Me, Straight-A's? Maybe.
Maricor Coquia
Issue date: 3/27/07 Section: Spotlight
This book, written by Cal Newport (also the author of How To Win At College), was surprisingly realistic and easy to read. I read the entire book within a few hours-I couldn't help myself; it was as if God was finally answering my prayers…or that I was reluctant to start my homework on Friday (I did have a headache, remember?)
Anyway, Newport provides strategies tested by straight-A students studying at some of the country's most prestigious universities, including Dartmouth, Duke, Harvard, Yale, Brown, Columbia, and Princeton.
Newport himself, despite having a rough freshman year, was able to garner "exactly one A- and 35 perfect A's." What was his secret? "Efficiency," he says. Newport graduated at the top of his class from Dartmouth in 2004, and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, one of the oldest established academic honor societies in the United States.
In his book, Newport teaches you to streamline your schedule, to "declare war on procrastination," to take targeted notes in class, to prepare for exams in the most efficient way possible (be it math or philosophy), and many other helpful skills for writing "standout essays," etc. And although I was skeptical at first, many of his suggested strategies have already proven helpful in my very busy schedule.
He claims many students are "pseudo-workers." He explains: "The pseudo-worker looks and feels like someone who is working hard-he or she spends a long time in the library and is not afraid to push on late into the night-but, because of a lack of focus or concentration, doesn't actually accomplish much." Newport continues, "This bad habit is endemic on most college campuses."
I am reluctant to admit, before reading this book: I was a pseudo-worker. As a perfectionist, my concentration was so focused on things that didn't matter, that I slowly lost focus as I kept working. By midnight, I was so exhausted and disappointed that I still had ten things to check off my list.
For the past two weeks however, I have been implementing many of Newport's strategies, like streamlining my schedule. Before, when I made my to-do lists, I always listed way more than humanly possible to complete in a day. (I know a lot of you may be thinking this is "common sense," but-if we were all so sensible, we'd all be getting straight-A's now wouldn't we?)
Anyway, Newport provides strategies tested by straight-A students studying at some of the country's most prestigious universities, including Dartmouth, Duke, Harvard, Yale, Brown, Columbia, and Princeton.
Newport himself, despite having a rough freshman year, was able to garner "exactly one A- and 35 perfect A's." What was his secret? "Efficiency," he says. Newport graduated at the top of his class from Dartmouth in 2004, and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, one of the oldest established academic honor societies in the United States.
In his book, Newport teaches you to streamline your schedule, to "declare war on procrastination," to take targeted notes in class, to prepare for exams in the most efficient way possible (be it math or philosophy), and many other helpful skills for writing "standout essays," etc. And although I was skeptical at first, many of his suggested strategies have already proven helpful in my very busy schedule.
He claims many students are "pseudo-workers." He explains: "The pseudo-worker looks and feels like someone who is working hard-he or she spends a long time in the library and is not afraid to push on late into the night-but, because of a lack of focus or concentration, doesn't actually accomplish much." Newport continues, "This bad habit is endemic on most college campuses."
I am reluctant to admit, before reading this book: I was a pseudo-worker. As a perfectionist, my concentration was so focused on things that didn't matter, that I slowly lost focus as I kept working. By midnight, I was so exhausted and disappointed that I still had ten things to check off my list.
For the past two weeks however, I have been implementing many of Newport's strategies, like streamlining my schedule. Before, when I made my to-do lists, I always listed way more than humanly possible to complete in a day. (I know a lot of you may be thinking this is "common sense," but-if we were all so sensible, we'd all be getting straight-A's now wouldn't we?)
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Alice Heaton
posted 3/04/09 @ 7:01 AM MST
Good and interesting article, thanks!
Mattress Encasements
posted 5/19/09 @ 3:26 PM MST
Amusing article, good luck on your quest for straight As!
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