Last Updated on October 3, 2013
“Oh, wow! I forgot to complete my assignment that's due at 8:00 a.m.!” Have you ever uttered these words or some that were eerily similar? If you have, you are not alone. Students often find themselves sucked into a pitfall that includes late night phone sessions, full blown parties, and other student related activities. It can be so easy to just hit that snooze button or push that essay assignment back for one more class, but why?
Showing-up is Half the Battle
One of the most common mistakes that affect students' successful progress is their attendance. Many students start out attending class daily, but as the semester progresses and their schedule becomes filled with extracurricular activities, their priorities begin to change. True, you should become involved on campus, but you should not allow your involvement to hinder the real purpose that you have for being at your institution of higher learning. Many instructors place rules regarding attendance in their syllabi, but most students overlook that portion of it. Please do not do that. How can you possibly learn anything substantial if you are never in class? You cannot. Everyday your instructor teaches your class something new and if you are not present, you will not get it. The words coined by Jackson State University Professor, Dr. Hilliard L. Lackey, are words that should resonate in the minds of all students at any institution. They are simply, “Those who attend class, tend to pass.”
Finish the Semester Strong
Weak spurts of class attendance are not the only factors that could contribute to a student's failure. Failure to complete assigned work is also a factor that plays a role in a student earning a grade lower than expected. Let me repeat, student not instructor. One thing that can be noticed is that many students start the semester off strong. They complete assignments as they are given, actively participate in class discussions, and are visual in class. However, somewhere towards the mid-term point of the semester, this changes. Students often allow their involvement in athletics, clubs, and social organizations to push their assignments to the back burner. They seem to forget that the reason that they are there at the institution and the reason that they pay the tuition and fees is to obtain their degree, not to be in every organization allowable on campus. Do not forget that you have made an investment towards the betterment of your life by attending college. Complete your work. There is no way around passing your class without completing any of the assignments.
Start your semester strong so that you can finish your academic journey strong.
Photo by like_a_sorby2009/Flickr Creative Commons
Naykishia D. Head is an Instructor of Freshman Composition at Tennessee State University. Her research interests are African American literature, Women’s Literature, and Gender Studies. As an alumna of Jackson State University, she made it her professional goal to teach at an HBCU.
