Getting good grades with no effort

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I've always been pretty lazy. I never feel like I've put in 100% in anything I've done, ever. This might be because I'm a perfectionist or I might just be lazy, I'm not sure. I know lots of people and have seen conutless threads on TSR about people putting in hours upon hours of revision and still doing badly despite all their effort. I do revise a bit before exams but I've never been able to stick to a revision timetable or have any sort of structured work plan, ever. I just have no motivation, and I always get nearly full marks in my exams (A2 maths, chemistry and physics).

I always feel guilty about not working hard enough then come out with great results, which just makes me slack off even more. Any coursework or projects I always leave to the last minute and get pretty good marks in them too. I just don't understand how I'm doing so well, and feel incredibly guilty for all the people who slave away revising and are still disappointed whilst I can get the top grades with minimal effort, it seems really unfair. I am NOT complaining or saying that It's unfair on me in any way, I just don't understand why I'm doing so well. I do genuinely enjoy school and learning, and I pick up new stuff really quickly, but when it comes to doing work on my own I just can't make myself if I don't want to. I just have no willpower or motivation, I sit around wasting hours away playing video games and feeling depressed.

I have an offer from Oxford for Chemistry, and I'm terrified that when it comes to university and doing real work that I just won't be able to cope and end up dropping out. I'm either some sort of genius and I've never been pushed to my full potential (very unlikely) or just a very lazy person who is lucky to be gifted at good exam technique (most definitely). It may be that I do do a lot of work and it just doesn't feel like it, or that the work I do manage is very effective, but I just don't feel like I could ever manage a properly self disciplined routine.


TL;DR: I'm lazy and get really good grades. Never been organised or able to work/revise properly, but I enjoy school. Worried about university.

Anyone else out there feel the same/been through the same thing/found a way out of this lethargic mess?

Just to clarify I'm not complaining and saying my life is hard and I want sympathy, I'm just wondering if there is anyone out there who feels the same.

I've always been pretty lazy. I never feel like I've put in 100% in anything I've done, ever. This might be because I'm a perfectionist or I might just be lazy, I'm not sure. I know lots of people and have seen conutless threads on TSR about people putting in hours upon hours of revision and still doing badly despite all their effort. I do revise a bit before exams but I've never been able to stick to a revision timetable or have any sort of structured work plan, ever. I just have no motivation, and I always get nearly full marks in my exams (A2 maths, chemistry and physics).

I always feel guilty about not working hard enough then come out with great results, which just makes me slack off even more. Any coursework or projects I always leave to the last minute and get pretty good marks in them too. I just don't understand how I'm doing so well, and feel incredibly guilty for all the people who slave away revising and are still disappointed whilst I can get the top grades with minimal effort, it seems really unfair. I am NOT complaining or saying that It's unfair on me in any way, I just don't understand why I'm doing so well. I do genuinely enjoy school and learning, and I pick up new stuff really quickly, but when it comes to doing work on my own I just can't make myself if I don't want to. I just have no willpower or motivation, I sit around wasting hours away playing video games and feeling depressed.

I have an offer from Oxford for Chemistry, and I'm terrified that when it comes to university and doing real work that I just won't be able to cope and end up dropping out. I'm either some sort of genius and I've never been pushed to my full potential (very unlikely) or just a very lazy person who is lucky to be gifted at good exam technique (most definitely). It may be that I do do a lot of work and it just doesn't feel like it, or that the work I do manage is very effective, but I just don't feel like I could ever manage a properly self disciplined routine.


TL;DR: I'm lazy and get really good grades. Never been organised or able to work/revise properly, but I enjoy school. Worried about university.

Anyone else out there feel the same/been through the same thing/found a way out of this lethargic mess?

Just to clarify I'm not complaining and saying my life is hard and I want sympathy, I'm just wondering if there is anyone out there who feels the same.

x

Hi there, I can totally relate to your situation. I am a final year under grad studying business & management, I have averaged an "A" in my previous years and am set to do well this year. I genuinely have no idea how I have done this. I leave everything until the last possible moment and start assignments a couple of days before the deadline. I struggle with motivation and waste hours on the internet messing about, yet still usually pick up a decent mark. My class mates are always a little angry about this, but I can't help doing well.

I have found that I am incapable of doing work of any quality without being under immense stress from a looming deadline, setting false deadlines also does not work for me. If this system works for you then keep at it.

I'm kinda similar. I did about 10 minutes of revision for my further maths exam and came out with the highest score in the year XD I do try to revise, but I tend to do worse on exams that I do lots of revision for, and I have no idea why :/

me too, i tried this year to do lots of revision weeks before my exam for a specific subject that i wasn't on target for and i went a grade down this year instead, not saying that last minute revision is necessarily good but it kind of helps a lot. i'm working on merging my revision technique now since neither seems to be working out.

Do you by any chance try really hard in school, write really fast and complete all the exercises in class? Further, do you simplify things down and link them to things you already know?

How much attention do you pay in class?

Don't worry too much - you definitely deserve a place! However, I really do recommend going into the first term as organised as you can be. Try to do work several days in advance - it makes a massive difference. Congratulations on your offer, and I'm sure you'll do well.

I've always been pretty lazy. I never feel like I've put in 100% in anything I've done, ever. This might be because I'm a perfectionist or I might just be lazy, I'm not sure. I know lots of people and have seen conutless threads on TSR about people putting in hours upon hours of revision and still doing badly despite all their effort. I do revise a bit before exams but I've never been able to stick to a revision timetable or have any sort of structured work plan, ever. I just have no motivation, and I always get nearly full marks in my exams (A2 maths, chemistry and physics).

I always feel guilty about not working hard enough then come out with great results, which just makes me slack off even more. Any coursework or projects I always leave to the last minute and get pretty good marks in them too. I just don't understand how I'm doing so well, and feel incredibly guilty for all the people who slave away revising and are still disappointed whilst I can get the top grades with minimal effort, it seems really unfair. I am NOT complaining or saying that It's unfair on me in any way, I just don't understand why I'm doing so well. I do genuinely enjoy school and learning, and I pick up new stuff really quickly, but when it comes to doing work on my own I just can't make myself if I don't want to. I just have no willpower or motivation, I sit around wasting hours away playing video games and feeling depressed.

I have an offer from Oxford for Chemistry, and I'm terrified that when it comes to university and doing real work that I just won't be able to cope and end up dropping out. I'm either some sort of genius and I've never been pushed to my full potential (very unlikely) or just a very lazy person who is lucky to be gifted at good exam technique (most definitely). It may be that I do do a lot of work and it just doesn't feel like it, or that the work I do manage is very effective, but I just don't feel like I could ever manage a properly self disciplined routine.


TL;DR: I'm lazy and get really good grades. Never been organised or able to work/revise properly, but I enjoy school. Worried about university.

Anyone else out there feel the same/been through the same thing/found a way out of this lethargic mess?

Just to clarify I'm not complaining and saying my life is hard and I want sympathy, I'm just wondering if there is anyone out there who feels the same.

Aww I'm sorry to hear that Which subject was it for? I revised a fair bit for Physics and it was my worst result, but I'm getting my script back because apparently there might have been a marking error. I had a lot of problems last year at home and with illness and I was stressed so I didn't do too well, but this year I've adopted a really relaxed approach and, generally, it seems to be working. If you're struggling to get good grades, maybe try to relax more and have a more positive approach to exams. Think they're an opportunity to show how smart you are, rather than to catch you out. I hope that helps a bit

I'm not trying to be rude or whatever but how are you a perfectionist if you never work? Surely you'd be a perfectionist if you were really really desperate to get great grades.

Yep, same here. I do try to revise, I'd love to have the drive to revise the way my friends do. Problem is, when I do try to revise, I get bored because I feel I already know it. Also in the same position as you - offer from Oxford for PPE and I'm terrified that I'll just die in a world where I have to work... I'm excited about the idea of being properly challenged though

On a more interesting topic, what video games do you play?

thanks for that, it's for biology, it's pretty difficult cos unlike my other subjects it's mostly about memorising information and has a little less to do with understanding things and applying concepts. i'll try and do that, i've been realising my home environment isn't particularly good for revision either, i think i should probably try leaving the house and going to a library to revise or something.

I know that sounds stupid, I guess rather than perfectionist I mean never feeling like I've done enough or tried my best even if I get full marks in something.




Same, I'm really hoping that being really stretched and challenged will give me the motivation to work much more, I'm sure we'll both be fine




Even though my laptop is a piece of **** I can sometimes play a bit of TF2 or Garry's mod before it melts, mainly Steam games like Portal 2 etc. I also have a weird Onlive box microconsole thing and I've been playing Assassin's Creed Brotherhood waaayy too much

thanks for that, it's for biology, it's pretty difficult cos unlike my other subjects it's mostly about memorising information and has a little less to do with understanding things and applying concepts. i'll try and do that, i've been realising my home environment isn't particularly good for revision either, i think i should probably try leaving the house and going to a library to revise or something.