As the end of the semester and finals season approaches, most, if not all, students are practically in overdrive. It seems like professors are choosing now to pile on assignment after assignment and quiz after quiz. Overall, time is flying by and there are never enough hours in the day to get everything done. With the year coming to a close, everyone is working had to ensure that their grades and GPAs are high, making sure that they set themselves up for the best possible year/semester come September.
At the moment, the fact that finals are literally only two weeks away hasn't really hit me. Instead, I've chosen to procrastinate and panic over the fact that I have a paper and research assignment due in two separate courses worth a pretty good chunk of my final grade. While the professors of both courses have explicitly mentioned that the content of our writing should be straight to the point, that has not stopped me from overanalyzing each prompt. (Although to be fair, this is something I do often and over anything and everything.) So, I've thrown myself into research and data points, working out the best way to structure each assignment, and what will get me the best grade. And, honestly? Nothing seems like it will give me the results I want.
You see, I'm the person who strives for perfection. I work hard to make sure that there are no flaws in my writing or presentation, making sure that while easy to comprehend, it is creative. If I'm going to be honest, I actually enjoy writing papers and creating new projects. I just don't particularly enjoy the stress that comes along with it, which in all of my cases tends to be a lot.
Perfection isn't everything
While it is important for you to maintain good grades and a high GPA, that does not mean you should stress yourself out over every little detail. You are only human and it is a fact that you will make mistakes. Even though the comments from professors, friends, and mentors may seem negative, they would not give them if they would not help you later on. You are meant to learn from the mistakes that you make, no matter the size. So what if you get a B- instead of that A? One little grade is not going to ruin your entire life. Sure, strive for perfection. But just because you do not attain it, does not mean the world is ending. Perfection isn't everything and what you make of things will only show you your best self, everything that you are capable of.
These assignments are the first "papers" that I've written for college in the entirety of two semesters. Considering their weight, along with this fact, you could say that I'm a little nervous for the comments and grades that I will be getting back. Having gotten AP credit for "expository writing," I have not had the exposure to college-level writing that my peers have. So, I have no clue what professors are looking for when it comes to my writing. The drafts and outlines that I am coming up with in my head, writing down, are crammed with information, much of which is useless. Each one seems like it is worse than the other, and I'm dreading actually having to write the actual papers.
I guess that is the point of college though. I'm at a point in my life where every little thing is a chance to learn, and this just happens to be a slightly bigger, more important thing. Right now, I'm finishing up the research and data collection that is required for both assignments and am looking to begin writing tonight or tomorrow. I know for a fact that I will be very upset with the first few drafts, and will probably not even be completely satisfied with the final product that I choose to turn in. But, what can you do? All I can take in are the comments given to me and work on my own writing. Regardless of how I do (although I hope I do well), this will be a learning experience and I will come out a better writer because of it. I'll keep you guys updated on how I do and wish me luck!
