You don’t have to go through this alone!
1. YOUR TEACHER. Believe it or not, your teacher may actually know a thing or two about the subject they teach. Don’t be afraid of them because their an AP teacher. Teachers want to help you, so why not take advantage of that help? If your teacher is advertizing after school help before a test or essay, don’t stay at home and watch Spongebob, take advantage of this opportunity! Just like math or any other class, AP Lang requires practice, practice, and even more practice!
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2. YOUR PARENTS. I can almost swear that there will be a collective gasp after reading that. No, your parents may have not taken AP Lang themselves, but they have been around for a lot longer than you. Practicing a speech and no one but your dog will give you feedback? Go find mom! Desperately attempting to brainstorm for your editorial on “The American Experience” due tomorrow? Find dad! They will probably have great ideas you never would have thought of, being a teenager and all.
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3. YOUR FRIENDS AND CLASSMATES. Friends and classmates are great support systems. They’re people you can complain to, whine to, and even ask for help. This may sound quite strange, but AP Lang can strengthen friendships or even cause you to meet and communicate with new people you never even knew! Going through AP Lang together is a unifying experience. Friends and classmates can especially come in handy when you missed something in class or aren’t quite brave enough to approach a teacher with a question.
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4. THE INTERNET. Cross that. The internet, minus Sparknotes. Like I have already pointed out, Sparknotes only hinders you. However, the majority of the internet is a realm of possibilities. We live in the 21st century and should be able to take advantage of this incredibly valuable resource. Here is a list of links that have proved to be helpful during my experience with AP Lang:
- http://dictionary.reference.com/ Trust me, this website comes in handy! If you’re struggling with a tricky vocabulary word or come across a confusing phrase in a piece of literature, this is the place to go.
- http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ The Purdue Online Writing Lab can answer all of your questions about MLA, grammar, and mechanics.
- http://thesaurus.com/ When it’s the middle of the night and you’re struggling to find a better word for “going to”, this simple little website holds all of the answers. It’s easy to use and will introduce you to new word or few.
words of wisdom 