Lack of motivation

10

Last year, I worked in lessons, had a laugh, went out, played CS, read novels, stressed out about exams, did virtually zero revsions and came out with ABAAA in biol, chem, maths, phys, and gen studs respectively. Ever since I got my results I just cant get motivated to do anything. But now Im starting to panic about not understanding the maths, and the organic chemistry. What happened last year is that the teachers screwed up, and only gave us 2/3 hours of organic chemistry, but I still managed to get a B. Now I dont have a grounding in that, and I just hate the C3 Maths (trig funcs especially) but I cant get myself to do the work. Its not that I go out all the time anymore, or spend loads of time at work, but I cant get motivated to knuckle down.

I think maybe breezing through the exams with little revision last year has made me complacent. Can anyone out there get me grounded again?

Reply 1

Tim Street

Right. You need a strategy. Whether or not you fulfill it or not is down to how much you want the A's at the end.
Dedicate on saturday or sunday to organic chemistry. Make sure you fully understand all of it, do some questions etc. Prepare for this day by getting all homework out the way so you've got the day free for catching up on a topic you've not understood. Same with maths, just have a day of nailing it. If you still don't understand, see a teacher. Then just develop a frame of mind where when you recieve a new topic, your brain is trained up to nail it with all firepower its got. The vindication at the end is fantastic.

I had the same experience as you ... sailed through gcses with loads of a's, didnt work at all in the first bit of AS levle and got 2 d's in the january modules in biology and chemistry. Developed a new frame of mind, gave myself a gud boot in the backside, knuckled down and got AAAB for AS level. scchweet mo'fo.

Reply 2

The Mudman

OP

10

Congrats on the results! Like your strategy, just need to make sure I stick to it.

Reply 3

tanusha-tomsk

18

I'd say, try to see the big picture. What do you want from your life? Please don't say "well i dunno", if you spend 5 minutes thinking about it, you'll come up with "well, actually, I want to open my own surgery/ be a researcher in medicine/ work for a large pharmacept company/ or whatever". Think through your day at this job, how you come in, and everyone knows you, everyone comes to you for professional advice because you are the one who will *know* for sure and with confidence. Think that maybe you will make a discovey or find a break-through method etc. This big wide world! Now go and study chemistry! Not just because you *need an A*, but because you want to know everything about it because it will make you such a great professional employee - you'll have confidence in that you *know* that you know everything you have covered and motivation to learn some of the million more things you don't know... Works for me!
(I'm assuming you'll want to go down medicine related career, sorry if its not the case)

Reply 4

The Mudman

OP

10

True. But strangely, makes me no more motivated. I think tanusha-tomsk hit the nail on the head with his post. Ive started to learn to pass exams, and lost my original hunger for the sciences. Im actually hoping to get into Warwick uni to study Microbiology/Virology, get a PhD, and work for the Government/in healthcare. And the confidence thing is something I need to work on. Like someone asked me a chem question, and I said it was probably a Freidel-Krafts reaction, but not to quote me on it. Turned out I was right. Similarly with maths. I thought Id completely screwed up in trig, saw the teacher today, turns out I needed to go to steps further with the simplification and I wouldve been right.

Confidence and my real aim in life. Definately what I needed... And a kick up the arse "You've become lazy". You've given me something to think about. Thanks guys!

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 5

reckless

3

Maths is piss ... especially C3 and especially the trig involved. :rolleyes:

Reply 6

The Mudman

OP

10

Brain surgery is easy, but only if you know how to do it. Just because you understand is no reason to mock others.

Reply 7

reckless

3

Okay, didn't mean to be out of order. :smile:

Maths is just a lot of practice. I won't state the obvious quote ... :p:

Hope you do well in the subjects.
I'm doing exactly the same subjects as you, I'm not doing well so far and I feel a lack of motivation also.

Reply 8

The Mudman

OP

10

I just get a bit sensitive about stuff I dont understand. Ive got a reputation of being 'the geek', so I get the piss taken out of me if I ever have trouble with anything. Like you say, theres nothing particularly difficult, except the practice part. I get so far into a question, look at the formula sheet, and just blank. Dont have a clue what to do :frown:

Back to practice now... Hope you do well too.

Reply 9

xemilyx

2

my whole year needs a kick up the arse noneof us are motivated. this year is stressfil and no fun, you would think the thought of uni would motivate us... pfft no it hasnt.

Reply 10

La Trampa

18

The Mudman

Last year, I worked in lessons, had a laugh, went out, played CS, read novels, stressed out about exams, did virtually zero revsions and came out with ABAAA in biol, chem, maths, phys, and gen studs respectively. Ever since I got my results I just cant get motivated to do anything. But now Im starting to panic about not understanding the maths, and the organic chemistry. What happened last year is that the teachers screwed up, and only gave us 2/3 hours of organic chemistry, but I still managed to get a B. Now I dont have a grounding in that, and I just hate the C3 Maths (trig funcs especially) but I cant get myself to do the work. Its not that I go out all the time anymore, or spend loads of time at work, but I cant get motivated to knuckle down.

I think maybe breezing through the exams with little revision last year has made me complacent. Can anyone out there get me grounded again?

i'm having the same problem and that combined with personal problems i've been happening made my grades slip especially in organic chem n maths.they're getting too difficult n the teachers just breeze through it n i don't get everything.n i think coz i think i don't understand plus the fact i can be lazy,i'm not putting the effort to study.so sad :frown:

but if you try n force urself to study (u can listen to music even) n give ur self breaks in between n study for at least half an hour,i guess it'll be k,starting from there i mean.hope this helps.

Reply 11

The Mudman

OP

10

If you need some help Shylock, Ill endeavour to do anything I can. I need to focus and maybe trying to help others will help me regain my motivation, cos its not for me, and I dont wanna let you down. Ive been to see my teachers and explained the problem. Also bought a chem revision guide for last, and this year. Im getting some extra help with the Maths, which has become a whole lot easier since I got a copy of the formula sheet, but is still giving me some jip. It just looks like you have to guess at which formulas to use :frown:

And the organic chemistry. The teacher reckons hes gunna do a load of revision classes on that, and apparently its best to learn reaction mechanisms in general, rather than specific examples first, cos its easier to work them out.
I get what you mean with the teachers though. One maths guy explained the R formula, got right to the end, then went, "Nope, sorry, I messed up. Ignore everything I just told you" :frown:

I totally get the laziness thing. Youre not alone! :hugs:

It helps to know theres other people out there. Maybe I could get you to test me sometime?

Wheres the pic on your profile from emily? Tis cool!

Reply 12

xemilyx

2

The Mudman

Wheres the pic on your profile from emily? Tis cool!

its a pic of me that i edited :redface:

Reply 13

La Trampa

18

The Mudman

If you need some help Shylock, Ill endeavour to do anything I can. I need to focus and maybe trying to help others will help me regain my motivation, cos its not for me, and I dont wanna let you down. Ive been to see my teachers and explained the problem. Also bought a chem revision guide for last, and this year. Im getting some extra help with the Maths, which has become a whole lot easier since I got a copy of the formula sheet, but is still giving me some jip. It just looks like you have to guess at which formulas to use :frown:

And the organic chemistry. The teacher reckons hes gunna do a load of revision classes on that, and apparently its best to learn reaction mechanisms in general, rather than specific examples first, cos its easier to work them out.
I get what you mean with the teachers though. One maths guy explained the R formula, got right to the end, then went, "Nope, sorry, I messed up. Ignore everything I just told you" :frown:

I totally get the laziness thing. Youre not alone! :hugs:

It helps to know theres other people out there. Maybe I could get you to test me sometime?

Wheres the pic on your profile from emily? Tis cool!

aww thanks yeh,help would be cool.yeh sure anytime.they've got past question papers on the ocr website,i do OCR so that's also a place to go to.our teacher doesn't give us formula sheets he thinks it's better that way,n in a way i guess it is but there are times whenu really don't wanna think.our tacher get so confusig that everyone in class basicallygoes home to read the stuff from the textbook again.n i get what u mean about learning the mechanisms in organic chem but then they're a few n they get confusing.n remembering which electorphilic n the other ones should be used lol that's hard.gotta go got class now.later.

Reply 14

The Mudman

OP

10

Ah. Im doin AQA chem and Edexcel Maths, but Im sure theres loads of crossover points... I tried doing the maths without a formula sheet, and it just doesnt work! theres no point trying to memorise something you dont really understand. I was able to get a hold of the formula booklet they give you in the exam, and the formulae you need to memorise, which was on the exam boards website. Get a copy of the formulae they give you anyway if you can, it really helps.
Thats what got me in the organic chem, confusing names with mechanisms. The teachers given me a disc with some pretty helpful sheets (.pdf format) I can mail you them if you want? Its mostly AS-Level I think, but the organic ones are VERY helpful at the minute.

Reply 15

La Trampa

18

The Mudman

Ah. Im doin AQA chem and Edexcel Maths, but Im sure theres loads of crossover points... I tried doing the maths without a formula sheet, and it just doesnt work! theres no point trying to memorise something you dont really understand. I was able to get a hold of the formula booklet they give you in the exam, and the formulae you need to memorise, which was on the exam boards website. Get a copy of the formulae they give you anyway if you can, it really helps.
Thats what got me in the organic chem, confusing names with mechanisms. The teachers given me a disc with some pretty helpful sheets (.pdf format) I can mail you them if you want? Its mostly AS-Level I think, but the organic ones are VERY helpful at the minute.

yeh sure that'd be really nice thanks.pm if u need my email addy.

Reply 16

rachelrainbow32

2

I havent been motivated since the start of GCSEs. Maybe it was personal problems that caused my lack of motivation at first and now ive just got into a bad habit.
I was really surprised today when i was sitting with my nine yr old sister and she said 'ive got maths hwk to do' and then just got up and did it. Normally, i would say 'ive got maths hwk to do' n then sit for 10mins before forgetting about it. It actually kinda inspired me 2 get off ma backside n finish my french hwk which was good. I think im ever so slightly getting more into it.

Reply 17

Lecter

12

Tell me about it...i havent done any hardcore work since exam time in June. I dont know how i am going to cope when i come to go to uni after my gap, especially if i get a place at medical skool, damit, i will need to do some reading over ht esummer of past alevel work. i was very motivated at year 9 sats then went south after that at GCSE. I regretted those days and thus working like a hooker to get alevel grades then didnt get a damn place at uni :mad:

! Just have to ride the rough times!

Reply 18

Leigh

15

The Mudman

Last year, I worked in lessons, had a laugh, went out, played CS, read novels, stressed out about exams, did virtually zero revsions and came out with ABAAA in biol, chem, maths, phys, and gen studs respectively. Ever since I got my results I just cant get motivated to do anything. But now Im starting to panic about not understanding the maths, and the organic chemistry. What happened last year is that the teachers screwed up, and only gave us 2/3 hours of organic chemistry, but I still managed to get a B. Now I dont have a grounding in that, and I just hate the C3 Maths (trig funcs especially) but I cant get myself to do the work. Its not that I go out all the time anymore, or spend loads of time at work, but I cant get motivated to knuckle down.

I think maybe breezing through the exams with little revision last year has made me complacent. Can anyone out there get me grounded again?

I think I'm in a similar situation; I did fine at GCSE and everyone told me I couldn't get complacent for AS. I did what I had to do, and kept telling myself I'd revise, but really didn't do as much as I thought I needed and people said I did. Got my 4 As there, and went on to A2. It's the same again this time; I know I can't be complacent, but I'm still not working as hard as I need to; Physics I do very little and in the other two I do as much as I need to get by. Definitely not the frame of mind I need.

One way I try to do it is to seperate my work from my social/doing nothing time; Instead of doing little bits of work and relaxing all the time, I give myself the morning off work to do absolutely nothing, but then make myself do work for the whole evening. I feel I can relax better knowing I have time set aside for work, and once I'm into the work, I stay there because I don't have social things in mind as I spent the morning on them.
I can't say I always stick to that, but it's a mindset I aim at.

Good luck with it!

Reply 19

Unregistered

i an now doing history at uni, and during AS i worked bloody hard and really enjoyed it and ended up getting AAB. At A2, however ,ost of the time i couldnt be bothered, i think its natural-you want to move on but you know you have to get thru this. by january, i knew that if i didnt knuckle down, i wouldnt get AAB to do my first choice and getting a E in a history essay after never getting a C in history, it really brought it homea and i worked my butt of and ended up with AABB and getting into my first choice history degree. what i am sying is that its only Nov-its not too late. best catch up now then panic in April/May-we all have relapses, dont let yours destroy what you want.

Lack of motivation

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