Okay, let's talk about successful studying this weekend. You catch alright energy, perhaps not great energy although you will graciously accept that, just alright energy. You open your calculus book to a section that's been giving you trouble, do a problem you can check in the back. And hey, you did it correctly! You do a second problem, and you did that correctly, too. Now, you move on to American history, where you're right between a B and an A (studying helpful, but not necessary). And then maybe you do a short errand or chore.
You come back to calculus. That type of problem is still not as firm as you'd, so you do another and check it in the back. And again, hey, did it correctly! Need a break, putting a lot of concentrated energy into it. I find the second study session is sometimes considerably shorter than the first, and that's fine. I then study other stuff. It is perfectly okay to nibble at calculus.
Sunday, first okay opportunity, you move onto a new type of problem. This time you check the sample. You see how the sample begins and then cover it with a piece of paper. You continue it on your own, and when you check it, hey, you did it correctly! You do a problem you can check in the back. Hey, you did that correctly, too. Feeling more energy, you do a third problem. And you did that correctly, too! You now quit while you're fresh. You open up your geology book and review some of that material. You read/skim a section in American history. You take a good long break. And during the break, it occurs to you that you understand this type of calculus problem pretty well. You've got it! And you feel comfortable moving on to another type of problem.
During an afternoon study session, you look at a sample problem for another type of problem. Maybe you cover the second half of the sample, maybe you don't. Either way is perfectly okay. You then pick a problem checkable in the back . . .
And the whole thing is starting to seem very do-able!
20 Apr 2010, 8:45 pm
