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The Inconsistent Student


My son has taken up the fine art of yo-yoing, and I’ll be honest – it’s downright amazing at what one can do with a yo-yo given YouTube tutorials and a lot of practice (and a parent that helps him figure things out like different types of yo-yo string and different bearings – who knew yo-yos could be so complicated!). As he throws the yo-yo around at speeds which I’m quite certain would break a wrist or a finger if it accidentally collided with his person, all I can see is the life of an inconsistent student.

One of the problems students who come to me often face is inconsistency. Yes, it’s a self-inflicted problem, but being inconsistent isn’t always obvious to students (it’s always harder to see faults or problems in ourselves than it is in others). One of the key excuses/reasons I get for inconsistency is: I have to take time where I can get it and while that may be inconsistent it’s all I have. So you study hard for a weekend, and then no studying throughout the week. During the week, you may or may not go to class, you may or may not pay attention in class, and you may or may not submit all your work (best work or otherwise) – because you’re just too busy. In this case, I would ask the following questions:

·         If you truly don’t have time to study or do your best work on a consistent basis, is school really something you should be taking on right now?

·         If you aren’t making the time to study or do your best work consistently, is school really a priority in your life?

·         If school isn’t a priority for you, no matter what the reason, why are you taking classes? College is not mandatory.

Start thinking about these things. Where can you carve time in your daily schedule to study? How much TV do you watch per day? Compare that to how much time you spend studying. How many hours are you working each week? Do you need to work this much? These are all just jumping off points to force you to think about how you’re spending your time: things you must do versus things you choose to do

Another trick to consistency: if you’re going to take college classes, treat them like a job. Remember that college really is just preparation for your future career, so act like it. Show up on time or early, dress appropriately, take notes diligently, and do your best work. Act as though your career depends on it – because your future career does depend on it! The habits you create now and the grades you earn will very much influence the jobs you’re able to land and the length of time you will keep them!

Finally, remember that college is a privilege that you pay for. You’re not paying for a grade, although some of my students in the past have been under the impression that because they pay for school they should be able to set their own class grade (sorry, Charlie), you’re paying for the opportunity to learn from experts in the field in which you are studying. These are people who, under other circumstances, would earn two to three times what they earn by teaching you. If you’re paying attention and asking questions, this is a HUGE advantage when it comes to entering the workforce.

Consistency always pays off in the end. Treating college like a career instead of a part-time job will help you mentally prioritize school higher on your list and will result in a better outcome. And if you don’t have time for school, you don’t have time for school – but either enroll and do your best work or take a semester off to re-evaluate why you’re taking college classes and what you want the end result to be.

I can’t wait to hear how amazing you are!

Kelley

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