How do they do it?!

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>Ughhhhhhhhh, with college application days rolling around, I can't stop kicking myself for not working as hard last year, and the year before that, and the year before that, and..well you get the idea.</p>

<p>And whenever I think of that, I always seem to think of this Korean girl I know that has always been student-perfect since middle school. She's in all honors courses, is a work freak (not to mention a study freak), and puts her full 120% in everything. I remember my friend told me that in his English honors class, the class had to split up in groups, and he was in her group. He told me that he didn't do anything for the group assignment, and when the school-perfect girl noticed that, she began yelling at him and saying the group wasn't going to get an A because of his laziness and lack of effort on the project. She wasn't even being annoying when yelling, it was more like she was giving him a reality check on what he should be doing as a student in an English honors class. (Just a note, calling her school-perfect doesn't mean I'm using pejorative terms to describe her).</p>

<p>But honestly, how does one do that? I heard she goes home, studies all day, well into the night even, and has 4.0+ GPA. She's part of Math Team, Science Olympiads, and plays Badminton too. She does Church services AND on top of that (heh...watch for what's going to come up--) she's pretty and relatively well known among her friends.</p>

<p>Besides the social scene, I just wonder what drives her to be such a hard worker and diligent student?</p>

<p>(She wants to go to Columbia, maybe it's for the acceptance letter she wants that's making her work?)</p>

<p>I wish I was like her..now that I think about it TT____TT</p>

<p>Anyone want to give a suggestion on how people like her exist? I don't want to say she's perfect (that's too extreme), but how do you think she manages to sit in one chair all day in front of one desk with books in front of her that she studies?</p>

<p>Not to mention she got a recognition for the NMSQT, and MIT offered her a campus visit (I'm not sure about the latter one though, maybe it's a rumor, but knowing her, maybe not).</p>

<p>And the best part is, she doesn't come off as a study freak, she's very versatile. What I mean is that she dresses fashionably and has a <em>life</em>.</p>

<p><em>Sighh</em></p>

<p>Sorry for my rant, anyone bother to reply? TT___TT</p>

<p>(I sort of felt like I should take a break from studying for my SAT II's and let my thoughts out.......I wouldn't be surprised if this was an unpopular thread >_<...XD)</p>

2

<p>Why do you want to be a robot? She sounds like one of the 100000000 applicants to HYPSM. Obviously this person has a goal. She has the motivation. And likely, some degree of natural intelligence.</p>

3

<p>Noooooo, I don't mean I want to be a robot.</p>

<p>What I meant was I wish I was as successful as her. She probably won't apply to HYPSM type universities because of money issues, but I wouldn't be surprised if she still applied to schools like Columbia or Cornell despite financial problems (considering they're not as high up there in league as HYPSM).</p>

<p>I just wonder if she ever stopped and thought if she was, as you say, a robot?</p>

<p>=&lt;/p>

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<p>That girl should not stop herself from applying to HYPSM solely because of money issues. Most of those colleges have the resources and endowments to have amazing financial aid programs, and if accepted, she will likely receive a very appropriate financial aid offer.</p>

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<p>To be honest, maybe she'll apply or not, I haven't really asked.</p>

<p>It's just her work habits and ethics I'm really amazed at.</p>

<p>I wouldn't be surprised though if she made it in the 1 tier universities though, if she did decide to apply.</p>

6

<p>I see what you mean. I try so hard at school and a social life and frankly, I'm failing both. I do well in school but just not amazing. I have friends but I don't party or go out every other night. I can barely keep up with the few extracurricular activities I have on top of school. Who you described is someone I want to be aswell.</p>

7

<p>Thank you lucky1011 for understanding where I'm coming from and what I mean!</p>

<p>I wish we could be like those who we admire from afar XD.</p>

<p>Life would be so much easier if that was the case.</p>

<p>-___-</p>

8

<p>Some of these Koreans and Chinese (I know its a stereotype and I apologize) just have sensational work ethics and are very efficient with everything. Its their upbringing I think. How does someone study for more then 1 hour a day!? Let alone 10-15</p>

9

<p>She's NOT HUMAN. </p>

<p>That said, I also wonder myself how so many ppl on here are so very much like that. Take a look at the chance threads and you actually feel your self-confidence lower with every "Chance me for HYP" post. I know I did.</p>

<p>I'm Asian-American, and I'm nothing like that. </p>

<p>It just depends on A.) Person and B.) Situation. IMO.</p>

<p>Anyways, my first sentence was a total joke just in case someone didn't catch that :p.</p>

10

<p>Not all of the students who apply and get accepted to the high power schools are like that. I strongly believe that there is a bunch of schools for each student. The trick is to know yourself and know the schools that you apply to. Try to make your list realistic by including reaches, matches, and safeties. Just because you might want to apply to a school, it doesn't mean it's right for you. We are all different and have different abilities. While it's amazing, there are some students who can achieve these great results without killing themselves. And, there are those students who work just as hard and get different results. Stay well-rounded, get enough to eat and enough sleep, and make your list according to who you are. You will find the right place for you!</p>

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<p>man people like that put me to shame.</p>

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<p>i agree with jamesford, she's actually your typical HYP applicant. she's really boring if you think about it, i know a girl who sounds exactly like the korean girl your described: pretty, extremely smart, hardworking, seemingly flawless. actually, i was in your exact situation: frustrated and confused about how someone could be that perfect.
but i figured out i'd rather be some risk taker with something unique other than math team, MUN, or 4.0 gpa. she's always going to be perfect, but really ...perfect people don't become millionaires. it's the ones who suffered a lot who become millionaires. she's probably going to become a doctor or something, but you on the other hand, might have the motivation to rise beyond her... like go out and start your own business or learn to play the banjo: stuff that she's too "perfect" to do.</p>

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<p>I don't agree with the above post. Just because she's "flawless" doesn't mean anything.</p>

<p>It's like how people say that rich people aren't as happy as the working class. Where does that even come from? Rationalizing like that is just lame.</p>

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<p>well what do you have to say that proves that rich people are as happy as the working class.</p>

<p>people are happy when they've accomplished something beyond theirselves, if you're just going to be the "flawless" student, you wouldn't be motivated to do anything risky, instead you'll just stay on your road to "flawlessness". but if you're the guy who created this thread, then you'd probably turn your frustration into motivation.</p>

<p>it's like being spoiled with money, they aren't happy.
except this girl is spoiled with good grades and EC's.</p>

15

<p>I think there's also a cultural difference. I, Korean myself, was raised thinking/knowing that the only way to better oneself in society is through an education. I was also told that hard-work was the only way to achieve anything legitimately. (I remember my mom would always say that winning money from the lotto wasn't real money.) These things, I feel, pushed me to do what I did.</p>

<p>And people, he guy says that girl has a life and friends that like her, and dresses nicely. She obviously isn't a robot.</p>

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<p>@adamonkey2: What makes you think she hasn't earned her "flawlessness"? People aren't born being good at everything. The work hard for it. It's ambition that drives them to be good at what they do. Success is the actual manifestation of ambition.</p>

<p>And I'm disgusted when people say only those who suffered --> success or bull like that. No one should have to suffer. Making it a prerequisite for success is as stupid as it comes. Overcoming adversity is admirable, but that and achieving success are not comparable.</p>

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<p>@ adamonkey2</p>

<p>How can she be "spoiled" with good grades and ECs. That has been one of the stupidest remarks on these boards that I've seen in awhile. Good grades and ECs come from hard work and motivation. Obviously this person is working her ass off to achieve the grades she has. </p>

<p>Are you suggesting she was born lucky (in a neurological way) so as to be able to magically do well in school with no effort put in? Reread the OPs post.</p>

<p>
[quote]
She's in all honors courses, is a work freak (not to mention a study freak), and puts her full 120% in everything.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>
[quote]
She wasn't even being annoying when yelling, it was more like she was giving him a reality check on what he should be doing as a student in an English honors class.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>
[quote]
Besides the social scene, I just wonder what drives her to be such a hard worker and diligent student?

[/quote]
</p>

18

<p>I know a few people like that, who have great grades, ECs, etc and are also just good people. They tend to have equally wonderful work ethics.</p>

<p>My biggest tip for getting the same sort of work ethic is this: Figure out when, during the day or during the week, you are most alert and ready to work. For some people it's early in the morning, for some people it's right after a good meal, for some people it's as soon as they get home from school. Also, put weekends into this, and realize that your weekend schedule might change. You should almost never have to work straight through a weekend; my strategy is to relax and do some light homework Saturday, and then on Sunday I just work for most of the day. It helps because I'm already relaxed and energized from Saturday. Also, I find it helpful to study in a place outside my bedroom, preferably outside. Just find out what works for you and apply it.</p>

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<p>XD</p>

<p>I applied from "feng shui" to my room. If anyone Asian (or even non-Asian) knows what that is, I did it to increase the educational sector of my room (XD)</p>

<p>But, this Korean girl isn't really a robot or Mrs. Perfect, to be honest. What I said about her is true, but what's also true is (I guess I should have mentioned this earlier), she isn't the top of her class either. It's a given that she is <em>up</em> there, but she's not the best.</p>

<p>What I tried focusing with this thread was her work ethic and study habits/abilities, because I feel that her success comes purely from her effort and not (like for many other smart students) naturally.</p>

<p>I feel like I can relate to her because if I studied as much and went crazy, I could do as good as she did. What I lack is the motivation/ambition/reason too, and mostly also, it's a little bit late to do that considering college is around. So I was just wondering what was her reason to push herself that hard?</p>

<p>(And yeah, everyone, she does have a social life, mostly Asian friends, and she does dress fashionably and with style. A lot of people admire her >_>, and on top of that, she's really modest).</p>

<p>However, by no means is she a girl that is lazy and everything we learn in school comes naturally to her. She's not like this senior I know that got into MIT and in his Physics C class, the teacher always put a question on the test the student's never learned, but he would get it anyway. She's not like that, the principal and emphasized characteristic about the Korean girl is that she <em>works</em> for what she has now, which is the part I'm amazed at, because how can a person work so much and achieve to be so great at school, EC's, and to make an awesome resume?</p>

<p>I mean, I work hard, but I can't get the same results as her? It's exactly what like lucky1011 said >__<</p>

<p>And that's why I wish I was like her -___-</p>

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<p>Edit: I admit though, I take a lot of motivation from her to study. Whenever I think about her habits and such, it drives me to sit and study a lot too, as well as put my 120% (if that exists >_>) in anything I do.</p>

<p><em>sighh</em> XD</p>

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<p>there are plenty of kids like this, and all that makes them special is that they have a unique work ethic and some natural born talent. Its mainly hard work though, IMO.</p>