âYou are one of the most intelligent young men in my class, why are you falling behind now?â
A couple of teachers close to me would always hit me with this same line. It may be a coincidence but I usually get this âcomplimentâ in the middle of the year. Of course Iâm a very capable person when it comes to getting work done, I mildly study for tests (usually at the last moment), I skim through readings and gain an understanding fairly quickly, and I’m a little bit of a math scholar. The only issue is that after a while, I lose the feeling to keep going, and question myself,â why am I still doing thisâ. I started to feel like these words really meant, âGood job, stay at the same level foreverâ, which is why I decided to slow down and really contemplate if I should do my work.
At a certain point, when my teacher said this to me in 12th grade, I really did some thinking. This is the point where I believe my educational journey evolved. Itâs true that while we learn something in school we need to stick to the subject until âtheyâ say we made it, but what if i can take what i’m learning and learn it for my own reasons. I never cared about chemistry class for example, I even went to summer school for it, but I do care about becoming an entrepreneur with a skin/hair care business. The point is, I never needed to think that I was taking a subject just to do useless work I may not need in the future, but I could take even little parts of what I’m learning and apply it to my goals. If I understood the knowledge I was able to gain earlier, I would have never fallen behind, I would have excelled in order to apply what I learn to my future goals.
Jemel: This is good. I can see your contemplative nature. THat’s maturity. I like the way you put compliment in quotes. Why did you do that? Can you add a sentence to explain?
Now going forward, you need more details: Can you ADD some things?
You write: “they would always hit me with this same line.” YOu say a lot of teachers said this to you? Which teachers? Then, later — Who was this 12 grade teacher who said it again?
You write: The only issue is that after a while, I lose the feeling to keep going, and question myself,â why am I still doing thisâ. I started to feel like these words really meant, âGood job, stay at the same level foreverâ, which is why I decided to slow down and really contemplate if I should do my work. — SO Can you break this down? What does you mean you “decided to slow down”? AND When did this decision to “slow down” happen and what was the circumstance? What class? ALSO it sounds like you were doubting yourself — were you? If so, what exactly were you doubting?
You write: Itâs true that while we learn something in school we need to stick to the subject until âtheyâ say we made it, CAN YOU EXPLAIN that better? WHo is the they?
Can you show me the event, the situation, the class when you decided to learn for yourself? Was it chemistry?
You have a good start, NOW you need to add SPECIFICs.