I was what they call “gifted” in middle school, which doesn’t mean anything other than that I could absorb knowledge a little bit faster than other kids, so I kind of had a leg up in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. While some kids studied their asses off, I only made it because my mind was wired in a way that made me think I was smarter than anyone else. I wish I had known that I wasn’t smarter at all, I was just lucky. I wish I had known that middle-school-gifted doesn’t mean anything when you’re taking all Honors and AP classes in high school. I wish I had known that middle-school-gifted doesn’t mean anything in the real world at all.
I didn’t work hard in middle school. Like, ever. I did my homework some of the time, I listened in class most of the time, and I got As and Bs on my tests all of the time. It was basically every 7th grader’s dream scenario. I don’t remember having studied once in middle school, and I thought that was a-okay as long as I got good grades. Boy, was I wrong.
After never having studied pretty much ever, I got to high school and realized that I didn’t know how to study at all. I’m still not very good at it. Freshman year midterms were one of the scariest academic obstacles I had ever faced, because I didn’t know how to tackle them. I looked at my notes, I read my textbooks, and I made flashcards or whatever, but I couldn’t absorb any knowledge. I didn’t know what worked for me. I didn’t learn that in middle school when I should’ve.
What I wish I had known in middle school was that the grades don’t matter. It doesn’t make a difference if you get all C’s or all A’s, as long as you’re passing. There’s no GPA to worry about. If you get a D in math in 6th grade and an A in 9th, your dream college will be none the wiser. Focusing strictly on the percentage you get on your 7th grade English test won’t get you half as far as focusing on how to get that percentage to where you want it to be.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t care about academics in middle school. In fact, the opposite is true. Focus on academics, just don’t get caught up in the grade. Work on your study habits. Try hard. Learn how to think complexly and to make decisions that will benefit you in the long run. Don’t just absorb, learn. Good study habits won’t come from good grades, but good grades will come from good study habits.
I didn’t work hard in middle school. Like, ever. I did my homework some of the time, I listened in class most of the time, and I got As and Bs on my tests all of the time. It was basically every 7th grader’s dream scenario. I don’t remember having studied once in middle school, and I thought that was a-okay as long as I got good grades. Boy, was I wrong.
After never having studied pretty much ever, I got to high school and realized that I didn’t know how to study at all. I’m still not very good at it. Freshman year midterms were one of the scariest academic obstacles I had ever faced, because I didn’t know how to tackle them. I looked at my notes, I read my textbooks, and I made flashcards or whatever, but I couldn’t absorb any knowledge. I didn’t know what worked for me. I didn’t learn that in middle school when I should’ve.
What I wish I had known in middle school was that the grades don’t matter. It doesn’t make a difference if you get all C’s or all A’s, as long as you’re passing. There’s no GPA to worry about. If you get a D in math in 6th grade and an A in 9th, your dream college will be none the wiser. Focusing strictly on the percentage you get on your 7th grade English test won’t get you half as far as focusing on how to get that percentage to where you want it to be.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t care about academics in middle school. In fact, the opposite is true. Focus on academics, just don’t get caught up in the grade. Work on your study habits. Try hard. Learn how to think complexly and to make decisions that will benefit you in the long run. Don’t just absorb, learn. Good study habits won’t come from good grades, but good grades will come from good study habits.