things i learned in 2017 that i should have known sooner
since it’s december 31 today i figured i should make this an annual thing and build off of my previous 2016 wrap up post, so here goes :)
1. discipline is built on practice. too many times i’ve wasted time on useless things like surfing the internet when i should have been studying or working on extracurriculars or other responsibilities, and i started taking action against my lethargy too late in the year to make a significant difference. practice discipline a little bit everyday! the easiest place to start is not visiting websites that waste a lot of time, or turning your phone off when you’re supposed to be studying
2. age is not indicative of maturity or knowledge. too many times people who are older try to take advantage of their seniority and wave it around as if it’s a pass to knowing more than someone younger than them, but it’s only a cheap ploy to make themselves feel better. stand up for yourself and call them out on their bullshit
3. regulate your sleep schedule!! i used to not do this until this semester and it’s given me so much more time to get things done. one rem cycle is an hour and a half, and you’re supposed to get 3 to 4 rem cycles to have enough sleep. when i regulate my sleep cycle i usually can get away with getting only 6 hours of sleep, but when i don’t, i need to get at least 7.5 hours during the week, and oversleep on the weekends to not be tired. sleepyti.me calculates when you need to sleep based on when you need to wake up and has saved my life this semester
4. make mental health a priority. this is so hard, but self care is so important!! i spend this semester basically hanging by a thin thread and my grades, relationships, and mental health suffered for it. sometimes i would go days without wanting to talk to anyone because i would feel overwhelmed by everything going on that i didn’t want to throw social interaction on top of all that lmao.
5. don’t multi-task things that require concentration. it’ll take you three hours to get something that could have taken half an hour. pretty self explanatory
6. don’t look for drastic solutions for temporary struggles. time heals everything, and like everything, it will pass. you already made it this far , you can make it even further!
7. college apps are a pain in the ass. no joke. i have no idea why people decided that it was a good idea to have students work on them during the school year, but unfortunately in the US, that’s how it is. prioritize and get them started asap, preferably in the summer. and realize that they’re probably more important than trying to maintain straight a’s/high grades. colleges look at senior grades in terms of rigor, so it’s okay if you don’t get perfect grades. as long as you pushed yourself by taking harder classes or taking on more extracurricular activities that you enjoy, then colleges will see that.
