Every single morning, I had one goal, really, it was a promise to myself. I was going to be perfect, the girl who wakes up at 5 a.m. to do yoga, journal, and work out. I was going to get all 100’s on all my tests and have the perfect study schedule while being productive at every single time of day. And then go to sleep at exactly 9:30 p.m., all while engaging in extracurricular activities and spending time with friends.

Yet, I found myself exhausted every night due to waking up so early, cramming for my latest test, and frankly, unhappy with this lifestyle. Was it even attainable to keep this schedule in the long run? Despite all these questions and doubts, I pushed myself to follow every new technique, hoping this would be the solution to all my problems. Each time, I thought to myself, maybe the next one would work.

Eventually, I was inevitably faced with the truth. Perfection doesn't exist, but a mirage we try to delude ourselves into believing is something we should strive for. It wasn't motivating me as I thought it would, but it was slowly draining me.

There is no possible way to juggle all these things without the occasional messing up. And once I accepted the fact that perfection would never come, I had to figure out how to live my life and thrive despite it.

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Focus On You

In the time when I wanted to be perfect, I realized that I wasn't doing it for myself, but for the praise of others. I loved the pride of getting a 100 in class because, for that moment, those hours of missing out on life were worth it. Where my peers were enjoying life to the fullest, I was busy worrying about my future and all my future assignments, too busy to enjoy the present.

The applause, validation, and praise from others were addictive, and I found myself doing whatever it takes to repeat the process. In my mind, I saw many others doing “better” than me online, so I pushed myself past my limits.

However, with this mindset, nothing is ever enough, and you continually move on to the next thing. Some people are naturally academically intelligent, but there are others who are good at socializing with others. Every person in this world has strengths and weaknesses.

That doesn't mean any type of “smart” is better than others, just some appear to be more praised by society. We’re all like instruments in an orchestra, while some play the loudest, others play in the background, but it all contributes to that grand, beautiful symphony that, without the quieter instruments, would be just a bunch of noise.

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Study Technique

In the previous section, I mentioned losing your life to the fullest for grades. However, grades still matter because you have a higher chance of success if you perform well.

As someone who gets distracted easily and struggles with zoning out, if I cannot pay attention for the 45-minute class period, then it's unrealistic to expect myself to be able to sit still and study for hours on end.

On the same note, taking a break also doesn't work very well, at least for me, because if you leave your study to relax for 5 minutes, there is a high chance that you will get distracted. First, use this study method to decide how long you want to study before you begin. Struggle with the subject or this certain concept?

Give yourself more time to study in the end. Next, you want to divide the time into little sections. For example, if you have a test on the Revolutionary War and you want to dedicate a total of one hour to it.

• Monday - Taxation Without Representation Notes Review 25 minutes.
• Tuesday - Natural Rights Notes Review 25 minutes.
• Wednesday - Self-Government /Republicanism 25 minutes.
• Thursday - Liberty vs. Tyranny 25 minutes(I also suggest a quick review of all the topics with Kahoot or Booklet; it's better if you have time to add another day with 25 minutes of review).
• Friday- Test Day!

This way, you aren't cramming, but you aren't spending excessive time studying either.

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Night or Morning?

This is a question many debate over: whether to study at night or in the morning, but really, it depends on you. And trust me, finding out is a game-changer. I used to wake up so early, like those aesthetic Pinterest posts, but never retain the information. Later on, I realized I was a night person and comprehended things more easily later in the day.

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Don't Stress!

While getting all the perfect grades and the perfect life is ideal, it is important to focus on being kind to yourself. There's no need to beat yourself up over grades, but rather learn from previous mistakes and don't dwell on them. I believe the best way to live your best life is to figure out what makes you happy and how you can accomplish it.

School is an important part of how our life plays out, but not that much to overly stress about. No one on your deathbed will berate you for getting a B for once. Unlike school, in the real world, there are so many different ways to succeed that it isn't a one-way track. So go live your best life by trying your hardest, reward yourself, form your own path, laugh a bit, hang out with loved ones, and let yourself breathe!