Survive and Thrive: One quarter down, time for change?

Phew! The first quarter of the school year is done! All of the new class, new teacher jitters are out of the way, and hopefully, you’ve finally found a good spot to eat your lunch at with your friends.

But for some, this first quarter has just been the beginning of their downfall. I know this because that’s exactly how I felt in my freshman year as a new student at Kamehameha Schools Maui. My first block teacher definitely knew I was planning on cruising the rest of the year and even threw this phrase at me:

“Now, did you really think you’d be fine after the first quarter? Let’s be honest now.”

I had been scared then, and didn’t realize that I was going to be diving deeper into my future and life after school, and there I was with a 3.6 GPA and no idea where I was headed in life. That’s when I really wanted to take back my first quarter and redo it.

If you haven’t already realized it, the first quarter sets the tone for the rest of the school year. Whether you aced a class or barely passed with a D-, we’re all hoping for one thing: a good school year (notice how I didn’t say fantastic).

I’m not saying you can’t have a fantastic school year, but very few of us enjoy the school year enough to call it fantastic, but hey, props to you for keeping it a good year in general!

Okay, wait. So what’s the point of this blog besides bringing down my hopes for the rest of the year?

Well, my friend, listen closely…

There’s a way you can make the rest of your school year great if it didn’t already start off that way. The secret is…forget the past.

Forget what about the past, you ask? Everything and anything that made your 99.8% A go to a 76% C.

Tis’ the season to make changes! Do better and feel better. So get out of the hole you dug for yourself  in, and instead, build your way up to being a successful and happier person.

Start small by looking back to your first quarter and asking yourself, “What could I have changed to get better grades?” Once you’ve done that, forget about the mistakes you’ve made. Keep moving forward, and take the next step by making those changes.

Never give up, and I promise you, you won’t be disappointed in yourself.