After my first two years of college, I was unhappy with my academic performance. Not entirely sure how to get there, I started to observe the leaders in my classes in hopes that I would learn what set them apart. The first thing I learned? They all sat in the front. Obvious in hindsight. The high/overachievers always sit at the front. I thought to myself, “could it be that simple”? The short of it, yes.
For me, sitting in the front was an identity shift. I needed to start acting like a front-row person if I was planning to achieve the same academic performance as a front-row person. And I did just that. I took notes like a front-row person. I studied like a front-row person. I managed my time like a front-row person. And eventually, I made the dean’s list, just like a front-row person.
More ways to “be a front-row person”
- wake up early
- read every day
- write every week
- don’t wait to complete the small tasks
- be fit and healthy
- eat right
- sleep right
- exercise often
- never stop learning
- be curious
- be kind