Dear Auntie, Advice Column: New School Year, New Advice

Dear Auntie, 

It is close to the end of the year and my grades are not where I want them to be. I did spend some time playing around with friends and sometimes was distracted by my phone – but I couldn’t help it. It seems like all of a sudden I’m failing classes and I don’t know what to do.

-Anonymous 

Dear Student, 

The school year is coming to an end and I know there may be a lot of distractions, especially when summer is so close. You only have a little time left, so I recommend for the remaining of the weeks of school, put away your phone and keep it somewhere secure where you won’t be tempted to take it out and get absorbed by it. Tell your friends that you need to focus on your work and find somewhere quiet where you can concentrate. You don’t even have to push your friends away to do your work, you could work together but you and your friends need to make sure all phones and any other distractions need to be put away. Work alone or work together, whatever works best for you. You could also stay in and work with your teachers. Ask them for help and guidance with your assignments and ask how you can improve your grade before the end of the year. When an assignment is posted, don’t lay it off and wait until later – do it now. Never procrastinate and keep track of all your assignments. Time isn’t on your side, so try to do your best in the time you have left. Good luck!

Best wishes, Auntie

Dear Auntie, 

How do I become more motivated to do things? 

• Anonymous

Dear Student, 

First, you must recognize and keep your goals and dreams in mind. Find something that you really want in life; something that is a big motivation. Music is a big motivator. Make sure you get an adequate amount of sleep because you won’t feel motivated if you are tired. Another way to motivate yourself is to think of what will happen in your life if you don’t start completing the things you need to get done. Where will you be in life and what will you do if you don’t start doing the necessary things you need to do. Some people will be very unmotivated and then think about all the negative things that will happen in their life if they don’t start finding the motivation to do things and procrastinate. So, they brood on all the negatives and what if’s and they mope over their problems but not actually do anything to fix their problems. Don’t be like them. Think about the things that you don’t want to end up being or the lifestyle you don’t want to have and use that to motivate you to get things done and strive to be your best self. Fear is an extremely powerful motivator because it compels us to act. Summon a little of that fear and take control of it and use it as motivation. Fear can be seen as a disadvantage, but you can make it into an advantage. 

Sincerely, Auntie