I'm bombarded

Subject: I'm bombarded Tue Feb 05, 2013 8:26 pm

SO. anyway, I have a LOT of homework. I was doing fine until the week after winter break, where teachers just started pilling on homework after homework after homework. I know I know, you guys have the same problem. But I'm in 7th grade, and it's starting to get to my head. I have regular homework along with all of these projects, so I'm spending 4 to five hours outside of classes working on various things. I have a history paper that I have to take notes for, as well as regular history homework, and my outline is due thurs. And I have a history test Friday. We are working on an in class essay in English, which is turning out to be not so in-class (and the final draft is due thurs). And I have a Science poster due thursday and I'm still writing the text.

What I'm trying to say is that I'm under a lot of stress right now and I need some help a) handling it, b) concentrating better and c) not procrastinating so much.

sorry for all the complaining.

Subject: Re: I'm bombarded Thu Feb 07, 2013 5:55 am

Well, firstly, get enough rest. The time you sleep matters. Don't go over 1am, else no matter how long you sleep for, you won't be able to concentrate the next day. Try afternoon naps for about 20 minutes each before 6pm, it helps clear your mind - but any longer than that your night sleep will be affected and you'll feel woozy. You'll find that you study, focus, and absorb things faster and easier.

About homework, do it when you have time in school. This will lessen the amount you have when you get home. But be sure not to do it when the teacher is teaching an important lesson. You can always rank your lessons. Classes like art or music don't exactly count in your end year results -at least here they don't- so focus on your core subjects. It's best to pay attention during math and science classes, for those need you to fully understand concepts before you are able to apply them.

English/language or your humanities subjects however, are more of memory work. You don't particularly have to practice for the skills nor understand formulas fully. I mean, they're just that, you can't really learn English at your level now. You simply have to read more. Things they teach like similes or metaphors you most likely already know, and they're just teaching.. well.. for the teaching sake. You can use those classes to complete simple homework. Go into more detail when you get home.

For projects, choose partners/groups that are serious. It's best not to work with your clique or friends, they distract you and your discussion turns out to be something else than the appropriate topic. Do projects in school instead of someone's house or someplace you have to travel to. Half the time you take traveling you can complete an entire hypothesis. Try not to put more effort into projects/essays than needed. For a project to find out the difference in mass between an elephant and a dragon, simply finding the difference and finding both the difference and the reason for the difference gives you the same A grade.

There's this thing about tests. You can't possibly leave all the studying for the night before, even if you do study and memorise stuff for hours with appropriate breaks. I'm sure you have some friends who never seem to study or rush much during the test/exam period, yet are able to score well consistently.This is because they study for a prolonged period of time -ever since they learnt the info, or even before-, and not just the day or the previous week. They may say that they never study, it isn't true, duh, but then of course, everyone wants to be a congenital genius.

There are a few stages to learning/remembering something completely. I'm sure you probably already know them, but you asked how to deal with stress, so.. xD

First, if you can, study a topic beforehand. Take note of the keywords, you don't have to study it in too much detail. This will help you when your teacher goes through it in class, and you'll be able to actually recognise parts of the topic when they are first taught in class, instead of drowning in a pool of facts and vague explanations.

Second, when you learn it in class, delve deeper into the explanations and try grasp the more detailed concepts of it. Be sure to listen to the teacher. If it's boring, eat a mint sweet or something -in secret if needed-, it'll keep you awake. Most people don't feel the need to sleep when they're working something around their mouths, and mint helps memory-work. Take some notes down if needed, like things your teacher emphasises on but are not in the textbook. For me, I feel its best not to go too into detailed noting down yet, 'cause I may miss out what the teacher says in class. Ask if you have any questions. This is the time for you to understand, not remember. Highlight keywords, and keywords only. If you want to check what really are keywords, pick those you've selected out and put them in sequence. They should still make sense and convey only the message.

Third, when you get back home at night on the bed right before you sleep, take about half to an hour to go through the topics you've learnt. Maybe make some detailed notes from the textbook, or notes your teacher prints out. Do it in point form so you won't accidentally add in unnecessary information. Writing down instead of typing things enforces the facts into your memory, and sleeping right after will embed it into your head. This will more or less complete your foundation of the topic and you will be less likely to forget that lesson. You can listen to music, but not pop or things with lyrics. Those will deviate your attention and cause you to think about songs cause they're obviously more interesting than what you're learning. Try Baroque or Classical music. I find Eine Kleine Nachtmus by Morzart and May Be by Yiruma quite suitable.

Fourth, you're not done yet, though. Each week, or when you have spare time, go through your notes and refresh your memory. It may get more and more each month, but it helps. When to stop? Technically, you don't ever stop revising. But you'll know when you have the facts at the tips of your fingers. That's when you can lay it off a bit till your tests or examinations. Making references to things you've just learnt in your daily life, be it joking with a friend or in simple conversation, does help retain the info in your head. Teaching classmates will definitely help. After all, to teach is to learn twice.

Lastly, when you have tests/examinations, there's no point in making any more new notes. Use the ones you have already, add important info to it if you have to, but leave it as it is. The more familiar you are with stuff, the easier it is to remember what you have forgotten. On the night before, read your stuff and then sleep. If you truly know your facts, you can be tested any time. What really matters during a test is your level of attentiveness. When you're bored and tired, you doze off. When you start to doze off, everything you write comes out gibberish.

So when someone asks you before a test, whether you studied or not, to gauge their opponents, go ahead and say a huge mocking NAHH. You've earned the right to. xD

On procrastinating, there's really nothing I can say. It's up to you. Books on procrastination help you understand why, but doesn't stop or curb the temptation. All I can suggest is to make up your mind and do it fast and suddenly, before your subconsciousness tries to argue. Like when you see it's time to start work, have your hand immediately shut off your computer in two seconds or less, so your annoying brain can't intercept. Don't turn it on again and force yourself to look at your work. Maybe use the school library to study for an hour first instead of going home where a bunch of distractions await, since you won't have anything else to procrastinate on out there.

I'll sum it up for you.
~ Sleep before 12-1am for at least 7 hours.
~ Take 20-minute naps at early to mid afternoon
~ Prioritize your classes
~ You can chew a strong mint/candy when you get bored/sleepy
~ Don't trust a friend when he/she says he/she hasn't studied
~ Complete only what is required for a project, and nothing more.
~ Study a lesson before its taught and highlight appropriate keywords
~ Listen and understand when a teacher teaches a topic
~ Ask when in doubt
~ Make detailed bulleted notes when you get home, test yourself by thinking of potential exam questions
~ Don't listen to music with lyrics
~ Revise and go through your topics constantly afterwards
~ You can apply newly learnt things in your daily life
~ Don't turn down the opportunity to teach others the correct stuff
~ Before a test/exam, skim through your notes, then enjoy your sleep
~ Control your procrastination by tearing your eyes away from what you want to do. Take that expression literally. It really works. xD

Wow, now I realise how much I've typed. Anyway, hope I helped^^

Subject: Re: I'm bombarded Thu Feb 07, 2013 12:21 pm

Wow Summer. That's a lot.
I only have one idea, and its kind of just a thing to do with homework.

THE MULTIPLE HOMEWORK SANDWICH

Its this thing where you put everything into a sandwich. Like first, you do the subject you dislike the most, written work. Then some study. Next least fave, more study. So on and so forth, saving the very last thing, the thing you like most till last.
Basically, my study sandwich would look like this:

Written Business - Study For Business - Written Math - Study For Math - Written CSPE - Study For Spanish - Written Spanish - Blah blah blah blah blah - Written History

Just make sure you do them in decreasing order. Like Business is my least fave, so its first, then History is my fave, so its in last. Idk. It works for me :D

Although, Summer's looks good, so read hers XD

Subject: Re: I'm bombarded Thu Feb 07, 2013 3:59 pm

THANKS SOOOO MUCH!!!
I'm going to try everything and see if it works.

One question, Vina: Do I get to eat the sandwich when I'm done? :)

Feeling a lot better about homework, thanks guys.

Subject: Re: I'm bombarded Sun Feb 10, 2013 4:27 am

Of course. Cover it in meat and sandwich veggies, smother it in sauce, and chomp.
I 'm eating the math part righr now (:

Subject: Re: I'm bombarded Sun Feb 10, 2013 12:19 pm

Yum, math.

Subject: Re: I'm bombarded Sun Feb 10, 2013 12:33 pm

It was very yummy. English was tastier though