Studying never came easily to me. I have always been way too social and extroverted to find sitting in my room and looking over notes quietly to be enjoyable. I was also put into the "GT" program (gifted and talented) from the beginning of kindergarten, and from the very start of my school career, I dubbed myself as "gifted." This, of course, went straight to my head.

I coasted through middle school with the knowledge that my grades didn't really matter and high school consisted of doing the bare minimum to receive scores that barely got me into college. I lacked the study skills and motivation that would make my mom proud of my report card and wasn't prepared for these bad habits to follow me all the way to FGCU.

My LIFE.

Now that I am here and knee-deep in my classes, I have realized that being "gifted" is going to get me nowhere.

I've heard many times that it takes 21 days to make or break a habit, and I can testify that this theory is true. In preparation for 5 finals, I have realized that it takes more than just looking over a Quizlet to get ready for a test. Developing a healthy habit isn't as easy as remembering to set your alarm before you fall asleep. Learning to consistently practice a pattern or routine is a daily reprieve, kind of like eating healthy and working out in the hopes of losing weight. You can't expect to go to the gym once or twice and eat a salad every other week and expect to see results. It is the same with studying for your college, or high school, courses.

Finals week is creeping up on us fast and I have no desire to walk into my tests without being ready. I can't assume my listening in class to carry me through a cumulative exam that have terms on it that I haven't seen since September. If I want the grades of a winner, I have to work the.