We come to the beginning of a new semester, and with a new semester comes new goals for classes and our academic goals. Most of us start out striving for A's and B's but as the semester goes on we slowly start to say "C's get degrees" and give up on trying to get anything higher than a C- because it seems impossible. But it is.
The problem is early on we don't study. We don't think it's important to do our homework or to take the time to go over our class notes at the end of each night. We simply are worried about hanging out with our friends or making that unnecessary late night Walmart or Target run. We goof off. We don't study. And that is what kills us every time.
As I start my new semester, in classes that as I look at the syllabus I laugh, put my head on the desk, and whisper to myself, "Yup. I'm failing this semester." As an English and Religious Studies double major there is a lot of reading. I have eight books for one class. But, if I take advantage of the start of the semester, I would actually be okay.
It's OK to take the time to study right off the bat. I highly recommend it. Take one night to stay in and study during the week. Take an hour a day to actually read the assignment given to you by your professor. It will make all the difference in the world. Come finals, I promise you will feel a lot better about exams than you did last semester.