Sanjay – November 4, 2011

Hello friends,

For some of you last few weeks were terrible. I know the reason, your first “MID-TERMS”. If you did good pat on your back, but if you didn’t, don’t worry because today I am going to give you my secrets/mantras of success and when I say secrets, they really work:-

  • My first and the most powerful secret “NEVER MISS CLASSES,” but if by any chance, you get sick, you missed your bus, etc., make sure to e-mail your professor and ask them about missed assignments and lectures.
  • Check WebCT every day, that’s where you’ll get all assignments, Chapter power points and solutions. Make a note of all due assignments and the Calendar tool in WebCT is really helpful when you are not sure about deadlines.
  • Get more involved in class. Most of us are shy of public speaking, but if we wait until the last day of exam to ask all our questions, the professors won’t be able to give us proper attention because they are already busy with a lot of work. As I said if you are shy to ask questions during the class, approach the professor after the class in person.
  • While at home, doing an assignment which is due at midnight, and you are stuck on a particular topic, you don’t know what to do or how to do it. The best thing to do is to e-mail your professor right away, about the topic and your problem, but label it clearly and explain what your trouble is. Sometimes your professors are online, so they’ll give you the reply right away. It always works for me.
  • When received a mark for an assignment and lost some marks for it, do the corrections and ask the professor what you did wrong, you’ll be prepared next time.

Lastly, never be afraid of the exams. Don’t stress out, I didn’t do well in my first mid-terms, but I always kept at it. Remember it’s never too late to ask for help, and Durham College offers lots of academic help SALS, Peer-Tutors, Workshops, etc. You just need to ask.    

The difference between a successful student and an average student is as George E. Woodberry said, “Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure.”

By:

Sanjay Surendran