Struggling to remember your sentence patterns? Wondering how to write a decent essay without panicking about the prompt? Worried that you can not seem to remember why your witty AP Lang teacher hates Del Mar? Have no fear, How to Survive AP Lang 101 is here! Here is a comprehensive guide on how to navigate and succeed in your AP Lang class:
- Engage yourself in classroom discussions and activities:
Break down the barriers of your introverted self and push your confidence beyond its limits. In AP Lang, classroom discussions and activities are by far the most entertaining part of the rigorous course. By immersing yourself in Jerry Springer activities, you are sure to not only understand the book you last read, but also ultimately cheer up before you have to take a not-so-fun MCQ based on your readings.
- Sit next to the crickets:
Crickets? Yes, the crickets! Chris Haskett’s best buddies of course! The crickets live in the magical bookcase next to the door. Are they scary? No! They occasionally make chirping noises when they want to wish you good luck on your essay. Sitting next to them ensures you will have luck bestowed upon you as you do your assignments. Not to mention, sitting next to the crickets allows you easier access to the absurd bright blue bathroom pass. However, you must beware of one thing: do not sit too close to the bookshelf. Crickets like to hop so be careful not to take a buddy with you to lunch.
- Laugh at Haskett’s jokes:
A simple, yet very important, rule. His jokes deserve more appreciation!
- Fake it til you make it:
In order to become a better writer, you must feel more confident in your writing abilities. No matter what grade you receive on your essays, keep your head up high. Your scores can only go up! Plus, if you are not good at one type of writing, that does not mean that you are bad at every kind of writing. Whether you excel at rhetorical analysis, argumentative, or synthesis essays, you are still a great writer.
- Go to AP Lang study hall:
AP Lang study hall is by far the best study hall to attend for many reasons; you can study, listen to techno music, talk with friends, and relax before your dreaded MCQ. Have a question? Not an issue! After figuring out how to change his techno music to blues, Haskett will be happy enough to help. Asking questions can help you write better essays, CEJs, and letters to The Shield.
- Do not cry over CEJs/learn how to manifest:
Yes, CEJs are difficult. Spending hours searching for the perfect article to write your CEJ on proves very arduous. Once you find an article, writing the introduction is easy, however, once you start writing your body paragraph, a tear might fall. Do not let CEJs get the better of you. You are stronger than them and can tackle them any day of your one “earth” week. When in doubt, if your CEJ punches you back in the face, learn to manifest. Manifesting your CEJ may or may not result in a better grade.
- Do NOT mention Del Mar:
Under no circumstances should you mention the following: yellow, black, dons, nobleman, gentleman, gold, white, “that” high school in San Jose, and Del Mar. You do not want to find out the consequences of mentioning Del Mar.
- Read the assigned books:
Reading, by far, is the most important tool to use in AP Lang. To write better, you must read the assigned books because then you can use them as evidence in your argumentative essays and learn new vocabulary words. Although The Right Stuff left most students struggling to stave off the heavy lids of drowsiness, you still must read! Do you want to fail your exam on the book? If not, then be sure to read diligently.
- Practice your sentence patterns:
Sentence patterns, the key aspect in producing captivating writing, allow you to not only become a more diverse writer, but also earn the sophistication point on your essays. No one likes to read jejune essays. Masterfully, you should be able to identify sentence patterns within a blink of an eye. Feeling confident already? Try to identify at least 5 different sentence patterns used in this comprehensive guide.
- What are we talking about? Practice!
Overall, practicing your skills in regard to not only essays, but also MCQs will ensure you a passing grade on the delightful AP exam in May. Undoubtedly, practice does not mean perfection; however, it does mean improvement. As long as you put forth effort and continue to practice, you will be able to pass the exam.
Overall, AP Lang is a fun, yet challenging class. However, by following How to Survive AP Lang 101, you will no doubt achieve an A+ in your class. Most importantly, remember to have fun while learning about writing and apply yourself with maximum effort to the course.