The Result of The Road not Taken

I hear my heart beating as I wait for the teacher to pass around the test. My palms start to sweat as I turn the pages. Thoughts running through my head as I try to answer each question as I glimpse at them. The sound of others sniffing, breathing, coughing, and sneezing distract me as I set my pen on the paper. Looking around I see everyone busy at work while I, on the other hand, sit and think, “I’m going to fail this test”. In a blink, the bell rings, indicating for me to go to my next class. I hand in my test, waiting to see what my future holds for me.

It’s been almost two weeks since I had taken my first test and it’s about time we get it back. Again, I hear my heart beat out of my chest, sweaty palms, and my brain filled with negative thoughts as I sit anxiously at my desk. The teacher starts calling out names. I eagerly wait for my turn. When my name was called, I slowly get up and walk towards the front of the room and try to hide away my anxiety. My cheeks slowly become warm and I hold my test in my hands. Now, my heart is beating even louder and faster. The sound fills my ears. I slowly unfold the paper in the upper right-hand corner. 76%.

That was the first C I have ever gotten on a test. Why? I don’t know. I tried all techniques to study and I spent over 3 hours studying, memorizing, reading the textbook, etc. But that grade didn’t stop me from working harder. The next test I received a 70%. This got me and my parents concerned as we thought I might not be able to boost my grade. I tried talking to other AP Biology teachers to get some extra help. I tried using online resources and asked help from my friends. The third test comes along and, once again, I get a 68%. Even lower than what I had expected. I study harder and for longer periods of time. The fourth, fifth, and sixth tests roll along and I see no difference. That’s when I realized, I am doing something wrong and I had to change it.

That “something” that I had to change was procrastination: my enemy since freshman year. Although I haven’t seen major changes in grades due to it, I learned that after going to college, procrastination can’t be an answer to bad grades or late homework and if I don’t change, my path to success will be a winding road.

The end of the school year finally comes and everyone is in a rush to get out of school. The final marking period, marking period 4, I made sure I did not procrastinate. I am proud to say that I ended the last couple days of my junior year with a B- in that marking period. My overall grade was a C+ but I learned a lot from it. If I hadn’t gotten consistent bad grades, I still would have procrastinated, leading to a rough education.