I'm currently in a train, coming home from a very nice evening out with a friend. Today I was reminded and taught many things, mainly because this friend of mine shares a similar mindset to me. For instance, I was reminded that I still have quite a few people's respect that I have yet to lose. That's good. Also, this isn't what I wanted to talk about. Let's talk studies. So, you say (you didn't say it here yet, but this morning it was decided that:) you want to become a writer. Now, there are realistically two ways to go at it.
1) You balance writing and studying, with a focus on writing
2) You keep doing what you've been doing up 'till now
Let me explain what 2) consists of: you basically focus on whatever feels more urgent at the current time, and leave out everything else.
In about one month, the exam sessions begin. On Wednesday, in three days, I have one non-mandatory midterm exam. Because of the way I've been doing things, I've put a lot more focus on the approaching midterm, and virtually neglected all else.
It's the same whenever an exam session comes up. What's more, things get worse.
I have this urge in me to do everything I do as perfectly as I can. While I cherish this trait, it has one nasty consequence: I don't want to give am exam until I feel I've understood it to the maximum extent I can. In real life, this has translated into the fact that in two semesters, I have given three exams out of ten, two of which I repeated because I felt I could do better. It was calculated to some extent, as I already had two exams convalidated which leaves me with 5 exams to recuperate, but damn that's a lot.
And so, I'm aiming to things differently this time. I want to balance studies with writing, this means giving exams even though I haven't fully grasped them, for the sake of both having less exams to worry about and having more time to write.
It's not going to be easy to change, old habits due hard, and this one even more so because it comes from something akin to a principle to me (i.e. Do your best in everything you do). In fact, it would be theoretically possible to do that and still have time to write, but I'm not that strong, and realistically it's going to be very hard for me to become able to do that. So, what do you want to do?
Frankly... I want to go for this last option. I have no guarantee that I can become that kind of person, and this puts the future I've envisioned at stake, but the return is so huge...
Really, I don't know. I'll think about it, and at some point I'll come to a conclusion I hope.
Well then, I'm getting off at the next stop so see ya
1) You balance writing and studying, with a focus on writing
2) You keep doing what you've been doing up 'till now
Let me explain what 2) consists of: you basically focus on whatever feels more urgent at the current time, and leave out everything else.
In about one month, the exam sessions begin. On Wednesday, in three days, I have one non-mandatory midterm exam. Because of the way I've been doing things, I've put a lot more focus on the approaching midterm, and virtually neglected all else.
It's the same whenever an exam session comes up. What's more, things get worse.
I have this urge in me to do everything I do as perfectly as I can. While I cherish this trait, it has one nasty consequence: I don't want to give am exam until I feel I've understood it to the maximum extent I can. In real life, this has translated into the fact that in two semesters, I have given three exams out of ten, two of which I repeated because I felt I could do better. It was calculated to some extent, as I already had two exams convalidated which leaves me with 5 exams to recuperate, but damn that's a lot.
And so, I'm aiming to things differently this time. I want to balance studies with writing, this means giving exams even though I haven't fully grasped them, for the sake of both having less exams to worry about and having more time to write.
It's not going to be easy to change, old habits due hard, and this one even more so because it comes from something akin to a principle to me (i.e. Do your best in everything you do). In fact, it would be theoretically possible to do that and still have time to write, but I'm not that strong, and realistically it's going to be very hard for me to become able to do that. So, what do you want to do?
Frankly... I want to go for this last option. I have no guarantee that I can become that kind of person, and this puts the future I've envisioned at stake, but the return is so huge...
Really, I don't know. I'll think about it, and at some point I'll come to a conclusion I hope.
Well then, I'm getting off at the next stop so see ya