Confessions Of A Teenager

IT'S NOW OR NEVER

Flustered? Struggling to focus? Here's a piece to motivate you. May Allah grant our every success...

I flopped myself onto the bed in exhaustion and stared at the ceiling in confusion. I had so much work to do. But what should I start off with? And what should I do next? What if I don’t complete my work on time? The questions kept ringing in my mind and I was just flustered.

This is a phase that most of us, as teenagers, go through especially when we are preparing for exams and it is definitely frustrating. But don’t worry because there IS a solution. As Niel Bohr quoted “Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it.”

Since everyone is different, each person will have different ways of overcoming this problem. I would like to share some of my own ways and give you some ideas on finding your way out of this problem as well.

Firstly, one should remember that an organized room is a sign of an organized mind. So make sure your environment is not chaotic, be it too many people, too much noise or even a messy table. NO! They would only worsen your state of frustration.

So try to isolate yourself from crowded and noisy places when you are trying to study, because the entire clamor will only infuriate you further. But that doesn’t mean you should shut everyone out, especially your mother. Do acknowledge them because you need their help and support no matter what situation you are in. Another important tip is to arrange your table. Stack your books neatly on a pile, throw away bits of papers that lie around you, put away all the unnecessary books and items and tidy up your whole room.

You should also take your posture into consideration because it can affect your attitude, towards an activity, greatly. For example, lying down will studying may make you feel lazy or even fall asleep. So you should sit straight when studying. However, walking and moving about help some people to memorize things. So you may suit yourself, but identify which method helps you most.

A few other tips would be to write and study, since it’ll help you to remember notes better. Drawing up a timetable will also help. Most people worry about not being able to follow the timetables. But even if I don’t stick to my timetables, they still help me to get some work done instead of spending the whole time trying to decide what to do. So timetables can help to organize your mind and manage your time. Do not get disappointed if you aren’t able to catch up with it. Just work harder and they’ll be of great help.

Don’t forget to take breaks in between, because if all your energy is drained out, you won’t be able to achieve much. Also ensure that your breaks are not too long to make you lose your mood to continue to study. Do try your best to stop procrastinating. Procrastination is like a long chain that stops one, from achieving his or her goals, no matter how much he or she tries. So rid yourselves of the shackles of procrastination!

Finally, moving on to the most important and beneficial tip which I left to the end. It’s actually nnot just a tip, but also a solution. A solution that can help EVERYONE, no matter how different each person may be. It’s no wonder because this solution isn’t mine or anyone else’s, but a solution that has been ordained by our only creator and All- Knower, Allah. That particular solution is Salaah (Prayer) 5 times a day. Praying regularly trains your body to move whenever necessary and not slack. I trains your mind to be focused on what you do and it makes you punctual. Prayer also rejuvenates one’s heart and soul with hope and faith. After all, it is Allah who can help you overcome any problem and all you have to do is remain patient and pray to Him alone. As Allah says in the Qur’aan: “واستعينوا بالصبر والصلاة” which means “And seek assistance through patience and prayer” (2:45)

Remember that all the insignificant things like your posture, your surroundings, and the breaks that you take can altogether have a significant impact on your success. But at the same time, remember that success cannot be achieved except with Allah’s help. However, knowing the ways through which you can pass your exams and succeed are also definitely not enough. You MUST stop procrastinating and get to work immediately.