Preparing for an A in life

What is it like to be a straight-A student? Hmmm... a more interesting question would be, what does it take to consistently perform at a high level, achieving the grades that sets you apart from the rest? It does not sound outlandish when you often see some of these A* students in class, they get their exam papers back and coolly slot their 98 - percent papers in their bags! Job done, as cool as you like! They are constantly performing on all fronts of human endeavour; studies, extra-curricular activities and life in general. We wonder if there is any secret, method or technique that is employed by these individuals which brings about great results. Or maybe a genetic trait that life has already handed them from birth? It seems like a question that cannot be answered. Students and parents are on a quest to learn or discover techniques to improve grades or just pass exams! The things we do for education! 

I'm here to tell you something interesting and it may be quite intriguing to some and unbelieving to few. The truth is: there is no secret formula to excellent grades. There are lots of subjects to attend to in school and at various academic levels, so whatever you are studying you can get better and become an extraordinary student. It's so easy, trust me! I'm a living embodiment of becoming a better student, having gone many years obtaining diabolic grades in exams! Yes, that word was intentionally written there - diabolic! That was never a nice feeling! And I'm sure many of you reading this piece share the same experience of getting a bad grade, or currently getting bad grades. But I know you are aiming to become better students, improve your grades, or perform consistently well daily and in your exams! That's the spirit! And it is possible. What I intend to do with you is not to give you a secret formula but to change your perspective on studies, exams and life in general. Four things are very expedient to your potential and my approach to these points drastically changed my perspective - and it still does, interestingly! So fasten your seatbelts friends, we are going on a thrilling journey!

Understanding. Whatever you are studying make sure you understand what you are reading. It is so key to understand its value. That is non-negotiable. When you give up on understanding the subject, it inadvertently translates to other subjects and trickles into your daily activities. Get the concept being conveyed when studying, break down the various points and look at how practical the topic is in everyday scenarios. Seek knowledge from tutorials, videos online and internet search, and pose questions to tutors or smart friends. You know, as a rule of thumb when I am studying, I should be able to communicate my understanding of what I have learnt to anyone, efficiently and effectively. If I'm not able to do so, then it is a sign I'm lacking a bit more understanding. That way, you are thinking and reasoning to gain an understanding of the subject. Never give up!

Questions. I absolutely love questions. And you should, too. Never look at questions as burdensome. Think of questions as a yardstick to assess how far you have come in your understanding of a subject. If you get the question wrong, attempt it again until you get it right. When you get it right, your understanding of the subject greatly improves. That way, you begin to cultivate a culture of tackling questions upon questions upon questions to ameliorate your understanding. Why? Practice makes permanence, not perfect. There is always room for improvement so when you practice, practice, practice, you gain a level of control over the subject. My dear friend, embrace questions and attempt them arduously.

Faith. Faith has always been a great guide to improving my performance daily. It is not easily studying daily to reach your goal and aspirations. Sometimes, the struggle is so real that you want to easily give up. My faith has told me to firm walk by what I believe, and not what I see. Initially, I was failing at everything - school, football, writing and there seemed to be no hope by what I was seeing. But my faith kicked in to recalibrate my thought-process. I began to move forward because I knew God had put something inside me to pursue and there was greatness inside of me! And so, do you! God has put greatness inside you and He wants you to unleash that greatness into everything you do. He wants you to take time to sit down with yourself and discover these keys to your optimum level of performance. It is time to step up and move. You can do it and you will do it!