You Have More Absences Than Completed Assignments This Semester, Don't You?

So, it’s the end of the semester and if you’re like me, then you’re scrambling around trying to get everything in before grades close and you’re trying to suck up to your teachers so they won’t take too many points off your grade for not going to class. This is when you don’t sleep, eat all the wrong things and ask yourself WHY you did this to yourself? “If I had just gone to class…” “If I had just done this the day it was assigned…” If you’re like me, then you know exactly what I am talking about. 

This is an article on what to do to avoid being a mess at the end of the semester because trust me, you are not the only person going to your professor asking for “one more day! PLEASE.” See, I think that professors have this mental list of students they respect the least. The top of this list are the students who don’t go to class. You can be a shitty test taker, a bad essay writer, etc., but if you show up to every single class with a pen and notebook, your professor WILL notice and they will WANT to help you come final time. You just have to show up.

Easier said than done though, ain’t it? I’ve been in this school for three years so luckily I have a few teachers who know me, not only because I’ve been in their classes but because I work here too. One of my favorite professors said this to me yesterday when I asked what she was teaching next semester: “See, what I’m worried about it you showing up. That’s the only complaint I have about you Alexandra. You are a wonderful student, but you need to be in class more.”

It’s like a punch in the stomach. You look up to someone, you respect them, they inspire you and you, well, you are a disappointment. I take things personally. That’s how I am. I walk by a professor and I say hello and they nod, I immediately think, “Oh no, I did something.” I know, I am crazy. I really am. I know it’s not me. It’s rather narcissistic to think so, but I just want to be liked by those who I admire. You know what I want MORE than to be liked by those who I admire? 

Sleep.

Oh, sleep. Sleep and me go way back. It’s been a loving relationship right from the start, but it started to get unhealthy about the time I started high school. Sleep didn’t want to let me go. Sleep got jealous when I had to get up for school and I finally just gave in to the controlling behavior. It’s been a hard fight for the past three years being in college. Sleep knows there is more freedom in college but I know there is more responsibility, so it’s a constant battle trying to free myself from those nice warm arms early in the morning. Sleep wins a lot though. Hence this article on scrambling at the end of the semester. 

I’m rambling. You know exactly what I’m talking about though. I know you. You’ve been fighting too… There are lots of us. You are not alone. We must band together and stand up to sleep. Just say No. Get to class. Take those notes. Breathe. Get respect from those teachers that you respect. It will pay off big time at the end of the semester. Sleep may no be getting much love, but your grades will be getting loads of it. 

Trust me. 

(I’m not saying don’t sleep. Sleep is the most important thing to getting good grades. Get plenty of it but don’t take that as permission to sleep through your classes.)

Right now I am turning in very late papers. Very late homework assignments and doing so without looking my teacher in the eye. 

“I really hope to have you again next semester, you are one of my favorite teachers in this school. You really are. I’m going to prove it to you next semester.” This is something I should say. Maybe I’ll just e-mail it to them instead…. Oh dear.

Good luck on your finals everybody. I promise to have a better prep guide next semester! But I just couldn’t write one this semester. It’d be lying! I’d be lying about my study habits because I don’t have any study habits. But next semester will be different! You will see my dearest readers! You will see!


Xo Al