what works best for you . The way in which you study does not need to be the same as anyone who has ever studied before you. You may end up using some elaborate methodology you come up with before you find what works best for you. If you have to look over the material a week before the test, take a break for a few days, and then return to it a couple of nights before the exam, then do that. If you have to make flashcards with pictures and phrases and have them color coded, then do that, as well. The point is that, by no means, is there one way to study that is better than the rest. It is solely determined by you and the way in which you recall information. This is why, I believe, studying in groups can be very problematic for some people. I know that I cannot, personally, study in groups. I find that I have no focus, and I feel as if I am comparing myself to the others around me. This is not an efficient or effective way for me to study, so I try to avoid it when possible. Now, this does not mean you have to be antisocial and avoid your friends. It simply means you should leave yourself some time to study before or after you study in a group setting to ensure you can recall the information in the most efficient manner. On the other hand, learning in a group setting may be the best option for you, too. In this case, you should try to do this as much as possible before examinations. This method can be very effective because you are able to learn study habits from other people and obtain notes that you may not have otherwise had. In my experience, I have learned that studying with the same group of people before exams can lead to better results. I’ve found it allows me to become more comfortable while studying, which makes it easier for me to bounce ideas or topics off of the people around me. Whatever option you choose to pursue, make sure you feel comfortable with it no matter how elaborate it may be. The goal is not to be able to study the quickest or the longest but to be able to maximize your performance in school.

“Hey, give me a call after school today, and let’s hang out.” You were probably able to read this in one of your best friend’s voices. This is because it may occur to you on a daily basis. There is nothing better than getting done with a long day of classes and going to hang out with your best friends. It allows you to unwind and have fun with the people that share the same interests as you. Whether you go to play a sport, sit down to watch your favorite series on Netflix, or simply talk about the people you have been crushing on, it is always the best of times when hanging out with friends. The problem everyone faces is balancing these great times with the schoolwork they have been assigned. As you become a more seasoned student, it becomes much more difficult to change habits relating to hanging out with your friends. Most of the people I know, including myself, like to hang out with friends right after school and worry about homework later in the night. It seems like the natural thing to do because who would want to do more work right after going to school for seven or eight hours? Yet, I am going to give you a few reasons why getting your work done first is the best way to avoid negative results. Like I previously stated, it is extremely hard to change habits with respect to spending time with friends as you become older and progress through the school system. This is why it is imperative to start good habits at a young age. Doing this will give you the best opportunity to stay on track when the time comes to start getting involved with extracurricular activities such as sports, clubs, or hanging out with your significant other. In addition, getting most (or all) of your work done before hanging out with your friends will allow you to spend more quality time with them. You will not have the burden of assignments looming over your head the entire time you are with them. Also, it provides you the opportunity to get ahead on assignments so that you can have more time throughout the rest of the week to hang out with them. At first, they may be opposed to the idea that you would rather do homework than hang out with them, but when you are able to hang out with them more frequently and for longer periods of time because you are ahead on work, they will quickly change their tone. This methodology stems from the idea that it is not always about how many times you hang out with someone, but rather the quality of the time you spend with them. I have learned that hanging out with someone for an hour or two is not nearly as fruitful as spending an afternoon or evening with them doing something you both find enjoyable. This is where you build true friendships and relationships, and this is where you find out whether or not someone shares the same interests as you.

Getting your work done immediately after school, rather than later at night, can prove to be beneficial in the classroom as well. When you get done with the school day, you may feel exhausted. I remember many days when I would come home from school and immediately lie down on the couch to take a nap for an hour or so. This seemed like it helped me make it through the rest of the day and gave me the energy to get work done later in the night. However, the reality was the opposite of the expectation. I either ended up hitting snooze and napping for closer to a couple of hours or woke up feeling more tired than I did before I laid down to rest. Then, I would go on my phone or play on the computer for another hour or two. By the time I knew it, it was already time for dinner. After helping clean up following our meal and talking with my family about how our days went, it was already seven or eight o’clock. At this time, I would attempt to sit down and work on the homework that was handed out earlier in the day. Only a few hours had passed, but I could not seem to remember the tricks our algebra teacher taught us in class nor the formulas I needed for my science experiment. The bottom line is, even though you may be tired after a long day of school, the information you learned is fresh. This makes it much easier to complete assignments because you remember exactly what the teacher said in class. Also, now you are able to spend the night watching sports with your dad or your favorite reality television show with your mom. Not to mention, your notes for studying will be much more detailed and concise. This will lead to less stress and cramming before exams, which, in turn, will translate into higher grades.

Education is something we all must go through, but that does not mean it has to be difficult. You have to be able to identify what topics pique your interest and focus on becoming an expert at them. This will allow you to eventually expand your knowledge and put more time into topics that do not settle well with you initially. You also have to experiment and find the study habits that work best for you . Nobody else may have the same routine as you, and that’s okay. You have to figure out the best way to retain information and maximize your potential by sticking with this system. Like my Grandfather always says, “Practice makes Perfect.” Lastly, you need to instill good habits at a young age. Getting work done immediately after school, rather than hanging out with your friends, may seem lame and underwhelming, but trust me, it will lead to more meaningful relationship opportunities and better performance in the classroom. If you are able to focus on these objectives and implement them into your everyday life, you will be on the right track to face failure and win.