Don’t FAIL at end of semester!

Hey, what’s up, students? If you don’t want to fail this semester and you’re trying to figure out how to plan your time so that you *don’t* fail—this is the video for you.

If it’s the end of the semester and you’re in middle school, high school, or college, I’m going to help you understand how I work with students so they can effectively plan their study time.

I’m also going to share a document that I created with one of my students the other day.

My name is Seth Perler. I’m an executive function coach. Parents and teachers—if you’re watching, you might find this helpful too.

What I do is help struggling students navigate education—not just to do well in school, but to build a great life. I focus on practical strategies that most people don’t think about.

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So students, if it’s the end of the semester and things are down to the wire, what are you going to do? How are you going to study?

Here’s the problem. Many of the students I work with—especially those with ADHD or executive function challenges—struggle with procrastination, lack of motivation, and overwhelm.

I was the same way as a student.

These challenges can put you in a tough position, especially at the end of the semester. So what we want to do is simplify things and make life easier.

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I recently worked with a student who said, “I’m not doing so well, and I want to pass this class.”

The tricky part is that you can fail at the very last minute. You might have a B or a C, but if you fail the final exam, final project, or forget to turn something in—even if you did the work—you can still fail.

Then break starts, grades come out, and you’re like, “How did that happen?” And by then, it’s too late.

So instead, we want to be proactive.

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Here’s how to make a plan.

With this student, we created what we called a “ Freedom and Success Plan.”

The name matters. Psychologically, how you frame something affects how you feel about it.

Instead of calling it a “study plan,” we called it a “freedom and success plan”—because passing the class means freedom (no retakes, no summer school) and success.

So when you create your plan, give it a name that motivates you.

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Next, we used who, what, where, when, and how questions.

This is important because it makes your plan concrete instead of abstract.

For example, I’ll ask students, “When are you going to study?”
They say, “This weekend.”
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know… when I feel like it.”

That’s not a plan.

And when there’s no plan, nothing gets done.

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So here’s what we identified:

Who are you studying with?
Me and my dad.

What are you studying?
Physics—for an “easy A or B.” (Again, this framing helps psychologically.)

Where will you study?
At the kitchen table.

What will you need?
Laptop, physics book, charger, calculator, review sheet, and any printouts.

We wrote everything down ahead of time so there’s no distraction like, “Oh, I forgot something,” which can derail you for 10–15 minutes (or more).

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Then we mapped out the time.

The student had Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday before a Monday exam.

Let’s look at Thursday:

* 3:15 — Get home, wash hands, put things away, eat, brush teeth, do orthodontics
* 3:30 — Free time (bike ride, exercise, get outside)
* 5:30 — Shower
* 6:00 — Dinner
* 7:00 — Study physics with dad
* 8:15 — Free time or light homework
* 9:30 — Bed

This is very specific—and that’s intentional. It removes decision-making and ambiguity.

Also notice: the study block is short.

Less is often more. Many students stretch 20 minutes of work into two hours. Instead, focus, get it done, and move on.

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Friday:

* 6:30–6:45 AM — Study with dad (during breakfast)

This uses something called spaced repetition—reviewing information in short, repeated sessions instead of cramming.

After school: free time.

Why? Because students need rest. You had a long week—take the night off.

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Saturday:

* 9:15–10:30 AM — Study physics with dad

That’s it. Keep it simple.

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Sunday:

Two larger study blocks:

* 9:15 AM – 12:00 PM — Study
* Break midday
* 5:00 – 9:30 PM — Study (with breaks and dinner)

These longer blocks allow for deeper focus, but they’re still flexible. You can take short breaks and pace yourself.

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Then on Monday:

* Study for 15 minutes before school
* Get to class early and review until the teacher starts

This isn’t cramming—it’s quick review to reinforce what you already studied.

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The key idea here is simple:

Make a plan.

Put it in a document. Print it. Use bold text. Color-code it. Make it visual and easy to follow.

Don’t rely on “I’ll study when I feel like it.”

Even if you don’t follow the plan perfectly, having one makes everything easier.

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Alright, my name is Seth Perler.

If you like this, like the video, subscribe, and leave a comment—what ideas do *you* have for last-minute planning?

If you want freebies, go to sethperler.com.

I focus on executive function, ADHD, and neurodiverse learners with amazing brains.

I hope you have some peace of mind today, some connection with people you care about—and if it’s the end of the semester for you, good luck.

Take care.