Listen to an upbeat song, something you really love that gets you moving and energetic. Let that energy carry you into class. It should help make at least the first part of a boring lecture less boring.
Get at least 8 hours of sleep before school, especially on days that you have a class, you’re not super into. If you’re about to drift off, everything will seem so much more boring. Try getting a tiny amount of exercise to keep your energy levels up before class. Hide in the bathroom and do fifteen jumping-jacks. Just don’t let anyone see you! Put your phone away so you aren’t distracted during class. [1] X Expert Source Daron CamAcademic Tutor Expert Interview. 29 May 2020.
Processed snacks high in sugar might spike your energy in the short term, but you’ll crash hard later in the day, making your last classes feel tough to power through. Instead of slamming some Skittles, try to have an apple, an orange, or a handful of peanuts.
Find a friend in the class. Spend the class thinking of good stuff to talk about after class, as you’re leaving. Try to find something about the subject to enjoy as well. If it’s history, sit through the boring stuff about legislation to get to the juicy stuff about battles.
Make up a silly story about the people in your class. Who is most likely to be a secret alien from Planet Zebulon? Who secretly has a crush on the teacher? Who would survive if your class was thrust into the zombie apocalypse? Start daydreaming about what you’ll do when you get home from school. Video games and grilled cheese? Sounds great. Assign different woodland creatures to the looks of different members of your class. Who looks most like a squirrel? A wolf? A great horned owl? This is surprisingly fun.
A recent study found that doodlers are able to retain more information, because you’re engaging in an active task–drawing and note taking–as opposed to the passive task of listening. [3] X Research source
Take your pen apart as fast as you can and put it back together. Time yourself and try to beat your own time. Get a friend involved, and see who can do it quickest. Find a seat by a good window. Look out of it. Five points for every bird, ten for every piece of garbage. Challenge your friend. Try to make things move with your mind. Get the girl sitting next to you to scratch her forehead just by thinking it. Hey, worth a shot.
Picking on the teacher isn’t a good way to survive class; it’s a good way to get suspended. Don’t back-talk or cause trouble, unless you want to make it worse. If you hate class because it’s very difficult, or because you’re unable to pay attention, talk to your parents, a guidance counselor, or your teacher to try to figure things out. It may be that you’re in the wrong class and need to be switched to a different one.
Try doing the homework you don’t like first. You’ll get it over with sooner, which means the rest of your homework won’t be so bad. Do homework while you’re in class, if you can. If you can get away with it, one of the best ways to keep the work as painless as possible is to finish it while you’re still at school. Leave that terrible classwork at school, and you won’t have to stress about it as much.
Make good friends with the term “minimum requirements. " What is the absolute bare essential you need to do for the class to pass? As long as you’re exceeding those, it’s just a waiting game.
Wait until after class and talk to your teacher one-on-one. Say something like, “I really want to be able to succeed in this class, but I’m struggling. I have a hard time paying attention and staying engaged. What can I do to do better?” If you’re a visual learner, try asking the teacher if it wouldn’t be possible to incorporate more visual diagrams and chalkboard learning into the course, or incorporating more activities into the class, if you’re a more active learner. Don’t be afraid to ask your teacher questions. [4] X Expert Source Daron CamAcademic Tutor Expert Interview. 29 May 2020.
Try sitting in on other teachers who teach the same course and see if you might be able to transfer into it smoothly, without having to cause a big problem for everyone.
