We start off the beginning of our school year bright-eyed and motivated by 4.0s in our thoughts and hearts. Week one passes by and we are already on a role, planning study dates and waking up super early to get prepared for class. Then, week two and three come around and we start to get invited to parties which means we start making excuses for avoiding assignments we need to do. Before we know it, week four and five are here and it is time to take our first midterm. We find ourselves stuck in the library the day before our exam with tears in our eyes wishing we would have done something different.
Ever been here before? Me too.
Exam season is a time in our lives that brings us a whole lot of stress. Sometimes it can even take a toll on your physical and mental health. Maybe you don’t take exams anymore, but can you relate to having to prepare for a really important situation or moment where the stakes are kind of high? Today, I want to talk to you all about how to avoid distraction during this super important season of yours.
As a senior in college it finally hit me that when you are confident in yourself as a student, the enemy will try to use distractions to keep you from what you actually deserve. Last week in my small group at church, we talked about this idea of having expectant faith and I fully believe that God wants to have his sons and daughters live that in truth, even as a student! So what does the enemy do? He will try to implement distraction beyond control, and let’s be honest, sometimes we fall into the trap.
It starts slow. You miss that one class because you have convinced yourself you need an extra 30 minutes to sleep, then you start using your time inefficiently, making excuses as to why you don’t really need to go to the library this week, or *insert your distraction here.* Before you know it, that distraction sends you into a spiral of doubt. (Ugh, this is the worst part of it all.) You start thinking of lies about your identity or even things about your character that aren’t even close to being true. You start saying how you’re not smart enough, or how this class doesn’t even matter, or so and so didn’t study that hard last year while taking the same class and did fine.
Trust me! Do you know how many times I have called my parents in tears trying to convince them that I am just not smart enough for this course of study?
See, but that wasn’t true. It wasn’t that I wasn’t smart enough or couldn’t get an A in the class. I was in a state where I was distracted beyond control. My dad has this saying that I always try to remind myself. It goes a little something like this, “Our actions our defined by what is a priority and of value to ourselves at that moment.”
So yeah, looking back I was spending wayyyy too much time surrounded by people who I was trying so hard to get to like me. I was spending wayyyy too much time with my boyfriend and his friends. And sometimes, the things that I was distracting myself with, weren’t even bad. In fact, I clearly remember times where I dedicated too much of my time to organizations I was involved in instead of balancing it with my studies.
Moral of the story is that you can do this. Maybe there is going to be a lot of trial-and-error. Maybe sometimes you are going to have to say no to events and activities that you feel like you have to attend to be “cool” or accepted by some people who aren’t even going to matter a couple of years from now. Maybe for a while it’s just going to be you. You may feel lonely or like you don’t belong, but just know, one day it’s going to be worth it. Listen, I am writing this because I want you to know that I am right in that boat paddling next to you. You have to start figuring out what is a priority and value to you and go from there. But understand, just because something is not a priority right now, does not mean it is not a value to you.
This exam season, or whatever season you may be in that is stressful, I am praying for your strength to defeat those distracting thoughts that come to your mind. This exam season, I want you to believe in yourself like you used to before. The fight is not over, my friend. Get back up on your feet and own this semester. Do it because you of all people know how much you owe it to yourself.
Okay, okay. I gave you a bunch of stories from my times in college, but now I am going to give you some helpers on how I beat the Distraction Monster.
- Plan Quality Study Time
- Study to Understand Not to Pass
- Stay balanced with School, Life, and Faith
- Ask for Help
- Take Care of Yourself
- Stay Motivated
- Say Daily Affirmations Out Loud
I hope you all have an amazing weekend and please remember during this stressful time that you are blessed, brilliant, beautiful! Never forget whose you are.
See you next week!
<3 TD
{P.S.} We will be sending our our October Newsletter in a couple of days and want to make sure that you are not missing out. If you have not subscribed to the blog, you can do so by clicking the subscribe button below! I would love to have you join our little growing family!
