Writers 
PART TWO
If you read Part One, you already know that being serious about your studies doesn't always mean everything will suddenly become easy.
We talked about how you can be putting in the work and still struggle because of the way you study or gaps in your foundation.
But we're not done yet.
There are still more reasons why you can be completely locked in and somehow still feel like you're not getting it.
So, let's continue.
5. You're Mentally and Physically Tired
Sometimes, you're not lazy.
You're just tired.
You can sit in front of your textbook for two hours, but if your mind is exhausted, very little might actually stick. You may read the same paragraph repeatedly without really understanding it, or study something today only to struggle to remember it later.
School itself can be tiring. Add homework, chores, family responsibilities, long days, stress, and staying up late, and your brain may simply need a break.
Sometimes, you're physically sitting at your desk, but mentally, you're already exhausted.
Trying to force yourself through everything when you're completely drained doesn't always make you more productive.
Solution: Take Care of Your Energy
Get enough sleep. Take reasonable breaks while studying. Eat properly and give yourself time to rest.
You can also try studying during the times of day when you're naturally more alert.
Remember:
Rest isn't the opposite of productivity. Sometimes, rest is what allows you to be productive.
6. Your Environment Is Working Against You
You might genuinely want to study, but your environment may be making it difficult.
Your phone keeps buzzing. Someone is watching TV nearby. People are talking. Your siblings need your attention. You keep checking social media “for just five minutes,” and somehow thirty minutes disappears.
Before you know it, you've spent more time getting distracted than studying.
Solution: Create a Study Space
You don't need a fancy study room.
Even if all you have is a small corner, try to make it your study zone.
Put unnecessary distractions away. Keep only what you need nearby. If possible, let the people around you know when you're studying and don't want to be disturbed.
And yes, sometimes that means putting your phone somewhere you can't constantly reach for it.
Make it easier for yourself to focus.
7. You're Comparing Your Progress to Other People
This one can be easy to overlook.
Maybe your friend understands a topic after one explanation while you need five.
Maybe someone in your class is always getting higher marks.
Maybe you study for two hours while someone else claims they studied for thirty minutes and still got an excellent score.
It can make you feel like something is wrong with you.
But people don't learn at exactly the same speed.
Comparing your progress to someone else's can also make studying more stressful than it needs to be.
Solution: Compete With Your Previous Self
Instead of asking:
“Why am I not as good as them?”
Ask:
“Am I better than I was before?”
Did you understand something today that confused you last week?
Did you improve your test score?
Did you finally solve a question you couldn't solve before?
Those things matter.
Your progress doesn't become meaningless just because someone else is ahead of you.
8. Your Relationships and Personal Life Are Taking Up Mental Space
And finally, sometimes the problem isn't your study method at all.
It's life.
Friends can distract you. Problems with people at home can stay on your mind. Arguments can make it difficult to concentrate. A friendship that is causing stress can affect your mood.
And yes, even having a crush or liking someone can take up a surprising amount of mental space.
You might be sitting with your textbook open while your brain is somewhere completely different:
“Why haven't they replied?”
“Did I say something wrong?”
“Why are they acting differently?”
And suddenly you've read the same paragraph four times without understanding anything.
That's not necessarily because you're unserious.
It's because it's hard to focus on school when your mind is busy dealing with other things.
Solution: Give Your Mind Boundaries
You don't have to completely remove friends or relationships from your life just because you're studying.
Instead, learn to separate your study time from your personal time.
If something is bothering you, give yourself a moment to deal with it instead of pretending it doesn't exist. Write down what you're thinking, talk to someone you trust, or decide when you'll deal with the issue.
And when it's time to study, try to bring your attention back to what you're doing.
Your relationships matter.
But so does your future.
Don't allow temporary problems, drama, or distractions to completely take over the goals you're working toward.
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Bonus Tip — Check Your Spiritual Life
An additional tip from me, the writer, as a Nigerian Christian:
It would be almost impossible for me to talk about a topic like this without adding something spiritual to it.
Sometimes, you may feel like you're doing everything you're supposed to do. You're studying, doing your assignments, attending classes, and putting in the effort, but you're still struggling to understand or make progress.
As a Christian, I believe this is also a good time to check your spiritual life.
Get connected with God. Pray. Seek Him and ask for guidance.
Take a moment to reflect and ask yourself if there is anything affecting you spiritually or keeping you from being focused, peaceful, and consistent, even though you're putting in the effort.
My advice is to seek spiritual guidance from people you trust in your faith, such as a pastor or other trusted religious leader. Most importantly, pray and acknowledge the Almighty God throughout your journey.
At the end of the day, I'm not saying spirituality is the answer to every academic struggle. But as a Christian, I believe God should be part of the journey too.
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So, What If You're Actually Locked In?
Being “locked in” doesn't mean you'll suddenly understand everything.
It doesn't mean you'll never get distracted, never struggle, or never fail a test.
And it definitely doesn't mean that if you're struggling, you're not trying hard enough.
Sometimes you need to change how you're studying.
Sometimes you need to go back and fix a gap in your foundation.
Sometimes you need rest.
Sometimes you need a better environment.
And sometimes, you simply have things happening in your personal life that are making it harder to concentrate.
The important thing is to figure out what is actually holding you back instead of immediately blaming yourself.
So if you're studying, doing your assignments, attending classes, and genuinely trying but still feel like you're not getting it, don't give up.
Pause. Find the problem. Fix it. Try again.
Because being locked in isn't about being perfect.
It's about refusing to stop improving
