Okay let’s admit it. Ever since consent forms turned into book reports and icebreaker questions became math problems, you have been slacking. September, October and November were true to their name and witnessed the fall in your grades. Whether you underestimated the leniency of highschool as a freshman or senioritis has infected your typing fingers, the talk of your grades at Thanksgiving was not a pleasant one. So if you want an AppleWatch, Jordans and cold hard cash by the holidays, you better get your grades up, and fast. You are no stranger to SchoologyPlus and the comforting reality that you will surely get 111% on the final. It’s December and you have three weeks to turn a 43% into an 80% or better. It’s “academic comeback” season.
Social media is proof that most teenagers only care about school when their semester grades are on the line. As the hectic storm of finals week looms closer, posts begin to flood every social media platform on the ambitious goal of cramming three months of material into mere weeks and sometimes days. In the midst of such personal chaos an online community has formed to support others’ endeavors. Praising students’ triumphs and comforting eventual failures. Whether or not the emergence of making an “academic comeback” is a trend created by the internet, this state of “catchup” describes many students’ unfortunate circumstances. Maybe it was their ignorance and lack of effort that landed them here? Or perhaps the school system is at fault for placing unmanageable workloads on students? “I do not study consistently because school is so mentally exhausting.” said Darya Hassibi, a senior. After a long day at school, why would I want to go sit down and do my homework immediately”. No matter the case, if it’s you in this situation, every second you waste dwelling on the past is a precious second taken away from jamming your head with knowledge.
With an intimidatingly extensive to do list and horrifyingly scarce amount of time, what comprises a successful “comeback” schedule? “I have crammed literally every single one of my AP Statistics Tests,” said Hassibi. It helps that I have a photographic memory, but laying out clear and concise notes and running through a series of practice problems usually gets the job done. If anything I am able to remember more and succeed by such a concentrated effort”. So, there is no need to throw up your white flag just yet, because for some students this method has never failed them. But what if final exams are
not your main concern because your typical assignment score is a “zero”. “In the past, I have been able to significantly improve my grades by communicating with my teachers,” said Nazish Qureshii, a senior. I asked what I could still turn in and completed as much as possible… obviously targeting assignments worth more [points] first”. Both Hassibi and Qureshii state this method has produced passing grades in years past, but their scores could have easily improved if their conceptual understanding had been treated like a marathon rather than a sprint.
However, this approach is not for everyone. “I have never put myself in a situation to make an ‘academic comeback’,” said Mihika Shrivastava, a senior. “The amount of stress missing assignments and poor test scores bring me is unbelievable. I know that whatever I am bringing to the table in the beginning will be what I eventually receive as a final grade.”. Bouncing back from academic ruins provides an unmanageable amount of stress for many. What were once easily avoidable mental health crises plague the student population. Andy, many simply fall victim to the pressure accepting their inevitable “poor grade fate”. “I didn’t pay attention for a whole month and tried to lock in at the last second a week before [school ended],” said Anish Bhandari, a senior. “I tried to attend a bunch of after school office hours and student support but I failed anyway. Moral of the story, pay attention from the start!”. Plus procrastination prevents you from reaching your greatest potential understanding and growing in the subject area. You never know what kind of relationship you could have built with your teacher if you showcased genuine care in their lessons. Maybe the curriculum could have even pathed the way for your career calling or sparked a unique interest?
It’d be utterly foolish to claim that grades do not matter in the hypercompetitive college and career world of today. If the beginning of winter means late nights spent with “Lofi Study Beats” and piping hot coffee as you memorize every element of the periodic table, then you should try your absolute best to romanticize the experience. And, next semester when you receive the blessing of a fresh start, do not abuse the opportunity to put in your greatest efforts from the beginning. By the time May rolls around, the comfort of already strong grades will allow you some rest during dead week. As for now, smile at that final report card knowing you represented the underdogs well by making the greatest possible “academic comeback”.
