how to have your academic comeback
an outline from someone who is currently planning theirs.
note , this is more of an outline than a how-to
step one : mentality
mindset is everything. get it in your head that you’re gonna have an academic comeback and that it will go successfully. that you will come out of it as the smartest, most dedicated, most organized, you’ve ever been. do not doubt that you will achieve your end goal. the time for shame and regret is over, there’s no need to dwell on past academic mistakes or failures. why? because the whole point of an academic comeback is redemption, isn’t it? so don’t beat yourself up while you’re simultaneously trying to make it up to yourself. harboring those feelings instead of forgiving yourself is ultimately unnecessary and a form of self sabotage. the more productive thing to do is to keep your mistakes in mind for the sole purpose of learning from and avoiding them, not because you’re punishing yourself. this is a new beginning, a new era. so give yourself a chance, envision a newer version of yourself. and know that you won’t just dream of it, you’ll be it.
another thing to keep in mind is that this will not be something that will feel aesthetic or romanticized 100% of the time. be excited for the new version of yourself, but understand how to get there. the ideal version of yourself? where you’re the student you knew you could be but never have been? that can be you, yes, but know that it won’t take luck to get there, it’ll take work. being the best student you can be is on the other side of discipline. don’t be discouraged by this, find it a relief that you can become your desired version of yourself in a straightforward way. you can do this. so, be real with yourself. before you get any further with your academic comeback, understand what it will demand of you. your time, energy, focus, discipline, and dedication will be required and you must be ready to give it. there’s no backing out, once you’ve started you have to finish it. I say that because this is a form of showing up for yourself. only read this post if you seriously know that this is a process you will see to its end.
and finally, you must be ready to leave behind all of the unwanted bad habits that end up sabotaging your academic career. set the intention that all of the habits you know are slowing you down and aren’t serving you will die, that you will be free from them. have it in your headspace that those aren’t your habits anymore.
this academic comeback isn’t a phase. the goal of the academic comeback that I’ve outlined in this post isn’t for you to simply catch up and then fall right behind again. this isn’t temporary. this is how you’ll be operating academically from now on. this academic comeback sets out to unlock your potential, to make you the greatest student you can be. and not just for a semester. it’s about getting on top of things and then staying on top of things. there will be times where it’s especially hard to do that, but this time you’ll have an easier time persisting through difficulties instead of caving to bad habits or defeat.
step two : catch up
you got the mentality down, great, now immediately put your best efforts into catching up. being an academic weapon starts with eliminating your pile of missing assignments or conquering the concept you don’t understand in one of your classes. after completing step one, that brings you to level zero. catching up on everything will bring you to level one. it will give you some progress, some momentum, and a clean slate. and it builds a good base for your academic comeback. at this stage, put more of your focus into catching up instead of immediately trying to be an academic weapon with upcoming assignments. digging yourself out of this hole is what’s most important. and I don’t mean to sound like I’m saying “oh, just catch up” like it’s something that’s easy for everyone to do. sometimes it can be as simple as having missing assignments you haven’t done because you’ve procrastinated and not because you find them difficult. but other times, catching up can be easier said than done. there are more online resources than you’d think. people on youtube, tiktok, tumblr, and instagram have struggled with understanding the same concepts as you have. learn from them, seek out help. when you’re not understanding something, utilizing resources will be your best friend. this is why I said “put your best efforts into catching up”, it’s about you trying more than anything else. you can work towards catching up, you got this.
step three : find what works
alright, you’ve got a clean slate. nothing is weighing you down now. you’re all caught up and in doing so, you’ve proven to yourself that you’re serious about this school year. it’s finally time to fully focus on being an academic weapon moving forward. this step is all about experimenting. this is where you try out the habits of your ideal self and all of your academic inspirations and see which ones you actually like. try out multiple routines, schedules, study systems, methods, etc to see which ones work best for you. and once you do find what sticks, be patient with yourself as you get used to it.
note, the experimentation stage should not last too long.
you have a routine down or maybe you alternate between a couple based on your energy levels. you found your favorite time of day to do homework and the environment you like to study in the most. you’ve gone through study methods, some working some not, and now you know what technique is effective for each occasion. maybe you’ve crafted the perfect schedule for yourself, tasks assigned to each hour of the day creating the most ideal productivity routine. or maybe you’re a lot more flexible but still get things done in an efficient manner that leaves you with enough time to recharge. this is what it looks like when you’ve completed step three. you don’t have to wonder what study routine would work best for you or if there’s a better after school routine you could be doing. you already experimented, you already know. at the end of this step you’re locked in and on top of things, you got your school schedule down.
step four : goals
you’ve settled into a rhythm, now it’s time to get your goals. make your goal clear. is it straight A’s? is it to win an academic prize or competition? your goal can be as grand or as modest as you like, just keep them in mind. once you’ve identified your goal(s), keep track of the answers to these questions:
☆ when would you like this goal to be achieved? (is there a certain date? the end of this month, semester, or school year? before fall, spring, winter break?)
☆ what things can you do routinely to help you achieve it by then? (what action can you take daily/weekly/monthly?)
☆ what is the reward for your dedication? (i’m not talking about what obviously comes out of the goal being fulfilled. if your goal is to ace a test the reward is not an A plus, it’s how you treat yourself. idgaf, rewarding yourself is a necessity!! even if the fulfillment of the goal is enough to satisfy you, reward your efforts!! you have no reason not to.)
want more for yourself, have a goal. i don’t mean this in a toxic productivity harsh study motivation way that leads to burnout. i mean this in a way where you deserve to see yourself do the best you can do, to see yourself strive for things that are important to you.
step five : sustainability
again, the point of this is not to end up crashing and burning!! the goal is to be the best student you can be. and to ensure that, you need to 1. not go overboard and 2. routinely recharge yourself. do not overwhelm yourself with routines and systems. they’re supposed to help you, and if they’re doing more harm than good then drop them. your academic comeback doesn’t need to be anything too fancy or complicated. at the end of the day it’s about what’s functional.
do whatever you can to make keeping up with school and being an academic weapon something sustainable. make sure you give yourself enough time in the day to have a break. have days dedicated to pleasure and rest. don’t be cruel to yourself. don’t deny yourself what makes you happy. this doesn’t have to be something you hate, being an academic weapon doesn’t have to be grueling. ask yourself regularly, “how can i make this something easy for me to keep doing?” you don’t have to give up what you love for your academic comeback, you just need to make room for both. balance is what will keep you from burning out.
the defrosting of the academic weapon
and there you have it, an outline on how to have an academic comeback. it’s more on the vague side but that’s mainly because I want it to be applicable for everyone. take this outline and customize it to your liking ♡. these are the steps I’m going to take, let me know if this also works for you! you can send any feedback in my inbox.
