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"Science is not for me," I used to tell myself, feeling out of place as someone who loved art. But a teacher showed me that failing is just part of learning. Photo by Gee Nika on Pexels:  Source Early struggle Confusion Learning biology felt overwhelming, as if in an alien language. I sat in lessons, not understanding, and stayed silent, thinking questions would make me seem dumb. Staying quiet kept me lost all year. Reaching out and using visuals would have helped. Ask for help early when stuck. Just memorizing notes didn’t help- I quickly forgot. Being compared to others made me feel bad. When my parents mentioned model students on social media or TV, I felt judged. It felt like others thought I wasn't good enough; I doubted I belonged in science or math. Feeling like giving up Comparison and failure lowered my spirits. In seventh grade, I studied breathing but got a D. I gave up, hoping the problem would disappear. The only thing that made me happy was art. Art lets me share my ideas and be creative. I practiced drawing every day and learned by watching videos online. When I stopped trying, my grades stayed low. Once I cared again and changed my approach, things improved. The main takeaway: trying new methods can open up progress when old habits aren’t working. Turning Point My teacher, the first person to redefine the definition of failure After school started, a teacher believed in me and pushed me to try new study methods. With her support, I enjoyed science and explored new ways to learn. Curiosity and questioning were crucial to my progress. These led to my top study tips. First try Before the test, I searched online for things I didn’t understand. Finding extra information felt risky, but I tried anyway. Discovering a new aspect My first search was 'what is transpiration?' Then I found a research paper that looked interesting and clicked on it out of curiosity. Reading the summary made me want to learn more. I didn’t know all the words, so I looked them up and watched videos. It took time, but I understood better than in class. Typing new words hundreds of times helped me remember them. A Surprise I thought I’d get another D, but I was shocked when I got an A. This made me rethink what talent and achievement really mean. When I used the same method in other subjects, I saw my grades improve there, too. New challenges I still didn’t know everything. Big tests were hard, and I worried about catching up in time. Sometimes I lost motivation, but remembering how proud I felt after learning something hard kept me going. Thinking about my success made me want to keep going, but spending so much time on science made my other grades go down and left me really tired. This taught me that balancing efforts across subjects is crucial to prevent burnout and keep overall performance strong. Photo by Steve Johnson on Pexels: Source Looking back, I see these experiences changed how I study. Struggles taught me to be flexible and to adapt my study habits for each subject. Learning methods and reflecting on what works changed everything for my high school life. Main takeaway: Try different approaches, embrace mistakes, and focus on progress over perfection; personal improvement matters more than grades alone. Reflection  What were my biggest mistakes, and what did I learn from them? Assuming I am the failure Thinking I was a failure stopped me from trying new things. I learned that believing you can't improve prevents growth. Mistakes aren't proof you can't learn—they're chances to understand and get stronger.    2. Believing that talent alone led to academic performance. Comparisons to other people led me to undervalue my efforts. I realized that new strategies and hard work help you improve. Struggle now to learn and succeed later.  When people compare you to themselves, it can make you feel bad. I learned it’s better to face challenges and grow than to avoid them. Failing now helps you improve for the future. 3. Avoiding help slowed my progress. Once I asked for support, I learned faster and gained new perspectives. Growth is easier with support. Getting help is important for growth. If you don’t ask, people don't understand what you need. Asking brings good advice and connects you with support. 4. Obsessing over one subject to get a good grade Focusing too much on one subject hurts my other grades. If you only work on one subject, your other grades might go down. Key takeaway: Balancing your effort across all subjects helps prevent burnout and improve overall performance. Studying tips Explaining the concepts to yourself and noting any gaps you still don’t understand, and filling those gaps When you explain things to yourself, you remember them better and see what you don’t understand yet. This helps you know whether you really get it or just memorize. Try to picture how things work in real life. 2. Use shorthand to take notes faster. Teachers sometimes talk fast, which can be hard to keep up with. Using short words or symbols can help you take notes faster and follow the lesson better. 3. Actively reaching out to the teacher to get their teaching materials. Some teachers gatekeep materials, so you might need to work harder to take notes. Asking for these materials saves time and lets you focus on important details in class. 4. Notes only things that are not on the slides With access to core materials, focus your notes on details, not on the slides. Include extra points, common misconceptions, and the teacher’s insights to study efficiently. 5. Looking at what type of questions they give you on assessments, homework, and practice those types of questions regularly. Use homework and past assessments to identify the types of questions you’ll face on tests, and practice with similar problems. This helps you study with focus and saves time. It can also lower stress on test day.  6. Use the textbook as your main study guide and to guide your online study.     Teachers use a variety of resources, not just the textbook. Use the textbook as your starting point, but look for additional information if needed. Focus on what’s most important for your class. 7. Start in the cold, bright room. Review the easiest material if you feel tired. A warm, dim room makes me sleepy, but a cool, bright one helps me focus. If tired, start with the easiest topics to get going. 8. Using free study materials  To study efficiently, I use free resources. If you lack support, online tools can help you keep up. If you don’t know where to start, use a reliable website like  Khan Academy  or  CrashCourse . The websites I list may have a lot of information, so you’ll need to pick what’s useful and check if it’s correct. Always review your learning goals for each lesson, and use your study guides to determine what to search for online. You don’t have to use every resource or get it all right the first time. It’s okay to start with one website or tool and add more as you get comfortable. Start small and be patient. Try just one or two new resources at first so you don’t get overwhelmed. The list below is my current favorite websites to study biology: Anki  - Free flashcard tool with many shared decks. Filter for high school materials and study only what you need. Quizlet  - Similar to Anki, but some flashcards require a subscription. MIT courseware  - Free non-credit courses, including undergraduate and graduate levels. Check if they match your class needs. Openstax  - Open textbooks, including many great biology texts. You can log in to save highlights. Khan Academy  - Non-profit with strong video lessons for pre-K to grade 12, including STEM. Schoolhouse  - Free tutoring platform with some AP Biology and student-led STEM sessions, though not regularly. YouTube  - Some great channels are Bozeman Science, Amoeba Sisters, Crashcourse, Ninja Nerd, Professor Dave Explains, The Noted Anatomist, and so on! Be aware that these channels offer college-level classes, so filter the videos based on your class content. Internet Archive  -  Open-source materials, including free textbooks and videos. Check whether the materials are up to date and reliable. Biology LibreTexts  - Open textbooks with much high school material. Since some are college-level, filter to fit your course. Online study groups - Helping you find resources and advice. What works for others may not work for you, so experiment to see what helps most.  My view of biology shifted from fear to curiosity through questioning It’s been years since I first started learning biology. My path wasn’t always easy or straight. There were times when biology felt impossible, especially because I didn’t have much support from friends, teachers, or my parents. Failing is part of learning, but sometimes people make fun of mistakes, which makes it hard to see science in a positive way. When I started researching, I was surprised to learn that many great scientists often failed and achieved success only after thousands of attempts. Their stories demystify science and research. Science isn’t something only experts can do. It’s a way for anyone to search for answers. Theories and discoveries can change as new evidence emerges. Scientists often find mistakes and create better explanations. So, biology is about always asking questions and understanding life by testing ideas and learning from mistakes. Photo by Mo Eid on Pexels:  Source Final words Biology isn’t impossible: you just need to find the study methods that work for you. Mistakes and struggles are normal parts of learning. Improvement is always possible, so don’t give up or compare yourself to others. Keep going!  Question:  What are your hot takes or tips for studying and acing tests? Side note: All constructive comments are welcome!

This is the first post I've ever made on the blog! I'm thrilled to start to post contents on here. So what content does the blog cover? Biology  - The topics covered in this blog range from elementary to college-level biology. * I may put my personal experience in certain topic s. A journey of a biology enthusiast   (not often)  - I will update my personal life and tell personal stories. My posting schedule: 1 post per week/ 1 post per 2 weeks  - I currently don't have a consistent posting schedule, so it depends on my workload from other stuff in my life. I hope to see you in the next post!