Rising from failure

I will not tell you how not to fail and I will not tell you how to be a good student. I will tell you how to deal with failing, because to most, it’s their worst nightmare as students. Studying abroad can have its own weight on our backs where we do not accept failure as an option. No matter what you study or where you come from, you are always expected to do your best, get the best marks, be top of the class because your parents did so while studying under candlelight. Expectations are not always met, and what succeeds is disappointment which then could lead us to failure.

The pressure of high expectations, from either yourself, your family, friends or teachers can be overwhelming and having the enthusiasm to achieve good grades is a great thing.

However, when suddenly faced with failure out of the blue, everything seems to be crumbling and it feels like the end of the world.

What students fail to grasp is that it is only just the beginning of the road, minor setbacks can happen either frequently or not, but it never lessens their worth or how smart they are. To see the bigger picture, students have to realize that their path is different than anyone else’s, even if they’re your classmates and you’re studying together.

Our paces certainly differ and so do our ways of studying. Hearing other students talking about how they spent hours studying for a certain test which perhaps took you less time to study for, grows some inner self-doubts which could then turn to unhealthy studying spree, isolation, and insecurities. 

Wanting to do better and study better should always be a goal to aim for. But doing so in a healthy way can be a bit troubling.

Shame usually makes students reluctant to ask for advice or help in understanding the material, either from the professors or their classmates. The truth is, however, that there is no shame in seeking help and finding better studying ways.

Organizing a study group for a difficult test helps in bringing out each other’s strengths and covers the weak points in the material. Two heads are better than one, and group discussions can offer different perspectives and ways of thinking.

In some cases, it is beneficial to also change the studying scenery.

Studying in a small dorm room alone could get tiring and with a strong wifi connection, you’re bound to get distracted. The university offers comfortable and quiet libraries to study at, whether at your faculty or at the main library in the city. Being around other students studying surely encourages students to accomplish and get back on track.

Failing a test, no matter how important it is, can let students get a little bit lost. We should remind ourselves and others that we are here to lift each other up because we understand how tough it could be to be under so much pressure and not satisfy our expectations for ourselves and others.

So, buckle up, it is going to be a wild ride, the exam period is coming and the road can and will get bumpy. With positive energy and good determination, we will get through this.

Written by Joseph Hazeen
English and American Studies
University of Pécs, Faculty of Humanities

Source:  PTE EHÖK (http://pteehok.hu/hirek/)