u/Acceptable-Loquat374

Hi. This is mostly just me needing a place to rant, feel free to reply if you wish.

I feel like a fucking idiot in AP Lang. I am a naturally gifted English student, I've been awarded for my writing numerous times and I genuinely enjoy reading and writing. I want to major in this kind of thing in college. So it's extremely frustrating that a subject I care so deeply about and want so badly to do well in is making me feel like I'm just repeatedly bashing my head into a wall.

Every time I turn something in, there's mountains upon mountains of feedback. Especially when it comes to rhetorical analysis, holy shit. I'm somehow never specific enough. It feels like I can spend hours pining over a PROCESS WORK assignment and NONE of that work pays off. I know how to get better, but I genuinely feel like there's no point because nothing I do for this class works. Nothing pays off. No amount of effort earns me anything useful. So what's the point in doing any better? What's the point in trying if it's never actually gonna get me what I want?

I guess I just want some advice on how any ex-Lang or current Lang students found the motivation to actually keep trying in this class. I feel useless and am devoid of hope at the moment, and it's only fucking October. Help.

Yo. I self studied APWHM this year and received a wonderful little 5 so here's my list of tips on how to do well. :)

1. Create a schedule/timeline.

- The one thing I wish I would've done better is time management. I started studying around January and took the exam in May, and I somewhat wrote a schedule for when I was going to study what but I didn't really stick to it and ended up cramming a lot at the end. So - don't start in January, start earlier than that (if you can) and make a specific plan that you stick to, i.e. breaking down what Heimler videos you're going to watch on what day.

2. Study stuff more than once.

- You've heard it before. You're hearing it again. Your brain will register stuff better when you study it/go over and review more than once over a period of time.

3. Find a history teacher to consult.

- My school doesn't offer APWHM as a class (hence why I self studied) but I checked in with our on-level history teacher frequently when I got confused about something. I also asked her to read/give me feedback on my practice DBQ/SAQ/LEQ responses. Find some kind of a history teacher at your school (if you're homeschooled...uh...idk sorry) who will help you and read your writing.

4. Specific dates do not matter. Do not waste your time.

- Did not use a single specific date (or, honestly, even know a specific date) on the exam. Know a general timeline of various regions and you'll be okay.

5. PERIODIZE EVERYTHING.

- Somewhat contrary to the point above, you do not need to know the specific date July 4th, 1776, for example, but you do need to know that America declared independence during the third period. You can write a fab LEQ essay about WWII but if it's asking about the first period, you're screwed. Know a general idea of what happens when.

6. Practice your writing. You do know you're gonna have to do more than just MCQs, right?

- Seriously, write practice DBQs, LEQs, SAQs. They're a great way to test what you actually know by seeing how much info you can put into practice. Start by just attempting to write a decent one, then gradually move into enforcing more testing conditions to make sure you're ready (time restrictions, not looking in your notebook, silent room, etc.)

7. Resources

- DO NOT USE KHAN ACADEMY. Normally I'm a huge fan of the platform but their APWHM resources are really redundant and was a waste of my time IMO. They focus on a lot of niche details that you will not need to know and just stressed me out more than needed when I used them.

- Heimler's History on YouTube is your GOAT. Every single video that man makes about APWHM, you need to watch. Take notes on them, too, don't just watch them passively. I have my whole notes PDF (took them online, you're welcome) posted here somewhere as well.

- I had both the Princeton Review and the Barron's textbook. Pick one. You likely won't use it, but if that's how you take in information, go with God.

- Freemanpedia is another great YouTube resource, especially for specific examples and objects/people/concepts you need to know outside of the larger themes of a period or place. Same as Heimler, take notes on the videos of his you watch, though I kinda used him as a supplemental to the Heimler main videos. Utilize all the free resources he has posted, too. They're a great way to visually organize all the information you're absorbing.

- Make flashcards. I tried using premade sets (both ones that you buy and free sets on Quizlet) but I couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't testing me on everything I specifically needed to review. Make your own. It's worth it.

Good luck. You got this. Peace.

hi gang! congrats to all of us, ik we all killed the exam and did well

seeing as i'm finished with the course and my notes are taking up space on my ipad, im posting a link to a pdf of my full notebook here because a) don't want to get rid of them in case they're useful for a later history class and b) think they might be useful for future students.

most of it's heimler's history/freemanpedia but there's a bit of other resources sprinkled in there randomly (free stuff, khan academy's the first other one that comes to mind). i don't know if it's entirely comprehensive but i did take pretty good notes. can't attest to a specific score because i just took the exam but i felt okay seeing as i self studied.

if you're reading this in future years, relax. you got this. it is not impossible, and ya know a lot more than you think you. good luck ❤️

link: https://transfer.it/t/8DgbLx5XzLzJ