Hello Jamal, this might be a bit creepy because I know you don’t remember writing this, and you’re right, I am you, but in the future. If I knew what I know now my life would be completely different, believe me. Honestly, I might’ve been at the top of my class or even made life way easier for not only me but my family. What I mean by this is that things could have been easier, many of the challenges I faced, like the high school process, taking entrance exams or even turning in quality work instead of being rushed. But that’s okay because I’m here to tell you now, so you don’t make the mistakes I made.
First, I would like to tell you to DO THE MAXIMUM AND NEVER THE MINIMUM. From the first to the last test, take them seriously. I don’t say this for you to just improve your grades because I trust I am okay with a 90 to 95 percent, but I say this because there is always time for more practice. I’ve realized through the success of my peers that the time that I waste not doing anything I could’ve used to get ahead and/or grow. An example of this is when I was in seventh and eighth grade I would always do only what was required. I’m telling you this now because although it may not seem that important going from all A-’s to A+’s, it separates you from the other students. This will make you stand out and give you more opportunities in the future and currently.
Then, I think you should KNOW WHEN TO PLAY AND WHEN TO LEARN. I say this because sometimes I would play in class. Sometimes I would think it was actually time to have fun, but other times I would do it when I knew I was wrong. I only got minor consequences but they could’ve been worse. It’s also bad when I do that because I disrupt people’s learning and I also can’t learn myself. Being disruptive is a bad impression to give to your teachers who will eventually be writing your letter of recommendation. This is also a bad first impression to give to your teacher going into high school.
Then, to continue on I want you to know to ALWAYS COMMUNICATE if you need something. What I mean by this is to advocate for yourself. This is an important life skill especially in the academic settings, whether that be middle school, high school or even college. An example of this is an email or a scheduled time to talk to a teacher or staff member if you need something or there is a problem. Don’t wait and assume the teacher is going to figure out what’s wrong. You have to go and tell them this way they know what you need instead of just guessing. Even when you’re unsure what is going on, still email or talk to a teacher to clarify.
The last piece of advice I want to give you is to NOT PROCRASTINATE. This was one of my issues for not just seventh and eighth grade but my whole life. I would always wait to do things and would cause me to turn in rushed and unfinished work or even late work. If you had only learned one thing from this message I would hope that you know procrastination is your WORST enemy. A tip to help defeat procrastination is to tell people to help hold you accountable.
Using what I know now I could’ve avoided having to ask for extra time because I procrastinated or failed a paper because I rushed through it instead of taking my time. Now that I have a better perspective on life I can see, understand, evaluate and edit the mistakes I made to better enhance my life moving forward in my academic career.
Jamal Gilmore – Loyola Academy – DMSF Class of 2029
Photo Credit: CityGypy11 – Flickr