The Price of Procrastination and Lack of Study Skills by Mikayla

The Price of Procrastination and Lack of Study Skills by Mikayla - December 2024 Scholarship Essay

In high school, it was no problem for me to get good grades with little to no effort, so I didn't think about how this would affect me in college. My freshman year of college was fine with general education courses, but sophomore year, when I began to take major-related courses, the problems began. Certain courses required doing extra work instead of the bare minimum, which illustrated the importance of finding a way to study and retain information.

Pairing this with a chronic procrastination problem set in motion a cascade of issues with my grades. This was a major problem because I had a scholarship to maintain. There were times when I knew I needed to get up and study, but I just couldn't help but wait until the last minute to do what I needed to do. Keep in mind, I had no familiar way of studying, so I ended up cramming material, trying to rush and force myself to understand it. These actions showed in several tests—I had never seen my grades so low.

Seeing my grades like this and worrying about my future and scholarship, among other things, started to take a toll on my mental health. I tried my best to balance all of this, but my best wasn’t enough. My sophomore year caused my GPA to drop to the lowest it had ever been. Realizing this, I knew I had to find a way to resolve these issues.

When junior year came along, I knew I had to bring everything back together. I created a schedule that I had to stick to every day. If anybody asked me to do something, it had to wait until I completed everything on my schedule. When it came to studying, I made sure to do it in a place where I could focus and away from anywhere I could lie down. Although procrastination is an ongoing problem for me, it has improved and is something I am continuously working to resolve. Through discipline, self-awareness, and a commitment to improving my habits, I’ve learned that while setbacks can be challenging, they can also serve as lessons that encourage personal growth and academic success.