I don't like school. It's really bad. I'm really bad. I'm really bad at it.
Since middle school, the daily grind of the education system had begun losing its luster. I didn't feel the same drive to do well. I certainly wanted to learn, but I didn't want to fill my head with pointless things. I also lost the desire to do homework - if we have to work for 7 hours at school, what right do teachers have to give us additional work? There needs to be a balance of personal and work time, along with time to sleep.
IB started junior year. It nearly killed me. I was signed up for 4 HL classes, and they were taking their toll. Calculus was the tombstone over my grave; a C- and D were surely a sign of failure. So I gave up. Mr. Tenold believed I had the capacity to do the work, but I didn't have the drive or the time. So I quit. I just couldn't manage it. Yet there are people who can not only do what I failed at, but thrive in it. This baffles me, and seems to be a sign of personal weakness.
Why am I bad at school? Why does it seem like a prison? And why do others do well in it?
As one facing a similar scenario, I can see what you mean. I have not much drive to do all the homework I'm given so I put it off and then crank it out late at night. I do have a lot of time but I waste some of it. My parents have been pushing me to try harder to work faster and more focused. I know I have the capacity, and my incentive is the satisfaction of a job well done. If it's not well done, I don't consider it a failure but I'm not very satisfied.
ReplyDeleteSchool=Prison? Hardly. What would you do with your time otherwise? I'm sure you'll handle the relaxed schedule of college better. I always have enjoyed the constructive environment of high-level classes, and almost get along with the teachers better than the students.
And not to rub it in, but I chose SL math for the exact same reasons you dropped it: too much homework. Sure, all of last year was review, but it was easy sailing and it helped reinforce math concepts. This year will be all new to me and might be a slowed-down rehash for you. You'll thrive (hopefully).
Also, we do most of our work at home and only have to LEARN at school.
Sam I know how you feel in tenth grade I was in all normal or basic level classes and then jumped into the IB Diploma route. The first trimester last year almost killed me but I learned from my mistakes and bad choices from then and attempted to make it better for this year but the idea of school in my opinion is to learn how to learn and work because most of the things that one would cover is irrelevant to the daily grind and life.
ReplyDeleteI suppose that I'm one of those who thrives in these challenging environments... I guess that's because I have no regard for my limits, I love learning and abhor failure. These traits empower me to absorb the large amounts of knowledge thrown at me daily. I don't know why you lost your drive, senioritis perhaps? (We all have it, my immune system's just good I guess.)
ReplyDeleteI'm a little late on commenting. Oh well. I feel the need to be strapped. If I'm not, my grades go down. I need to be fully committed, or not at all. I made the sacrifices (a.k.a. quitting video games)for I.B. As Alex had mentioned, I abhor failure (b.t.w. Alex, why are you on here?). I see B's as failure... I'm kind of nuts, I know. I find school somewhat fun. I realize that I have to be there, so I have learned to enjoy it. You gotta learn to find mental stimulation fun. I dunno, that's me.
ReplyDeletePeople are good at other things rather then school. I'm terrible at standardized testing, it's proven with my ACT score but i'm good at school only because I work really hard for my grades. It's not something that comes easily, while I do know people where school does come naturally and I wish I was like that as well. You're amazing at music and theater. So what if schools not the best thing you're good at. In the long run school is only a little portion to your entire life, but you're passionate about other things.
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