how to make the *ultimate* academic comeback

Summary

In this video, sponsored by Surfshark, the host addresses students looking to improve their grades. They discuss four common reasons for poor academic performance: being overwhelmed, struggling to grasp content, getting distracted, or simply being lazy. The host offers practical advice for each scenario, such as dropping unnecessary commitments, leveraging resources like tutoring and study partners, setting phone limits, and switching to active studying techniques. Additionally, they suggest visualizing success and outcomes to motivate oneself to overcome laziness and achieve academic goals.

Takeaways

• 📚 If you're aiming to improve from a B to an A or a C to a B, this video offers practical advice to help you succeed.
• 🤔 Honest self-assessment is crucial: identify if you're overwhelmed, struggling, distracted, or lazy to address your academic challenges effectively.
• 📉 Overwhelmed students should consider dropping unnecessary commitments to focus on what truly matters, such as academics or extracurriculars.
• 📅 Proactively communicate with teachers and clubs about your workload to negotiate extensions or alternative arrangements.
• 🧠 For students who struggle with understanding, it's important to leverage resources like office hours, tutoring centers, and study partners.
• 💡 Embrace active learning strategies like practice questions, teaching concepts to others, and rewriting notes to enhance knowledge retention.
• 📱 To combat distractions, implement strategies like silencing notifications, using grayscale mode, or having someone else hold your phone.
• 🏡 Keep your study space clean and decluttered, and consider using ambient noise to help maintain focus.
• 🔄 Switch from passive to active studying to truly engage with the material and assess your understanding.
• 🌟 Visualize the positive outcomes of your hard work, such as academic success or future career achievements, to motivate yourself to overcome laziness.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video sponsored by Surfshark?

The main purpose of the video is to provide advice and techniques to help students improve their grades, specifically targeting those who want to go from a B to an A or from a C to a B.

What are the four common reasons students give for not having the grades they desire?

The four common reasons are being overwhelmed, struggling to grasp the content, being distracted, and being lazy.

What does the video suggest for students who are overwhelmed with commitments?

For overwhelmed students, the video suggests evaluating their commitments honestly and considering dropping unnecessary electives or extracurricular activities to make time for academics.

How did the speaker handle being overwhelmed with five AP classes during their junior year?

The speaker dropped AP Euro and replaced it with a study hall to manage their workload and have time for other commitments.

What is the advice for students who are struggling to grasp the content of their studies?

The advice is to leverage all available resources, such as office hours, tutoring centers, study partners, and AI tools, to better understand and retain the information.

What does the video recommend for students who are distracted while studying?

The video recommends silencing notifications, placing the phone face down or in a different room, and using grayscale mode on the phone to reduce distractions.

How does the video suggest students deal with laziness when it comes to their studies?

The video suggests switching from passive to active studying methods, visualizing the positive outcomes of good grades, and, if necessary, imagining the negative consequences of laziness.

What is the role of Surfshark in the context of the video?

Surfshark is a VPN service that is promoted as a tool to safely browse the internet, encrypt data, and protect user identity, which is relevant for students studying in public places or using public Wi-Fi.

What is the significance of active studying versus passive studying as discussed in the video?

Active studying is more effective as it involves engaging with the content and assessing knowledge, unlike passive studying which involves less interaction and is less effective in the long run.

What is the 'teaching' strategy mentioned in the video for better understanding of concepts?

The 'teaching' strategy, also known as the Feynman technique, involves explaining concepts to others or pretending to teach them, which helps in understanding and retaining information better.