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17 Likes
How to fall in love with something you detest
Hey everyone,
I think we all face during our LSAT prep a particular dislike for a certain question type or a section. For me it was Necessary Assumption questions. I was doing a couple of Necessary Assumption questions today and I realized how much I have come to enjoy them. So I decided I want to share my journey with you all in the hope that it might help someone as well.
So quick background story. I am sure you guys guessed I hated Necessary Assumption questions and I had a good reason to hate them. They took me forever to do and I usually got them wrong. If you take a look at my Analytics, NA questions are the big red dot on my graph whose color and huge size was neither changing nor decreasing in shape!!!
I first decided to re-do the core-curriculum on NA questions. I did that probably 3 times, I think more; with little benefit. I felt like I got what was being said but somehow I just wasn't able to apply. I now know I got the concept but not the method to achieve it. But back then I didn't know, moreover because I had done those questions so many times, I felt like I had the answers memorized, so each time I was learning less and less. Combined with the factor that I was getting them wrong so much on the practice tests, I just hated seeing NA questions on a PT. I would skip them, come back at the end, and still struggle with them. I was at a point where I just dreaded seeing the NA question stem.
Then, I decided to approach a few mentors. I used their office hours and each time I brought up how to do NA questions, took notes. I also messaged them with any further questions I had. I think asking different mentors the same thing is fine, sometimes depending on where you are, one of them might say something that helps more than the others. When I finally felt like I knew what steps I had to take, I realized I still hated doing the question.
So instead of doing a full drill, I decided each morning to do about 5 NA questions and that's it. This is because I wanted to associate NA questions with something positive. So I only did NA questions when I drank coffee and I put extra marshamllows in it to make the experience even better, and yes I like marshmallows in my coffee :DDD . I think this was important to associate something very positive for me -coffee and marshamallows- with Neccessary Assumption questions.
After two weeks of doing this I have come to realize I have come to enjoy Necessary Assumption questions. I understand them better because of all the help I got and I got rid of the negative feelings I had associated with the question types. Now every morning I can't wait to put a hot steaming cup of coffee with marshmallows on my desk pick up my NA packet and do 5 questions. This honestly brings a smile to my face.
I think the lesson I learned from my experience is to not overdo something you are bad at or hate. We tend to really focus on drilling out our mistakes and we end up overdoing it. Sometimes our mind just needs a bit of time and some help, like marshmallows, to undo all the negative feelings it has.
I think the key to LSAT and life is to enjoy whatever we end up doing. So give yourself time and a little bit of help to learn to enjoy something you don't normally associate with fun.
I hope this helps some of you in future.
I think we all face during our LSAT prep a particular dislike for a certain question type or a section. For me it was Necessary Assumption questions. I was doing a couple of Necessary Assumption questions today and I realized how much I have come to enjoy them. So I decided I want to share my journey with you all in the hope that it might help someone as well.
So quick background story. I am sure you guys guessed I hated Necessary Assumption questions and I had a good reason to hate them. They took me forever to do and I usually got them wrong. If you take a look at my Analytics, NA questions are the big red dot on my graph whose color and huge size was neither changing nor decreasing in shape!!!
I first decided to re-do the core-curriculum on NA questions. I did that probably 3 times, I think more; with little benefit. I felt like I got what was being said but somehow I just wasn't able to apply. I now know I got the concept but not the method to achieve it. But back then I didn't know, moreover because I had done those questions so many times, I felt like I had the answers memorized, so each time I was learning less and less. Combined with the factor that I was getting them wrong so much on the practice tests, I just hated seeing NA questions on a PT. I would skip them, come back at the end, and still struggle with them. I was at a point where I just dreaded seeing the NA question stem.
Then, I decided to approach a few mentors. I used their office hours and each time I brought up how to do NA questions, took notes. I also messaged them with any further questions I had. I think asking different mentors the same thing is fine, sometimes depending on where you are, one of them might say something that helps more than the others. When I finally felt like I knew what steps I had to take, I realized I still hated doing the question.
So instead of doing a full drill, I decided each morning to do about 5 NA questions and that's it. This is because I wanted to associate NA questions with something positive. So I only did NA questions when I drank coffee and I put extra marshamllows in it to make the experience even better, and yes I like marshmallows in my coffee :DDD . I think this was important to associate something very positive for me -coffee and marshamallows- with Neccessary Assumption questions.
After two weeks of doing this I have come to realize I have come to enjoy Necessary Assumption questions. I understand them better because of all the help I got and I got rid of the negative feelings I had associated with the question types. Now every morning I can't wait to put a hot steaming cup of coffee with marshmallows on my desk pick up my NA packet and do 5 questions. This honestly brings a smile to my face.
I think the lesson I learned from my experience is to not overdo something you are bad at or hate. We tend to really focus on drilling out our mistakes and we end up overdoing it. Sometimes our mind just needs a bit of time and some help, like marshmallows, to undo all the negative feelings it has.
I think the key to LSAT and life is to enjoy whatever we end up doing. So give yourself time and a little bit of help to learn to enjoy something you don't normally associate with fun.
I hope this helps some of you in future.
Comments
I'm happy to hear you and NA questions are on better terms!
So are you taking this December test then? If so good luck!!!!! I am sure you'll beat all the right handed people
We will celebrate when our score comes
http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/glee/images/e/e6/Theodora_NEVER.gif/revision/latest?cb=20130313194825
okay I give up, this gif thing has stopped working for me ;(
Plus, I'm pretty sure that I will have to sit for it in June too. Apparently, my preferred method is to learn the hard way.
But seriously, this last week has started with a spectacular thud, so thank you for posting this positivity!
I just don't want my fellow leftie to waste a take that he might need to use to score when he gets to his ideal average.
This is a great post! I'm glad I read it this morning. I'll be having marshmallows in my coffee when I do principle questions!
I've been studying for several months, under a couple of methods, and didn't discover soon enough that they were not the best studying method for me. It is what it is and my hindsight is 20/20. *shrugs* I can only do my best at any given time.
Also, my payment and accommodations were arranged long before I discovered I wasn't going to be fully ready. I don't see the benefit in essentially throwing away the registration fee when I can get a super real, timed "practice" test in, lol, especially when accommodations are involved. Plus, I may learn on Saturday that I need more accommodations in the future (I won't bore you with the details). WIN! WIN!
If we've learned anything about this bedamndable test, practice is seldom a waste. As Sami and JY suggest, I'm turning everything into a positive. And I certainly appreciate your insights and advice.
So, with 7Sage's help, she must make the best omelet out of many broken eggs.
I hope the marshmallows in your coffee were as amazing as they are in mine : )