STUDENTS: Do THIS to save your semester (video)

Hey students, listen, listen, listen!

Look, if you want to turn your F’s into A’s, raise your grades, and finish the semester on a strong note, this message is for you. If you’re a middle school, high school, or college student and today is November 12th and you’re sitting there with a bunch of F’s, chances are you’re not going to magically turn them all into A’s. However, you may be able to raise them to D’s, C’s, or B’s—and sometimes, you can even pull off an A.

So, I’m going to tell you 13 things you can do right now to turn things around.

The end of the semester is right around the corner. It’s already November. In just a couple of weeks, you’ll have Thanksgiving break, and then only two weeks into December, the semester will be over.

What often happens is that students who struggle with executive functioning become unrealistic. They tell themselves, “I’ve got this figured out,” and then they procrastinate, procrastinate, and procrastinate some more.

You may have a few F’s. You may have to retake classes or deal with other consequences because you’ve put yourself in a difficult position. You keep thinking you’ll pull it off somehow, but you’re not actually taking action.

If you’re one of those students, and you’re honest with yourself, you might admit:

“You know what? I really do struggle with this stuff. I’m disorganized. I forget things. I lie to my parents. I lie to myself. I don’t put enough time into studying, and it’s not working.”

If that’s you, and you genuinely want to change, then listen carefully. I’m going to give you 13 steps.

Step 1: Be Honest with Yourself

Just be honest and own the situation. It’s okay. Stop making excuses.

Say to your parents:

“Hey, guys, I’m failing four classes,” or whatever the situation may be. “I’m sorry, but I’m working on it. I need some help. I know I’ve pushed you away and told you to leave me alone because I said I had everything under control, but I don’t. I need help.”

Ask them:

“Can you help me with this?”
“Can you help me with that?”
“Can you help hold me accountable?”

There is no shame in being honest.

One reason students struggle is that when stress builds up, they become avoidant. Instead of facing the problem, they push it away.

They think:

“I don’t even want to think about it.”
“I’ll deal with it later.”
“Let’s go play video games.”
“Let’s hang out with friends.”
“Let’s do anything except address the problem.”

But avoiding the problem doesn’t make it go away.

So when your parents ask why you haven’t done something or when you’re planning to do it, be honest. Don’t become defensive. Don’t say, “Leave me alone.”

Instead, say:

“You’re right. I’m working on it.”

Let people help you.

So, Step 1 is simple:

Be honest about the situation.

Step 2: Print Your Grades

Go to your computer and open your grade portal.

I don’t care whether your grade is 47%, 67%, or 99%.

Go to the page that shows every individual assignment. Print it out.

Then grab a highlighter and mark only the assignments that can actually improve your grade:

• Missing assignments

• Incomplete assignments

• Low scores that can be corrected

• Work that can be redone for partial credit

Ignore everything else.

Focus only on the assignments that are actionable.

Print your grades and start dealing with those items.

Step 3: Email Your Teachers

Write a short email.

Don’t overthink it.

Don’t tell yourself:

“I don’t feel like writing an email.”

Just do it.

A simple email might say:

“Hi, Ms. Smith,

I hope you’re having a good weekend. I’m currently failing your class and need some help. Do you have any suggestions for what I can do to improve my grade?

Thank you.”

That’s it.

Click Send.

I’ve worked with hundreds of students, and this works.

Many students tell themselves:

“I’ll talk to the teacher tomorrow.”
“I’ll go to office hours later.”
“I’ll catch them after class.”

But often they forget.

Emailing your teacher creates accountability and starts the conversation immediately.

Even better, ask for something specific:

“Can I come see you tomorrow at 3:00 PM for a few minutes to make a plan?”

Be specific and take action.

Step 4: Meet with Your Teachers in Person

After you email your teachers, go see them in person—during office hours, before class, after class, or whenever they’re available.

Writing an email and then showing up demonstrates through your actions—not just your intentions—that you care about your grade.

When you ask for help respectfully, stay humble and be honest about where you are. Most teachers respond positively when they see that a student is genuinely trying.

Now, I know some of you are thinking:

“But you don’t understand. My teacher doesn’t like me.”

Honestly, it doesn’t matter.

This isn’t about your teacher. This is about your future, your grades, and your results. Even if you believe your teacher dislikes you, go anyway.

What’s the worst that can happen?

Step 5: Overhaul All Your School Materials

Take every single thing related to school and put it in one place.

Bring home everything from your locker, backpack, desk, bedroom, folders, notebooks—everything.

Spread it all out on the floor and sort through it.

Ask a parent, sibling, friend, or another organized person to help you if needed.

Create piles:

• Things to recycle

• Things that need immediate attention

• Things that need to be filed away

• Things that need to be completed

The goal is to get organized.

Most importantly, create a pile for urgent items.

Those urgent items should stay visible. Put them somewhere you’ll see them every day—an inbox, planner, folder, or desk.

Make sure they stay in front of you until they’re completed.

Step 6: Update Your Planner Completely

If your planner is cluttered with old information, clean it up.

Today is November 12th. You don’t need to worry about assignments from months ago that are already finished.

Focus on what needs to happen between now and the end of the semester.

Take the assignment sheets you printed and schedule everything.

Write down:

• What needs to be done

• When you’re going to do it

• Due dates

• Reminders

• Follow-ups

Get extremely detailed.

The more detailed your planner is, the less you have to keep everything in your head.

If organization isn’t your strength, ask someone organized to help you.

And don’t tell yourself:

“I’ll do it tomorrow.”

Do it tonight.

Turn off distractions, put away your technology, and spend a couple of hours setting yourself up for success.

Step 7: Make a Realistic Master Plan

A planner and a master plan are different.

Your planner tells you when things will happen.

Your master plan lists everything that needs to happen.

Write down every assignment, project, test, and task that needs to be completed before the end of the semester.

Then prioritize them.

Ask yourself:

• Should I start with the easiest task?

• The hardest task?

• The shortest task?

• The longest task?

• The most important task?

Different people work best in different ways.

Find the system that works for you.

Most importantly, be realistic.

If you have 30 missing assignments, you’re probably not going to finish all 30.

Maybe finishing 10 would be a huge success.

Maybe finishing 20 would completely change your grades.

Focus on making meaningful progress instead of trying to be perfect.

Right now, your goal isn’t necessarily straight A’s.

Your goal is to get yourself out of the hole.

Step 8: Get Accountability

Find someone who will help keep you accountable.

This could be:

• A parent

• A friend

• A sibling

• A relative

• A mentor

Tell them exactly what you’re planning to accomplish.

For example:

“I’m going to finish these three assignments today.”

Then ask them to check in with you later.

Accountability works because we often struggle to hold ourselves accountable, especially when we’re stressed.

Having someone else check on your progress can make a huge difference.

Step 9: Get Started

This is where most students get stuck.

Getting started is often the hardest part.

You need three things:

1. A concrete plan

2. A timer

3. A distraction-free study space

The more specific your plan is, the easier it becomes to begin.

Use a timer if necessary.

Tell yourself:

“I’m only going to work for 10 minutes.”

Once you start, momentum usually takes over.

Remember:

Getting started is not half the battle.

For many students, it’s 90% of the battle.

Step 10: Start Again

You will get distracted.

You will lose focus.

You will forget what you were doing.

That’s normal.

When it happens, don’t panic.

Just start again.

That’s it.

Step 11: Start Again… Again

Seriously.

You’re going to get distracted multiple times.

Don’t expect yourself to sit down for three straight hours and complete five assignments without interruption.

That’s not realistic.

Every time you get off track:

Start again.

Every time you procrastinate:

Start again.

Every time you drift into daydreaming:

Start again.

Success isn’t about never getting distracted.

It’s about returning to the task every time you do.

Step 12: Repeat This Process Every Weekend

Don’t do this once and then forget about it.

Repeat this process every weekend until the semester ends.

Go through these steps again:

• Review your grades

• Update your planner

• Update your master plan

• Organize your materials

• Prioritize assignments

• Check in with your accountability partner

If necessary, rewatch this video. Pause after each step and actually do the work.

If you consistently follow this process every weekend, you’ll dramatically improve your chances of passing your classes.

Step 13: Be Proactive About What’s Coming Next

The final weeks of the semester are often packed with:

• Exams

• Papers

• Projects

• Reading assignments

These are the four major things that students often leave until the last minute.

Don’t do that.

Don’t wait until the night before your final exam to start studying.

Don’t wait until the day before a paper is due to begin writing it.

Don’t wait until the last weekend to finish a major project.

Many students struggle because they are reactive instead of proactive.

They tell themselves:

“I’ll do it later.”
“I’ll get started tomorrow.”
“I’ll take care of it next week.”

Then they continue avoiding the work until the pressure becomes overwhelming.

Eventually, one of two things happens:

Option 1: They work extremely hard at the last minute and barely pull it off. Maybe they earn a C or a D. The work gets completed, but it’s rushed and doesn’t reflect their true abilities.

Option 2: The pressure becomes so overwhelming that they avoid it completely. They keep promising themselves they’ll start tomorrow, but tomorrow never comes. The semester ends, the assignments remain unfinished, and they fail the class.

Neither outcome is ideal.

Instead, be proactive.

The moment you receive:

• An assignment

• A study guide

• A project

• A rubric

• A paper prompt

Put it in your planner and begin working on it immediately.

Even a small amount of progress is better than waiting until the last minute.

Quick Review of the 13 Steps

1. Be honest with yourself and others.

2. Print your grades.

3. Email your teachers.

4. Meet with your teachers in person.

5. Organize all your school materials.

6. Update your planner completely.

7. Create a realistic master plan.

8. Find accountability.

9. Get started.

10. Start again when you get distracted.

11. Start again again.

12. Repeat this process every weekend.

13. Be proactive about upcoming exams, projects, papers, and reading assignments.

Final Thoughts

Now it’s time to take action.

You can rewatch this video if you need to. You can pause after each step and complete it before moving on.

But don’t just listen to the advice—use it.

The choices you make today affect your future.

Your parents, teachers, friends, and everyone who genuinely cares about you want you to succeed. They want you to have opportunities, freedom, and choices in your life.

No one is expecting perfection.

They simply want you to build habits that will help you create a better future.

Education isn’t perfect, and school isn’t always easy. But learning how to manage your responsibilities, stay organized, and follow through on commitments will benefit you far beyond the classroom.

So let’s finish the semester strong.

Good luck.

If this message helped you, share it with a friend who might need it too.

But most importantly:

Stop reading.
Get started.
Take the first step right now.

Have a great November and December, and set yourself up for an incredible winter break.

I’ll see you soon.