I will share with everyone about how I made it from being just an ordinary student to being the top student anywhere and everywhere.
Life as an Ordinary Student
As an ordinary student, life was dull. You do as you're told. Everybody dictates and you follow. Otherwise you get a scolding. I was the average ordinary student. I hated it! I hated being told and ordered around. I wanted change. I wanted to do things that I like and doing things my own way. I didn't want people to tell me what to do. Why do people have to tell me what to do? I am in charge of my own life and I will direct my own life. I need to change and be a director for my own life.
The Change
Change is a big messy word that nobody really understands. Ask anybody what that word means and nobody can even define what it is. Change is essentially self-directed steps that I wanted to take to make my life different, and in the end I become my own independent director. I will be in charge of my own self and my own life. No need to be told what to do. Even my parents don't have to check on me whether I'm studying or failing. I will be my own director.
How to Change
Good question. There are a 1001 ways to create change. For me, the easiest way to make change is to change whatever I'm doing. In creating change, I need to be able to do more than what I usually do. If I read one page of a textbook, I now need to read 2 pages. That's called change. If I read 1 chapter, now I need to read 2 chapters. If I write a half-page essay for a class, now I must be able to write a page. So now you see, more effort needs to be put in for the daily learning activities. This is mean extra time for learning. If I sit down to read at 9 pm (after isya'), now I need to sit down and read right after dinner, around 7.30 pm (after maghrib). So time for learning has to change as there will be more activities to cover. The more the learning that needs to get done for the day, the more time I needed to assign for learning that day. That means time management. It means I need to readjust my schedule for play and learn. I cannot play all the time and have very little time for learning. I cannot learn all the time and have no time to play. So what did I do? I did all my homework and reading daily and finished them daily, before I go to bed. I play only when I have completed my learning or studies. I pushed 'play' to weekends. I learned most of the time during the week because I wasn't going to learn on weekends as they were meant for 'play' (relaxation). So I read on weekdays and played the piano, washed the clothes, went shopping, went strolling and picnic on weekends. I also change my revision for exams. I started revising after each class lecture or practical. I made sure I understood texts, diagrams and pictures. Because there were so many images as I was doing double major and three minors, I had to learn how to 'store' things in my brain. So I took up speed reading and learned photographic memory. If you are a keen Quran reader, speed reading is easy. If you're not a good Quran reader, speed reading is not for you. Go reverse and learn Quran reading first because that helps speed reading. When you can read fast, the brain works fast. When the brain works fast, it is both active and receptive. When the brain is in this 'activated state', it takes care of everything it wants to and shifts gears automatically. How to get the brain to that state? Sufficient rest, lots of fresh air, clean environment, conducive environment, relaxing atmosphere, good surroundings, not noisy not too quiet, good seasons - not extreme, lots of good food. I lived in the hostel and had a very good environment and good food. So I was making great changes in no time. For languages, I sat in front of the TV and learned US English. By 6 months I was proficient and a fluent speaker. I put English to practice so I wouldn't lose it rapidly because any language acquired goes away fast without practice. So I was really doing a lot of good changes for myself. I never felt sorry nor tired of making small changes whenever the opportunity arises. I wrote down words which I didn't know and looked them up in dictionaries - we didn't have Internet or smartphones back then.
How to Know if the Changes are OK
Very simple, my grades went up. Soon, I was near the top of my class. By second, third and final year, I was at the top pf my class. I stayed as top student and my grades never ever fell. So I was progressing ok. I enjoyed doing things my way and nobody said No or anything bad that would hurt me. So I was a happy kid doing things my own way. I had created in myself a means to direct my own learning style and I was comfortable with my learning and my grades were good. I enjoyed every bit of my university life because learning was so enjoyable. I was always looking forward to class. I didn't want to miss class. I wanted be present in all my classes and be able to be in class before my professors arrived and spoke to the class. I wanted to hear their first words and how they addressed students. I wanted to be very knowledgeable like my professors. I admired them for their simplicity, generosity and knowledge. I didn't want anything else. I just wanted to be as smart as my professors. So I watched and observed each one of my professors. Everyone left me a deep impression. The overall impact of that is to have very goof will power to succeed, and succeed I did. Alahmdulillah.
Being Top Student
It feels really great being a top student. It feels good, really good being that most coveted seat - TOP STUDENT! Who wouldn't want to be a top student?! So I was a top student and my professors admired me for being that as they labeled me as GENIUS!!!!! Goodness Gracious! Alhamdulillah. Now, with that kind on admiration from my own professors, I had nothing to lose but to strive on and maintain my status as TOP STUDENT. It was easy because I had mastered the means of becoming a top student and I was comfortable. I didn't become obsessed, I just enjoying learning and learning new things. I could understand things easily and nothing was too difficult. If I didn't understand I could just stop my professor and ask. I wasn't shy at all since my English was ok after 4 years in undergraduate university and 6 years at my postgraduate university. Nobody could tell I am Malaysian. People thought I was Hispanic or Chicano but I spoke really good California English for a Malaysian teenager and youth. So I really enjoyed myself with my newly acquired soft skills and learning methodology.
Is being Top Student any good?
I think there is more good as a top student. I get to speak in class and I get to head my class discussion. I read widely so I had a lot of facts and factual recall is easy with practice. So being top student is really worth it. I totally enjoyed it, unlimited.
Take home message
Learn to me a good student first, make small changes until the changes come naturally. Improve on English language so it doesn't become an obstacle. That's it! InsyaAllah, it will work for you too.
Take care!
Study hard but study smart. Aim to be a top student. Come what may, stay as top student. Always and all ways.
Life as an Ordinary Student
As an ordinary student, life was dull. You do as you're told. Everybody dictates and you follow. Otherwise you get a scolding. I was the average ordinary student. I hated it! I hated being told and ordered around. I wanted change. I wanted to do things that I like and doing things my own way. I didn't want people to tell me what to do. Why do people have to tell me what to do? I am in charge of my own life and I will direct my own life. I need to change and be a director for my own life.
The Change
Change is a big messy word that nobody really understands. Ask anybody what that word means and nobody can even define what it is. Change is essentially self-directed steps that I wanted to take to make my life different, and in the end I become my own independent director. I will be in charge of my own self and my own life. No need to be told what to do. Even my parents don't have to check on me whether I'm studying or failing. I will be my own director.
How to Change
Good question. There are a 1001 ways to create change. For me, the easiest way to make change is to change whatever I'm doing. In creating change, I need to be able to do more than what I usually do. If I read one page of a textbook, I now need to read 2 pages. That's called change. If I read 1 chapter, now I need to read 2 chapters. If I write a half-page essay for a class, now I must be able to write a page. So now you see, more effort needs to be put in for the daily learning activities. This is mean extra time for learning. If I sit down to read at 9 pm (after isya'), now I need to sit down and read right after dinner, around 7.30 pm (after maghrib). So time for learning has to change as there will be more activities to cover. The more the learning that needs to get done for the day, the more time I needed to assign for learning that day. That means time management. It means I need to readjust my schedule for play and learn. I cannot play all the time and have very little time for learning. I cannot learn all the time and have no time to play. So what did I do? I did all my homework and reading daily and finished them daily, before I go to bed. I play only when I have completed my learning or studies. I pushed 'play' to weekends. I learned most of the time during the week because I wasn't going to learn on weekends as they were meant for 'play' (relaxation). So I read on weekdays and played the piano, washed the clothes, went shopping, went strolling and picnic on weekends. I also change my revision for exams. I started revising after each class lecture or practical. I made sure I understood texts, diagrams and pictures. Because there were so many images as I was doing double major and three minors, I had to learn how to 'store' things in my brain. So I took up speed reading and learned photographic memory. If you are a keen Quran reader, speed reading is easy. If you're not a good Quran reader, speed reading is not for you. Go reverse and learn Quran reading first because that helps speed reading. When you can read fast, the brain works fast. When the brain works fast, it is both active and receptive. When the brain is in this 'activated state', it takes care of everything it wants to and shifts gears automatically. How to get the brain to that state? Sufficient rest, lots of fresh air, clean environment, conducive environment, relaxing atmosphere, good surroundings, not noisy not too quiet, good seasons - not extreme, lots of good food. I lived in the hostel and had a very good environment and good food. So I was making great changes in no time. For languages, I sat in front of the TV and learned US English. By 6 months I was proficient and a fluent speaker. I put English to practice so I wouldn't lose it rapidly because any language acquired goes away fast without practice. So I was really doing a lot of good changes for myself. I never felt sorry nor tired of making small changes whenever the opportunity arises. I wrote down words which I didn't know and looked them up in dictionaries - we didn't have Internet or smartphones back then.
How to Know if the Changes are OK
Very simple, my grades went up. Soon, I was near the top of my class. By second, third and final year, I was at the top pf my class. I stayed as top student and my grades never ever fell. So I was progressing ok. I enjoyed doing things my way and nobody said No or anything bad that would hurt me. So I was a happy kid doing things my own way. I had created in myself a means to direct my own learning style and I was comfortable with my learning and my grades were good. I enjoyed every bit of my university life because learning was so enjoyable. I was always looking forward to class. I didn't want to miss class. I wanted be present in all my classes and be able to be in class before my professors arrived and spoke to the class. I wanted to hear their first words and how they addressed students. I wanted to be very knowledgeable like my professors. I admired them for their simplicity, generosity and knowledge. I didn't want anything else. I just wanted to be as smart as my professors. So I watched and observed each one of my professors. Everyone left me a deep impression. The overall impact of that is to have very goof will power to succeed, and succeed I did. Alahmdulillah.
Being Top Student
It feels really great being a top student. It feels good, really good being that most coveted seat - TOP STUDENT! Who wouldn't want to be a top student?! So I was a top student and my professors admired me for being that as they labeled me as GENIUS!!!!! Goodness Gracious! Alhamdulillah. Now, with that kind on admiration from my own professors, I had nothing to lose but to strive on and maintain my status as TOP STUDENT. It was easy because I had mastered the means of becoming a top student and I was comfortable. I didn't become obsessed, I just enjoying learning and learning new things. I could understand things easily and nothing was too difficult. If I didn't understand I could just stop my professor and ask. I wasn't shy at all since my English was ok after 4 years in undergraduate university and 6 years at my postgraduate university. Nobody could tell I am Malaysian. People thought I was Hispanic or Chicano but I spoke really good California English for a Malaysian teenager and youth. So I really enjoyed myself with my newly acquired soft skills and learning methodology.
Is being Top Student any good?
I think there is more good as a top student. I get to speak in class and I get to head my class discussion. I read widely so I had a lot of facts and factual recall is easy with practice. So being top student is really worth it. I totally enjoyed it, unlimited.
Take home message
Learn to me a good student first, make small changes until the changes come naturally. Improve on English language so it doesn't become an obstacle. That's it! InsyaAllah, it will work for you too.
Take care!
Study hard but study smart. Aim to be a top student. Come what may, stay as top student. Always and all ways.
6 comments:
thanks for sharing tips prof :)
assalamualaykum
I'm happy to see that this post has 130 views on Tuesday, 23 July 2013.
Kudos to Prof Faridah for sharing the useful tips to be top students! I will do everything in my capacity to share this article, with your consent, to all new first year students. I will also link this article to CDAE website.
TQ, Prof Abdul Karim, CDAE.
I'm happy to see that this post has 145 views on Wednesday, 24 July 2013.
This post has 245 hits on Friday, 27 June 2014.
Really helpful Prof. Faridah. Honestly, ut is hard to make changes on our own self. Ut needs a very very high spirit. Btw Prof, is it enough if we just sleep for 4 hours (night sleep)?
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