How to start applying myself in high school?

[CoolStuff]

I don't know how to do it without the drive. I mean the drive is there, I wanna get into a good college.. But there is no motivation for me to do the work. High school homework is terrible...So many better things to spend time on.

Another problem I have is overcoming my emotions. I dislike this one teacher that I have disliked since freshman year, and now I have him (junior). I mean it's also his teaching style (reading tests include searching through what we read and finding what page the quote is on, or who said it), but mostly my emotions towards him.

[supertom]

You my friend bring back so many memories !!!!

Also buy "what smart students know " so you'll spend less time studying ..
and "study smarter not harder"book.

And be involved in other things totally off school.

[CoolStuff]

Originally Posted by supertom

You my friend bring back so many memories !!!!

Also buy "what smart students know " so you'll spend less time studying ..
and "study smarter not harder"book.

I've read a lot on these forums about how to get better at studying effeciently, and I certainly understand it would help, and try to do it right, but the lack of motivation really stops me often. Plus, despite all the reading, I still end up spending time inefficiently, like taking an hour to get started and get "into the zone" of doing homework.

I want to find a smart student so I can learn how they do it, but I find they are often just like me, procrastinating, everything. Only thing is their level attention in class. They can even be drawing and doing other things, but they'll still pay attention. When I eliminate all distractions, I still have a hard time paying attention with lack of motivation because I just find something to think about instead. I am very motivated and do not procrastinate in other areas of my life, though I am sure school has improved my procrastination muscles.

And teachers holding me back is unacceptable, I shouldn't make that excuse, but I do.

Originally Posted by supertom

And be involved in other things totally off school.

Yeah I started that and was surprised how much it helped me in school, but I still have moments like.. "I don't wanna do this at all," like these last two days of homework.

[Kaspian]

If you can turn it into a game, you might enjoy yourself more and find the motivation you're seeking. See how fast you can find the page with the info for the reading test; mentally replace some of the words he says so that in your mind, it's ridiculously funny (IE: Assignment becomes pants. "Your pants are due on Friday."); come up with topic-relevant questions that your teachers might not know the answers to; or whatever.

Or - a different perspective: If you are reasonably smart (and you're here, aren't you??), able to learn things that interest you on your own, willing to work hard on things that matter to you, high school and college matter less than people say they do. A lot of what we're "taught" in high school is severely sanitized (history and government, in particular), simplified to the point of distortion (science), filled with mind-numbing busywork, and so on. It's no shock that sometimes you don't feel like doing it.

The question is, what do you choose to do? Slog through things no matter how much you disdain them? Find a way to like doing it? Turn it into a game so you can enjoy things in your own way? Choose to walk away? Take control of your experience in some way.

When I was in high school, I took the classes that interested me (band, orchestra, biology, chemistry, math, English), refused to take those that didn't (health, PE, several others), stopped going each spring when the weather got warm, and did things on my own terms. I took some honors classes and AP English, and I did not graduate. The two colleges I went to cared very little that I hadn't graduated; I still got music and academic scholarships fully covering tuition and books.

[CoolStuff]

^ I'm trying to look at it as learning techniques that will help me further on in life. Mostly time management, because I don't plan on doing much that I don't enjoy in life. I don't plan on working a boring job just to make more money.

Another way I see it is just trying to do my best to get into college, which is also hazy on how it's gonna help me, but at least I get to be more specialized and interested in college. Plus just getting to college is a goal for me. I know it shouldn't be a goal in itself, but it is.

[ticktockclok]

Find some purpose to your life. Then view high school as an exercise in time management. Can you get the garbage (high school) out of the way while still working at your purpose? Once you finally get all the garbage out of the way, you'll be able to use your incredible time management skills to blow through anything in your way while working at your purpose.

[CoolStuff]

^ Yeah that's exactly how I look at it! lol.. That's what I was getting at it my previous post. haha.

[CoolStuff]

Any more tips?

[verbors]

I never had that problem..seriously

My parents got me into this mind frame that if I don't do homework, the consequence is dire. So I guess I am lucky.

If you have enough self-discipline, you can try the carrot and the whip method.
Say if you don't do your homework, you take away half an hour from your hobby, if you do you can add a half an hour.

Another thing you could try is ride the wave. I read it in one of Steve Pavlina's article. You basically think about your homework until you get so excited about it that you will jump right into it (hopefully).

The most easy thing to do is understand everything in the lesson and do as much homework you can do during lessons. That way you will spend less time doing homework in your own valuable free time (every night I spend like 5 minutes doing homework since most days, I don't have any homework to do).

One last thing to note is that long term motivation will not last. You might get excited for a day or two until you realize that it is going to take a looong time. So short-term rewards is good for motivation.

[Soony]

To make life alot easier in your highschool years you have to change your attitude Think about it like this: what if you were to think of school as a big game and to win all you have to do is do what those teachers wanted? In the process, you will learn something. I've been exactly where you are. If all I needed to do was change my attitude about school I would have done it. (Why not ask the universe for that attitude change?) Think about it.

Soony