Freshman Experience

Michael Guinta: Taking Notes

Posted January 5th, 2016

My time at St. Augustine Prep has been extremely interesting. Although I have only been attending the Prep for a little while, I have had many memorable experiences. The majority have been good, but there is one class that troubles me. When I received a 79 on my first quiz in Catholic Faith, I was shocked. I could only think, “I will not let Catholic Faith be the only class in which I get a B.”Simply put, this class is so difficult for me because of the Have You Been Listening? quizzes. Our teacher puts random facts or statements that he has said during class on this quiz. Therefore, you have to take impeccable notes. The first quiz caught me by surprise, because I had no idea what to expect. Now, thankfully, I have found a way to succeed in this class.

The key is to write down everything the teacher says. If you take poor notes, failure is almost inevitable. Luckily on the second Have You Been Listening? quiz, the teacher clued us in to what material was going to be asked, so I wasn’t completely in the dark when it came to the quiz questions. When I took this next assessment, it was much easier, and I was prepared better. Actually, I got a 100. Although Catholic Faith is my most challenging class, I know that I can succeed as long as I am diligent and hard-working.