Potential is just another way of saying you're doing poorly

[chickenonsteroids]

Hello,

A few things have been going through my mind about school and education in general.

I feel that I am lacking behind myself if that makes sense, I'm not doing what I can do.

I used to feel like that guy that anyone would ask a question to and I'd know the answer, you know like the Oracle of people to a certain extent of course.

Now as the years started to progress I started to feel less smart than usual. I used to be really really quick with maths but now my brain is slowing down, I used to really enjoy science but now it doesn't fail to bore me.

I'm really not sure where this is going but I'll continue.

I got put into the gifted and talented program at my school but I felt like I didn't deserve it, I don't think I am where I should be. I am put under a fair amount of pressure to do well and yea it can be bad but it does motivate me a little bit. I put pressure on myself to do well mainly. I feel like a mess in the education side of things.

I can't speak two languages, I'm no good at these maths challenges but I'm ok in maths, I really hit a wall in chemistry which stabbed my confidence with a blunt knife over and over again.

sorry if this is convoluted and pointless but I'm not sure what to think of myself anymore. I'm no longer the person I wanted to be.

[Kanye West]

Hello,

I think that many students proverbially 'hit the wall' at some point in time during their school years whether it's high school or post secondary education. That's okay - these things happen and it's more important to get back up and learn from these challenges. Having potential means that you can achieve more - this is true with many kids at the age of 16. It doesn't mean one is doing poorly.

I think you need to reassure yourself in the first place - What was I doing well that enabled me to get in the gifted program in the first place? If you start from there, you'll realize and remember the good things that you were doing in the first place and perhaps gain confidence from that. You may not feel that you're at the level that you should be, but perhaps that means you may just have to work a bit harder.

Don't accept that you're less smarter than you were in previous years. The intelligence is still there, you just have to find a way to motivate yourself and stimulate your mind well. If something like science is boring you, perhaps you might have to find things that can make it interesting to you. Maybe some YouTube videos could inspire you, or maybe even looking at a certain school you want to go to, or a professional career you want to pursue. Maybe there are other things you have in mind. You can always write them down and refer to them if you ever get discouraged. Use these things as motivation and stimulation for your mind.

Don't look back to what you think you should have been because that's the past. Analyze the present, and just focus on doing your best without looking at the past as a benchmark of how you should do.

One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to ask for help in the subjects you're struggling in if you haven't already. Talking about the material with other students or the teacher keeps it fresher in your mind, which will allow you to have a better understanding of the subject material when doing homework independently.

You're only 16. You have plenty of time to improve on who you are and still achieve the goals you want to be, or even surpass them. Keep working at it.