Studying. Never is there a time where I feel like studying, nor do I enjoy studying when I have to. Whenever it comes time to study, I somehow always feel myself being distracted by other things. Studying seems to be one of those things that has to be done in life to succeed, even though it may not be the most fun thing to do. There are so many other activities I would rather do than study, but if studying is not done, or not done well; the consequences may be worse than expected.

In ninth grade, I was taking Algebra One for a math class. The beginning of the year seemed easy and I breezed by all of the topics we were learning about. As the year progressed on, the sections became more challenging except for this one section about variables. My class consisted of a lot of my friends, so I sometimes got off track and focused more on socializing rather than my academics. Thinking I knew exactly how to do this section on variables, I did not bother to study for the next quiz we had scheduled because I thought I was “too busy.” Looking back now, I was definitely not too busy, rather too lazy. The day of the quiz finally came and as soon as I received it, I knew what I was in for.  

As my teacher slipped the quiz on my desk, I wrote my name on the paper and frantically looked through the quiz.  Instantly, I realized that this quiz was going to be more complicated than I expected. I succeeded in completing the first few questions without trouble but as I got to the last three problems, it was almost as if my brain was a plug and the cord was ripped out of the outlet, shutting off the power supply. I began to shift nervously in my seat, trying many different approaches on how to solve these last problems. I sat in my seat on the verge of tears but then realized that I should have studied for this quiz, and not taken the easy way out and made excuses for myself. I eventually finished the quiz and handed it in, bracing myself for the worst yet hoping for the best.

Receiving my grade on that quiz felt like a death sentence. I knew by the look on my teacher’s face as he passed it back that I did not do well.  As embarrassed as I was by my grade I had learned a valuable lesson. By the time the next quiz and test came around, I had learned from my mistake and spent hours studying even if I had felt that I knew the topic like the back of my hand.

The most important part of this situation was learning from my mistakes and not making excuses for not studying. This is why I believe that taking the easy way out of things will only come back to hurt me and have consequences in the future. What you put into life is what you get out of it, so the ball is in your court on how you choose to decide.